Pros & Cons of Tournament Fishing ...

Ive never fished a tourny with the exeption of one at the gathering and thats pretty much all for fun anyways. Ive never seen the big fish kills like your talking about but have heard that is what happens. If its going to kill the fish (even Bass) then Im against it.

I wanted to add that they may do it for the money but alot of the times that will pay for gas in the boat (excluding bass tournies)

 

The only thing I've ever seen that could possibly traumatize a decent flathead is a Sea Ark loaded down with Shawn and Jack. All the story tellin noise and Fish Finder broadcasts, Its a wonder they don't beach themselves like the whales in the Pacific, when the Navy is on maneuvers lol.

 

Well, I have mixed feelings about this subject. Alot goes back to the specific angler. Alot goes towards those running the tournaments and how they operate procedures. And alot goes towards what Garry said the reasons behind fishing competitively and what means more to the angler, the money or the competition. First of all, let me say... I tourney fish for the competion and the challenge for myself. I don't fish in high dollar tournaments, never have! But, have been involved in high dollar tourneys when it comes to the number of teams. Does this persuade me to fish? NO! I have fished in many tourneys with 6 or 10 teams, and fished in those with close to 60. To me its not about the money, and if you need to spend your weeks pay to try to double your earnings you are in it for the wrong reason! And, if you are gonna be one of those sore losers that want your money back because you got outfished by another, you probably attempted cheating and are disgusted you still got out fished! I have been tournament fishing since I was young enough to ride a mope-head at the age of 12 or 13. We used to ride two one it, with the guy in back holding on with one hand, and the other dragging a red flyer wagon behind at 15 miles/hour with a cooler of fish to weigh-in! We had many spills with that scooter and wagon, but we were doing what we loved..CATFISHING! You all wouldn't understand, and would laugh at rollo and his friends now, but I am proud of where I came from, and how we learned to be good at this sport. Now, back to the tourneys now days. I think there are many improvements in alot of these tourneys due to the latest technology in aerators, bait/live wells etc. However, every time I enter one of these, I still wonder of the affects on larger fish due to the stress of keeping them to weigh in, or the transport time to do so. Adequate water and air does give them an advantage of a strong survival, but, when you take a mature fish and drag him into an enviroment unknown , and then keep him or her there for an extended period? What is the long term efferct? Stress has alot to do with the survival rate! I am an avid CPR guy, and I feel good about how I take care of fish, but... am I doing it the best way? Is it worth it? So likesaid, I have many issues with this topic, and im a tourney guy that will fish in some this year as well. But, im not sure if I can honestly give an opinion on yea, or ney? I only hope that technology and studies will continue to improve to give me the best information on what is the best way for me to continue this sport....rollo

 

Thats what you said about my SeaArk with you and I in it. Its not the SeaArk's fault.:big_smile: I do enjoy the online tournaments due to the CPR but if a person has to haul a fish around for a day without the proper equipment to do so to get it weighted, I'm against that.

 

Mac I dont think he means to make anyone angry, granted his opinion is set and there nothing wrong with that but why not pick others brains for other opinions.

 

As a tournament director, I would not consider lying and saying that every fish caught was released alive. Last year I know of 2 that died. One before and one after weigh-in. Others might have died, but since we don't weigh them, they weren't brought to the scales. I honestly didn't hear of any others dieing. Most of us are very concerned with the fish being taken care of properly. Aerated livelwells, treated water for fish and bait, and even the oxygen set-ups help us manage the fish.

Should tournaments be outlawed...or course not. To loose the right to compete in a tournament would be criminal. If you have reasons to consider tournaments bad, then the same reasoning would have to be applied to hunting also, which requires a kill to count. As far as depleting our resources, look at how much is depleted at your average NASCAR event. WOW.

We also report everything to the ODNR, which they claim helps them. I report sizes, numbers, and weights. I don't know how they use the information, but they keep saying thanks.

But everyone has a right to voice their opinion without being stoned. Hell, that group of weirdos named Peta are against us fishing at all.

What's next? Take away our toilet paper for using up the trees?

 

I agree. I didn't think he came off that strong. And I can understand his point as a Game Warden, he probably seen alot more than the average joe. However, I do think times have changed. But, I have also always heard a cat under distress will go to the bottom of the river and stay there in distress until its final moments. Probably because thats a natural place? And then they die. So, you wouldn't see the fatality rate in an secuded area, esp. if it was on a river system like the tourney I fish with a strong current. this is a good subject either way, but one that isn't gonna please all...rollo

 

I can see where you might have a problem with those...(what I like to call) "Redneck Catfish'n Sideshows"...You know the ones...Immagine if you will:
I have seen these things first hand and it was disgusting to me.
Fish brought in on stringers laying in the bottom of the boat or being drug beside the boat to the weigh-in!
Fish being drug on the pavement to the scales during the weigh-in!
This should never be allowed to happen and, if you are reading this and it offends you....It Should!!!
It is tournaments like these that give the good ones a bad name.

