# IFA Redfish Tour



## Brad King (Sep 30, 2007)

With an entry fee of $400 an event, why is the payout so small?

Is it participation?


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## Voodoo Lounge (Sep 28, 2007)

Don't know the answer, but this should get good as soon as Phillips/Mcleod get hold of it!!


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## Brad King (Sep 30, 2007)

Uh-Oh! Did I stir the pot?


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## Brant Peacher (Oct 4, 2007)

Good question! Thats one reason they are losing a good number of boats and good fishermen. 30 teams in the last navarre tourny and only like 48 in panama city.Its makes to where you have to finish in the top 3 to make any kind of money. Once you prefish for a few days, stay in a hotel a couple nights, and pay for all your food, gas, ect you dont have a chance to break even unless you win the tourny.

Ill fish the rest of the tour this year just because I want to finish and fish the championship but not sure what I will do next year. 

Brant Peacher
manufacturers rep


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## Brad King (Sep 30, 2007)

I am planning to fish 6 events next year. The Gulf Coast / Louisiana Divisions. But I want it to be worth it.


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## Brad King (Sep 30, 2007)

Here is a copy of the E-Mail I just received from IFA. That doesn't seem to bad for a one day deal. I'm in!!

Brad,

You are not miss reading it. The guaranteed 1st place prize at each of our 18 events during the year is a Ranger Banshee, equipped with a 40 HP, 4-stroke Yamaha outboard, Loadmaster trailer, Power Pole shallow water anchor, Minn Kota trolling motor and Humminbird electronics. This means no matter how many boats show up to fish, 1st place will be a boat. And here are some examples of our payout - if 50 or more boats show up, we pay 20 spots with 1st being a boat. If 100 boats show, we pay 20 spots, 1st being a boat and 2nd being $6,000. 

If you fish is just 3 events during the year, you qualify to go to the no-entry fee Championship where 1st place is a Ranger 173 Ghost with a 115 HP, 4-stroke Yamaha outboard, Power Pole shallow water anchor, MinnKota trolling motor and Humminbird electronics, estimated retail value of $34,000.

Please let me know if you have any other questions.

Best regards,

Christy Schad 

I mis-read something earlier about the payout. I thought the pay out was only like $1500 for first, and that depending on your boat and motor. This is alot better. It's a tourney and the only way you *should* make any money is to perform well. I don't like tourneys that pay 20-30 places, top 5 at best is good enough. It's like gambling. Your skills against someone else's. The BEST man wins.

But then again, I do loose every tournament I enter. So who am I to judge a tournament for It's payout. Anyway thanks for the feed back on the IFA guys. I really appreciate it, and I look forward to next season!!!!!!


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## sc23 (Jun 17, 2008)

Brad, 



It's fact, you can't fish the tour, and finish in the black.


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## Brad King (Sep 30, 2007)

Yeah, the way I look at is.......If your gonna fish a tournament and are just hoping to place in the top 25 so you can make some of your money back, Why even fish a tourney? It takes away alot of the Risk/Reward factor that makes tournaments so exciting.


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## Voodoo Lounge (Sep 28, 2007)

We (myself and Wharfrat) fished Panama city, and then realized the championship dates were in conflict with another trip I have planned so we've skipped the rest of the season. I would also add that it's a little discouraging to have FLW pro's fishing head to head with those of us who arent full time fishermen, especially when those guys are doing some serious butt kicking this year(M&M's)??I will say that the IFA team has been awesome , but until theres more exposure around here, I wouldnt expect much better turnout.


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## Brant Peacher (Oct 4, 2007)

I finished 5th in the last tournament. If you pm me Ill tell you exactly what i made with expenses and everything.The last tournament they paid 5 places and the pcity tournement they paid 10. The only thing I was saying is that making any money on this tour is very hard after expenses. For one your not going to be able to compete without prefishing and thats where most of our money goes. Panama city for example, we prefished all week spending lots of moneyon gas, food, and hotels. If you dont place in the top 3 then its not worth it. Im sure Chris and Matt feel the same way.And yes, I always fish a tournament expecting to win but in redfish tournamentsthere is a lot of luck involved in getting a win. Lots of people find fish but catching the fat fish takes some luck!

Im not downing the IFA at all. Im just saying its more of a fun laid back event compared to other professional tours. Dont go in expecting to make money. If youlike redfishing and enjoy competition then this tour should fit you. 

Brant Peacher
manufacturers rep


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## Brad King (Sep 30, 2007)

Well the plan is to use it as a stepping stone for the FLW.The 6 venues I want to fish are either FLW stops or really close to them. So my intentions were to use ths IFA as pre-fishing. Maybe I look at things different than most.

I don't really look to make any money off the IFA. I just want local knowledge and EXPOSURE. I live in Baton Rouge and my home is Gulf Breeze so why not fish both you know. By the way Brant...Congrats on the top 5 finish!!!!!!


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## Brant Peacher (Oct 4, 2007)

> *Brad K (8/6/2008)*Well the plan is to use it as a stepping stone for the FLW.The 6 venues I want to fish are either FLW stops or really close to them. So my intentions were to use ths IFA as pre-fishing. Maybe I look at things different than most.
> 
> I don't really look to make any money off the IFA. I just want local knowledge and EXPOSURE. I live in Baton Rouge and my home is Gulf Breeze so why not fish both you know. By the way Brant...Congrats on the top 5 finish!!!!!!


