Tournament Fishing??

[Brush Hog20]

I have often wondered weather tournament fishing is good for the sport we are all so passionate about.  My personal opinion is that I am not so sure that it is.  I understand that correctly or incorrectly my opinion is largely formed from the fact I was taught to fish by two true gentlemen my father and my grandfather and I enjoy fishing for what I believe to be the purist aspects of the sport and none of those aspects include a standings chart, weigh in's, nor monetary payouts.  I also understand that tournament fishing appeals to a lot of people and this extra appeal generates more interest which can serve the sport well.  My thoughts however are at what cost??  There is definatley more boat traffic on our waters and more pressure.  Heck I live in a little town in Iowa and most of the big lakes here has a tournament every weekend.  All this attention is not necessarily good attention.  I have noticed tournament anglers tend to hit the water like they own it an everyone else be damned.  This is not what I was raised to think when I thought about fishing.  Furthermore, while I have no concrete facts to back this thought up but I suspect the mortality rate of the fish caught in these tournaments, and held in a tank for hours and then "released" cannot be all that good.  Again that's just my opinion and I have no facts to back that up.  Not to mention all the fish being yanked off beds this time of year and relocated.  To be honest the idea of a fishing club does appeal to me.  Spending time with people with similar interests and passion for fishing sounds great, but I think that wholesome idea has been perverted by money and overbearing competition for who catches the most and biggest and who has the nicest and fastest rig when they do it.  Not trying to stir the pot.  With the continued expolosion of tournaments I am just honestly curious what my fellow anglers think.  Thanks for your responses..

[roadwarrior]

Not trying to stir the pot.

Really? 

:

[Brush Hog20]

Yes, really..I have no concrete thoughts one way or the other.  Just idle thougts I have noticed from my very limited tournament experiece.  If my thoughts were set in stone I wouldn't have posed the question in the first place and would not care to know others opinions.  If you don't wish to engage me in this conversation then don't, but don't just roll your eyes and insinuate I am just trying to rile people up.  I just wanted to have a well thought out discussion on some things I have been thinking and be educated by others opinions.  If you don't think so lock it up and throw it away...and we can go back to discussing the best way to fish a senko for the ten thounsandth time...

[Bass_Akwards]

You Wrote:  I understand that correctly or incorrectly my opinion is largely formed from the fact I was taught to fish by two true gentlemen my father and my grandfather and I enjoy fishing for what I believe to be the purist aspects of the sport and none of those aspects include a standings chart, weigh in's, nor monetary payouts.

I can't figure out why you'd bring your Dad and Grandfather being gentlemen into this, other than to imply that all tournament anglers are NOT gentlemen.  Like YOUR opinion (and your Dad's and grandfather's) is opposite the tourney anglers because you and your dad and your Grand Dad are gentleman and tourney anglers are simply not. 

Tourney anglers probably don't agree with you that the "purist aspects of the sport" have nothing to do with payouts and weigh in's, but that doesn't all the sudden make those anglers weak or "ungentlemanly."

You Wrote: There is definatley more boat traffic on our waters and more pressure

No one LOVES fishing pressure.  It is what it is though and it's part of fishing.  Just because you want the lake all to yourself doesn't mean the tourney anglers should just forget about tourney fishing.  If these tourney anglers weren't fishing tournaments, they'd be on their boats fishing every weekend anyway.  You can't keep everyone off the water just to make it more "fun" for you.

You wrote: I have noticed tournament anglers tend to hit the water like they own it an everyone else be damned.  This is not what I was raised to think when I thought about fishing.

Kind of a blanket generalization don't you think?  Perhaps that's YOUR opinion, based on the fact that perception is reality.  But the guy next to you can be watching the same exact tourney on your lake and see exactly what you see and feel completely differently.  I'd be willing to bet that guys like Skeete Reese, Ike, KVD, Faircloth, Martins, Brauer etc. etc  were raised just fine on the water.  I've seen these guys fish for hundreds of thousands of dollars and actually have no problem asking some weekend angler who took their spot if they can fish next to them so that they can try and win $100,000.

You Wrote:  Furthermore, while I have no concrete facts to back this thought up but I suspect the mortality rate of the fish caught in these tournaments, and held in a tank for hours and then "released" cannot be all that good.  Again that's just my opinion and I have no facts to back that up.

Always a good idea to have some solid facts about something like this, otherwise your opinion/argument is moot imo.

You wrote:   Not to mention all the fish being yanked off beds this time of year and relocated.

