Design a tournament....

[J Francho]

Any tech is only an advantage if someone else doesn't have it.  If everyone has the same tech, the field is level, and it's again about skill in using all the tools available.

[TOXIC]

Define “Best Angler”……most fish?  Biggest fish?  And why does making it harder (limited hp, limited technology) make it easier to identify the “Best” angler? If you are trying to level the playing field you are taking away the advantage that makes someone better.  You’ll never be able to identify who the best angler is because it will always be changing.  Do you take into consideration off the water issues like helping kids and charity’s?  I would think that is part of who the best is.  Do you consider someone who promotes the sport and is a role model sportsman?  I’m not trying to complicate a fun post but I think the goalposts will always be moving on who is the “Best”.  Whoever wins the Classic is the best for that tournament.  It has been said that AOY is a better reflection.  My point being you’re going to have a hard time nailing it down in a series of tournaments.

[Tennessee Boy]

3 hours ago, TOXIC said:

Define “Best Angler”……most fish?  Biggest fish?  And why does making it harder (limited hp, limited technology) make it easier to identify the “Best” angler? If you are trying to level the playing field you are taking away the advantage that makes someone better.  You’ll never be able to identify who the best angler is because it will always be changing.  Do you take into consideration off the water issues like helping kids and charity’s?  I would think that is part of who the best is.  Do you consider someone who promotes the sport and is a role model sportsman?  I’m not trying to complicate a fun post but I think the goalposts will always be moving on who is the “Best”.  Whoever wins the Classic is the best for that tournament.  It has been said that AOY is a better reflection.  My point being you’re going to have a hard time nailing it down in a series of tournaments.

Very well said.  Life is not fair.  Rich people have lots of advantages in life including nicer boats and better electronics.  I'm all for having tournaments that appeal to different anglers. Nothing wrong with creating a trail that limits technology in the same way Kayak tournaments don't allow bass boats.  The OPs original question was how do you design a tournament trail so the best talent rises to the top.  To be the best you need to be able to select the best equipment for your method of fishing and you have to learn how to use it.  Unfortunately,  you also have to figure our how to pay for it.  

[BassNJake]

3 hours ago, NoShoes said:

Im noticing a lot of people banning side scan. Do y’all feel it’s too much an advantage?  
 

Looks like I need to learn to use mine ?

It seems to me that everyone that loses thinks someone else had an advantage.

 

I started fishing electric motor only tourneys.

The guys complained that the only reason so and so won is because they run 2 101 lb thrust trolling motors and can beat people to their spots. Or that those 2 kids are spoiled, rich college kids and can spend 3-4 days a week practicing or because Jimbo's cousin paid someone for some waypoints ....

 

The list of complaints went on and on as I fished the BFL's and the Everstart tourneys too.

Guys complained because Tommy the Teacher had summers off or that Pete's parents were paying for all their entry fee's.

 

Meanwhile, there were other guys that were tearing apart their every decision both on and off the water to try and find a better way. There were guys that were sacrificing the stability of having a "steady" job while they fished VS a job that gave them the chance to fish more. Sacrificing starting a family to have a chance at making it as a professional fisherman.

 

Fishing is and will always be about you VS the fish.

Too many people worry about what is in the other guys boat, instead of worrying how they could get better with what they already have. 

[NoShoes]

37 minutes ago, BassNJake said:

It seems to me that everyone that loses thinks someone else had an advantage.

 

I started fishing electric motor only tourneys.

The guys complained that the only reason so and so won is because they run 2 101 lb thrust trolling motors and can beat people to their spots. Or that those 2 kids are spoiled, rich college kids and can spend 3-4 days a week practicing or because Jimbo's cousin paid someone for some waypoints ....

 

The list of complaints went on and on as I fished the BFL's and the Everstart tourneys too.

Guys complained because Tommy the Teacher had summers off or that Pete's parents were paying for all their entry fee's.

 

Meanwhile, there were other guys that were tearing apart their every decision both on and off the water to try and find a better way. There were guys that were sacrificing the stability of having a "steady" job while they fished VS a job that gave them the chance to fish more. Sacrificing starting a family to have a chance at making it as a professional fisherman.

 

Fishing is and will always be about you VS the fish.

Too many people worry about what is in the other guys boat, instead of worrying how they could get better with what they already have. 

I agree. Just can’t say I put side imaging

in the same plane as forward sonar. 

[scaleface]

On 8/10/2021 at 3:51 PM, RichF said:

Max HP - 150

1 bow graph, 1 console graph, downscan, gps

No pre practice on tourney waters until right before event, 1 day practice

2, maybe 3 day events

CWR format but only count biggest 5 each day

 

I like this . One sonar in back and one in front . Choose wisely . 150 Max HP . More people could afford to participate . It is becoming an Elitist  sport . 

[Captain Phil]

Our local bass club ran an annual bass tournament for a number of years.  We did this to raise money for the club and some local charities.  These tournaments were one big fish tournaments and they were open to the public.  We required all boats to have safety equipment and working live wells.  They were very popular.  On most lakes, any good bass angler can catch five keeper fish.  The winners are always those anglers who have the most weight in their bag.  I'm all for reduced bag limits.  If B.A.S.S. and others went to a 3 fish limit, all kinds of good things would happen.  It would kill less fish and anglers would develop new ways to catch bigger fish.  I don't know about anyone else, but I would rather win a tournament with one eight pound bass than five small fish. I do like the catch, weigh, photo and release format.  That's the best of all worlds.

[Team9nine]

On 8/10/2021 at 4:51 PM, RichF said:

Limiting equipment is the #1 thing for me.  No crazy electronics, no auto-pilot trolling motors, no $5000 batteries, etc. 

