I would agree it is a shame that more didn't register for the species competetion.
I find it a fun format, needing skill (and luck) in targetting multiple species, and is a great leveler, allowing the inshore boats a fighting chance against the offshore ones.
I would agree that it can be frustrating - especially as today, when a couple on board had bagged up on bream, but someone else wanted to stay put to get their maximum. Another point of frustration arises as mentioned earlier, when if the fish of one species are feeding well, an "artificial" move to find something else can be irritating when you could otherwise have a great day in one spot.
I like the suggestion of having parallel specimen and species comps - everyone fishes, everyone has a chance, and if the fish are feeding, hey, just stay put and try and get a good one. If only small stuff appears, and you give up all hope of "The Big One", then why not try to get amongst the points/prizes by trying for more variety.
"Both" gets my vote!
Mike
There is a lot to discuss but only limited feedback from my earlier post
Please add your thoughts guys as it will be good feedback for the next committee meeting, where I know this will be on the agenda.
feedback on all the Clubs Competions please, inc the 48 hr.
Can the admin team copy this to another post so that everyone gets a chance to see it.
The species comps have been altered several times to try and make them more popular, none of the changes seem to work.
I have always been a specimen hunter and would rather be after big fish than bagging up for points.
That said if the weather is good and the opertunity is there to chase the bigger ones offshore I would still note down the catches and send in a score card.
I seriously doubt that scratching in the harbour will be top prioity on my new boat next season. 
but we will be back supporting the Clubs competitions. 
Don't be shy 
If you have a comment good or bad lets have it. 
charlie
Well, fished the species comp on sunday but I would be a liar to say I found it enjoyable. All I could think of were those Bass waiting to be caught ( and I am being serious ).
Personally, I fish for fun first and then will have a dabble in the competitions as they are there. My preference is in that order and moving around to try to catch differing species, I don't find much fun.
Has it been considered removing the "4 fish" limit so as to allow more points for more fish and getting extra points for multiple species.
There again, it is a challenge and some may just love hunting species, but it's not really for me.
PS: If we do change it, I won't have to listen to Gordon moaning that he couldn't catch 4 pollock for love nor money 
The species hunts are fun but require a lot more thought than a normals days fishing .
It does take timing, that's limiting yourself to one or two hours on each mark for each species
Firstly you need loads of different bait,worms, squid, custom 2 hook shrimp rigs, spinners and even peeler.
Then you require an assortment of fishing marks.
Then loads of different rods spinner,12,20 and even 30/50 class gear.
maybe its all just a bit much for some people?
When i fish out of Christchurch i start in the harbour with spinning rods to bag my mullet and bass, then 30 Min's later you can be in 100ft of water on 30lb class gear doing battle with a conger, or drifting a rocky outcrop scratching for Pollock or that bonus gar or gurnard.
To me that's what a species comp is about.But is there any point if only One or two other boats are doing the same?
Personally Ive decided not to put the effort in this year,im just going to do a "normals days fishing" ,I'll still fish them and still book in my catch but I seem to be one of the minority that put in the effort so I think the club should re think the species comps and do some thing that's a bit more mainstream.
like A specimen comp of some sort , we don't yet have a Bass or tope comp(they seem to be everyone's favorite fish) or maybe a conger or huss comp? or even just a monthly monster comp!
so my catch to book in for Sunday ..............
4 Bass( well 8)
4 macky (bait)
3 Pollock(bait by catch)
1 wrasse (jumped on my feathers thinking it was bait) 
James
Charlie,
I fish for enjoyment.
I enjoy competing however at the end of the day I get all too few opportunities to fish relative to my 'investment' and whilst I will always enter any competition if I am out that day including paying an entry, and fish to it's rules, at the end of the day I will stay catching tope if I am enjoying it even if it's a species hunt and I have caught my limit!
48hrs was a good example - whilst the route we took gave us a real chance there was a significanly better plan available. On balance we felt it offered less fun so went as we did - and really enjoyed it but didn't figure in the prizes.
Same with the bream comp - we gave it a go but didn't spend 7hrs chasing the blighters!
Given the numbers of anglers able to fish relatively frequently it is surprising that you can't get 10 entries when the weather is nice (I wasn't on the water btw) however I am not sure it's down to the format every time.
Finaly I have every admiration for the species format - without doubt it enables the better fishermen to shine and, as Mike says, levels the boats significantly.
Duncan
We registered to ensure we had the numbers, then went bassing
It may be fun for some but it's not for me.
PJ
Maybe there was more people fishing, but they wasn't chasing species and therefore didn't register for the comp.
There will obviously be several opinions on what we should or shouldn't have in the way of comps.
For me the main thing in favour of species hunts is that it levels the playing field. By this I mean that the smaller boats which may only be able to travel a mile or two offshore stand as much chance (if not more) of accumulating a winning score as those that go miles out to sea. This I know is not fully understood by some newer members. Had a chat with one such member on Saturday and when the rules were explained to him properly his comment was I could do that.
It will obviously be impossible to please all the people all of the time but we can try. We do have a varied diary of events that can be tweaked if necessary. I do though feel it would be a shame to move away from species hunts completely.
Please keep your thoughts coming forward so we can find a consensus to what if anything needs to change, .
Do remember the club is not just about comps. In fact comps are just an aside that should add a bit of light relief to your fishing. The club is different things to different people so make the most of whatever the club means to you.
Martin
Paul D Posted on June 26, 2006 07:16 pmWell, fished the species comp on sunday but I would be a liar to say I found it enjoyable. All I could think of were those Bass waiting to be caught ( and I am being serious ).
oops!
happens to the best of us!
James
someones got that bass bug
me too but always did, had a throbbing rod all weekend thankfully
PJ
I'm happy to make up the numbers at all the comps. But due to bad luck 90% of the dates fall on days when I'm working. Last year it was the other way around. Perhaps we should all send our work 'Man Plan' sheets into the commitee at the start of the season Wouldn't complicate it any more would it
After reading all members comments with interest
I had better add my thoughts on the subject
I agree with what seems to be the majority, while we try to have a variety of competitions to appeal to the members not all of them appeal to all members.
I have been known to stay fishing for bigger fish rather than move away from them to fish for points, especially on a nice day when the bigger fish are biting. and I have been known to move out from the bream marks during the bream competition to try for tope.
while this has gained me the trophy for Eels and Tope in the past, it has been a few years since I took the species comp.
If I was out on one of the competition days especially the species comps I would register prior to the event and report my catch
This would be to support the Club and those Members that take it more serouisly than I do. especialy those like James who are really trying hard to do well in the BFM competition.
Simon you could always volunteer to take on this job mate, the only perk I remember is to try and avoid your own working and family commitments when you work out the years competitions
However leaving all the comps untill the new boat was ready seemed a bit to much to ask not many bream around in October. 
keep the feedback coming guys
Charlie
The club is different things to different people
keep the feedback coming guys
lets hear from some of the newbies, don't let us regulars dominate with our opinions
PJ
Simon you could always volunteer to take on this job mate, the only perk I remember is to try and avoid your own working and family commitments when you work out the years competitionsCharlie
Thanks for the offer Charlie but you're doing a grand job I'll just take my chances with next year's draw
One thought on this comp subject, is to combine points for species, but give bonus points for, say, 75 ish % speciman weight.
Do I get extra for my wrasse Charlie??
Rich