Anyone know the results of the fishing tournament

[danc]

I personally stay as far away from tournaments as possible. My idea of going fishing includes getting away from people and crowds. The closest that I was to a tournament situation was a couple of years ago in Red Lake during the big annual Walleye derby. I was living on the lake just a stones throw away from the public dock, which was the tourney HQ. The number of big dead Walleye that I saw floating past my dock during and after weigh in was alarming, to say the least. I don't know if this was a unique situation or not, but it is the only one that I experienced personally. Bottom line for me is that I've never been a fan of competitive fishing. I'll go and play horseshoes if I'm in a competitive mood.

[Roy]

I hear you Cliff. You can speak your peace all you want as long as there is no flaming.

[Dutch]

Now that is just plain sad and illeagal! I think someone should get charged for allowing those fish to be wasted. It isn't the fact that some fish died which is bad enough, it is that they were allowed to go to waste. I have never had a problem with tournaments before but I sure do now!

 

Hey BC - need more info before jumping to conclusions. Fish may not have been wasted and we don't know for sure if that photo was from the actual release boat - I have no reason to believe that it is not, but just making the point.

 

Garfisher - lots of my buddy this, my buddy that. Were you actually at the event to see any of this with your own peepers? Fanning the fire a bit on this one, I think. Also throwing around some figures trying to flame a bit more - 25% mortality in this tourney would be a large number, the fish in those bags don't represent even close to that. MNR investigation - not that I know of. I called MNR offices today to see if anyone knew of it, to get some actual facts nobody heard anything about it.

 

Threads like this fuel issues that we as receational fishermen don't want to have to deal with. There are those organizations out there, those that shall not be named, that look for this stuff to further their agenda.

 

It is unfortunate that any fish died at all, but it is unavoidable, and off-putting. But, the sensationalising of issues that may not even be factual just goes to damage and sully the reputation of all tournament and recreational anglers in the eyes of the public.

[danc]

 

It is unfortunate that any fish died at all, but it is unavoidable, and off-putting. But, the sensationalising of issues that may not even be factual just goes to damage and sully the reputation of all tournament and recreational anglers in the eyes of the public.

 

 

The situation in my post was indeed fact. I lived at this property for an entire spring, summer, and fall and spent every evening on the dock. Not once did I ever see a dead Walleye except during the tournament, when I saw a dozen or so float by. If this is damaging to tournament fishermen (not rec fishermen), so be it. I can only tell you what I saw with my own two eyes.

[Dutch]

The situation in my post was indeed fact. I lived at this property for an entire spring, summer, and fall and spent every evening on the dock. Not once did I ever see a dead Walleye except during the tournament, when I saw a dozen or so float by. If this is damaging to tournament fishermen (not rec fishermen), so be it. I can only tell you what I saw with my own two eyes.

 

Sorry Dan, wasn't referring to your post, more of the second hand information garfish is throwing around about this specific tourney.

[Garnet]

Big Cliff I like you very interesting cat. 12 years is great.

 

I have family in very 1 of these community's born and raised there. These are the people that are members of the Chamber sit on every focus group on the board for everything.

 

These are small tight knit community's I just hope it all works out for you. Good Luck Buddy.

[hirk]

With all due respect and your right to form an opinion Cliff, as Joe Friday on Dragnet used to say "the facts,just the facts". I don't see too many facts involving this event being floated around. You have painted all tournaments with a brush based on sensationalism thats been slung.

Edited June 16, 2012 by hirk

[bushart]

Dan C----Red Lake walleye derby is hard on fish

 

I know and have known many that fished that one

 

By labour day the deeper bite seems on there and some of those eyes are not comin up from those depths very well

[Big Cliff]

With all due respect and your right to form an opinion Cliff, as Joe Friday on Dragnet used to say "the facts,just the facts". I don't see too many facts involving this event being floated around. You have painted all tournaments with a brush based on sensationalism thats been slung.