 

I'd like to see:

 

Max HP - 150

1 bow graph, 1 console graph, downscan, gps

No pre practice on tourney waters until right before event, 1 day practice

2, maybe 3 day events

CWR format but only count biggest 5 each day

 

 

This is close for me. Off the top of my head, I’d go:

 

Equipment:

> 1 bow graph, 1 console graph; > No FFS, no GPS, no 360

> No spotlock TMs

> No PowerPoles

 

> Fiberglass-type outboard driven bass boats only - no aluminum, no jets; min size 17’10”

> Lake off limits once announced.

> 2 full days practice - 1 day off, then 3 or 4 day tournament

> CWR format, best 8 or 10 fish count daily; total accumulated weight over all days wins

[Captain Phil]

1 hour ago, Team9nine said:

 

This is close for me. Off the top of my head, I’d go:

 

Equipment:

> 1 bow graph, 1 console graph; > No FFS, no GPS, no 360

> No spotlock TMs

> No PowerPoles

 

> Fiberglass-type outboard driven bass boats only - no aluminum, no jets; min size 17’10”

> Lake off limits once announced.

> 2 full days practice - 1 day off, then 3 or 4 day tournament

> CWR format, best 8 or 10 fish count daily; total accumulated weight over all days wins

 

What do you have against aluminum bass boats?  Do you feel they are an unfair advantage?  Just curious.  

[Team9nine]

27 minutes ago, Captain Phil said:

 

What do you have against aluminum bass boats?  Do you feel they are an unfair advantage?  Just curious.  

 

Nope, not at all. I run aluminum myself. Just thinking if I ran a league from scratch to determine the best anglers, I would want to keep the boats relatively the same so that a single angler couldn’t use the boat at an advantage to the field. Go as big as you want, but set a bottom limit for parity - then if you want to sneak through culverts, run over 6” of boulder strewn water upriver, etc., know that the boat/engine wasn't the primary reason you did since no one else could.

[Captain Phil]

Years ago there was a big national tournament on the Kissimmee Chain in Florida.  That was the first time I saw Roland Martin.  He was young and good looking and all the women swooned over him.   During practice two guys used a chain saw to cut a path into a tiny lake off the Chain.  A big cold front came through the first day of the tournament and one of the anglers used an aluminum boat to get into that lake winning the tournament.  This caused a huge stink as some competitors thought he got out of the boat to get into lake which was against the rules.  After investigation, he was awarded the win.  I am sure that happened before and since.

[J Francho]

There's been a few competitors that used an aluminum boat in top level tournaments over the years.  Rick Clunn comes to mind as a recent one.

[crypt]

old school Classic. no knowledge of lake until you get there,no practice,10 lbs. of tackle, 6 rods and reels. then fish out of spec boats. all with the same electronics, one flasher and that's it. then GO! see what happens.

[Captain Phil]

I've read about tournaments where all the tackle must be pre WWII.  I wonder how many bass would be caught on a 3/4 oz. Creek Chub Darter?   Better bring a bunch of Advil! ?

[Team9nine]

1 hour ago, Captain Phil said:

Years ago there was a big national tournament on the Kissimmee Chain in Florida.  That was the first time I saw Roland Martin.  He was young and good looking and all the women swooned over him.   During practice two guys used a chain saw to cut a path into a tiny lake off the Chain.  A big cold front came through the first day of the tournament and one of the anglers used an aluminum boat to get into that lake winning the tournament.  This caused a huge stink as some competitors thought he got out of the boat to get into lake which was against the rules.  After investigation, he was awarded the win.  I am sure that happened before and since.

 

1 hour ago, J Francho said:

There's been a few competitors that used an aluminum boat in top level tournaments over the years.  Rick Clunn comes to mind as a recent one.

 

Some interesting rulings going back many years. Roland has been responsible for many rule changes over the years. Back in 94 he won the Connecticut R tourney when he switched to a jet drive aluminum right before the event. That resulted in future rule changes like having to declare and fish all events out of a single boat for the entire season.

 

https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.dailypress.com/news/dp-xpm-19941002-1994-10-02-9410020144-story,amp.html

 

Then John Cox won on the Red R in 2011 out of a small aluminum he brought just to be able to squeeze through a small culvert and access water no one else could. That resulted in a minimum boat and engine rule that ended up getting Keith Poche disqualified in 2020 shortly after bringing in the Day 1 leading weight out of a smaller boat:

 

https://majorleaguefishing.com/pro-circuit/2020-08-03-breaking-down-poche-s-disqualification/

[Tennessee Boy]

4 minutes ago, Team9nine said:

Some interesting rulings going back many years. Roland has been responsible for many rule changes over the years. Back in 94 he won the Connecticut R tourney when he switched to a jet drive aluminum right before the event. That resulted in future rule changes like having to declare and fish all events out of a single boat for the entire season.

 

I remember that tournament well.  I thought it was cool that he found a way to get to the fish.  That's what fishing is all about as far as I'm concerned.  If someone finds a creative way to beat me in a tournament then I need to raise my game not cry for new rules to keep it from happening again.

[lo-fi-hi-fi]

[Team9nine]

20 minutes ago, Tennessee Boy said:

I remember that tournament well.  I thought it was cool that he found a way to get to the fish.  That's what fishing is all about as far as I'm concerned.  If someone finds a creative way to beat me in a tournament then I need to raise my game not cry for new rules to keep it from happening again.

 

Yeah, but that isn’t how it works in real life, unfortunately. Lots of current rules are only in place because of something someone did first.

[slonezp]

You guys made this way too complicated. Same boat, motor, trolling motor, and 2D electronics. 2 rods and (2) 3600 boxes with your choice of baits. GO!