Steve Posted September 22, 2015 Report Share Posted September 22, 2015 You have absolutely no clue. And I fish tourneys. I don't run many decals or have shirts, Local sponsors help me out and a few others I support them but that's how it works. We do more for this fishery (and I guide, rec fish and tourney fish) most anglers that whine about tournaments are weekend wannabees and fill their stringer with eaters. Focus on the reason why this thread was made. Offending fellow anglers that do it right is unproductive. This thread is reminding me why I left this site. Go on......I've yet to hear what bass tournaments do for the fishery. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Old Ironmaker Posted September 22, 2015 Report Share Posted September 22, 2015 Great question Steve. I'm interested too besides guiding, rec fishing and tourneys. I think it's great to have tourneys, especially kids derby's. Derby's are great for kids introducing them to fishing. As well everyday Joe's like myself might get lucky and take a few grand from the pro's in my lumber jacket sans logos in a weekend local tourney. Some young gun local guys took top prize at a Pro Walleye 444 tournament on Erie this summer. Those with boats worth 100K or more all decked out like a Nascar driver and car shed so many tears that the lake went up an inch. Oh guess what? A few thought they must have cheated to take top prize. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OhioFisherman Posted September 22, 2015 Report Share Posted September 22, 2015 http://www.ibassin.com/2015/09/caged-bass-reveals-cheaters-at-2015-top.html " Wednesday, September 16, 2015 Caged Bass Reveals Cheaters at 2015 TOP BASS Classic on Balsam Lake Fraud Fumbled! By Luigi De Rose Here are the facts that I have been able to tease out from the scandal that broke out on Friday, September 11, the eve of the 2015 Top Bass Classic on Balsam Lake, Ontario. During the last day of pre-fishing, an angler witnessed a white bass boat and three people at a distance. The people in question were working with something in the water in a creek towards the vicinity of Mitchell Lake, a portion of the Trent-Severn System that was open to competitors. After they left, he went to investigate. When he arrived, two large laundry baskets zip tied together held bass in it was discovered. Once he retrieved it, the witness immediately brought the basket to the town of Coboconk, of his own accord, where the pre-tournament meeting was being held. This person alerted the gathered anglers and officials in the parking lot and told them who he saw and displayed the cage. Outrage quickly spread throughout the meeting. The two anglers who allegedly planted the basket of bass were not at the tournament meeting. On Saturday morning, day 1 of the two-day tournament, the accused two-angler team arrives but had yet to officially been checked into the tournament. While on the water, competitors quickly confronted the two anglers. The alleged cheaters broke away from the pack of boats, loaded their boat and left. Further investigation in the area where the first cage was discovered, a second cage was located with bass that weighed close to 19 pounds. In the eyes of the law, several key elements have not been met. The alleged cheating anglers were never seen removing bass from the cage nor did they try to enter bass as part of an official tournament creel. All alleged activities didn’t take part during official tournament time, so they cannot be considered illegal or fraudulent. Caging bass reflects that the alleged anglers were showing intent to cheat but due to others actions failed to follow through on any possible intentions. The unfortunate situation cast a dark cloud on tournament fishing and one of the significant pitfalls of “team or buddy” tournaments. While many anglers were frustrated with the scandal, it has also unified anglers and has forced tournament officials to be more vigilant while enforcing tournament rules. " Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SmokestackLightnin Posted September 22, 2015 Report Share Posted September 22, 2015 Go on......I've yet to hear what bass tournaments do for the fishery. Well the first one that comes to mind is the Stoney Lake Combo which only pays back 60% of the entry fees. Yet year after year it sells out with 135 boats with all the money raised going to the Dummer Douro Fire Department. Now the money does not go into the fishery but the money raised over the years, and we're talking over $200,000, benefits the entire community. For specific fishery related benefits you may have to look at the anglers and not the tournaments. Just like PGA tour pros do so much for local communities and charities, the tournaments themselves are to showcase the golfer's talents. Oh, and there are numerous examples of cheating on that stage as well. Use Google, type in Ontario Conservation Projects and you will see many local BASS and other tournament groups cleaning up streams, rehabilitating spawning beds, adopting highways and taking pride in winning conservation awards. From there I would suggest you look at some the anglers, many of whom post on this board and Google their names. One would be Dave Chong and his Catch a Dream Fishing Derby, it doesn't directly benefit the fishery but man it sure does a lot for Big Brothers/Big Sisters. This event has a huge positive impact on kids and adults but Google will tell you Dave does a whole lot more. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
porkpie Posted September 22, 2015 Report Share Posted September 22, 2015 I think there is a small segment of tournament anglers who do lots to promote the sport of fishing and certainly there are side benefits to some communities and some youth groups etc. I don't think there is any real benefit to having 100 bass boats ripping around a lake all weekend though. I don't think the majority of the "tournament pros" do much for the fishery. I'd call most of them wanna be pros to be frank. There are very very few real "pros" in Canada who actually make a living at the sport, and those few that do have have a finger in a lot of pies, not just tournaments. A lot of those bigger names do actually spend quite a bit of time doing special events, working with kids, and promoting the fishery and they have my respect. But a dude with a bass boat and an ego just gives me gas. As for the cheating, well it happens in lots of sports, that's the nature of man. I can't say I love tournaments, but I'm not against competition so I can't see why the fishermen can't have them. At least these guys got drummed out, and it will likely be quite a while now before someone try's again considering how these dudes got hammered by the court of social media. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OhioFisherman Posted September 22, 2015 Report Share Posted September 22, 2015 http://www.ohiobass.org/Board&Officers/Conservation/conservation.htm Some of our lakes here have big draw downs in the fall, it is pretty common for bass clubs to get involved with the state and plant habitat for fish, it doesn't just benefit the tournament angler. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
