Tournaments

[geobass]

This my seem as a start of something but it isn't meant to be.
For all of those who are responsible for scheduling tournament we should all try to work together. There is no need for someone to schedule right on top of another. There is the Kentucky fish & wildlife tournament posting site and we should be using it. Also Conley Bottoms requires tournaments to schedule dates with them. An exsample of this would be the Pittsburg Marine tournament on March 4th and the ABA tournament on the same date. I posted the ABA tournament on Ky fish site last fall and set the date up with Conley Bottom folks last month. At that time they did not have the Pittsburg tournament listed. I have heard nothing but good things about Pittsburg Marine so this in no way is a criticism of them or the way they have done things. It is just my way of tring to get the word out about these sites.
Under normal lake levels this would not be a problem but with the lake down it will make for a very long day. That could have been avoided.
My ABA schedule is sent in the first of July for next year and there is no way for me to know if there are any other tournaments that far out. So when I post them on the Ky sites it is for all to see. This does not mean that no other tournaments can be scheduled the same time and location of the ABA, but if we all use some commonsense we can avoid this kind of situation. I have in the past checked with Fishers of Men and Midwest Sportsmans to avoid any problems.
ALL circuts have their own following and ALL of have my respect. I'm all for anything that will help grow our sport.
This is hoping that if we all start to work together we can have another great year of fishing. And good luck too all and lets be safe.
George Salov
Director ABA
District 87

[Danny]

George,

I understand what you are talking about. It's kind of like the idea about having a big motor, first one to the fishing hole wins that spot.

So the question, in regard to the ABA classic and the MW classic at the same date and ramp, who scheduled firs?

I know it makes no difference now, but I am just curious.

What you did not say, but I will is that it seems if ettiquette says the fastest boat makes it to a fishing hole first gets to fish there first, then tournaments should be somewhat the same. At least the really big ones.

Danny

[geobass]

Danny, I'm sure since Midwest is holding permits they applied first. I did not schedule the National tournament and they ABA was not told of the Midwest or they were told that they would change.
My posting is an effort to make those people who do schedule tournaments too look at the state site and to check. If I had known last July about the Pittsburg trail going out of Conley Bottom I would have scheduled mine for Burnside or Lees ford or another ramp. That is all I was tring to say. ALL trails are important to someone.
As far as wanting the lake for my self this is not true and it is impossible. Of course unless we start to fish on Wendesday's.
George Salov

[easy_13]

>Danny, I'm sure since Midwest is
>holding permits they applied first.

George, one more thing. In the grand scheme of things, what does Midwest having ramp permits and ABA not having ramp permits really mean?

Does it mean we (Midwest) get first crack at the ramps and parking?

For the sake of everyone -- mostly because of limited motel rooms and parking at the ramps -- I'd like to see one side move. I like Ky/Barkely, but after 5 years I wouldn't mind going somewhere else this year, for a change.

[geobass]

Any tournament over 50 boats (maybe it is 100) must have a permit to use the ramp at the dam on Kentucky Lake. I think this is the only place in the state that requires a permit to hold a tournament. So yes, with Midwest holding the permit it means they get to use the ramp.
As far as not knowing the ABA, this is short for the American Bass Angers. Now sure this district is only in the thrid year but the ABA is known nationaly. It has more participants then all of FLW,Stren,BFL and all of BASS combinded. There are over 121 districts in 40 states with over 1000 tournaments to fish.
The last thing I want to say is Conley Bottoms does control their ramp and as of last month they did not know about the Pittsburg tournament. So it would do no good to have each lake control tournaments if no one is going to tell them.
Please understand I do not have any problems with Pitssburg or any other organization. But I think it is in everyones best interest to try harder in working together.
George Salov

[easy_13]

^ Thanks for the info.

What I meant is that if you have made arrangements to have a tourney at Conley Bottoms, and then Pittsburg Marine rolls in there unannounced, you should have preferential treatment.

I don't know what the scheduled blast-off times are for both of you, but if there are conflicts all your boats should be unloaded and gone before they are allowed to do anything. Same with coming back in for the weigh-in.

That way, it would only take one time for people to learn their lesson about proper scheduling.

[wishicouldfish]

EASY_13

In reference to your comment about getting special treatment at Connley Bottom. Good Luck!!!! Connley bottom could care less about fisherman using the ramp or not, much less, scheduling touneys with them. All the fishermen work together the best they can.

