vernon

As my niece would say, "I know, right?"

C'mon man, what pressure? This is just a quick rough count but my 5th grade math tells me that from 1 March thru yesterday there had only been 83 tournaments that included 2542 boats on Table Rock. And by the end of May that total will have capped out at a measly 180 tournaments with only 7006 boats spread judiciously over 66 total days. When I planned our upcoming trip for 5 - 12 May I made a conscious effort to schedule during a "lean" tournament week. Well, that week has 19 tournaments with only 851 boats so I did good! Pressure, smeshure. And it's good for the economy!

You might just have something there.......

It's morning?

To quote a quote. "They're killin' me Whitey, they're killin' me........ What the heck, Stockton IS an hour closer......

Would I be correct to assume that these "hybrids" remain virtually invisible to bonafide "members"? Elsewise, I might have to seriously reconsider my pending application regarding official inclusion in said cove.

I gotta say that, despite the vitriol, this thread has proven to be not only entertaining (the crappie photo) but also educational! While I was aware of ONE definition of the term "Lufkin" my naive country bumpkin self had no clue as to the "other" meaning. Nonetheless, the curiosity that wanders aimlessly throughout the depths my ever inquisitive mind compelled me to have a look around just to see if I was missing something. Boy, was I! I need to get out more..........

You, sir, are a regular Inspector Clouseau! The math would work with 2x6's though. I used to watch a lot of Columbo myself.......

We intentionally moved our first trip of the spring back a couple of weeks because of those guys. If you ask me (and I realize nobody did) a guy better keep his head on a swivel while operating in the main channel when they're in town. Like a bunch of test pilots all trying to win Top Gun. And heaven forbid if there's early morning fog cause that just bumps the fun meter up a couple notches. Instrument Flight Rules on water is about as "thrilling" as it gets.

Imagine the possibilities! A Jayhawk and a Tiger coexisting peacefully AND within the same cove? The diplomatic implications would be mind boggling! What's next? World peace? Color me humbled.......

Man I hate you guys. Nice fishes!

Exactly. While I obviously don't like tournaments I wouldn't look upon them nearly as unfavorably if the sheer number hadn't become so overwhelming. But I DO play golf tournaments. However, several years ago I dropped my membership at the golf course that I LIVE ON and had been a member of since the day it opened because there were so many outside tournaments and leagues that I couldn't play my own golf course anymore. I was told to stop whining and that the revenue produced by those outside events is what kept the price of my monthly dues down. Well, thanks for nothing. I can NOT play golf on any course in town for free so why would I pay somebody to do the same thing at home? My point is, I'm getting more than a little discouraged about driving fours to get to a lake that (in my opinion) is rapidly becoming overrun by tournaments and even on most weekdays is overcrowded to the point of just not being enjoyable anymore. I fully get the supply and demand concept but I also know that the usual end game is why so many places peak and die - kind of like most of Branson. Like Yogi Berra so eloquently stated, "Nobody goes there anymore. It's too crowded." Consequently, I'm on the verge of merely waving at Table Rock four or five times a year on my way to Bull Shoals. At least I'm pretty sure I'll be long dead before the same thing happens there. I'm not looking for sympathy or understanding here nor am I trying to convince anyone to see things my way. Just trying to put my grumpy old man feelings about one of my favorite places in the world into words.

Outstanding! I sure wish I was still willing to work that hard!

Me too but I promise that my position on this deal isn't something that just happened overnight but is the result of over 40 years of experience and observations. Back in my early 20's I gave a great deal of consideration to tournament fishing. A couple of guys that I knew pretty well were really into it and one was rather successful on the national BASS circuit in the 70's and 80's and flat out dominated lesser competition on a more local/regional level. He finally convinced me to go pre-fishing with him prior to an event on Truman just to get a little taste of what it was all about and, quite honestly, I never got the "taste" out of my mouth. Once on the water he was a changed man and certainly not for the better. Virtually all of the other guys that he knew that were there pre-fishing were even bigger jerks which was really saying something. He scared me half to death with how he drove the boat and practically ran over at least a dozen guys fishing in flat bottom boats during the day. When I said something to him about it he just growled, "Screw 'em. Let 'em find another lake if they don't like it." The fishing experience itself was equally unenjoyable as we spent the day racing from one spot to another, dropping the trolling motor, then make about ten casts and then do it again. And again. Whenever he did catch a fish he cranked the thing in across the top of the water as fast as he could and slung it into the boat with enough force to knock the fish off into the bottom of the boat and left it there flopping around while he made another cast. When I mentioned that I didn't see how this kind of fishing seemed like much fun he replied, "This ain't about fun. This is about money. And losers don't win any." When I caught a fish and kind of played it in he would yell, "Quit jackin' around with thing and get in the (expletive) boat!" Well, I'm pretty sure that he went on to win that event on Truman but I never went out in a boat with him again and any thoughts that I might have had about becoming a tournament fisherman went out the window as well. What's worse though is I've seen absolutely zero in the forty years since then to convince me that things have gotten a lick better. Now there's just way more of these egomaniacs out there running around trying to prove that their's is bigger. And that mine doesn't even deserve a place on their playground. Now I love competition as much as the next guy but I gave up higher level golf tournaments many years ago for pretty much the same sort of reasons. Total disregard for the venue, fellow competitors and even staff and volunteers that were only there to make it all possible. Big feelin' jerks. Most of the guys that I know that used to be diehard tournament fisherman gave it up for the same reason. It just didn't pay as good as it used to. Well, if it's truly about "competing" than why do dollars and trophies matter so much more than simple winning and losing and the "spirit" of the competition? Thumbs, I don't know you but I sincerely believe that you are not one of the guys that I described here. The problem is I see you as a vast minority in a very large group and, honestly, I don't understand how or why you do it. Again, that's just me but I promise that my attitude towards tournament fishing is for what I believe to be many very well substantiated reasons.

