How should Tournaments respond?

For many years now only a handful of folks who fish tournaments have tried to lookout for tournaments. They have gotten the fishing contest permit fees and thresholds reduced, gotten the Lake Minnetonka Conservation District to drop it’s permit system, and frequently stand up for tournaments over at the Capitol.

However there is a growing threat to contests from very organized and vocal lakeshore associations and now Watershed districts. When looking for ways to halt the spread of AIS, and tournaments are first on the list of accused. They are putting so much pressure on the DNR, that tournament organizers are being asked to reschedule their events to avoid fishing tournaments on waters with AIS; within a month before they go to another non-infested lake.

The handful of folks who are trying to address these things are (myself included) are frustrated with the lack of involvement from tournament organizers or tournament anglers.

While tournament anglers are likely the best educated on AIS, are likely almost fanatics in keeping their boats and equipment clean, they have historically been targeted for most problems on the water. If someone in a bass boat is driving to fast, comes to close, fishes a dock. It’s one of those damn tournament fishermen. Not just some knucklehead in a bass or speedboat.

Lake Associations ignore the potential for organized angling groups to play a role in educating the public or role modeling good AIS prevention measures at the landings. By putting the strong focus on contests, they risk becoming complacent in addressing the other 99.9% of the anglers and boaters who fish lakes.

We are now hearing that some Watershed districts are working with Lake Associations to do “pilot programs”. This is usually things like gating accesses, mandating boat decontamination, boat washing stations and Red/Blue boat restrictions.

So what should be the position of folks who fish and organize tournaments on this somewhat prejudiced and misguided view of tournaments?

You folks are a minority in the scope of things. Therefore you won’t be taken seriously by the public or the politicians. Until you can get organized state wide you are peeing against the wind. The mega bucks of the shore owners on Tonka will set the precedent and all the other associations will follow once they have a blue print that works.

IMO you somehow need to have ALL TOURNAMENT anglers involved in protecting the sport. Easiest way would be to collect $5 per angler, per tournament into a common fund. Hire a lobbyist at the capital and hope they can help. Enlist the power of the boat manufactures that benefit.(Ranger, Skeeter, Nitro, Triton, ect.) Enlist the tackle companies. (Rapala, Berkley, ect.) Motor companies. ( Yamaha, Merc, Evinrude, ect.) Finally you need the DNR.
The DNR needs to feel the force of the tournament community through phone calls and letters. (I don’t believe e-mail works)

I wish you luck. This is going to get ugly and the politicians will ONLY follow the money.

Speaking of peeing against the wind….

As a Bass Angler and a Tournament fisherman – I will give you this.

First, the Bass community and their boats are considered – fast, annoying and rarely considerate.

Second, Dock fishing is extremely annoying to property owners. Lures, nicks from jigs and line/hook combos on their docks – fuels issues. Seeing a guy around your property just is annoying to start with – especially when they are down near their lake shore.

Third, being a JA when you come up on a weekend angler fishing in your “spot” – because you are fishing for money – give me a break. Move on and DO NOT CONFRONT THE WEEKEND ANGLER.

Peeing out of the boat at 9 AM within eyesight of someones $2.5M home on Lake Minnetonka is the equivalent of seeing a homeless person taking a crap, when on the light rail going to the Twins game. Not exactly what a Lake Minnetonka homeowner wants to see.

These are just a few of the issues that tournament anglers are tagged with.

Enjoy …

Dog

WI has been on an up-hill battle for years. Its not easy!. But I feel it needs the involvement of everyone involved. Fishing clubs, individual members, Retail stores that benifit, hotels, …. Tournaments = $$$ for the economy. Especially now, when the economy has been so slow. I would look to fight it at a state level and show the $$$ that tournament fishing induces into the local business. Having local business involved (Restaurants, hotels, gas stations, and so on) will aid very much in showing how strong of a voice anglers can have.

I think they should pull all of there docks out since they are not natural anyway and while they may own lake frontage they should not be allowed to eliminate the natural vegetation growth they are paying for the shoreline not the water and that would allow even the panfisher-people to fish those spots also. Let er rip now boys i to play both for fun and a little cash and am fed up with all the bs but if we don’t get together the few with lots of green will dictate what the majority can do on public waters etc.kinda like the way the country is – has already been changing. Sorry just venting nothing meant to be directed towards any one

You only have to look at the numbers of tournament fisherman that belong to the state Federations either BASS or TBF I am pretty sure there are less than 600 combined. These organizations really are the only voice tournament anglers have when it comes to dealing with these types of issues and only a small minority of tournament anglers belong and support them.

i hear ya not arguing the point it affects everyone not just the tourney anglers but they seem the only ones targeted if that makes any sense like i said it’s bs pull the docks and then they don’t have to worry about people fishing the waters they are entittled to

People really whine about people fishing their docks?

maybe everyone should be able to fish off of them then they wouldn’t have to worry about boats trying to fish under em lol i’m just being sarcastic did i mention it’s BS and it’s all about the $

It is all about the money.

Those that have the gold, often make the rules.

Hey, I fish tournaments and listen to all the complaining.

Agree with the “get organized” comments.

Dog

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People really whine about people fishing their docks?