 

Well, the fact is that a friend of mine noticed several dead walleye floating around after the tournament and he knew nothing of the reports or pictures when he told me about it so there is something to support the pictures and reports. If those fish didn't go to waste, what did happen to them? Did someone clean them and take them home to eat? If they did wouldn't they be considered in posession and wouldn't they have been over their limit of 4 fish per day? Not only that, if they didn't catch them isn't that "party fishing"? That being said, isn't it also against the law to spoil or allow to be spoiled any game or fish?

 

You are right Hirk, it is my opinion and until now I have never had any problem with tourniments, I often talk to anglers fishing my dock in the bass tourniments and I'm glad to see them enjoying their day. The problem is that walleye are a lot more sensitive than bass and if walley tourniments are going to result in fish kills like the one that seems to have happened here I will do whatever I can to prevent that from happening and that is a fact!

[Garnet]

I will tell you something right now. Buddy over the other board his library card was revoked last Monday. He can't get a pass to the dog park. These people doing this community work, there family's have paid taxes for 200 years. They are everywhere. At your work down at the store they make your tax bill collect your garbage.

 

They like tourist better than somebody that payed taxes for 12 years.

 

Again I like you just friendly advice. And Good Luck

[Sinker]

I will tell you something right now. Buddy over the other board his library card was revoked last Monday. He can't get a pass to the dog park. These people doing this community work, there family's have paid taxes for 200 years. They are everywhere. At your work down at the store they make your tax bill collect your garbage.

 

They like tourist better than somebody that payed taxes for 12 years.

 

Again I like you just friendly advice. And Good Luck

 

 

Well I will tell you something right now. If those same people were born and raised up there, they would care more about the fishery, than they would a few bucks in thier pockets!! Whats going to draw their beloved tourists up there, when there are no fish left? Think about it.

 

This other guy you talk about has a lot more credibility than you, Garnet. How many years have you spent monitoring the lake?? He is also an avid fisherman, and hunter, so don't even go the tree hugger route.

 

Stick to your bass tourneys. The lake can't take the pressure on the walleyes, and they are much more sensitive than dirty old bass. Nobody wants to keep a bass for dinner anyways, so they all go back. Enough walleyes get eaten out of there in a season, let alone a tourney killing another seasons worth in one weekend!

 

If those pics aren't proof enough, I don't know what its going to take to get the point across.

 

Where did all those dead fish go? In the garbage? Maybe your council members filled thier freezers? Its pretty clear to me what went on up there.

 

Maybe contact your friends on council and ask them to read this post. Maybe they have some input on the matters? I'd bet my paycheck they don't say a word!!!

 

S.

[aplumma]

I haven't fished a weight in tournament for Blue Catfish in 15 years. While the fish are hardy and every boat must have a 100 gal livewell with pump to participate or netbag I still see to much deadage the day after the tournament. I proposed a system that would be cheater free and uses random drawn cards and photos with tape measures to have a fair and fun tournament. The offer was declined because they would not attract a crowd at the weigh in like someone hefting a 40-60 lb fish. I even went so far as to explain a projector screen with live photo updates from people in the field thru the day would be a way to get people excited to the sport and hopefully be future contestants. I am very happy to say though they do not have tournaments during the spawn or when the surface temperatures are above 80 F degrees. With this concession all of us that fish for the blue cat can have a chance to see the fisheries grow and support both the tournament and the recreational fisherman.

 

 

Art

[hirk]

Cliff the fish would not be wasted and no one person would be given more than a legal limit, its also not party fishing as you can GIVE fish to someone. The MNR was present during the event to insure proper proceedures were followed. I read a post on OOD started by someone with the handle" fenlon" and the claims were clearly outlandish and it was painfully obvious that it was posted by someone that lives or has a cottage on the lake and suffers from major NIMBY (not in my backyard) regarding tournaments and tried to fan the flames with a thinly vailed post.

Edited June 16, 2012 by hirk

[Garfisher]

Well that "NIMBY" is also someone who probably has THE best knowledge of Sturgeon Lake's fish populations (he has all the info from past SSFC Fish Camps which sample Sturgeon in the fall). If he has issues, there's a reason behind it. He wouldn't go out of his way to hinder a bass or panfish tournament on that lake...

