Tournament This Weekend

[Champ188]

Does is seem odd to anyone but me that Central Pro-Am is holding its final championship weigh-in Sunday at the Bass Pro Shops in Springfield? The 15 finalists will compete on Table Rock, then trailer to Springfield for the weigh-in.

Seems tough enough to keep fish alive in 80-something degree water at a lakeside weigh-in, much less taking them on a 40-mile road trip. There's also the added issue of caring for deep-caught fish this time of year.

Acknowledging that BPS is a sponsor of the circuit, they have very suitable facilities at Long Creek (Big Cedar) and Branson Landing, where the Bassmaster Elite Series weekend weigh-ins were held last spring. Couldn't the Central Pro-Am weigh-in be held at one of those sites?

It also remains to be seen if these fish will be returned to Table Rock or perhaps placed in the fish tank at BPS in Springfield.

For a circuit that relies so heavily on Table Rock as a tournament venue, it doesn't seem right to me to take its fish and haul them 40 miles away.

[J-Doc]

One word.....

"Money"

Follow it, and you will find the reason.

[Quillback]

It does seem it could be rough on the fish. Don't know what happens to them after the weigh-in, maybe they have some sort of tank truck they can haul them back to the lake in. I can't see the anglers taking them back.

[Flysmallie]

Does seem odd. Also seems to be more of this happening all the time. Didn't they haul fish from Grand to Tulsa one year. That can't be good for the fish.

[J-Doc]

Did at Bassmaater Classic in 2013.

[Champ188]

I don't think they should've hauled those Grand fish around like that either but ... it was February, so it was much easier on the fish and after weigh-in, the Oklahoma fish and game folks took possession of them, loaded them into a specially equipped tank truck and returned them to Grand. Delayed mortality will never be accurately measured or known, but word was that every fish taken to Tulsa went back into Grand alive and well.

[J-Doc]

That's what I recall from Grand.

[abkeenan]

Agreed. No reason at all this can't be held at the Long Creek Marina.

[Bill Babler]

CPA in past years was one of the best if not the best Mid-West amateur fishing circuit. It in recent years has fallen on hard times as has many of the weekend bass fishing tournaments.

Corporate sponsorship is really the only way any of these weekend derby's can make it. Simple participant entry fees are just not enough to either make it interesting or to provide the necessary funds to operate these events.

I'm sure the current owner of the CPA, Mike Webb has had many sleepless nights trying to figure out how to make this work and receive any type of profitability.

Exposure and Corporate sponsorship is really his best avenue. He is more than working diligently on this. Trouble is that he has chosen a week here and I have no idea of why he chose Early-September for his championship, but it is a very traditionally slow fishing time here and the water temperatures are at a seasons high.

I wish Mike success in his business, but wish he would perhaps of chosen more wisely concerning the fish. Especially with the tremendous facilities they have both at Big Cedar and LongCreek.

I know however that the Tracker Boat annual Show and meeting is going on right now on water at both of those venues and that perhaps was part of the decision. Presuming of course he had no other recourse than to hold his championship in early September like this.

Best of Luck to both Mike and the Fish.

[Outofsightpdr]

I don't see what the big deal is. This fish ride around in the boat all day and most of the time it's a rough ride.