Our tournaments are ran by two basic rules;
Saftey of the fishermen comes first.
Saftey of our fish comes second.

In an Ohio Valley Trophy Cat Hunters Tournament, we have stiff penalties for bringing in dead or dying fish(10lbs off your score for each infraction, and we don't weigh the dead ones). This makes the fishermen pay very close attention to the livelyhood of their catch. All of the guys and Ladies that fish our trail are avid C&R fishermen. They also have some very illabarate systems in place to help keep these fish alive.
So, in closing I will say this; You need to go to a lagitamate tournament and see how things are ran. Until then, you can't judge us all by one or two tournaments that you saw 10 or 20 years ago.

 

I too have mixed feelings about tournaments. A few years back I used to live very near Lake Allatoona in Ga and fished it 3 or 4 days a week. The ramps I used to launch my boat were often used as weigh in site for bass and crappie tournaments. The bass were always released at the weigh-in site. After every event, for the next 2 or 3 days, dead bass were washed on shore or seen floating around the area. I counted 14 one day after an event. Crappie did not seem to be as big a problem, maybe they were taken home for dinner. Never saw a catfish contest so I can't comment on that.
I don't have the answer but I do have a suggestion.
The kayak fishing club I belong to has various contests almost every month but they are CPR events (Catch, Photo, Release). When the contest starts a special "Token" which is normally a 6 diget number ( I.E. 123-456 ) is issued to each entry the day before the event starts. That "Token" must be in the picture with the fish for it to be counted in the take. Also a standard measuring device must used and included in the photo. This way the fish can be caught, measured and released (where it was caught) in a matter of 3 or 4 minutes. Granted, it's a little more trouble than dumping the fish in a "live well" and weight isn't documented but we go by length only. Less stress for the fish and they get to go home after release. There are computer programs used that scan the photos to see if they have been tampered with to prevent cheating tho that hasn't been a problem to date.
The following picture is an example of a 32 inch channel cat I caught (16 lbs by the way) which was also accepted by the state of Florida and issued a "Big Catch certificate". The photo shows the "Token" and the measuring device is a folding 36 inch device know as a "Florida Law Stick" .

 

I never fish tournaments as I don't feel the need for the stress of trying to winn. I have enough of that every day.

While I'd love to see the fatality statistics I would bet the WELL run tourney's don't have a huge negative impact on the ecosystem, at least no more than a weekend of jetskiers, boaters and litterbugs, etc....

BTW, on the SEAARK crack about me and Jack, you must be mistaken cause we never catch anything together.... kinda like Skippy on the James River....

I actually think that the damage a touney might cause is far outweighed by the money a large tournament brings to the sport with its ripple effect both economically AND ecologically. I would have to say that after nearly 25 years of BIG Bass tournies that the Bass population and health is not failing.

That said, I don't like tournies because of what it turns people into.
I want to enjoy myself and my outdoor church.

 

i might fish one to try it but it would take the fun out of fishing rick

 

I will never fish a catfish tourny, I dont have anything aginst them when they are run right however.

 

I've got nothing against them and will continue to fish many! I guess I'm missing the whole point. In my experiences the tourneys I've been in, they have very dedicated catfishermen, who go above and beyond to make sure that the cats are released alive and well.

It's the slobs out there that handle the fish poorly that I think are the problems. I have no doubt in my mind that the average April-September catfisherman takes less care of their fish than the tourney guys I know.

I think we should concentrate on "anti" views on things like Pay Puddles versus things like cat tourneys becasue we all know they kind fo thigns those poor cats go through, no matter how "well" the Pay Puddle may be ran.

 

Speaking of Church, look at how religion discussions go. I'd MUCH rather get into a debate about Cat Tourneys vs Religion. :big_smile: (Just using that as an example, I thing a tourney is just like any other sport or lesuire activity: It Is What You Make Of It.)

 

Some people like the competition, if there weren't any tournaments our great sport would lose alot of great participants that just prefer a night of fierce competiton over a night of quiet relaxing away from the world fishing. Unless you enter the high dollar tournaments like the cabelas king cat, your not going to actually make money, any tournament catfisherman knows that. Its not about the money, its about the competition.

 

instead of saying anything to make anyone mad i will just say i very strongly disagree with you... i am from the mold that you are either with me or against me. i do agree that you have every right to believe however you wish, as this is the UNITED STATES OF AMERICA and you and i are free to do whatever is legal.