Release boats?

[Champ188]

3 hours ago, fishinwrench said:

That sounded harsh, but then again..... 

I’ll take that as a compliment coming from you, brother LOL 😆😂

[vernon]

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. 

[Sore Thumbs]

I hate that you feel that way Vernon. I fish tournaments quite a bit. I’m not like those guys you mentioned, but unfortunately I know the behavior you are describing. A good friend of mine sells boats and he hates dealing with those guys. He calls them Bassholes. Ha. I like the competition aspect. To see how I stack up. Here lately not so good.  It is a double edged sword. They bring money to the community, but sometimes it’s at a cost. 

[fishinwrench]

Oh I definitely see your side, Vernon.

I used to be into it in a big way, so I "get it",  but once you step away from it for awhile and look at the big picture you kinda realize how rediculous it is.  Nobody is making any money, except the tournament organizations.  Tackle companies, and Rod & Reel retailers, and boat/motor salesmen aren't even doing that great because the reps are too busy running around out there giving discounts and building a TEAM.  

That's fine, let them continue to do their retarded little thing if it makes them happy.....The only part of it that has started boiling my blood is all of this moving around of fish.  If you don't think that negatively effects the experiences of plain old recreational fishermen then piss on you, you're a selfish idiot.  Be a decent person and knock that crap off !

The only thing that would make me truly respect the MDC again is for them to step up and force these jackoffs to change their scoring platform....since it's obvious that they'll never do it on their own.   It's their job to regulate stuff like this and they just continue to turn a blind eye towards it.

[Flysmallie]

7 hours ago, fishinwrench said:

 Lake O is the best tournament lake in the state, but even Mr. Morris, as business savy as he is, knows better than to put a store here.

You could make fishing illegal on Lake O and the economy would never miss it. Guys like to think that they are bringing a whole lot to the local economy but those pleasure boaters are outspending you by a large margin. 

Oh and if you guys are so worried about the local economies then stop this BS of buying all your stuff from Tackle Warehouse. There are local tackle stores that DO rely on your business but you totally overlook them. So either start leading by example or shut up. 

[fishinwrench]

Their ego refuses to let anyone see them pay for anything.  They secretly order their tackle online, then tell their wives and buddy's that they are sponsored and are given it for free.  Because they are so awesome and all.

[Sore Thumbs]

I buy local as much as I can. Only time I go elsewhere is if they don’t have want I at the time and won’t be getting it anytime soon. 

[snagged in outlet 3]

Two guys in my office have places at LOZ.  One condo and one house.  Both of them rehabbed them this winter.  Both run big Cobalt boats and when I say they drop some coin you better believe it.  They outspend any fisherman by a mile.  One of them fishes off his dock and that's all the fishing they do.

Their liquor bill is probably more than a tourney guys whole nut for a tournament.

[Flysmallie]

1 minute ago, snagged in outlet 3 said:

Two guys in my office have places at LOZ.  One condo and one house.  Both of them rehabbed them this winter.  Both run big Cobalt boats and when I say they drop some coin you better believe it.  They outspend any fisherman by a mile.  One of them fishes off his dock and that's all the fishing they do.

There liquor bill is probably more than a tourney guys whole nut for a tournament.

Yep. I have a sibling that spends every weekend at LOZ with spouse and kid. They don't fish. Drop $400 to $500 every single weekend. 

[Sore Thumbs]

1 hour ago, Flysmallie said:

You could make fishing illegal on Lake O and the economy would never miss it. Guys like to think that they are bringing a whole lot to the local economy but those pleasure boaters are outspending you by a large margin. 

Oh and if you guys are so worried about the local economies then stop this BS of buying all your stuff from Tackle Warehouse. There are local tackle stores that DO rely on your business but you totally overlook them. So either start leading by example or shut up. 

If you aren’t spending every dollar you spend locally then this is a hypocritical statement. If you are that’s great. I find it hard to believe anyone could nowadays. I can’t get on to people spending their hard earned money how they wish.