[Naterator]

Maybe its just the fact that I have been relegated to fishing weekends again after 8 months of weekday fishing, but man o man our bay systems are a mess. I like fishing tournaments as much as anyone and fish approx. 5-6 major tournies a year on avg. However, I'm about fed up with the behavior I see on the water. It seems some people feel that fishing a tourny (or pre-fishing) is a license to disregard all common courtesy in the quest to prove they have the biggest b*lls.

Just curious, and I'm not really supporting this idea, just brainstorming a little. What if (i)tourny organizers with, say, more than 10 participants were required to submit an application to TPW for approval, well in advance of the tourny (ii) TPW issued a limited number of permits each year for any given bay system, (iii) there were two types of applications, i.e. major & minor tourneys.

It seems to me that this would also serve to consolidate the events and assist promoters with their goal of making salt tourneys a spectator event similar to BASS tourneys.

I readily admit that i haven't thought this through, so i don't doubt I'm perhaps missing a salient point or ten. Like I said, i enjoy tournaments as much or more than most, but i enjoy quality fishing above all....and i think sometimes that we have to make sacrifices for the greater good. I'm not blaming tournaments for all the crowds and bad behavior, but they sure play a large part IMO. Now flame away!

 

[deke]

Nat, good post, and I'm with you, but too much money and ego are getting involved now adays to see anything but an increase. IMO

 

[Reel Bender]

Interesting topic, let's see where it goes, could be a popcorn feast! LOL

 

[dennis_99]

Good post Nat, I'd like to see where this goes...

 

[Muddskipper]

Food for thought....

I personally believe your right...there is a tourney at every marina every time I go fish.

But thats what brings in the bussiness...$$$

Everything runs in cycles thou....

Eventually people will get tired of the maeham....and stop fishing them....

If its not a true charity event or friends and family tourny, I really have no intrest....

 

[troy merrill]

It wasn't me! I was in a walk-in spot!

 

[boat]

The people that disregard all common courtesy are going to be that way tournament fishing or not. It's sad to say but fishing to alot of people has become an ego thing. I am fortunate to be able to fish whenever I want so I see it quite often. 50% of the people say they don't own the bay and the other 50% agree because they feel they own it. Sadly it's the way it is. I just don't see where limiting tourneys or having to get a permit to do so will stop it. IMO

 

[fishnlab]

I don't know that the tournaments are the problem. Just more boats in general. These boats would be out there with or without the tournaments. There are only a small handful of TX coast tournaments that really increase weekend traffic.

No need to get TPW involved. In regards to the "major" tourneys; the strong ones will grow and the weak tourneys will go away. Sponsors will be spread too thin across the tournaments, and purses will shrink until a dominant leader is determined. Let's keep the tax dollars out of it. Let the market work itself out.

 

[fishburger]

For everyone that always complains about tournament fishermen/women tearing up the bays and having no courtesy.......Back up your claims with pictures and TX numbers. There are a lot of fishermen/women that fish a lot of tournaments (10-12) a year that do not need to be lumped in to this discussion every time it comes up.

 

[fishnlab]

Fishburger,
I don't think that the original poster was saying that ALL tournament entrants were tearing up the bays!??!

 

[fishburger]

I never used the word "ALL". It is just the stereotyping that is constantly coming up on here about tournaments. I have no grudge against anyone on here. I am just saying that instead of making a general "point the finger" accusation, put your finger on an actual person or boat.

 

[boat]

fishnburger I don't think Naterator was saying the tournament fisherman are tearing up the bay systems but that common courtisey goes out the window when they are fishing them. You have to admit there is some truth to that. I'm not a true tournament fisherman but I do fish 2-3 charity tournaments a year. If I have fish good enough to wiegh-in great and if I don't thats fine to. I just enjoy myself.

 

[kenny]

Painting with a broad brush is usually not the appropriate tool for the job!

