Delaware River Elite Series Your Opinion.

[Bobby Uhrig]

_{Let me tell you-The classic in Pittsburg was the best Classic ever- ANY ANGLER could have won it on any day. It was like 15 lbs in three days to win-no one was ever out of it. You have 5 lbs first day-blank the second and catch 10 lbs last day -you win  It was great to watch-not like the ones where everyone is catching 20+ pound bags and if you do bad one day-youre done its over  -Let me tell you-I would have thrown a cavitron all day there and never put it down-You would have gotten 3-4 good bites every day}

[Bobby Uhrig]

There is a tournament there this sunday-I was all ready to go-Now they are calling for 34 as a high and 25 MPH winds--I'll watch the giants instead

d

[A-Jay]

While the pros may be good at finding that "spot on a spot" you certainly don't think these guys find 100lb bags all by themselves, do you?  

 

I really have no idea.

 

However, a brief review of the official rules on the Bassmaster Elite Series web page certainly leads one to believe that is the case.

 

A-Jay

[Brian Needham]

there is always rumor.

I think the "big names" always get waypoint cards and such, or at least that is what you hear from other elites.

Do they say that because it really happens, or just because those guys beat them week in week out.

 

I have read accounts of a pro fishing a couple of mile long ledge all day in practice and finding TWO schools of fish on it. Two schools of fish on a several mile stretch of river...... only too have a "big name" pull directly up to both schools towards the end of the day . Pulled directly up to the school without fishing anyother part of the river or ledge.

 

As I remember the quote it was the first time they had fished there and there was no way the "big name" could have pulled directly up to those two schools unless someone told him about it.

 

is it against the rules? IDK, it is in the BIG grey area though...... however a guy can sleep at night and keep sponsors happy is the rule more than anything I guess.

[SPEEDBEAD.]

I really have no idea.

 

However, a brief review of the official rules on the Bassmaster Elite Series web page certainly leads one to believe that is the case.

 

A-Jay

 

The rules are only as good as the willingness of the participants to follow them and the governing authority who may/may not enforce them.

[A-Jay]

The rules are only as good as the willingness of the participants to follow them and the governing authority who may/may not enforce them.

 

A fair point - I'm going to take the role of the "see no evil, hear no evil & speak no evil " Fan and simply believe that these competitors are conducting themselves ethically until proven otherwise.

 

A-Jay

[WRB]

A fews years back a Elite angler spent a weekend on a houseboat with a B.A.S.S. official on one of the lakes scheduled during the same year, months prior to the event. This was determined to be a rule infraction in the spirit of the rules.

We like to think we know our home waters better than a visiting Elite pro, sometimes this proves to be correct, more often the top pro discover new water that leads to a win. I don't see where there is any question of what to do, you do nothing to influence the outcome of a tournament.

Tom

[Zach P]

Personally I would ask for some sort of payback, prob no more than 10 grand (if they win) since you aren't the one fishing but you are the one helping them out. You have to remember that you don't make the full 100k, there are taxes just like everything else and these guys probably only take home half of that payday.

[Zach P]

I've fished the Delaware a couple of times and man it's really tough. I wouldn't give it up for nothing, I'm not saying cash, but an endorsement or something. Once that area is fished, your secret is over. I think I'd keep it for myself. I'd enjoy it more myself, than watching someone cash a check out of it or possibly qualify for the classic, instead of you with info you gave him. Tough call.

 

I definitely agree with this as well. I think there would be more satisfaction gained from knowing you could catch more lbs per day than the elites if they aren't able to match what your spot has to hold.

[Megastink]

Here's a senerio I ponder about..... What if an angler were to run from South from Philly to the C&D Canal, then into the Northern Chesapeake? Its a LONG run..... but it could be worth it. Why? Because the caliber of fish in the Bay is quadruple that of the Delaware. Think of it this way: if you're gonna catch five Delaware bass for 7lbs, you could catch three Bay bass for 9lbs. And the Bay produces some huge limits (18-23lbs). So why not risk it?

 

Problem is the run itself.... 40ish miles from the launch (in an "oxbow" south of the city) plus 15miles of canal at 40mph speed limit, then run to your spot, however far that might be.... Two and a half hours one way??? Five hours gone... three hours to fish. Then there is the tide... If you make it to your honey hole, the tide has to agree with you. Anyone who fishes tides is probably laughing right now. But, if you can sack a 20lbs bag just ONE day, you can just about ZERO another day and still make the cut, if Bobby's predictions are accurate.

 

Its a stradegy, thats for sure........ and it wouldnt shock me to see someone attempt it, and less shocking if they win it on day 2.