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Buy a place on Tonka and then you can fish your own dock and pee in your own area… For every tourney angler I know, I know a hundred who do not…. yes, you need to organize and combine your efforts, whether your bass/walleye/musky..etc…

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People really whine about people fishing their docks?

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Seen them come out and start tossing big rocks in the water just to spook things and to get you to move on. B*itching at you the whole time while doing it.

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People really whine about people fishing their docks?

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Seen them come out and start tossing big rocks in the water just to spook things and to get you to move on. B*itching at you the whole time while doing it.

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Well there isn’t a law against that I guess.

I will say there have been instances at my brother’s cabin. Like last year a mess of crappies set up in the spring next to the neighbors dock. As soon as we moved from the spot in the morning, a boat full with 6 people moved in and fished it. Then they left and another boat rotated in to the spot.

A part of me felt like felt like getting upset, like they should be finding their own spot or fish. But then you realize, its a free lake and no one owns it and it tempers any ill feelings. So we sat up there on the hill and watched them, laughed and pointed a little too.

yep, now i’m out of the discussion said my peace have i mentioned it’s BS

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Seen them come out and start tossing big rocks in the water just to spook things and to get you to move on.

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Well there isn’t a law against that I guess.

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In MN, there is a law against that
1. Interference with taking wild animals is prohibited.
A person who has the intent to prevent or disrupt another person from taking a wild animal must not disturb or interfere with that person if that person is lawfully taking or preparing to take a wild animal. “Preparing to take a wild animal” includes travel and other acts that occur on land or water where the affected person has the right or privilege to lawfully take a wild animal.
2. Persons intending to harass hunters, trappers, and anglers; Disturbing wild animals prohibited.
A person who has the intent to prevent or disrupt a person from lawfully taking the animals may not disturb or engage in an activity that will tend to disturb wild animals.

seems to me that throwing rocks into the water with the intent to spook fish being targeted by an angler is a direct violation of clause two

Learn something new everyday.

But what if that person just really liked throwing rocks as a hobby? Does that person need to make sure no fish are present and that no angler intends fishing there within an hour?

There needs to be a clause 3. An I was here first clause.

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Seen them come out and start tossing big rocks in the water just to spook things and to get you to move on.

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I think that speaks volumes about the Twin Cities (It’s mine) mentality.

I was channel surfing this weekend and was surprised to see some Bass Fishing tourney on TV. While I was watching what caught my eye was people sitting on their docks cheering every time an angler landed a fish as well as talking to the angler. They were somewhere in the south. Sounds like a stark difference to what you guys are talking about.

On of the reasons I got out of hunting was the Twin Cities hunter mentality of “mine”.

IMO people would be more accommodating and cheer on competitors of an actual Bassmasters event as opposed to some local club or smaller tourney.

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IMO people would be more accommodating and cheer on competitors of an actual Bassmasters event as opposed to some local club or smaller tourney.

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You obviously didn’t go to the BASS event on Minnetonka several years back, the anglers were treated so badly BASS vowed never to come back to Minnesota and so far they haven’t

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I think that speaks volumes about the Twin Cities (It’s mine) mentality.

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On of the reasons I got out of hunting was the Twin Cities hunter mentality of “mine”.

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Wow, if you are going to paint with that wide of a brush you might as well use a roller.

Believe it or not, not all people are really like this in the “cities”. I fish a lot and see a lot of people while fishing. Most people just go about their business as if you were not even there. I also have had people engage in conversation and ask how the fishing is or talk about the nice weather. I can count on one hand the number of times I have had a negative encounters.

My cousin lives on a popular south metro lake and the stories I have heard make’s me agree with Dog above. He has a shoebox in his shed by the lake that is about half full of hooks, string, weights, and lures. He has only lived there since ’05 and the box is half full! He has taken two kids to the emergency room to remove hooks (one hand, one foot). Besides the all the equipment, he has also had one seat ripped by a hook and one windshield broken by a bullet weight. At any given time there are multiple lines hanging from his boat lift cover. This is not second hand info heard over a few beverages. I have witnessed it. I really have to swallow hard when he asks me if this is what all fishermen do.

So as you can see these “city people” are not all anti-fishing/or anti/hunting folks. They are just frustrated people that sometimes have to vent. So when I get a guy that tells me to take a hike, I think to myself there are many other spots and just move on. Who knows what he has recently went through and there is no reason to start a conflict over something so trivial.

I would like to clarify that I am not in any way against tournaments and have to think most of the guys on tour are very professional. I would tend to believe that most of the “bad press” comes from weekend warriors. The guys that read a magazine article about dock skipping and head out to the lake. They decide to dive in and hit the docks with no practice at all. Well, anyone that has skipped docks knows the first time is not always the prettiest. You have to know your limitations and if you are not able to do this without clanging your lure off the dock or surrounding boats then it is probably is not for you. What tournament anglers have to do is education the other guys out there to proper etiquette while or the water. If we just keep proceeding the way we are going I can only see the case getting better for the lakeshore owners. RESPECT! It goes a long ways.

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You obviously didn’t go to the BASS event on Minnetonka several years back, the anglers were treated so badly BASS vowed never to come back to Minnesota and so far they haven’t

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Hmm, I stand corrected then. Maybe they would be more accommodating to NASCAR?