KSU Fishing Team

[fishermanfrank]

Hey everybody, just wanted to let ya'll know that I am officially the Vice President of the KSU Fishing Team. I had the privilege of meeting each student that will be on the team this upcoming school year and it should be a lot of fun. We are slowly growing our numbers from 1-2 boats last school year to 3-4 boats this school year (about a dozen total members). I am excited to see what is in store with this college fishing.

Yes I am still the Assistant Director for ABA AFT D-125 (Allatoona). But this is strictly about the college fishing. I am already great friends with the President of the Club and we have already talked over things to do this Fall and into Spring.

One thing we plan on doing as a Club is to do some fundraisers to help raise money for expenses within the club. The more money we raise the more things we will be able to do as a team.

Here is my questions:
What are some good ideas for raffle items to raffle off? Items that would spark a lot of interest. One of our club sponsors is the Dugout so I'm sure Craig will have a few ideas as well

I mentioned that I would be interested in doing a fundraiser (benefit) Tournament on Allatoona. Which month between now and next summer would spark interest to ya'll?
Basically trying to figure out the best time to do a benefit tournament like this to get great participation. This would be strictly a fundraiser tournament and not connected to ABA. This would be straight forward set entry fee and fish as a 2 person team or by yourself.

I am sure I will be talking to Porko on here about his thoughts on a Fundraiser (benefit) tournament and how to properly run it. Such as percentage of payout to the field vs percentage that goes directly to the club.

I wanted to make a post like this so I can start planning ahead and get some ideas from you guys. I want to do this Fundraiser (benefit) tournament the right way with great participation. Also great participation in our raffle we plan on doing as well.

Thanks for your time,
Frank

[1kicker]

I would go and introduce myself to the main manager at the new cabelas store opening in your back door on August 21st. Located at hwy 92 and I-75. Never hurts to let them know what you are all about. Good Luck. I would go with mind set to just let them know about your college fishing association and see what they may or may not have to offer.

[fishermanfrank]

Thanks 1Kicker.
The team is actually invited to go to a meet and greet a couple days before the grand opening at Cabelas.

[Bob Smith (Porko)]

As far as the fund raiser, you would have do a bunch of them to generate any real funds. Allatoona fishermen react to a low entry high payback type tournament. That doesn't fit the fundraiser scheme too well. You could run them with a total $75 entry ($25 to the fund, $10 to big Bass and $40 to the pot, and maybe have a "winner take all" side pot for $10) and get some decent turn outs. I run my events on a 1 place for every 5 entries payback to provide the highest number of paybacks. You could run them on a 1 place for every 7 entries and get a higher payback per place. The best policy for a fund raiser is to get as many door prizes (good door prizes) as possible. If you get in good with Cabelas and Academy that will help. Banners with your team logo and the sponsor logos will help draw more sponsors (advertising), thus a good banner company in the area will make another good sponsor. I saw you mentioned the Dugout and that's good, Craig is a good guy. Don't forget the Lester's and Nature's Tackle Box! Kohl Lester was on the KSU team for a while and I don't know if he still is?
Don't expect folks to come knocking down your door wanting to help you guys, raising money is hard work and the whole team needs to get out there and knock on doors. You need to hit the oil companies, hotel chains, even local business like Concrete companies, Contractors, and other "not normally fishing" type companies. You will be surprised!

[dannyp]

Also remember if you are having Tournament on a Core lake, OUT of a Corp ramp, payback must be 100%-That being said you would need to find a Host Mariana or one of the other Non Corp Ramps- Agree with Bob, you don't make a lot of funds off the entry fees- You make it off the raffle tickets sold. Get a bunch of door prizes and sell a lot of tickets. There are your funds. If you need any pointer I would be glad to assist if I can.

[1kicker]

Fished one of the fund raisers for KSU a few years ago and it was held out of Allatoona Landing. They had a lot of items they sold raffle tickets and it appeared to be pretty successful. Had pretty good turnout as well. Good point by Danny, guess that is why Allatoona landing was used.