Its very good practice if you are looking to fish the FLW oneday. They key is learning different bays and river systems. Good luck. we will probably see ya out there next year. 

Brant Peacher
manufacturers rep


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## Wharf Rat (Sep 27, 2007)

Hey Brad, I know one thing. You'd look pretty damn good pulling up to the weigh-in if you were in a Yellowfin 24' and it wouldn't matter what fish you caught!


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## Voodoo Lounge (Sep 28, 2007)

:nonono Shit stirrer!!


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## Brad King (Sep 30, 2007)

> *Wharf Rat (8/6/2008)*Hey Brad, I know one thing. You'd look pretty damn good pulling up to the weigh-in if you were in a Yellowfin 24' and it wouldn't matter what fish you caught!


Exactly what I was thinking!!!!!


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## Wharf Rat (Sep 27, 2007)

> *Voodoo Lounge (8/6/2008)*:nonono Shit stirrer!!




No sir, not me. I would not do that.


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## seminolewind (Oct 1, 2007)

Hey Brad give me a shout if you ever need a partner to split expenses for a tournament or whatever I have been wanting to fish the IFA for a while but don't have a boat yet.


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## Brad King (Sep 30, 2007)

> *seminolewind (8/7/2008)*Hey Brad give me a shout if you ever need a partner to split expenses for a tournament or whatever I have been wanting to fish the IFA for a while but don't have a boat yet.


Will do bro,


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## Angler's Outlet (Dec 31, 2007)

I have been working with the group in the IFA Redfish Tour as chaplain for 3 yrs now. I find them to be honest and straight forward. They pay according to the number of boats entered. 



I have seen them many times pay the full payout (based on a 100 boats) with only 75 boats entered.



This is the first year of the Gulf Coast Division and the last tournament was on the same day of the Bud Light Tournament.



The IFA Redfish Tour is the FASTEST GROWING Redfish series. It was revamped 3 yrs ago to be friendly to the working man (one day tournaments).



Dwayne Eschete who won the Navarre Tournament is a weekend warrior (he works a regular job). 



Billy


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## Matt Mcleod (Oct 3, 2007)

I don't have anything against the IFA, they seem to be a successful tour in many places. With that said I will tell you why I planned on fishing the entire div. and stopped after the first one. Mostly the payout. The IFA did not advertise their new div. in the northern gulf at all before it started. Most people did not even know it existed here until the year was half over. Because of this the turnout has been terrible. At the first tournament in Panama City their was 48 boats I think. I don't know what they advertise and I don't know the full payout for the event, but I do know that they paid $1000 for 3rd place. When they called that number out Chris and I turned around and left and have not been back. That will not do! In my opinion if the IFAhas plans to start a new division somewhere, for the first year they should pay out 100% at each tournament no matter how many boats show. That will keep the boats you are getting coming back and get new ones involved. If you can't afford to do that and you can't afford to advertise then you can't afford to have a new successful div. somewhere. If you are looking to have fun and don't care about the money than go for it. Coming in 3rd and losing over $1000 doesn't sound like much fun to me! We fish too many tournaments a year to throw money in the water like that.

Pastor Billy, I am glad that you and the IFA staff get along well, and I'm glad that they're honest and nice people. But you have to look at this from the point of view of one of their customers. I would be happy to fish the IFA div. if Angler's Outlet would like to sponsor me, you can have a sticker on both sides of the boat, one on the truck and one on the trailer for $2000 a tournament, that's what it cost to fish one.


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## Brant Peacher (Oct 4, 2007)

Well said Matt.

I understand that the IFA is a fast growing tour and in the future will probably be a big tour. I would love to see 75 to 100 boats in the gulf coast division next year. It would be worth the time and money for sure then.


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## PaleRed (Oct 2, 2007)

I have not fished any of the IFA events, but I would like to in the future, and hopefully move up the ladder after that. Its like some of you said, its a great stepping stone to fish some of the larger tournaments such as FLW, etc. 

The truth is, unless you have a sponsor that helps out with expenses and entry fees,most of us are notgoing to win in the long run. The amount of prefishing that has be done to even compete puts me out of it right off the start unless the tournament is in my back yard. 

I'm not trying to promote the Emerald Coast Redfish Club, but it (or other local tournaments)is a great, inexpensive way to learn some simple strategies of fishing artificial bait tournaments. Which I believe aremuch more difficultthan live bait tournaments. If you can't consistently weigh in fish and compete in a little club like ours then you'll know you aren't ready to compete with the local guides and professionals.That is one of the reasons the club was started was to helpcreate a stepping stone for people that were interested in getting started.


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## jimmyjams4110 (Oct 20, 2007)

> *PaleRed (8/11/2008)*
> 
> I'm not trying to promote the Emerald Coast Redfish Club, but it (or other local tournaments)is a great, inexpensive way to learn some simple strategies of fishing artificial bait tournaments. Which I believe aremuch more difficultthan live bait tournaments. If you can't consistently weigh in fish and compete in a little club like ours then you'll know you aren't ready to compete with the local guides and professionals.That is one of the reasons the club was started was to helpcreate a stepping stone for people that were interested in getting started.


:withstupid


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