Va Bass Federation Region 4

News from Region 4 Virginia Bass Federation.

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Update: Dwayne Linkous President Foggy Bottom Bassmasters, Response to: The Good, The Bad and The Ugly. Posted below

What could have been: (the Good)

FLW / TBF and B.A.S.S were knocking at the door, tournament opportunities could not have been better for Region 4. When the Director and leader did not understand or have insight, he said I'm a union man and I must fight, and so the story goes.

Region 4 may have missed the road to having what could have been a very large and growing membership. Offering it's membership opportunities to fish and qualify for the two biggest fishing trails in the world today, all under one roof. A growing membership that could have cured all financial problems, payouts that exceeded any other cookie jar event around and been the envy of other regions in the state. Tournaments that were organized and run at a higher level attracting more membership. Anglers from all over the state wanting to join clubs that were members of this region, to be part of something special. Ahhhh.......what could have been!

Director goes against the majority vote: (the Bad)

Ousted Virginia Bass Federation Region 4 Director Abe Street again shows his lack of integrity and responsibility. After region 4 voted 19 to 6 to affiliate with TBF. Inc / FLW, he abstained region 4's vote to the state board on his own account. On Jan. 28th 2006 at the Region 4 presidents meeting, as director, he made a verbal agreement with the members and club presidents that the assets including bank account money, 2 sets of scales and ramp permits for the 2006 tournament schedule would be split and the ramps would be shared and used by both members of TBF/FLW and B.A.S.S. Upon later confirmation of these ramp permits, information sources say that phone calls made to the ramp authorities in an effort to undermine the verbal agreement made in good faith. Since those phone calls the ramps now cannot be used by the TBF/FLW affiliated group.

Mr. Street is now holding office as the tournament director of the newly formed Va. Bass Federation Nation that is affiliated with B.A.S.S.

I guess if you can't make a name for yourself by fishing merit alone, you can by stirring up the waters!

Projected Tournament Turnout: (the Ugly)

The number of boats that will be fishing the Region 4 tournaments on the TBF/FLW or B.A.S.S circuit is the $1000 or maybe we should say the $300.00 question? Both TBF / FLW and B.A.S.S will not speculate or give a head count as to the number of members already signed on as of mid February with the deadline for registration on Feb. 28th of this month. Both sides of Region 4, TBF/FLW and B.A.S.S have elected to hold tournaments on the exact same dates, eliminating any chance of anglers fishing both circuits. Big Brother FLW planned their New Tour Series tournaments around the B.A.S.S Elite Series, to give these anglers a chance to compete in both series and grow alliance to the FLW.

With the addition of Region 10 that took clubs from Region 4, the split of the Federation to TBF/B.A.S.S and the members that have just had it with all the power struggles and increased membership fees, these tournaments may not hit the 50 boat mark out of the gate. Normally the fields diminish after the first 2 tournaments by as much as 40% as the points race takes shape and the non-contenders are no shows.

The bottom line for aspiring tournament anglers is simply this....we don't care who flies the banner over the show, we will support it, but when you eliminate the number of tournaments we can compete in each year by planning events on the same dates is a big risk to the membership of either group.

The response posted below is shown in it's original text format: Facts and comments are inserted in white

Dwayne Linkous President Foggy Bottom Bassmasters, Response to: The good, the bad, the ugly.

Start of response>>> Upon reading the letter posted on Harborwood Bassmasters websight I was very disappointed. I would like to say I understand this is not necessarily their opinion but the opinion of someone that is unknown at this time. I felt in defense of the comments I should right this letter so facts can be known.

First of all Region 4 could not be as 1 as stated and follow TBF and B.A.S.S. The by laws prohibit an officer to participate in both, therefore leadership would have to be different, split was eminent and stating someone has the lack of insight is totally negated.

Facts: In a recent B.A.S.S. meeting in Martinsville, Va., newly elected president Joan Blankenship stated that one of the qualifications of holding an office in the Virginia Bass Federation Nation was: You could not hold office in B.A.S.S. and be a TBF officer as well. The word "participate" was not used.

I have attached part of Gary Jones, (Federation Director) - B.A.S.S. Federation Nation's latest message to federation presidents: "Federation Nation state-level officers will not be allowed to hold positions within any other federation-type organization including but not limited to TBF/FLW. In addition, any state-level officer or employee of any other federation-type organization will not be allowed to hold an office within the B.A.S.S. Federation Nation at any level. These provisions will be part of the forthcoming agreement." The word "participate" is not used.

BASS included a document, titled FAQ About BASS and the BASS Federation, in the enrollment packets it recently sent (Dec. 23rd) to individual Federation clubs. The 3,000-word document clarifies BASS's position concerning recent events. Highlights of the letter include the following quoted matter:

"Can my Club be an affiliate of both B.A.S.S. and FLW?"

"Yes. As long as your club operates pursuant to the B.A.S.S. Charter, you can be a B.A.S.S. Affiliated club. Again B.A.S.S. does not own the Federation or your club - you do. We don't know whether or not FLW will allow dual affiliation."

Yes, leadership would have to be different. Elected Region 4 B.A.S.S. officers report to B.A.S.S. and could participate in either event. Elected Region 4 TBF officers report to TBF and could participate in either event. All Region 4 anglers would have the option to fish both B.A.S.S and TBF / FLW events......all anglers in good standing with B.A.S.S. can vote on B.A.S.S. issues and the same for TBF. Charters in good standing with both organizations would be allowed to vote on both. Region 4, as one group of anglers, would have new leadership and that is "The GOOD"

continue response>>> The letter goes on to state that Abe Street was ousted. Actually that is not true. He chose a side and he is still in the position of the side he chose. Apparently abiding by the by laws put in front of him and defending his B.A.S.S. position gets him accused of lack of integrity and responsibility. Tell me this? When our by laws state we must maintain good standing with B.A.S.S. And someone realizes that making the change is totally against our by laws and they make a stance to back up those by laws, is that good integrity and responsibity? A leader is someone that takes a stance on his position and stands by his position. I think he's only guilty of standing his position. You can't put the split of the region on Abe as the TBF movement has split the entire state.

Fact: The By-Laws of Region 4 were changed at the first Region 4 meeting after new leadership took over. All changes were suggestions (motions) made by the new leadership. They are the By-Laws of the Region and its membership, not one. The By-Laws of the Region can be changed by a majority vote at anytime. The vote that was put before the Region to affiliate with B.A.S.S. or TBF was in fact to change the By-Laws as to whom it wished to affiliate. Mr. Street did not accept the vote of the majority, and voted his personal opinion at the state board meeting, thus he was dismissed as the director of Region 4 Va. Bass Federation by the majority and obviously has no respect or understanding for standard parliamentary procedure.

continue response>>> In the state meeting for B.A.S.S. there were clubs not just regions that were split with this. We must understand that everyone has their opinion of where they want to go. We must respect that opinion of each member whether you go B.A.S.S., TBF or in some cases both. Furthermore we are supposed to not only be fishing competitors but also friends on the water. We all may want to be apart of each others organization at some point so tearing down different people over this is just not worthy. So I ask my fellow fishermen to please not make this any more painful than it already is. I always like to use a guideline when making statements. If I can't sign my name to something then I probably shouldn't be saying it. Looking forward to catching the big one this year!!!

Again.....Ahhhh.......what could have been!