Frequently Asked Questions
Here is a collection of questions that we are frequently asked about our team. If your answer isn't listed here, please click the Contact Us link to ask your question and we'll be glad to help!
How can I join your team?
We have a kick-off information meeting in May each year. In that meeting, we will answer questions and give you information about how the team works. Look for the exact date on our website as we approach May.
Does it cost anything to fish with your team?
The cost per angler for the 2021-2022 season is $500 for the year. This covered all tournament entries, a professional-quality team jersey, membership in the Texas High School Bass Association, club operating costs for the year, and the cost of our annual banquet.
Most of our anglers obtained the $500 cost by getting a sponsorship from one or more local businesses. In order to make that easier, we asked for payment in two $250 installments. The first $250 was due at the beginning of the season. The second payment was due a couple of months later.
Each year is a little different and the cost may fluctuate slightly for next year. We'll have details at our kick-off meeting in May.
Most of our anglers obtained the $500 cost by getting a sponsorship from one or more local businesses. In order to make that easier, we asked for payment in two $250 installments. The first $250 was due at the beginning of the season. The second payment was due a couple of months later.
Each year is a little different and the cost may fluctuate slightly for next year. We'll have details at our kick-off meeting in May.
Do I need a boat to fish with you?
Our anglers fish in two-person teams at each tournament. One of the two anglers must have a boat that meets THSBA requirements and an adult boat captain. You can see the requirements in the tournament rules posted on the THSBA website, but the boat must be a minimum of 16-feet in length, it must be propeller-driven, and it must have a functional livewell system.
If you don't have a boat, you'll need to pair up with someone who does have a boat. We can put you in touch with boat owners who are looking for a partner, but you are responsible for reaching out to them and partnering with someone.
If you don't have a boat, you'll need to pair up with someone who does have a boat. We can put you in touch with boat owners who are looking for a partner, but you are responsible for reaching out to them and partnering with someone.
Can I join your team partway through the year?
As a general rule, we don't allow you to join after the beginning of the season. We order our team jerseys and pay our membership fees at the beginning of the season. We get preferred pricing on our jerseys because we order them all at once. If you join partway through the year, it increases the costs for you to fish on the team. It also can create a problem with trying to allocate boat captains.
In addition to all of that, unless you fish in all of our tournaments, you are at a great disadvantage for finishing well at the end of the season. Therefore, much like other sports, we ask that you participate fully by fishing in all of our tournaments.
In addition to all of that, unless you fish in all of our tournaments, you are at a great disadvantage for finishing well at the end of the season. Therefore, much like other sports, we ask that you participate fully by fishing in all of our tournaments.
What if I join the team and then decide that I don't want to fish tournaments? Can I get my money back?
Once we get your sponsorship, it is allocated to the expenses of the team. Additionally, we pay large expenses up-front for you, and if you decide to leave, we don't get a refund for those expenses. Therefore, we don't refund people who decide to leave the team.
If I buy a boat partway through the season, can I decide to fish by myself instead of with my partner?
There are no rules that would prevent you from doing that, but you'd be doing a disservice to your partner and to yourself. Anglers build up Angler of the Year (AOY) points throughout the season. Where you finish in AOY determines whether you qualify to fish in the regional tournament at the end of the season. If you decide to fish alone (or if you switch partners for any other reason), a new team is formed and you and your partner will lose all of the AOY points you have accumulated.
Bottom line is that we would strongly discourage you from changing your team. If you want to use your new boat, just let the team advisor know and come to an agreement with your partner about possibly alternating the boat you use in tournaments.
Bottom line is that we would strongly discourage you from changing your team. If you want to use your new boat, just let the team advisor know and come to an agreement with your partner about possibly alternating the boat you use in tournaments.
Do you allow girls to fish on your team?
Absolutely! We encourage it! While we typically don't see a lot of interest from female anglers, we would love to see more girls on our team. The Texas High School Bass Association has many female teams, and many of them outfish the guys.
What are the rules for your tournaments?
We fish in the Texas High School Bass Association (THSBA) in the West division. The THSBA stipulates all of the rules for our tournaments. You can find the rules on the THSBA website.
What lakes do you fish?
Lakes are decided at the beginning of the season by team advisors and THSBA staff. Our division fishes lakes that are relatively close to DFW. We will occasionally fish a lake that is 2 or 3 hours away, but most of our lakes are within a 1 - 1.5 hour drive from our area.
You can see the lakes for the current season on the West Division page on the THSBA website.
You can see the lakes for the current season on the West Division page on the THSBA website.
How many boats fish in each of your tournaments?
It varies depending on participation, but in the 2020-2021 season, approximately 235 teams fished in each tournament. Because of the large number of boats, all of our tournaments are trailering tournaments. That means that we don't all launch from the same boat ramp. Instead, teams launch from the ramp of their choice and the THSBA tells us what time we're allowed to start fishing and when we have to stop.
How do you figure out who wins a tournament?
Each boat is allowed to keep up to 5 black bass that meet the lake's minimum length requirement. (Minimum length is 14" on most of our lakes.) Anglers keep those fish in a livewell (a working livewell is a requirement for all boats) and bring them to a location specified for weigh-in at the end of the tournament. The THSBA has a professional weigh-in where anglers will carry their fish up on the stage and get an official weight. The team with the most weight wins. After fish are weighed, they are released back to the lake to be caught another day.
Can I just keep my fish and eat them?
Ummm . . . no. If you're hungry, go catfish or crappie fishing. :) THSBA and KVB practice conservation so all fish caught are released back into the lake after they are weighed in.
Do you provide training on fishing techniques?
We don't provide any formal training. We expect you to come to the team already knowing how to fish. Our tournaments are serious fishing tournaments with scholarship money on the line. If you don't have a skillset already developed in bass fishing, you will not succeed on our team. That might sound harsh, but we don't want to set improper expectations.
Do you provide rods, reels, and tackle?
No. Each angler is responsible for providing his or her own rods, reels, and tackle. We do have some discounts available to our anglers, so if you want to purchase additional gear after joining the team, you can save some money. We understand fishing is an expensive sport.
What kind of rods and reels do I need?
We can't really answer that for you. We expect that you have the knowledge and expertise to choose the right gear based on how you fish.
What if I have other questions?
Feel free to contact us using our Contact page. We will be happy to help answer any other questions!