farsider Posted September 22, 2015 Report Share Posted September 22, 2015 I would think the MNR should get involved. The "witness" screwed the pooch in his excitement for any chance of a fraud, cheating, or anything related to the tournament type of criminal charge. There is a violation of "not having your name and particulars" on any type of holding pen. If they (tournament officials) retained the fish, there is a slim chance they could discover if they were moved from one body of water to another which is also a violation. Other than that, public shaming might be it. Cheers, Mark Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Old Ironmaker Posted September 22, 2015 Report Share Posted September 22, 2015 (edited) Thanks for the information Smoke Stack. I know of many tournaments that have 100% payout to attract the money guys. Besides a small economic boost to the Marina and local area not much if anything is put back into the resource. That Musky guy from the Detroit River that was caught on video killing Musky then latter went on TV shedding Crocodile tears sure wishes he had simply paid a fine and no one is the wiser. Humiliation through social media is the 21st Century's public flogging in the town square for all to witness. Edited September 22, 2015 by Old Ironmaker Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hirk Posted September 22, 2015 Report Share Posted September 22, 2015 Several people have asked for proof that tournaments benefit a fishery. My question to them is who says it should or needs to in order to validate the activity? There are countless activities people take part it with no other benefit beyond the enjoyment they derive from participating. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steve Posted September 22, 2015 Report Share Posted September 22, 2015 See, now that's what I'm talking about. No bull answer. Thanks Hirk! You're right, no one is claiming that they need to contribute back..... Tons of salmon tournaments on the water that don't contribute back anything either...... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
manitoubass2 Posted September 22, 2015 Report Share Posted September 22, 2015 Several people have asked for proof that tournaments benefit a fishery. My question to them is who says it should or needs to in order to validate the activity? There are countless activities people take part it with no other benefit beyond the enjoyment they derive from participating. Logic... I like it Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BFSC Kevin Posted September 22, 2015 Report Share Posted September 22, 2015 I have nothing to add to this thread. My head just hurts. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moosebunk Posted September 23, 2015 Report Share Posted September 23, 2015 (edited) They'd have gotten away with it too if it wasn't for some meddling kids. No way these guys were basket fishing Pros though... Cause them real Pros would have their fish baskets wrapped in Fishoflauge! See!!! Clearly they're not winners, nor very bright. Edited September 23, 2015 by Moosebunk Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Headhunter Posted September 23, 2015 Report Share Posted September 23, 2015 And their dog Bunk... don't forget those pesky kid's dog! Gotta go, got a Scooby snack waiting for me... HH Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cloudy15 Posted September 23, 2015 Report Share Posted September 23, 2015 Several people have asked for proof that tournaments benefit a fishery. My question to them is who says it should or needs to in order to validate the activity? There are countless activities people take part it with no other benefit beyond the enjoyment they derive from participating. I think the point was that tournaments, have no benefits fishery and also harm it. But I am pretty neutral when it comes to this topic Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cloudy15 Posted September 23, 2015 Report Share Posted September 23, 2015 They'd have gotten away with it too if it wasn't for some meddling kids. No way these guys were basket fishing Pros though... Cause them real Pros would have their fish baskets wrapped in Fishoflauge! See!!! Clearly they're not winners, nor very bright. or hide them under the cover of darkness?? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ecmilley Posted September 24, 2015 Report Share Posted September 24, 2015 I think the point was that tournaments, have no benefits fishery and also harm it. But I am pretty neutral when it comes to this topic that being said, if tourneys that are c+r anyway harm a fishery, hows is the average angler doing the same or keeping a few not harming the fishery? there seems to be a great divide among the very people who say they love this sport/hobby/addiction and the more we fight among ourselves about it the sooner the antis will gain the upper hand. those sobs probably cheat at cards, betting, golf, monopoly there wives ect. only matters that they appear to have got away with it all year and no real way to prove it, to bad they picked th cages up and not let pinky and the brain come back for them Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OhioFisherman Posted September 24, 2015 Report Share Posted September 24, 2015 I think the point was that tournaments, have no benefits fishery and also harm it. But I am pretty neutral when it comes to this topic A lot of you guys maybe too young to remember the old days of bass fishing? http://www.bassmaster.com/news/bass-historical-timeline " 1970 Under the 1899 Refuse Act, B.A.S.S. filed lawsuits naming over 200 polluters ranging from laundromats to large industries. Bass Anglers for Clean Water is created, allowing concerned fishermen and B.A.S.S. members to make tax-deductible contributions toward fishing related conservation causes. " " 1972 B.A.S.S. holds the first catch-and-release tournament, the Florida National, on Lake Kissimmee. The event is won by Tom Mann. " " 1973 Aerators are used in livewells to conform with the new B.A.S.S. catch-and-release tournament rule. " " 1982 One of the first national organizations to recognize the danger of acid rain to the nation's fisheries, B.A.S.S. embraced a public awareness campaign: "Acid Rain Burns My Bass." " 1984 After years of campaigning by B.A.S.S. and other sportfishing groups, the Wallop-Breaux amendment to the Dingell-Johnson Act is passed, clearing the way for billions of dollars to be appropriated for state fishery efforts. " Tournaments have made millions of anglers aware? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lowerunit Posted September 24, 2015 Report Share Posted September 24, 2015 Hmmmm I thought this thread was about two guys accused of cheating? Not about what tournaments do for the fisheries. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Old Ironmaker Posted September 24, 2015 Report Share Posted September 24, 2015 lowerunit, you have been here long enough to know threads have more twist and turns than an F1 course. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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