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  SKA 'pro circuit'

Competition Angling Team

Michael Corleone said it best......."Just when I thought I was out.........they pull me back in".....

April 1st, 2012

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Tom Waits sings 'OL 55

 with editorial license from Captain Jeff

Well, my time went so quickly, I went lickety-splitly
Out to my ol' thirty-three.
As I checked out so slowly, feelin' so holy
God knows I was feelin' so free.

And now the sun's comin' up,
I'm fishing with Lady Luck,
Loadmaster and GM trucks.
GPS beginning to fade
And I lead the parade
Just a wishin' I'd stayed a little longer.
Lord, don't you know the feelin's gettin' stronger.

Six in the mornin' gave me no warnin',
I had to be on my way.
Now the boats are all passin' me, anglers are all flashin' me,
I'm headed home to our place.

And now the sun's comin' up,
I'm fishin’ with Lady Luck,
Loadmaster and GM trucks.
GPS beginning to fade
And I lead the parade
Just a wishin' I'd stayed a little longer.
Lord, don't you know the feelin's gettin' stronger.

Well, my time went so quickly, I went lickety-splitly
Out to my ol' thirty three.
As I pulled away slowly feelin' so holy
God knows I was feelin' so free.

And now the sun's comin' up, yes it is,
I'm fishin' with Lady Luck,
Loadmaster and GM trucks.
Loadmaster and GM trucks.
Fishing' with Lady Luck.
Loadmaster and GM trucks.
Fishin' with Lady Luck.
Loadmaster and GM trucks.
Fishin' with Lady Luck. 

It seems that Mr. Waits and The Eagles knew what they were writing and singing about.  Nancy and I have finally decided what the 2012 season will look like for us.  Like Michael Corleone who was lamenting his attempt to take his business down a more legitimate path "...."Just when I thought I was out.........they pull me back in..."!!!!

Although we do not like the format and will not contend for the TOY points or LTOY points, it seems that 'THE' FishDancer and I cannot stay away!!!!  Whiskey Tango Foxtrot????  We will fish the minimum number of events to qualify for the 'pro' championship in November and are still working on finalizing our schedule.  First up is the Seratoma KMT out of Sarasota in April.  We are considering Port Fourchon in June and then will fish some local events in July, August and September depending upon the weather and other variables.  So look for us along the trail......we are fishing our own MacCallan Cup circuit where the winner gets a nice bottle of scotch.....

>>))))))">

   For the past 10 seasons 'THE' FishDancer and I have been participants in and supporters of the SKA Professional Tour.  This circuit has, in our experience, always been the best test of man and machine vs. mother nature and AOY always meant something special.  The 'PRO' tour was designed to showcase the best anglers, boats, motors and equipment vs. the best competing in waters far away from home and measured teams on the strength of their ability to catch a 'tournament' grade kingfish each day of fishing.  Teams had to earn their way into the 'PRO' circuit with their performance along the divisional trial and to be able to compete we all pushed the limits of both man and machine.  This head to head -- step up concept created an angling arms race for bigger, faster, more reliable and better boats, motors and equipment.  This in turn led to higher boat/motor sales and created a strong OEM and resale market for just about everything related to king fishing.  The boats and motors we all use today were designed to showcase the OEM's technology via those fishing along the 'PRO' tour and led to increased sales for everyone involved. This format was instrumental in strengthening its sponsors, developing the skills of anglers and created some of the biggest names and teams in our sport today. Unfortunately the very concept that brought share gains and sales increases was killed, like the Golden Goose, three seasons ago by hubris and the desire of some to dominate the circuit with their way or the highway.  They thought they knew better than everyone else and the results speak for themselves. Sure the economy has not helped but the tour was able and would be able today to sustain itself if the format changes had never been made. Frankly this reminds me of the business genius of 'New Coke'.  So with this as a backdrop, the 2012 SKA 'pro' tour details have been announced and this season's version will be the third different format in three years. The 2012 'pro' tour is basically an open TWT with one big money event at the end.   Here is how it works. 