[fishermanfrank]

Great information guys, I will definitely take all this info into consideration.
I understand I have some work to do but I see some great potential with this in the near future.
And yeah I will have to do some talk on which ramp would be best to do. That's why I thought it would be great to start talking about all of this stuff now to be able to plan ahead.

I am all ears for anymore tips and advice ya'll may have about the potential tournament and raffle item ideas. I just have to do some talking around.

[fishermanfrank]

Hey everybody, so I have been doing some talking around and it sounds like my Club members and I are slowly coming to agreements with certain parts of this fundraiser tournament.

Two main questions:
1.) I'm not asking for a specific date yet but what month do ya'll think will spark the most interest to people? Best month in the fall and best month in the spring? (I like fishing in the winter too but not sure if everyone would be willing to do something like this in the extreme cold unless it was for a tragic accident). If we are going to base it on strictly the time of year that people get the most bites then that would be April - May in the Spring. But then there are occasionally some great flurries of schooling spotted bass in the Fall as well.

2.) I prefer Gatewood ramp because of how much I have fished there and how it is run by Bartow County and know the people who run it. But before we commit to Gatewood Ramp my club members wanted me to check into the possibility of doing it out of Galts Ferry Ramp. Yes I know it is Army Core. But if anyone knows who I could talk to about about running this type of tournament at Galts Ferry ramp it would be greatly appreciated. I know it is possible because we were able to do the Benefit Tournament for Brian Cox at that ramp. They might of just made that one exception but not sure.

I understand that just about anywhere we decide will have some sort of ramp permit to become eligible to set an official date with the people that run the ramp.

Our initial plan is to successfully get many people interested and do a tournament like the one I'm trying to plan once a year compared to smaller tournaments multiple times a year. I know creating and running a tournament like this successfully is a lot of work but have already made great progress.

Breakfast: potentially doughnuts or might talk to a local mcdonalds and get mcmuffins or something.
Weigh-in: potentially Dominos Pizza
Raffle items: still in progress

[Bob Smith (Porko)]

Frank, check my response on GFF

[fishermanfrank]

Got it thanks Bob

[fishermanfrank]

Hey everybody, so I followed up with the latest information that Bob sent me. After talking it over with members of the team and hearing their thoughts and opinions of when to actually do this tournament and it sounds like if we are going to do one it will be sometime this fall. A couple members will be graduating this December so fall will be the best to get more help and participation from my team members. But the biggest reason is most of our official college tournaments will be in the Spring so would make it even more difficult to try and schedule one in the spring.

So now I am trying to figure out schedules of other tournaments that will be fishing this fall.

Dates that I already wouldn't work:
•Sept 6th Porko Midnight Madness I guess that can be a possible date since we would be running ours from safe-light to 2:30 or 3:00pm.
•Sept 13th ABA AFT D125
•Sept 20th Porko Midnight madness I guess that can be a possible date since we would be running ours from safe-light to 2:30 or 3:00pm.
•Sept 26th ABA WBS Southern Regional
•Oct 4th ABA AFT D125
•Oct 11th Castaway Bass Weiss still might be a possible date.
•Oct 18th ABA AFT D125
•Oct 25th if I fish the ABA AFT National Championship at Old Hickory but if I don't that might be a possible working date.
•Nov 8th ABA AFT D125
•Nov 15th if I qualify and fish the ABA WBS Ray Scott Championship at Wheeler Lake but if I don't that might be a possible working date.
•Dec 6th ABA AFT D125


Dates that might work:
•November 22nd
• November 29th or November 28th Black Friday tournament might be possible. That would be during Thanks Giving break!! Thanksgiving day is Thursday November 27th.

Thanks again for ya'll time and patience

[Mike Bucca]

IF you really want to raise some money. Have a boat washing fund raiser. $20 a boat.. Vaccuum and soap. All you need is a shop vac, water, water hose, soap and a towel. Extra for a wax job. The key is to make sure you got enough helpers.. HOld it in the natures tackle box parking lot which has tons of parking.. Ask Christie for permission of course.