This happens in every lake and pond all over the world both in tournaments and not in tournaments.  It hasn't seemed to effect the bass or the health on any lake or pond I've ever read about. 

You Wrote: Spending time with people with similar interests and passion for fishing sounds great, but I think that wholesome idea has been perverted by money and overbearing competition for who catches the most and biggest and who has the nicest and fastest rig when they do it.

I'm not sure what you mean.  Are you saying that you/we can't do both?  Are you saying You/we can't have comradery and spend time with people with similar interests and passions and still be competitive?  Doesn't make any sense to me.  Compitition is awesome in my opinion.  Money is even better!  :-)  Lastly, could send me a link to the tournament where the person won it because they caught tons of bass, AND had the nicest and fastest rig on the water that day?  Dying to check that out.

[Grey Wolf]

Competition , to prove you're the best . That's why many people do it.

I won't get in the fight about if/how it harms the fish. You might not intend to stir the pot but my friend you are stirring the hell out of it.

[Matt Fly]

Food for thought.

Did the popularity of Nascar create over crowding on our highways? lol maybe some tail gaiters.

To put it plain and simple. New roads and lakes can't be built fast enough to easy the congestion that some areas seem to have.

This is a product of over-populating in metro areas.

If you live near big cities, expect them boys to want to share your water, tournaments or not.

If there were no tournaments, your still gonna see bed fishermen, people fishing for supper, and those just out to wet a line and soak up some rays.

I learned to drown a worm before I ever knew what a tournament was.

I love a good tournament, but now its the time to pass fishing on to my grandson.

We gonna drowned some minnow and worms under a bobber for a few years.

WE don't mind sharing a hole or two either.

[Olebiker]

When I started fishing in the 1960s people would have thought you to be out of your mind if you threw a legal fish back. Today the thought of killing a bass is anathema to most bass fishermen. This is largely a result of BASS's Don't Kill Your Catch initiative beginning in the 1970s.  The mortality rate of tournament caught bass is much lower than that of fish taking a swim in hot Crisco.

I have never had as much trouble with bass fishermen, specifically tournament fishermen, intruding on the spot where I am fishing as I have with bluegill and crappie fishermen. Tournament fishermen seem, as a general rule, to be much more aware that their behavior on the water is being scrutinized and seem to go out of their way to share the water.

I have never considered fishing to be the contemplative activity that some elitists like Dave Whitlock, as quoted in the most recent Field & Stream magazine, think it should be. If that's how they want to approach it that's fine with me, it's just not what I want out of the sport.

There are more people fishing for bass than I can ever remember, but I can never remember bass fishing being as good as it is today. One more thing, when was the last time you saw an empty live bait box left on the bank by a tournament fishermen?

[Catt]

90% plus of all Advancements in Technology is a direct result of tournament fishing! 

[Brush Hog20]

I was not trying to suggest that tournament anglers are not gentlemen, just wanted to convey how I learned to fished in a very simple old school kinda way as compared to people getting started today getting into fishing thru clubs and tournaments. 

I don't wish to have water all to myself.  I live in Iowa for goodness sake if all I cared about was having water to myself I have plenty of access to dozens of private farm ponds.  I only mention the increase numbers created by tournament fishing to simply convey as waters get more crowded the more issues you will get for protecting the watershed and just plain common courtesy.  No not all tournament anglers are dis-courteous by any means but I think you'd be fibbing yourself if you said you have never seen a tourney angler act unapropriatley.  I 100% agree anglers are more couteous than most others on the water I have just notice that behavior trending the wrong direction and have wondered why? 

I fully admited that I had no facts on mortality rate and it was only my OPINION.  Which I am allowed to have.  I just seems like it would not be good for the fishery to be constantly running fish around the lake in a box thats bumping around and from what I see on my local lakes I see much more tourney anglers than meat fisherman.   ;D  I was actually hoping someone would provide some stats or knowledge on the subject to educate me.  Just seems like there would be a better way to weigh in fish for tourneys.  Yes it is better mortality rate for this practice than hot crisco...very funny btw.. ;D 

As a practical matter I have no ax to grind for tourney anglers or any anglers that are fishng within the regs for that matter, and I tried to convey that.  I just quite simply never understood the tournament mentality and just wanted to discuss if some of my thoughts were valid if not then why.  I understand that communication that takes place by the written word tends to lend itself to putting people on the defensive.  You will just have to take my word thats not my intent..

