bigredbirdfan Posted July 15, 2008 Posted July 15, 2008 Live wells seem like outdated technology. Gotta be a better way. How about no more tournaments ? This is what I have suspected from tournaments for some time. How many events each year on TR? How many boats in each tournament? These tournaments are a waste of lots of resources, but I guess follow the money. Hope Branson really needs those extra tourism dollars at the expense of our not so precious resource.
Gary Lange Posted July 15, 2008 Posted July 15, 2008 No More Tournaments is not the answer! If you study up on Tournaments a little you will find that they benefit the fishery as much as the economy. When a big money Tournament is in town most Conservation Department attend and take sample readings of the fish caught and other information which is vital for management purposes. Respect your Environment and others right to use it!
Whack'emGood Posted July 15, 2008 Posted July 15, 2008 100 tournaments x 30 dead fish per tournament...... It doesn't work like that. You can't look at it that way. Most tournaments have a very small percentage, if any, casualties. Usually the dead fish brought in to the weigh-in were gut or gill hooked and were going to die if they were released immediately anyway. Even if you catch and release all fish immediately, once in awhile, a fish will die because it is gut hooked or something. Also, you say that these tournaments are a waste of alot of resources? I guess so is fishing in general, or a baseball, football, baskeball game, or golf. It is recreation/sport. Its what people do for fun, not a waste. I don't know how Branson could benefit from a local tourney. Most of these tourneys are local and aren't fished for the money. If they were, in 95% of tourneys, everybody would go broke. Local tourneys don't pay enough to fish "for the money". It is about the competition. It is fun to compete. It is like any of the aforementioned sports. If you don't like competition, fine-- that is your deal. Don't get me wrong-- any tournament that is blatantly neglecting to take care of their fish should be outlawed-- nobody can argue against that. But outlawing all tournaments because there are a few bad apples is not the solution. I don't want anyone to take me wrong... Those of you that have read my posts in the past know that I am adamant about catch-n-release bass fishing. I am adamant about taking extra good care of the fish and the fishery. I just think, to be credible, we have to look at this (and deal with it) rationally. We need to do something about the group that Bill posted about that fished out of Aunts Creek the other night (and any other groups that are committing similar atrocities). Everybody can't make a broad generalization about tournament fishing because of this though. Shoot, even Bill fishes in tournaments-- and I look up to him greatly (as a model, really) for his conservation beliefs and practices. We all need to do something, but we also need to use our heads on this one. Whack'em "Success builds confidence, and you have to learn to trust your instincts and forget about fishing the way a tournament is supposed to be won. I'm going to fish my style and make it work for me." -KEVIN VANDAM "Confidence is the best lure in your tackle box." -GERALD SWINDLE "A-Rig? Thanks, but no thanks. If I can't catch them on the conventional tackle that I already use, then I guess I just can't catch them." -LK (WHACK'EM)
bigredbirdfan Posted July 15, 2008 Posted July 15, 2008 Whackem: I am not going to parse your response for many things I want to say. I can tell you this. No tournaments = no fish dead from Tournaments. And if you don't fish tournaments for money they shouldn't give any away for the winner. Now explain to me. Tournament participants have generally $20-$50,000 boats. GPS and fish finders which are now very sophisticated. With all the technology someone cannot come up with some way to document these fish immediatly and release them rather than run mach 1 mile after mile with them in the livewell. Sounds to me like the weigh in with sponsers banners and the like might play a little more importance in this than anyone will admit. People like to see these big bass hauled out in front of them. Just admit that. Bigredbirdfan
mosouthpaw Posted July 16, 2008 Posted July 16, 2008 Whackem: I am not going to parse your response for many things I want to say. I can tell you this. No tournaments = no fish dead from Tournaments. And if you don't fish tournaments for money they shouldn't give any away for the winner. Now explain to me. Tournament participants have generally $20-$50,000 boats. GPS and fish finders which are now very sophisticated. With all the technology someone cannot come up with some way to document these fish immediatly and release them rather than run mach 1 mile after mile with them in the livewell. Sounds to me like the weigh in with sponsers banners and the like might play a little more importance in this than anyone will admit. People like to see these big bass hauled out in front of them. Just admit that. Bigredbirdfan why punish the fisherman who care and take measures to prevent premature death? Under your logic youre punishing several organizations who actually believe in the concept of being a steward to the fisheries. Under your logic one can take it a few steps farther and just close the season in July and August
bigredbirdfan Posted July 16, 2008 Posted July 16, 2008 why punish the fisherman who care and take measures to prevent premature death? Under your logic youre punishing several organizations who actually believe in the concept of being a steward to the fisheries. Under your logic one can take it a few steps farther and just close the season in July and August mosouthpaw: Why don't you address what I said and try not to follow my logic. Heck I'm not even sure I consulted my logic. If I did consult it I reckon it would say that fishing tournaments are not necessarily good for fish except as Gary points out the Conservation Department gets to piggy back and gather limited vitality information or probably lack thereof. I merely point out that fish riding around in a boat doing 70 mph while you fish half a day is not good for them irregardless of what measures are taken. Maybe someone can provide me data to the contrary showing me that fish actually thrive after riding around in a boat for 3-4 hours in a livewell. Like I said mosouthpaw why can't anyone come up with a way to document them immediatley then release them without a ride in the boat. I said nothing about banning fishing mosouthpaw.