   There is no qualification, any and all teams can participate. Teams pay $140 to fish as a 'pro' captain (something that irks me on principle), a single $2,500 upfront entry fee (due at your first tournament or no later than 6.1.12) and can fish anywhere along the SKA divisional trail for the 'pro' points.  A minimum of three days must be fished and a maximum of eight fishing days are allowed. The best 5 days count toward the 'pro team of the year' points.  There will be cash bonuses for the top 5 'teams of the year' and a 'pro' championship in Biloxi for a $60k cash prize (all based on 100 entries).

   Given our record of supporting the SKA since 1998 and the 'PRO' circuit since 2001, 'THE' FishDancer and I are sad and disappointed that the tour as we know has been eliminated. In our view, with the continuing format changes, it will not ever be back to what it once was and as such it is difficult for either of us to get excited about the 2012 season.  While we still believe that keeping a 3-5 fixed event schedule and a true PRO championship with AOY is the best format to promote the sport and sponsors, even IF we only fish for our own money, we applaud the fact that the SKA is trying to keep something going. So what we are left with is a 'high roller open TWT' that is linked to the SKA local events.....basically $2,500 to enter for a chance to fish for $60,000 at a single event in November.  Those chasing the 'pro' points will fish all over the geographic map and rarely against each other....so TOY (perhaps a true SKA Freudian slip on the acronym?) will become the new AOY. 

      Team FishDancer is trying to determine what we will do. Will we fish?  Since we love the water, fishing and the people, probably, but the SKA and 'pro' sponsors should take note of our comments, we are not the only team to feel this way and collectively these thoughts might just represent the canary in the coalmine for king fishing???  If you think this is just editorial license on my part, consider the number of new trails popping up.  Something is amiss when the BWP Kingfish series (a sub-set of the SKA divisional events), NE Florida Kingfish Shootout (fish from the Pines to SC and from June until August), The Wild West Kingfish Series (4 events out of John's Pass), The Big Pig (a one day 2 fish aggregate event) and other events are attracting anglers support? Many of these same teams supported the old 'PRO' format and are finding different venues to enjoy time, some good competition and camaraderie (all tenets of the traditional 'PRO' tour) on the water.

      The best indication of Team FishDancer's perspective regarding the 2012 angling season is that our first fishing adventure -- which would normally be in Key West or Naples, will be in Los Suenos, Costa Rica chartering for Sailfish and Roosterfish.  No one in the USA seems interested in competing for our dollars so lets try something else -- its a big world full of angling out there.  

Right now we are considering joining the 'pro' circuit in June, not chasing the TOY points and choosing 3-5 locations we love to fish and finish up in Biloxi.  Not much on camaraderie, not much on head-to-head competition and in our view no way equal to AOY, but if we hook up with a few like minded anglers we might create our own head-to-head competition.  Who is in?   Stay tuned....

Team FishDancer has started this new year without a team competition plan for the first time since 1998.  Usually by this time our team has committed to compete in certain events with certain sponsors within the context of the SKA divisional and/or Pro tour circuits.  Captain Jeff would already have made several hundred rigs in preparation of these commitments and time off would have already been arranged to support these events.  What a difference a year makes.  "THE" FishDancer and I are not sure what we will be doing in 2012, there is not enough information for us to commit to any specific course of action.  Will there be a pro tour in 2012 and if so what will the format/locations be?

    We were considering fishing in Key West, perhaps as part of the Division 10 events or perhaps part of an OPEN Pro circuit, but have decided against this for a variety of reasons.  Perhaps we will fish Division 6 to qualify for the Big Dance, but maybe not.  Maybe we will fish the locals -- division IV and V to qualify but perhaps not.  2012 NE Florida Kingfish Shootout?  It's a possibility but not a certainty -- we have heard good things about this event. So after more than a dozen years, 150 SKA divisional and 50 SKA PRO events entered since 1998, perhaps we will take a year off and enjoy other adventures?? It seems odd to enter a season without a plan but nothing stays the same and in the end the only undefeated champions out there are Mother Nature and Father Time.  So without any sense of clarity regarding the direction of the PRO tour we have entered the new year without a competitive fishing plan.  Heck we don't even have enough information to fill out our 2012 SKA membership application!! So we keep our eyes and ears open and hope for the best.  To several fellow members of the Contender Pro team who have reached agreements with new sponsors we wish you well...and hope to see you somewhere fishing in 2012.....