[fishfordollars]

Not trying to stir the pot.

Really?

:

X2, didn't we just cover this a couple of weeks ago?

[Catt]

Not trying to stir the pot.

Really?

:

X2, didn't we just cover this a couple of weeks ago?

Yelp him and ole Skeety should become buddies 

[Brush Hog20]

If it had been discussed I missed it.  As mentioned I don't tournament fish much and as such i don't look at the "tournament talk" board.  I will go look for it now tho....thanks...

[fishfordollars]

Not trying to stir the pot.

Really?

:

X2, didn't we just cover this a couple of weeks ago?

Yelp him and ole Skeety should become buddies

funny, I was thinking the same thing. Posting up stuff(For lack of a better word) with nothing to back it up. If he wants to see pressure maybe he should hit Rayburn this weekend with the 6,000 + entrants. And that's just one of several tournaments going on.

[Brush Hog20]

Not trying to stir the pot.

Really?

:

X2, didn't we just cover this a couple of weeks ago?

Yelp him and ole Skeety should become buddies

funny, I was thinking the same thing. Posting up stuff(For lack of a better word) with nothing to back it up. If he wants to see pressure maybe he should hit Rayburn this weekend with the 6,000 + entrants. And that's just one of several tournaments going on.

Funny I was under the impression this was a forum where people who had and interest in fishing could discuss their thoughts and opinions...sorry fellas....   So what is the best way to fish a senko.... ;D

[craigco24]

I think I can offer some good information on this subject.  This will at least pertain to my area in southern IL.   My father started fishing tournaments in the seventies, and continued on through the early nineties when I began.  My dad is astounded by the number of limits, and the size of the limits we bring in today.  One thing I will add is that you used to see more huge fish back then.  By huge I mean 7-8 lbs which is big in our area.  We still have a lot of 5-6 lb fish take BB honors, but not usually a mortal hawg.  My honest opinion is that even though there are more anglers today, we take care of our catches a lot better, and the size and creel limits are such that they give each body of water an excellent chance to improve year after year.  One last thing, I'm sure I'm not the only one to do this but I haven't kept a bass in tournament waters in 13 years.

[flippin and pitchin]

Tournament Angler is a broad label.  I fish the occasional local tournament so, am I a tournament angler ?  I have seen the competitive venues in fishing bring out the bad and the good in those who attend.  It's more about the character of the angler and not if they fish an organized competition.  A rude unsportsmanlike angler will expose him or herself whether it's on a fun fish day or if they are trying to win a few hundred bucks or a new boat.  I have seen alot of younger anglers ( 12 to 17 ) become passionate about bass fishing as a result of the desire to fill the competitive drive.  That's a good thing but there is a real need to teach the etiquette of angling and the values of good sportsmanship.  I like the social interaction more than anything and the atmosphere is most of times fun, family oriented and a great learning experience.  And yes, I don't mind cashing a check if my efforts are successful.

[Catt]

Tournament Angler is a broad label. I fish the occasional local tournament so, am I a tournament angler ? I have seen the competitive venues in fishing bring out the bad and the good in those who attend. It's more about the character of the angler and not if they fish an organized competition.  A rude unsportsmanlike angler will expose him or herself whether it's on a fun fish day or if they are trying to win a few hundred bucks or a new boat. I have seen alot of younger anglers ( 12 to 17 ) become passionate about bass fishing as a result of the desire to fill the competitive drive. That's a good thing but there is a real need to teach the etiquette of angling and the values of good sportsmanship. I like the social interaction more than anything and the atmosphere is most of times fun, family oriented and a great learning experience. And yes, I don't mind cashing a check if my efforts are successful.

That's it! 

[hoss87]

i have fished tournaments and am hoping to get back into it soon. for me the joy doesnt come from hauling *** down the lake. or catching the biggest and best limit i can. its trying to just get a limit and then improve it from there. and fishing with friends for bragging rights. so good or bad im always having a great time on the water. fun fishing or not. and as far as the subject of fish dying in a tournament. when i was fishing tournaments i did everything to not only keep them alive but comfortable as well. and when im on the water im very courteus to everyone on the water angler or not. unless there being really stupid. then ill let them now that they need to knock it off. i know thats not my place to do so. but here in california you get some real morons on the water. like wakeboarders getting so close to your boat they try and give you high five. ive had that happen 4 times to me. also if youve won a tournament you would know what all the fuss is about. i LOVE it. and hope to make it my job for the rest of my life.