[backwater4]

Mega,

Funny you should say that. A tournament I was in there was won in just that way. A few boats locked through and ran to the upper Chesapeake. Fished a few hours and ran back with a few decent limits. No contest, game over. You just need the b**ls to do it. This was a one day tournament. I'm sure the elites would have no problem with it and some have even realized it already. Good call! The upper Chesapeake, now that's a fun fishery.

[Megastink]

I'm almost willing to bet money it will be won on the Bay.

Side note: 1991 BM Vlassic was held on the bay. Find it on YouTube.

[Brian Needham]

most folks ran to venice, LA during the 2011? classic(KVD won fishing much closer)...... so long runs are in their nature.

[Basscat7]

Here's a senerio I ponder about..... What if an angler were to run from South from Philly to the C&D Canal, then into the Northern Chesapeake? Its a LONG run..... but it could be worth it. Why? Because the caliber of fish in the Bay is quadruple that of the Delaware. Think of it this way: if you're gonna catch five Delaware bass for 7lbs, you could catch three Bay bass for 9lbs. And the Bay produces some huge limits (18-23lbs). So why not risk it?

 

Problem is the run itself.... 40ish miles from the launch (in an "oxbow" south of the city) plus 15miles of canal at 40mph speed limit, then run to your spot, however far that might be.... Two and a half hours one way??? Five hours gone... three hours to fish. Then there is the tide... If you make it to your honey hole, the tide has to agree with you. Anyone who fishes tides is probably laughing right now. But, if you can sack a 20lbs bag just ONE day, you can just about ZERO another day and still make the cut, if Bobby's predictions are accurate.

 

Its a stradegy, thats for sure........ and it wouldnt shock me to see someone attempt it, and less shocking if they win it on day 2.

Mega, ( Moot point as it is off limits ) it's not that long a run from Philly to the Flats,  from the Philly launch to the Canal is 45 miles by river, about a 45 minute ride, thru the Canal is 15 miles ( at 40 ) so another 25 minutes, then to the top of the Flats is about 10 miles, maybe 10 minutes, so one way can be done in 1.5 hours.

 

But

 

BASS has made the Susky Flats off limits for the upcoming Delaware River Elite tournament.

They will launch out of the Frankford Arsenal Ramp on Tacony St. in Philly.

Weigh in will be at the Grand Plaza on Penn's Landing each day at 3:15

2 days Thurs / Fri of full field ( 110 boats ), Saturday cut to 50 boats  and the 4th day, Sunday the field is cut to 12 boats.

Off limits for Pros to practice start July 7th.

The entire Delaware River and all tributaries are on limits south to about half the Delaware Bay..

Off limits will be about half way thru the Chesapeake and Delaware canal, the Summit Bridge , Route 301 will be the off limit mark.  They made no off limits going north on the river so if any of them get adventurous they can run the rapids at Trenton and go north.  They cannot bring a jet boat unless they plan on using that boat the entire Elite tournament season.

They put that rule in after Roland Martin brought a jet boat to the Connecticut river tourney and won, after practicing in his regular glass boat and tearing it up trying to run the shallow water.

launch

http://binged.it/1cCWxug

weigh in

http://binged.it/1cCWZJf

Off limit in C & D Canal

http://binged.it/1cCXgvM

[flyfisher]

Upstream from trenton it gets dicey even with a jet boat that time of year.....should be interesting to say the least.  I may try and make my way up there.

[jhoffman]

brandon palaniuk ran 200 miles in one day on the st lawrence into lake ontario, 100 miles each way and had a guy waiting at the pump because he needed gas to do it. running an insane distance if you can get there is not out of the question at all.

[jhoffman]

Im guessing the flats are off limits due to the restrictions on tournament fishing with the low low low reproductive rates they are having.

[Megastink]

Im guessing the flats are off limits due to the restrictions on tournament fishing with the low low low reproductive rates they are having.

My local club, along with probably a dozen others, always fish the Flats. Judging from the catches, I never would have known the bass had an issue. Where did you find that out?

[Basscat7]

Im guessing the flats are off limits due to the restrictions on tournament fishing with the low low low reproductive rates they are having.

There is no restrcitions on tournanet fishing on the Flats.

 

Philly put up money for the Elites to fish the Delaware that is why they put the Flats off limits.  The entire field would make the 1.5 hour run to the Flats to fish had they not.

There would be no TV footage of any fishing in the Philly area on the Delaware.

 

As far as poor reproduction, catch rates say otherwise, the DNR shock boat sampled areas that had few Juveniles, but other areas not sampled had good populations of juvenile bass.