[hirk]

I dont care what his background is, if its as you say then he has totally discredited himself in a professional sense via some of his claims, read them carefully, no rational person could seriously take them verbatum, no doubt to me he has a clear agenda in mind. Im done commenting believe what you choose to believe.

[Garnet]

All that good stuff GONE IN 200 WORDS...........Sad

 

Questioning love of Lakes and Community.........Mmmmm Good Luck with that.

 

Don't worry about counsel wait until you need a dog tag or a permit.

[Steve]

Looks like some apologies are in order:

 

An Aurora man has been fined $5,000 after a 72 walleye or more died during a June 2012 fishing tournament in Bobcaygeon.

Teodore Gallone pleaded guilty to failing to comply with the conditions set out in a licence to transport live fish in a Lindsay courtroom Dec. 6, a release from the Ministry of Natural Resources states.

Court heard the Town of Bobcaygeon hired Gallone to manage a live release walleye tournament on Sturgeon Lake on June 9 and June 10.

During the two-day tournament 497 walleye were caught, the release states, and 72 died before they were released and an unknown number died shortly after.

MNR officials checked Gallone’s live release vessel. The release states he neither checked nor monitored the water temperature and oxygen levels in the holding tanks during the tournament.

 

http://www.thepeterboroughexaminer.com/2013/12/17/tournament-boss-let-walleye-die-mnr

[crappieperchhunter]

I totally missed this thread when it happened because I was in Caygeon at our cottage for 2 weeks at the time...with no internet. I did not participant but as an observer I thought it had been better planned and run then any other tournament I have seen up there since we have had our cottage.

 

Then I read this thread today and read the news story. Wow....with the numbers posted and guesstimating as many more fish died after release....it would not be a stretch to say mortality could easily be 30% or higher.

 

All I gotta say is I hope the tournament boys go play on some one else's lake. This kinda stuff isn't welcomed by me on mine.

[fishindevil]

It was disgusting lets just say that !!!! And now it was proven in court !!!! I'm still mad as heck over it and it never should have happened there was anglers and people saying it was wrong from the get go and tried to voice their opinion !!! And as I stated before it so hot that day and the fish were so badly treated it was a gong show !!!!

[crappieperchhunter]

Well lets kick a dead horse again here. This tournament was in Bobcaygeon again this weekend. Saturday at 6PM I wandered down to a place I shore fish for Bluegills near the Hiway#24 Bridge just before Caygeon. I fish this place all the time from May until October and have never seen a floater walleye. Saturday I walk down and find 3 as soon as I get to my fishing spot and see several white bellies out on the water but can't confirm what species they where but I'm betting walleye.

 

Brutally hot Saturday. I'm betting the tournament had an unforgivably high walleye mortality rate again

 

Anybody heard anything?

[Sinker]

I heard they cut the tourny short because of heat and fish dying, but that is just a rumour.

 

S.

[fishindevil]

not a rumor 27 dead walleyes on Saturday,the MNR was on site taking pictures as were many people....it was cut short on sunday because of the fish kill on Saturday and the hot temps of fish being cooked in the livewells...it will likely be the last tourney as the mnr has the documented pics and info needed as does the biologists....

[crappieperchhunter]

When I saw how warm it was Saturday I told Debbe they would have high mortality again. Then I went fishing and saw the floaters.

 

For the fishery it seems like the right thing to do is close it down. But it really is to bad because it has been a well run tourney from the standpoint of how they have made such a great effort at the Beach Park Boat Launch. Our cottage is within walking distance of the launch and we have to drive by it if we are going into town for anything. They had one guy constantly guiding traffic on the road when the boats where coming out of the water Saturday...a far cry from some of the tournament traffic gong shows I have seen in our years there at the cottage.

[FrankTheRabbit]

So, does the MNR step in to enforce the "abandoning fish that is fit for consumption" rule? Considering they have pics and recorded evidence, it should be a field day for them.

Edited May 30, 2016 by FrankTheRabbit

[jimmer]

It just doesn't make sense to continue with a walleye tourney when there are warm weather issues. The last thing we need are walleye dying in live wells.