As for this weekend and next, several fisherman are fishing more than one tourney at this ramp.

[easy_13]

>Danny, I'm sure since Midwest is
>holding permits they applied first.
>I did not schedule the
>National tournament and they ABA
>was not told of the
>Midwest or they were told
>that they would change.
>My posting is an effort to
>make those people who do
>schedule tournaments too look at
>the state site and to
>check. If I had known
>last July about the Pittsburg
>trail going out of Conley
>Bottom I would have scheduled
>mine for Burnside or Lees
>ford or another ramp. That
>is all I was tring
>to say. ALL trails are
>important to someone.
>As far as wanting the lake
>for my self this is
>not true and it is
>impossible. Of course unless we
>start to fish on Wendesday's.
>
>George Salov

George, there's no way you could have known about the Pittsburg tourney in July because I doubt they finalized their schedule until Oct. or Nov., at the earliest, and probably later than that. If you ask them, I doubt they've ever heard of the ABA or the tourney website where you posted your info.

I'd like to see every lake have an organization that keeps track of dates and times of tournaments on that particular lake. First come, first served. You want to have a tourney out of so-and-so ramp on such-and-such lake ... get ahold of them and let them help you schedule it.

That makes too much sense, though, so I doubt we'll ever see it.

[Trex]

No. What George is saying is that he did everything to make sure all know his schedule. His schudule was compiled in 2005 and posted on the Ky. tournament board.
Evidently bigger tournaments don't look there to see if there are any conflicts so the results are that the bigger tournaments run over the smaller circuits.
I realize you can't schedule around everyone, but I know how frustrating it is be swallowed up by big tournaments. They don't seem to care because they are bigger and the smaller circuits have to move over in some corner to conduct there tournament.
I've always thought the tournament board was a good idea but the bigger tournaments don't use it, therefore I'm not posting ABC tournaments either.
We all will just have to make do until some system is implimented.
I know to most these comments don't matter but also being a smaller curcuit I emphatize with George on his feelings.
Maybe the state can come up with a good answer. In the mean time we'll have to get along and be courtious.
Rex Allen
KY. Distrect Director
ABC

[Danny]

Rex,

By not posting, you are taking the easy way out, plus you are contributing to the problem by not posting your tournaments.

What you are suggesting would require a reglatory agency of the state government to step in and then require all tournies to register. Everyone complained about a increase in fishing license fees this year, what will they have to go up in order to finance this agency? Or, will the tournaments themselves have to pay a fee? The fee, would it be based upon the number of boats, or what? Then entry fees go up dramatically. If it is a set fee per tournament, then small tournaments are penalized by being charged more dollars per boat than the larger ones.


I personally don't want more government interaction or regulation. I think the tournament folks should be able to get along, that includes everyone posting their scheduled tournaments.

Finally Rex, by you not posting, let me ask you what a parent always asks a child...LOL... if all your friends jumped off a cliff, would you follow? In other words, two wrongs don't make a right.

Better for you to be the example, than to follow a bad one.

Danny

[Trex]

Danny, At some point and time in the near future the state will have to step in and police tournament activities. There are just getting to be too many for the facilities to handle them.
You are right about two wrongs don't make a right and I will post our tournaments, but it did sort of make a point.
I said last year that the tournament board was a good tool, but we must all learn to use it.
I've always tried to be courteous of other tournaments and will continue to do so. We fish our first tournament Sat. and I think there are four other tournaments going out of Connley Bottom at the same time. They are all small so I don't see it being too much of a problem.
It just gets frustrating sometimes to prepare early in the year trying to get a good schedule and bam, you have to go against a BFL, or Pittsburg Marine or some other big tournament.
I realize we are all in the same "boat" so compromising is imperative.
Thanks for the insight.
Rex Allen

[Danny]

We are talking about the Ky fish and wildlife site, right?

I'm not working right now, and although might not get to it this week, I am very happy to offer to help out with your posting.

If you send me all the information, when, where, time, open/closed, number of boats, etc... and if you would like, I will try to help out. I know if you are working full time and running a circuit, you may just have trouble with time.

If this was to work out OK, maybe I could become a consultant to the tourney directors and do some posting for pay?? LOL

I'd much rather work with fishing information than to tell others how to make more money selling groceries.

Danny