skeeter Posted July 16, 2008 Posted July 16, 2008 Rules have to be changed by MDC for ALL tournaments once 6/15 of the current year has been reached. Catch, weigh and release only until say 10/10 or thereabouts. I've been griping about this cruel waste of our natural resources for years and while sad to hear about this not-isolated incident am glad that others have become aware of this problem. This sad handling of fish reminds me of earlier posts made about the "chute" one of the big events this Spring had behind Ahoys where they dropped the weighed-in fish down a long chute and into the lake without benefit of a release boat !!! All concerned anglers need to lean on MDC and loudly express their displeasure with current regulations concerning handling of tournament caught fish. The excellent suggestion about "salting" the livewells is a proven fish-survival aide but after overhearing two tournament anglers adorned in their sponsor's shirts talking in Spgfld. Bass Pro about how the salt ruined their livewell pumps I doubt many use salt unless their sponsors provide the boats and maintenance for same.
Whack'emGood Posted July 16, 2008 Posted July 16, 2008 You may be right about the big tournaments Bigredbirdfan... but in the tourney series I fish in-- probably half of the guys in the tournament have boats that they paid under $20,000 for (there are more than a few that I would call clunkers too!), 90% don't have sponsors, and there aren't any sponsor signs or spectators at the weigh-in. Its just a bunch of guys that love to fish, and love the competition and the camaraderie between them and the other guys. The bottom line is (and I think we all agree on this) that we don't want to see anymore dead bass floating in the lake. Nobody would dispute that for sure. Something needs to be done to improve the situation, thats for sure. Whack'em "Success builds confidence, and you have to learn to trust your instincts and forget about fishing the way a tournament is supposed to be won. I'm going to fish my style and make it work for me." -KEVIN VANDAM "Confidence is the best lure in your tackle box." -GERALD SWINDLE "A-Rig? Thanks, but no thanks. If I can't catch them on the conventional tackle that I already use, then I guess I just can't catch them." -LK (WHACK'EM)
denjac Posted July 16, 2008 Posted July 16, 2008 The excellent suggestion about "salting" the livewells is a proven fish-survival aide but after overhearing two tournament anglers adorned in their sponsor's shirts talking in Spgfld. Bass Pro about how the salt ruined their livewell pumps I doubt many use salt unless their sponsors provide the boats and maintenance for same. The salt mixture can't hurt the livewell pumps, they are all plastic inside. I have run my boat in the Gulf of Mexico many times and have never had a problem with livewell pump failure. For those that do think it is a problem, after weigh in drain livewells and pump them full again and drain. Not an excuse in my book. I have also heard the hydrogen peroxide will increase oxygen levels. Dont know the ratio though. Dennis Boothe Joplin Mo. For a nation to tax itself into prosperity is like a man standing in a bucket and trying to lift himself up by the handle." ~ Winston Churchill ~
Leonard Posted July 16, 2008 Posted July 16, 2008 I heard this..... and im wondering if these guys really do this.... Is it true that during a night tournement that these guys "pop" the air baddler of the bass to help them get back down when they are released?? I was kinda described how it was done.. It something I dont want to post because if no one is doing it I hate to be the one giving out the idea.... http://www.taneycomonights.com
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