Ending and beginning

November has been a disappointing end to the 2010 fishing season for me. I've only been out three times this month, despite the reasonably good weather, and caught only one fish -- a nice white bass on the Muskingum River Nov. 13. A trip to Rush Creek Nov. 10 with Lindsey produced nothing for either of us, although I had a couple bites. My results Nov. 7 at Dillon have already been chronicled.
It's possible I may get out again, but I'm not counting on it.
But November os also a time to get ready for next year, as clubs and circuits begin setting their tournament schedules for next season.
Cranberry Marsh Bass Club met Thursday evening to approve its 2011 schedule, which has been increased to eight tournaments. I don 't know if they made any changes, but their tentative schedule was:
April 17 -- Buckeye Lake
May 1 -- Pleasant Hill
May 15 -- Alum Creek
June 12 -- Dillon
June 26 -- Alum Creek
July 17 -- O'Shaughnessy
Aug. 14. -- Muskingum River Riverside
Sept. 4 -- Delaware
Sept. 24-25 -- Classic (to be determined)
The annual Pete Taylor Open will be on May 7.
Cranberry was also to elect officers Thursday, but I haven't heard who was elected.

Southern Ohio Bassmaster met Sunday to set a schedule. Pending permit approval, the 10 regular tournaments will be:
April 23 -- Burr Oak
May 1 -- Piedmont
May 14 -- Buckeye
May 22 -- Delaware
June 18 -- Charles Mill
June 26 -- Pleasant Hill
July 9 -- Ohio River Powhaten Point
Aug. 21 -- Muskingum River Fairgrounds Ramp (below McConnelsville)
Sept. 10 -- Dillon
Oct. 2 -- Tappan
Oct. 15 and 16 -- Classic (to be determined)
The Chuck Murrey Memorial Open is tentatively being move up to May 15 at Dillon.
Southern Ohio's next meeting wil be in late January, when we get permits back, and to elect officers.

Both clubs have an interesting proposal on the table. That is, at the end of the season, to allow members to deduct one tournament from their results. In the case of Cranberry, that would mean a the end of the season, point totals would be based on the members' top seven results. For SOuthern Ohio, it would mean counting nine tournaments.
The main practical result would be that a member could miss one tournament and not have it hurt him at the end of the year. Over the course of a year, a lot of things can happen to cause someone to miss a tournament.
On the other hand, it could make some differences in the final standings, but how much? I don't think it would have helped me in this season's standings, but I can envision situations where it could.