All tournaments have been canceled

[bferg]

1 hour ago, vernon said:

Man, that just seems nuts to me to put all of those people working that event in that kind of danger just so those guys can go catch some fish.   they can fulfill their sponsorship obligations.

Between lightning and flash flooding this just doesn't pass the common sense test in my opinion. 

But as usual, what do I know?

Fishing is really important after all. 

Fixed it for you.  

Those jerseys ain't cheap!

[vernon]

3 hours ago, fishinwrench said:

Well....think of it this way:

  We buy boats that can handle the roughest water that mother nature can dish out. We equip these boats with high power trolling motors, powerful outboards, GPS/sonar, and 700GPH bilge pumps. We buy outstanding rain gear and PFD's, things to protect our eyes and faces so we can run through heavy rain and hailstorms. And we buy specialized baits for high and muddy water. We even have punch baits for fishing heavy mats of debris.

To do all of this just to fish on Golden Pond would be kinda rediculous, no?   

Wait.....I think I just heard thunder ???

I'm really not that concerned about the guys actually fishing - going out there under those conditions is their choice.  I'm thinking about all of the local folks that are working the event, that are likely volunteers and probably have better things to be doing under the circumstances like taking care of their own homes and families.  But being the good, hard working people they are, they ain't about to reneg on an obligation so they're traveling back and forth during a flash flood warning and hanging around outdoors all day during an electrical storm.

Some of the others just might be too dumb to know any better but why give them an excuse to be out there?

Heck, even MLB, NASCAR, the NFL and the PGA Tour to name a few occasionally suspend play or postpone events when the elements become unsafe for participants and spectators.  Now, granted, even I ain't so naive as to think they don't compromise safety left and right on even more occasions than not when the dollars are significant enough.  

But if this deal today doesn't qualify as unsafe I don't know what does.  

And, I hope one of these guys who's fishing for his "livelihood" doesn't hit a log and flip his boat cause now somebody else who is at work at HIS/HER livelihood is at risk since somebody has to go out there and rescue the fool.

As much as I love fishing and as many crazy, irrational things as I've done in my life I'm old enough now to recognize stupid a little bit more readily than I used to.  I'd like to think that predominantly rational people are in charge of this FLW deal and that they would put life and injury above some "show must go on" mentality.

I guess my point is if you, me or anybody else wants to go out there in this stuff whether to prove a point or just be a tuff guy that's our business - to an extent anyway.  But to put so many others at risk under such unrelenting and threatening circumstances I believe is irresponsible and just asking for trouble.

I really hope nobody gets hurt.

Sorry for being such a fuddy-duddy but this thing just seems to have poked me in my good eye.

 

[big c]

Not a fuddy duddy, i happen to agree. The support staff should be concidered also.

[ramman123]

i thought they started the tournament a few days earlier  so they could beat the rain or fish it as a last day ordeal since they were expecting this rain 

[mixermarkb]

I agree Vernon. I put up concerts outside all summer long, and trust me, once you unload 3 or 4 semis worth of gear and set it all up, you really don't want to not do a show. Lightning isn't to play with though. Getting someone killed over a trivial thing like a concert or a fishing tourney would be a horrible, horrible thing. It really shows poor judgment on the FLW. Hopefully some of us losing some respect for the decision makers is the worst that will happen. 

[176champion]

Cops for Kids tournament that was scheduled for Tuesday has been canceled.

[fishinwrench]

I hear ya loud and clear, and kinda agree, but this is what makes competitive fishing unique.  Some sports include an element of danger.  We all have wicked awesome rain gear and all our boats are rigged for extreme conditions.   Whether we decide to use them to their extreme purpose is irrelevant.  That's what this stuff is made for.

[vernon]

48 minutes ago, fishinwrench said:

I hear ya loud and clear, and kinda agree, but this is what makes competitive fishing unique.  Some sports include an element of danger.  We all have wicked awesome rain gear and all our boats are rigged for extreme conditions.   Whether we decide to use them to their extreme purpose is irrelevant.  That's what this stuff is made for.

Don't take any of this wrong Wrench - I'm a fan of yours - but I still say that there's a discernible difference between "extreme" conditions, for which the best of our gear and boats is designed, and downright dangerous.

I think that lightning is always a showstopper, especially when everyone involved knew well in advance that it was not only likely but imminent.  That being said, I got no issues with these things taking place on a day like today, if we're talking the inherent challenges of wind, rain and plunging air temperatures.  That is, had the environment not already been pushed to acceptable limits.

At what point is it reasonable for the Coast Guard, Water Patrol and other first responders to say that if you go out there you're going at your own risk.  We're not coming to get you if something happens.  

In the (way) bygone days of my youth, skiing the back bowls at Vail was something I loved to do.  However, when preceding weather events rendered these areas prone to avalanches, they were closed to everyone until conditions were deemed reasonably safe.  

It was an "extreme" activity to be sure but with limitations.

I just don't believe that extreme should ever include what most any reasonable person would otherwise define as unsafe and I just think that the existing conditions on that lake today were unsafe by most any definition of word much less to go fishing.

Again, just me and obviously from a totally different perspective.

[fishinwrench]

Not disagreeing one bit.  I just think it should be personal choice and not a force play.   Delayed take-off because of fog really pisses some competitors off sometimes because their strategy doesn't involve running a long distance.   You are fully aware of the predictions (or you should be) so your decisions are a part of the game.  Actually your decisions are the MAIN ELEMENT of the game.  

If conditions are such that you aren't comfortable traveling outside the takeoff cove......then so be it.  Do your best and see how you stack up.   Nobody is forcing anyone to travel 60 miles in dangerous conditions.   If you are scared or lack confidence in your skills then power pole down just outside the take-off bouys and start casting.

[Ketchup]

21 minutes ago, fishinwrench said:

Not disagreeing one bit.  I just think it should be personal choice and not a force play.   Delayed take-off because of fog really pisses some competitors off sometimes because their strategy doesn't involve running a long distance.   You are fully aware of the predictions (or you should be) so your decisions are a part of the game.  Actually your decisions are the MAIN ELEMENT of the game.  

If conditions are such that you aren't comfortable traveling outside the takeoff cove......then so be it.  Do your best and see how you stack up.   Nobody is forcing anyone to travel 60 miles in dangerous conditions.   If you are scared or lack confidence in your skills then power pole down just outside the take-off bouys and start casting.

Guys, this is coming from a guy that is as against hauling tournament fish, as there is on this board.  Good to see his perspective on boating conditions tho. As i read these comments, it takes me taping my fingers together to not speak out AGAINST outsiders sitting on their keyboards, saying what someone else should do. So since Wrench is saying what my fingers want to type "if i would remove the tape" then i will let him keep speaking.  Just against people trying to govern others when there not involved. I totally understand and agree with the rescue teams being forced to go retrieve them upon an accident, but the marshalls, camera guys, spectators, etc are not forced to ride along.  They do so for the excitement and opportunity.  Carry on Wrench