On average, how many times do tournament fisherman return to the same lake during any given year? It's my impression that it "typically" would be twice at the most and that's only if their club or association has some season ending/post season event on the same lake. On the other hand I travel to Table Rock four to five times each year and spend a full week there pretty much every trip. While I'm there I usually play two or three rounds of golf, visit a couple of marinas, several restaurants, grocery/liquor stores, rent a boat slip and spend an evening at Top of the Rock. Kathy will also make two or three "junkin" trips to area antique malls while I'm out fishing (even though it just kills me to think of all that perfectly good money wasted on the silly stuff that she likes when it could be going towards more practical stuff like golf and fishing). Anyways, my point is, I've never fished a tournament in my life but I think I contribute way more to the "local economy" every year than any tournament fisherman but I don't think anybody even knows we're there much less gives a rats if we ever come back. For several years now we've seriously been considering looking elsewhere for a place to spend our vacation dollars (Bull Shoals) purely because the sheer number of tournaments and the behavior of tournament fisherman in general on Table Rock. If fact, we DID quit going to LOZ about six or seven years ago for that very reason. Consequently, two full weeks of our money has been removed from that economic base and won't be returning. But who cares? Quite a few guys here have said they seldom if ever have witnessed bad or rude behavior on the part of tournament guys. Well, I must be fishing the wrong areas of the lake or around the wrong tournaments because I can't remember the last time I fished on a Saturday or Sunday that I wasn't cutoff or nearly swamped by one of these guys. Plus, so many of them drive their boats with such total disregard for life or limb that I can't believe there aren't more serious accidents than there are. In fact, when weigh in times are approaching we will either head back to the room or try and find a secluded area (not easy these days) and stay off the main channel until the derby guys have concluded their Mach 6 flybys en route to fame and glory. Personally, I hate tournaments and can't stand most of the guys that fish them and truly believe that whatever positive economic impact they might have on a given area is rapidly become offset by the number of people that they runoff. Not to mention what I believe is an obvious negative effect on the fishery as a whole. Just one grumpy old man's opinion.

I dunno about "inspiration" Quill - maybe a reminder of bygone days but now it's more of a "confirmation" that we made the right call! Once a guy's reached the point where breaking a hip is a serious daily concern it's probably better to stay on the porch than to try and run with the young/big dogs! At least you watched hockey! Good job guys.

This. Bill's a great source for Falcon's both new and used.

Man, no kidding. That place b-u-h-l-o-w-s. Kathy always insists on going in there to look around whenever we're around The Landing and I'm to the point that I'll either wait in the Tahoe or walk around the corner and drink a beer while she's there. The lack of pertinent inventory has begun to feel like some sort of personal insult and the carnival barkers at the door hustling Big Cedar and whatever other real estate/travel "opportunities" Johnny might be offering are obnoxious to the point of justifiable physical violence. Sorry but I'm glad I finally got all that off my chest........

Yeah, well, I've had that happen on both MotorGuides and Minn Kota's that weren't called Ultrex so if it happens again it ain't like I've never been there before. I've had mine a little over a year now and so far so good - I'll keep my fingers crossed just like I do with everything else I've ever bought!

That Ultrex is the greatest fishing/boating invention since the outboard motor!

Alright, now you did it. How would you like it if all the golfers gave up chasing that little white ball and decided to buy big boats and go wake boarding everyday instead? And in YOUR favorite cove! THEN golf wouldn't seem so stupid now would it?!?!?! See? Golf really is useful in its own special way! I rest my case.........

Wait a minute - I thought that was only the Flying Lure?

And even if you decide to return the lure the special mystery gift is yours to keep absolutely free! (Restocking fee and penalties may apply) Please see product packaging for applicable details........ Not available in all areas.

But if you call within the next 10:36 we will include absolutely free a special mystery gift selected just for you! Operators are standing by so don't wait - call now!

That is gonna pair nicely with my Popeil's Pocket Fisherman. But wait...... There's more!