Strategy For Tany Tourney

[Trav]

There is no such thing as a "freindly" tourney when guys pay more than 10 bucks to get in. When money is involved people take it serious. Just reread my troubles in Panama( above ).

I am not just talking personally, I am talking from the hundreds of tourneys I have been a part of. Without some kind of check and balance, rules will be abused.

The risk of a polygraph is not a deterant.

Thats just from my experiance.

For what its worth.

[Micheal Kyle]

I will have to agree It does take a lot work and money.

We are going to have a tourney in March that will be from Fall creek up and it is basically for fly fisherman the last one I held I spent probably 1000 hours just trying to get it planned plus getting the Judges all on the same line.

I hope it goes well for yo Phil

Michael

[Project Healing Waters]

A few years ago during a trout tourney on Taney I was fishing with Phil Surat from his drift boat. We were not...of course...in the tourney. I don't know if this was Phil Lilley's tourney or not, but it was during the winter. Fishing tiny soft hackles, I got into a mess of BIG Rainbows just upstream of the MDC ramp (we all know the spot). About 4 fish in rapid succession above the slot were boated and released by me and another one or two by Phil S. As we were doing this, several guys in boats who were fishing the tourney approached us and either criticized us for releasing these fish (assuming...I guess...we were entered in the tournament) or asking us to GIVE THEM the fish so they could weigh them in as their own. Of course, we refused. When the bite died in that hole, we moved on downstream, but not until. The vultures were circling closer and closer the entire time...of course.

Here's the moral of this story relating to trout tourney strategy on Taneycomo:

1. Don't be THAT guy!

2. Not every boat angler is in the tourney...bad assumption.

3. Paying to fish a tourney does NOT give you right-of-way.

4. Bad behavior above Fall Creek will increase pressure to stop these tournaments.

5. Catch your own fish.

6. Don't pretend it's C&R when there's a day's end weigh-in. Lying is lying no matter what you call it. And most people know that. Besides, Taney is NOT a C&R fishery. The way the tourney rules are set up, anglers are disqualified for violating ANY MDC regulations. And that's perfectly legit. But keep the fish, process them, and make sure somebody eats them. THAT is good sportsmanship/conservation practice.

[Trav]

Right on PHW.

If you dont plan on keeping your trout, stay out of a trout tourney. You cant livewell or stringer trout more than 15 minutes yet alone 5 hours and expect them to live. Even if they swim away, chances are the stress will kill them eventually. Especially if your using bait.

I get nervous for the brownies I release if the fight lasts longer than 15 minutes or if the hooks are really snarled and takes me longer than it should to dislodge.

I know that the Biggest reason I have success is because I Catch and Release. Those big ones will bite over and over again during thier life span.

[Jeremy Rasnick]

You guys are entitled to your opinion and so am I, Think of it this way....All of the trout caught through out the day of a trout tournamet should be considered rescued temporarily from the guys fishing that would release in Grease. This is a Top Notch event. What is the difference as far as fishing ethics with a trout tournament as opposed to a bass tournament, other than the fact that trout are stocked and bass generally are not. And why would one of the tournament anglers risk cheating by taking fish caught by a wader from the trophy area? Who's to say that their competition isn't watching from downstream.

[smac]

tourney or no tourney who cares. There is going to be about 25 boats on taneycomo trying to catch a legal limit of trout. Nothing wrong with that. lots of boats and fishermen do that every day.

[Phil Lilley]

Well now... you know we all here at Lilleys' have been lyin' for plenty of years, killin' fish, keepin' fish in our live wells for over 15 minutes just to see them puppies die a slow death. Gosh, I've seen lots of fishin' people catch and release trout here... can you say "trophy area". And yes we all keep a bigger trout and throw those dinks back- oh yes- even those dead ones in our lives wells- if it gets more money!! And that's what all this is about anyhow, isn't it?? Money and that big, dang trohpy.

Come on down and pay us cheaters your monies and we'll give you a bowl of deer chili for your trouble- Saturdya, 8 am.

[Trav]

Haha

Hey Phil, at least you admit that it is about the money, not just about the fishing. Even though I thought I smelled sarcasm.

Money will tempt a cheater. And many trout do die after being held too long and then released after tourneys. Might as well just eat them. Farm raised trout eat very good.

JR....The difference between a Trout and a Bass is that Bass can survive O2 deprivation a million times better than a Trout. You might as well say whats the difference between a Catfish and a Bass. I have seen Cats live 30 minutes out of water.

[Phil Lilley]

Sarcasm... me..... no way!!!

Did the mis spelled words and hick tone give me away?!

[Trav]

Haha

What hick tone?

In these parts it is just polite to assume you didnt know better.

Kind of like drool at the special olympics.