Tuesday, March 29, 2011

What is RMTS?

Bass tournament fishing is not for everyone.  If you prefer to drop anchor, cast out a line and kick back for a snooze while waiting for a bite, tournament fishing is definitely not for you. And if you prefer to fish on the nice days and stay home if conditions might be tough, then relax and enjoy those sunny days.  But, if you like to test skill and knowledge against variable conditions and unpredictable, sometimes downright stubborn bass, and maybe even take home some prize money, you might be a tournament fisherman.

     RMTS stands for Rocky Mountain Team Series, a bass tournament series based here on the Front Range in Colorado.  One that I am intimately involved with as an organizer and former Tournament Director.
     Four years ago a group of avid anglers from several Front Range bass clubs came together to form a new club, the 5280 BassHunters.  The Bassmasters Weekend Series division that had been in Kansas had folded, and amateur tournament anglers who wished to compete in larger tournaments for better payouts had no other choice than to go all the way to Missouri, Oklahoma, or Texas.  This group decided they would put together their own Rocky Mountain based tournament circuit, fishing many of the lakes that the local clubs were already fishing.  Thus the 5280 Team Series was born.
     The original Team Series required club membership to participate, for reasons of insurance.  Club membership is no longer required, and now, with the significant support of Colorado's own Wright & McGill, Eagle Claw TroKar Hooks, and other local and National sponsors the new Rocky Mountain Team Series is bringing greater opportunities and rewards for bass tournament anglers in the Rocky Mountain and Western Plains region.  Berkley Baits, Legend Boats, and others are providing great prizes along with Eagle Claw and TroKar products.
     A new website, rockymountainteamseries.com, and a face book page are available for information.  The short version is that RMTS offers four qualifying tournaments to make a year-end Championship.  Each qualifying tournament is guaranteed to pay at least $1000 for first place with the required entry fee of $100 per team.  The Championship Tournament is a guaranteed $2000 first place prize with an entry fee of $200.  Side pots also increase payout rewards significantly but are not required.  This is a 90% payout circuit.  Payouts will exceed these numbers at tournaments that have greater participation.
     The first 2011 tournament is at Pueblo Reservoir on the weekend of April 30th, and the TroKar Championship will return to Pueblo on October 1st.  The circuit will also visit: Wilson Lake, Kansas; Ute Lake, New Mexico; and Navajo Lake on the Colorado/New Mexico border, launching from the Colorado boat ramp.  Visit the website for details and contact information.
     As the season progresses I will bring you reports on lake and fishing conditions for each location.  Good luck to all of you and we’ll see you on the water!

FISH ON!
Jeff

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