Team FishDancer

2012  KINGFISH TOUR SCHEDULE

The Chum Slick

Editorial Comment by Captain Jeff

The competition for our time and money.....

    Sometimes I wonder if the SKA, its sponsors and tournament promoters realize that we as members, fishing teams and entrants have a wide variety of activities that compete for our attention, time and discretionary dollars??  The SKA is in competition with every other form of recreation -- from movies to casinos - for its' member's attention.  Many long time SKA members are beginning to ask what is the value proposition of membership.  Team FishDancer has been a PRO team for 10 years and competition members for 5 years more and we have always supported the SKA because they kept the PRO playground fun and exciting for us.  2012 might see the end of that as nothing has been announced and at this late stage it would be difficult for us to clear our schedules as we have already moved on to new adventures.   Sponsors should be thinking about how to expand the need for their products. Without the SKA and PRO tour what would be the utility that created the need for boat manufacturers to produce 30-40 foot center console boats or the motor companies to hang twin or triple motors on them? How many anglers would support the boat and motor OEMS without a proper venue in which to use the product to its fullest capacity?  One long time SKA Pro member summed it up nicely by asking without a PRO circuit "...what am I going to do with my big boat????".  Tournament directors have the same opportunity.  Why would I pay to fish any event that keeps for its own purposes more than 50% of the entry fees?  There are too many hands in the bucket, too many groups trying to profit from the kingfish circuit -- this has in kind increased costs and created many hard feelings.   The SKA should be looking forward, creating ways to enhance the value of joining the association for its members, failure to do this will result in the continued winnowing of membership and revenues. Sponsors should be supporting those anglers who purchase and promote their products.  When well regarded teams using your products jump ship to your competition, you should take note.  There is a reason for this. And finally tournament directors should review the entry:reward relationships for participants in their events.  It is not ALL $$$ and cents, but fun, camaraderie and community as well.  Those events that have the best combination of all of those components will survive, those who ignore those calculations will perish.  As anglers we have many places to spend our time and money and almost no one seems interested in competing for our attention....oh well maybe someone soon will wake up to the marketplace reality...

'Captain Jeff '

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This high energy husband and wife team joined the SKA Professional Kingfish Tour after qualifying by finishing 8th in SKA Division IV in 2002.  In 2002 they won the Kingfish Division of the Offshore Blitz, won 1st place Lady Angler in the Two Way KMT, 2nd place Lady Angler and 9th overall at the Halfmoon KMT. Team FishDancer won the final leg of the SKA Pro Tour in Louisiana in 2003 by landing a 61.1 pound fish, the 2nd largest of the season and the largest weighed by a Lady Angler.  Team FishDancer has had 17 top ten day one performances on the SKA Pro Tour and seven top ten finishes; including  2 top Lady Angler wins; Golden Isles leg of the SKA Pro tour in 2007  and the Jacksonville leg of the SKA Pro Tour in 2005.   So far in 2008 the team has finished in 18th place overall in the Junior Angler Jacksonville King Mackerel Tournament and in 8th place at the SKA PRO tour stop in Brunswick, Georgia.   In 2007 the team has finished 4th overall at the Brunswick, Georgia SKA Pro Tour and earned 5th place in the 2007 ASWSC  20th Anniversary Sailfish Tournament, in Palm Beach, Florida. The team performed well in 2006 with 4 in the money finishes, including the 2 National Championships, 17th in the Rumble in the Jungle,  a 7th place finish in the 2006 Little River stop on the SKA Pro Tour and finished 6th overall in the 2005 SKA Pro tour event in Jacksonville. Nancy and Jeff, one of the top performing husband and wife competitive angling teams in the nation, finished 14th overall for the SKA Pro season with Nancy earning 3rd place Lady Angler. Nancy and Jeff  earned The team has completed the SKA Professional kingfish grand slam weighing in fish in the 10, 20, 30, 40, 50 and 60 pound classes, holds the SKA big fish (61.1)  for Port Fourchon, LA and has finished in the money 26 times in its SKA career.  Nancy is considered one of the top Lady Anglers in the nation and Jeff has received the prestigious SKA Director's award for his 'unselfish contributions to our sport"'

Nancy@FishDancer.net or Jeff@FishDancer.net

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