Opinions on Tournaments

[yellow20xd]

No... Dan

[bullmerc]

I totally agree with many who have responded that we are taxed to death already. I would like to see a huge decrease in the taxes we have to pay BUT this will never happen as long as we have elected officials who are always on the lookout for more ways to waste money.

My point is that if I win a couple thousands bucks playing the lottery or at the race track I HAVE TO PAY TAXES so why shouldn't fishermen who win a couple thousand bucks on a Saturday fishing a "local" tournament?????? I don't tie up public use areas playing the lottery or betting on the horses as these organized fishing/gambling enterprises do.

A few weeks ago I was fishing Barkley for a few days and for over an hour there was a constant drone of boat motors running just after daylight. I normally don't keep up on tournament activity but this puzzled me so I inquired at the marina and they told me there were 2 tournaments being held that had a combined number of boats almost exceeding 500. THIS WAS ON A THURSDAY. So now I asssume that for those of us who try to fish through the week and work weekends are at a loss because we now can't even enjoy our beloved passtime without having to compete against these massive tournaments. I didn't even attempt to fish Kentucky lake, which was where the tournaments we on, because I knew that with that many boats the ramps I like to use would have been OFF LIMITS because of the massive number of tournament vehicles that were taking up all the parking.

AGAIN I am not suggesting that tournaments be outlawed but I am suggesting that more guidlines and oversight MUST be put into place or eventually these organized gambling competetions will dominate all our public waters and make it almost impossible for the casual fisherman to be able to enjoy their hobby.

Without anything other personal observations I would estimate that tournaments have increased several hundred percent over the past 10 years and without some rules set down to control these commercial gambling enterprises the number will increase several hundred percent more in the next 10 years.

When tournament fishing first started there was a sense of pride to fish them and maybe even win something. Now it has transpired into nothing more than a commercial enterprise where winning is all that matters regardless of other peoples rights. With the economy in the shape it is in now there is no way I would compete in any "local" tournament especially the "buddy" one's. Knowing human nature there will ALWAYS be those who will use EVERY MEANS POSSIBLE to assure themselves of a paycheck whether it be imposing on other fishermen or putting pre-caught fish in a basket.

OH, but they use LIE DETECTOR TESTS on some of the winners. I know through my own experience and training that LIE DETECTOR TESTS are useless if someone really wants to defeat them. This is why they are not allowed to be introduced in court. You would be about as well off using a PALM READER to determine one's truthfullness as a LIE DETECTOR TEST when attempting to judge one's honesty.

[ready to fish]

I like to fish tournaments myself so count me guilty too, but one thing I won't do is fish around here in May (BASS). I think it would be best for tournament directors to leave the lakes alone in May while the fish (BASS) are trying to spawn. I wish Bassmaster would not engourage bed fishing on their television shows either.
That's my biggest problem with tournaments, but you have brought up some other interesting questions also. Good luck keeping up with your responces.

[huntstyle]

I think as others have said, that fishing pressure in general is what makes fishing tougher on certain lakes. The thing is it will go in cycles. Maybe for a few years one lake will be hot, and everyone piles onto the lake for both pleasure and tourneys. Once the pressure gets to it, it cools off and people stop going there. In the meantime the lakes they forgot about during that period haven't received much pressure, and are becoming hot themselves. Thus begins the cycle all over again.

I'd be willing to bet it will still take over 60 lbs to win the Elite Series event coming up on KY Lake. And as long as those 20+ lb bags keep coming to the scales, I'd say the fishing is just fine!

[Tim_T]

I'd be willing to bet it will still take over 60 lbs to win the Elite Series event coming up on KY Lake. And as long as those 20+ lb bags keep coming to the scales, I'd say the fishing is just fine!

I bet it takes over 80 and could be pushing 90.

[swimjigboy]

Amen!!!!!!!!!!!! At least a number limit needs to put on lakes. But once they burn one lake up they just move on to the next. The rest of my rambling is on another tread on this site called (bassmasters) it about big weights too. Espn is going to kill fishing. Everytime on the water now all ya hear is "are ya prefishing or are in fishin the ....". The answer is always NO! I doing the same thing I always do for the past 39 yrs.