Should I hate tournaments?

This is a serious question for you all. Should I hate tournaments?

I don't tournament fish (never have) nor do I watch it on TV. It seems to me like in the last several years the number of tournaments has exploded and every weekend, every major lake in Ky has one.

I guess people are making money off them and I guess public interest in fishing is a good thing. However its really hard for me to not hate fishing tournaments. One thing I love about fishing is the solitude, the laid back attitude, and the act of fishing itself. It chaps my hide to see the sponser stickered boats racing around, the unfriendly attitudes of some folks, etc.

Please you all give me a reason to change my attitude because it seems like we are stuck with these events forever now. Even on the smaller lakes....

Fishing tournaments draw out of state people, which means they buy non-resident licenses. The fuel, food, hotels, etc. that they drop money on help out the local economy. Most businesses are only open due to fishing tournaments, especially those places out in the middle of nowhere along the lakes.

The more money brought in to the state, the better.

If you want solitude, go during the week. The fishing is usually better then too.

with me, it is a love/hate relationship.

I love the changes to equipment, new gear, better boats, etc, etc that are a DIRECT result of tourneys.

I love the professional anglers that respect other anglers, respect the resource, TEACH others, etc, etc.

I hate those FOOLS that give professional tournament anglers a bad name.

I hate those FOOLS who act like FOOLS on the water.

Later,

Geo

Tournament fishing is for those of us who like the adrenalin rush of competition. Many people golf and wager on it some play poker some coach their kids ball teams. All these forms of competition when rendered fairly are healthy. I fish about the same amount in each way, I take my wife and daughter fishing for crappie, bass and bluegill, and I fish about 20 tournaments a year. The fun fishing relaxes me and the tournaments get me pumped up. Growing up in central KY I played most every organized sport available, after college I needed an outlet for my competitve nature. Tournament fishing has provided this for me. So love all fishing and get out as much as possible.

[QUOTE=BurleyDog;441809]This is a serious question for you all. Should I hate tournaments?

I don't tournament fish (never have) nor do I watch it on TV. It seems to me like in the last several years the number of tournaments has exploded and every weekend, every major lake in Ky has one.

I guess people are making money off them and I guess public interest in fishing is a good thing. However its really hard for me to not hate fishing tournaments. One thing I love about fishing is the solitude, the laid back attitude, and the act of fishing itself. It chaps my hide to see the sponser stickered boats racing around, the unfriendly attitudes of some folks, etc.

Please you all give me a reason to change my attitude because it seems like we are stuck with these events forever now. Even on the smaller lakes....[/QUOTE]
tournaments have really made fishing miserable on kentucky and barkley some days. it so crowded sometimes i have to get to the 8th or ninth spot before i find an opening to fish where i want. only a few folks make money on tournaments maybe less than 5 percent that fish them. the rest are wannabe's. yes hate them like i do.

[QUOTE=barkleyhawggitter;441819]tournaments have really made fishing miserable on kentucky and barkley some days. it so crowded sometimes i have to get to the 8th or ninth spot before i find an opening to fish where i want. only a few folks make money on tournaments maybe less than 5 percent that fish them. the rest are wannabe's. yes hate them like i do.[/QUOTE]

There are thousands of acers of water between ky and barkley, that's two lakes that will never fish small, green river lake maybe I would believe, and I agree with earlier comments fish weekdays they are better and one last thing Ive always had a problem with run about boats and baja boats not wrapped pro pole "wanna be" professional fisherman

Without tournaments there would be no bass pro shops.

Well ,since you asked,yes you should.

[QUOTE=BurleyDog;441809]This is a serious question for you all. Should I hate tournaments?

I don't tournament fish (never have) nor do I watch it on TV. It seems to me like in the last several years the number of tournaments has exploded and every weekend, every major lake in Ky has one.

I guess people are making money off them and I guess public interest in fishing is a good thing. However its really hard for me to not hate fishing tournaments. One thing I love about fishing is the solitude, the laid back attitude, and the act of fishing itself. It chaps my hide to see the sponser stickered boats racing around, the unfriendly attitudes of some folks, etc.

Please you all give me a reason to change my attitude because it seems like we are stuck with these events forever now. Even on the smaller lakes....[/QUOTE]

Totally up to you. Guess we could all go back to the days of catching a stringer of bass and putting the fillet knife to them.

The problem is twofold. I'm a tourney fisherman and I also fish for fun. I occassionally keep fish to eat and yes sometimes they are bass. I expect a barrage of "holier than thou" attitudes about keeping some to eat on occassion but I'm gonna continue to do that because we like to eat fish. Now, I fish 20 or more tourneys each year and have been fairly successful. I enjoy the competition and attribute my success to the competition. It has forced me to be a better fisherman because I wanted to be more consistent. So, as a tourney fisherman, I don't hate tourneys but I do hate some of the "fishermans" attitude. And while this can be either a recreational or a tourney fisherman it is more times associated with the tourney fisherman. Remember, one shouldn't judge everyone and put a label on all beacuse of the actions of a few.

Good fishing and God Bless,
See ya'll on the water,

Tim
bassmaster

I wouldn't hate fishing tournaments or the guys who fish them, I would hate the idiots that act like fools on the water. In my experience, the number of tournament guys who are complete jerks on the water is relatively low. Unfortunately, those few jerks give all of us a bad name.

I don't hate tournaments I don't like the idiots that hold parking spaces for there buddies @ 5.00 in the mornning!!!!! And far as spending money they don't spend a dime!!!!!!!! at my buddies marina. I better not say what marina iam talking about but if you tournament fish YOU BEEN THERE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!