Bass clubs have been an important part of my life for 48 years. Since Jim Berry invited me to join the Spalding County Sportsman Club in April 1974, I have missed few meetings or tournaments in that club. I joined the Flint River Bass Club a few years later, in 1978, then finally joined the Potato Creek Bassmasters about six years ago.
Joining a bass club puts you in a group of fishermen that love bass fishing. We are at all levels, from beginners to a few that can compete on bigger money trails. But the joy of a club is the camaraderie, learning experiences and fun, not the money you might win.
Right now is a great time to join a bass club. All three Griffin clubs are setting our schedules and starting our tournament years in January. My goal each year is to do well in the point standings for the year, and it is hard to keep up if you miss a tournament. And fishing is often surprisingly good in January and February.
The Flint River Bass Club meets the first Tuesday of the month and fishes our tournament the following Sunday. Potato Creek Bassmasters meets the Monday following the first Tuesday and fishes that Saturday. Spalding County Sportsman Club meets the third Tuesday each month and fishes the following Sunday.
All three clubs have some two-day tournaments, with two in Flint River, three in the Sportsman Club and four in Potato Creek. All three meet at Panda Bear Restaurant.
Annual dues are $25 in Flint River and $50 in the other two. Monthly tournament entry fees are $25 to $30 with a variety of pots, like daily big fish at $5, that are voluntary. The Sportsman Club and Potato Creek both have year end Classics that members qualify for during the previous year.
We have a lot of fun at the meetings discussing fishing and telling some true stories about it. Tournaments are fun competition, mostly for bragging rights since entry fees are low and there is not enough money involved to really get serious about it.
There are many of us in each of the three clubs that often fish alone, so there is always room for new members without a boat. I am looking for someone to fish with me in Flint River tournaments. If interested in joining one of the clubs call me at 770-789-6168 or email ronnie@fishing-about.com.
The 2021 tournament year is done and point standings are complete. In the Flint River Bass
Club 100 points are awarded to first place, 90 for second down to 10 for tenth place. If you catch a fish but finish lower than 10th, you get five points. You also get 10 points for attending a meeting and 20 points for fishing a tournament, even if you zero.
Last year in the Flint River Club I won with 1150 points and 42 bass in 12 tournaments that weighed 70.44 pounds. Don Gober was second with 780 points, 28 bass weighing 44.64 pounds in 10 tournaments. Third went to Don’s grandson, Alex Gober, with 610 points and 19 bass in 10 tournaments weighing 24.4 pounds.
Niles Murray fished six tournaments but had 580 points and 24 bass weighing 44.77 pounds for fourth. Fifth went to Chuck Croft fishing six tournaments with 510 points 13 bass and 29.52 pounds. He also had big fish for the year with a 5.39 pound largemouth caught at West Point in May. Lee Hancock fished only three tournaments but came in sixth with 310 points and 18 bass weighing 29.21 pounds.
The Potato Creek Bassmasters uses the same point system as Flint River but has a lot more members, and more fish every month. Sam Smith won with 785 points, 45 bass weighing 86.62 pounds and I placed second with 765 points, 61 bass and 103.24 pounds. Third went to Raymond English with 700 points, 73 bass and 116.35 pounds and Kwong Yu came in fourth with 695 points, 65 bass and 116.55 pounds.
Fifth place for the year was won by Lee Hancock with 680 points, 55 bass and 98.08 pounds. Sixth was Mitchell Cardell with 660 points, 50 bass and 96.52 pounds. Big fish for the year was won by Jamie Beasley with a beautiful 7.23 pound largemouth caught at Eufaula in March.
It was interesting that the 12 tournaments in this club were won by 11 different members!
In the Sportsman Club 25 points are awarded to first, 24 for second down to one for 25th. Each fisherman weighing in a limit in a tournament gets a bonus point, as does big fish. And each fisherman gets one point for fishing a tournament, even if they zero, and one point for attending a meeting.
I had 294 points and 52 bass weighting 86.38 pounds for first, second was a tie with Raymond English and Jay Gerson both having 274 points. Raymond weighed in 45 bass weighing 87.71 pounds and Jay had 60 bass weighing 84.19 pounds. Fourth went to Glenn
Anderson with 233 points, 35 bass and 48.28 pounds. All four of us fished all 12 tournaments.
Kwong Yu came in fifth with 214 points, 38 bass weighing 69.4 pounds. Sixth place went to Wayne Teal with 168 points and 28 bass weighing 39.85 pounds. Billy Roberts won big fish of the year with a 5.15 pound largemouth caught at Clarks Hill in April.
Join one, two or all three clubs and have some fun with us and show us how to catch fish!