Yes it seems like to enjoy our passion we must "beat up" the fish. (just kidding). I realize FLW is not going to fish Sat. thru Tues. and don't expect them to. I'm just assuming Heartland requested the permits/dates before FLW. Maybe not. It doesn't make any sense for Heartland to request the same weekend that FLW already has been given.
If I were going to conduct a tourney on the scale of a Heartland I would not request the same weekend as an event the size of an FLW tourney on the same lake. Especially if I knew they were having two competition days directly prior to my first day.
This may be the result of designation by whoever approves the permits and have nothing to do with the tourney circuit managers, Heartland or FLW.
It seems like there are two other reasons for separate weekends besides the legitimate reasons Heartland may have.
1) Stimilus to the local economy over separate weekends would in my opinion be greater overall. This will prove itself in the possibility the events are cancelled for safety/weather reasons. I realize this is not likely to happen, but if it did chances are good that at least one event would produce some economic benefit for the community.
2) Safety should always be given the opportunity to err on the side of caution and never be put on the back burner.
I realize the lake is capable probably of handling two events of this size simultaneously but is it really necessary?
Then last but not least is the possibility that FLW might have requested this date in their own self interest with knowledge that Heartland was already authorized on this date. I'm not saying this is what happened, only perusing a list of maybes.
This is not a possibility that is easy to accept yet it is a possibility nonetheless. I think it is generally accepted that in a four day tourney the heaviest weighins on average are the first two days so based on that FLW would not need to be threatened by Heartland coming in on FLW's third day.
These are just my opinions however permeated with assumptions they may be and you know what they say about assumptions.
I will be fishing Heartland and really I hope to be in that attitude of gratitude because I have much to be thankful for.
Steve
GETFISHED !!!