[jhoffman]

Correct you are about no restrictions in the flats HOWEVER... if anyone encroached on the susquehanna river and decided to run up it you would be in violation of a PA law. Which if youre gonna make the run to the flats, youd be and crazy to not just keep pushing it and run the susquehanna, it can handle a big boat if you know how to run it right and where to set down.

 

NOTE: For bass regulations, power dam pools and recreational dam pools on the Susquehanna River and navigational dam pools on the Ohio River drainage are "rivers." It is unlawful to conduct a fishing tournament on the North Branch, West Branch or main stem of the Susquehanna River that allows tournament anglers to harvest bass.

 

If they are having the weigh in in Philly, theres gotta be some say by the fish commission. You would also be fishing three seperate states in one day and need to abide by all those states regulations. Lets not even touch on the subject of transfering live fish across state lines or aquatic invasives that could travel via a livewell or hull.

[Basscat7]

Correct you are about no restrictions in the flats HOWEVER... if anyone encroached on the susquehanna river and decided to run up it you would be in violation of a PA law. Which if youre gonna make the run to the flats, youd be and crazy to not just keep pushing it and run the susquehanna, it can handle a big boat if you know how to run it right and where to set down.

 

NOTE: For bass regulations, power dam pools and recreational dam pools on the Susquehanna River and navigational dam pools on the Ohio River drainage are "rivers." It is unlawful to conduct a fishing tournament on the North Branch, West Branch or main stem of the Susquehanna River that allows tournament anglers to harvest bass.

 

If they are having the weigh in in Philly, theres gotta be some say by the fish commission. You would also be fishing three seperate states in one day and need to abide by all those states regulations. Lets not even touch on the subject of transfering live fish across state lines or aquatic invasives that could travel via a livewell or hull.

You do realize that the part of the Susky that anyone running to the Flats to fish is NOT in Pa. right ?

[jhoffman]

I realize that you lack the ability to comprehend what you are reading. Try reading this again without looking to always be right.

 

Correct you are about no restrictions in the flats HOWEVER... if anyone encroached on the susquehanna river and decided to run up it you would be in violation of a PA law. Which if youre gonna make the run to the flats, youd be and crazy to not just keep pushing it and run the susquehanna, it can handle a big boat if you know how to run it right and where to set down.

[Basscat7]

I realize that you lack the ability to comprehend what you are reading. Try reading this again without looking to always be right.

 

Correct you are about no restrictions in the flats HOWEVER... if anyone encroached on the susquehanna river and decided to run up it you would be in violation of a PA law. Which if youre gonna make the run to the flats, youd be and crazy to not just keep pushing it and run the susquehanna, it can handle a big boat if you know how to run it right and where to set down.

I realize now I am dealing with someone who has no clue on  tournament fishing. Thanks for your effort though.

[jhoffman]

Yeah you must be right because no one has ever had an issue with culling in the wrong states waters of a tournament. Its not my fault you dont understand the states regulations. If you dont think you cant get from the flats into PA water on the susquehanna then theres nothing I can do to help you realize thats entirely possible. Furthermore, if youre weighing in via Philladelphia you are in PA, you are playing by PA rules. In order to even get to the flats from Deleware via Philly you would need to cross pa state lines, into deleware, into maryland and back again.

 

PA isnt going to say, well go ahead and run to the susqehanna and pile em up because youre elites, youre a special breed. In fact it would be exactly the opposite, those guys would put an immense amount of pressure on an already struggling fishery. Do you think that if you went to lake erie and killed all the steelheads that somehow mirraculously that next spring the tribs would run full of steelhead again without stocking?

 

From the mouth of the susquehanna to the pa state line is less than 13 miles by land. Not exactly a long run unless youre row row rowing.

 

Whether or not you feel I "have a clue on tournament fishing" has nothing to do with this subject. However you have neglected to add why you think its not valid. So wheres your valid argument here mr tournament director?

[flyfisher]

Ok so I got a call from someone that knows I fish the Delaware river a lot-This person knows someone that wants me to take them to my spot. The Bass Elites are going there in August in year. Believe me its tough there. Most will be catching 1 --1 1/2 lbrs Most will be scratching their heads wondering where to go. I have a spot their that produces around 10 -12 lbs a day. My best bag was 18 lbs in 20 years.For four days it can do it ..So that's a 100,000 pay day and instant birth to the classic..

What would you do-- just curious -then at the end I will tell you what Im doing

Do we have an update on your decision?  I may have missed it in the bowels of this thread