 

[fishburger]

Painting with a broad brush is usually not the appropriate tool for the job!

Thank you Kenny. I am obviosly outnumbered here. I just thought I would express my opinion about all the broad and negative comments about tournaments. As far as common courtesy, I can not lump that into tournament fishing only. I see it ALL THE TIME, even when there are no tournaments. The negative statements that have been made about tournament fishermen/women can be made just as easy about those who don't fish tournaments. This weekend, during a large tournament, my partner and I were run over by a boat with 6 people in it, that I guarantee were not fishing a tournament, unless it was see who can drink more than the next guy tournament.

 

[speckledred]

Rude behavior is simply rude behavior whether in a tourney or just fishing. Our bay systems simply have a lot more folks on them on the weekend and those that don't care about you or me will continue to act the same way.

 

[DG96]

However, I'm about fed up with the behavior I see on the water. It seems some people feel that fishing a tourny (or pre-fishing) is a license to disregard all common courtesy in the quest to prove they have the biggest b*lls.

What kind of behavior was it? What kind of boat?


There are things that some tournament angler's do that are not appropriate, but for the most part these guys spend a lot of time on the water and they know the unwritten rules. I know for sure that I personally see a lot more people doing things they shouldn't just because the don't know better.

On the other hand, I think as a tournament angler, at least in the bigger tournaments you have a responsibility to be more courteous because everyone scrutinizes everything you do. Those that are not should be pointed out.

Like others have said, the problem is not an increase in the number of tournaments its the increase in the number of people fishing. Maybe TPWD should just limit the number of days a person can fish, that would solve everyones problems, Right???

 

[Justacastaway]

edjumacation

i've never fished a tournament as i am new to SW fishing. maybe the tournaments could help "educate" its participants on "acceptable behavior", (if they don't already do it). also they could enforce the rules of ettiquete and police it like they do in golf----if someone sees an infraction, take a picture and call a penalty stroke !

 

[Team Ranger Bob]

Tournaments.

When the P&W commission met to decide the outcome of the reccomendations from the SSWG, tournaments were brought up and TP&W was directed to gather information about entries and other facts just as they were instructed to gather information about dividing the coast into management areas. I never heard anything else about it after that, we went as far as inviting the commission to a few tournaments but to my knowledge no one ever attended.
Some wanted to charge fees for holding tournaments.

I have seen some of the behavior that is talked about over and over and I will tell you that most of the people I know that fish multiple high level events are not the people that are complained about over and over.

During the Kemah RFC it was announced that an ethics committee had been selected to work on a written code of ethics for tournament fishing. Competitors from across the entire Gulf Coast were selected and we will wait and see what they come up with.

Most tournaments have rules that apply to courtesy and sportsmanship and there are times when these rules are enforced. Complaints to be acted upon usually require a $50.00 to $100.00 fee that is refunded if the complaint is upheld.

If you run a wrapped sponsor boat with your name all across the side you stick out like a sore thumb and it makes you think twice about running over the locals.
The best practice is to set a good example for the every day guy as well as the local guides, an example that promotes the sport and not the ire of those we share the water with. Unwanted exposure from being a water bully costs guys money and most of them try to set a good example.

Ranger Bob

 

[deke]

Are you serious, you have to pay to file a complaint?

The only thing I can think of why it would be like that is that too many of them would be *****ing and whinning at every tourney about everybody else, so it keeps the BS complaints to a minimum? Am I close?

"These boats would be out there with or without the tournaments."

I disagree with that, if there wasn't a redfish tourney in Galveston, then there would not be alot of those boats burning the shorelines of West and East Bay(as one example). IMO they do bring out more people to fish than if it was just a normal weekend.

 

[Naterator]

let me clarify and restate

I think some of you guys that got your backs up missed the part where I said that I was a tournament angler myself. I fish a select number every year. Following is a history of last 12 months. tourny entries and finishes, for purposes of qualifying myself:

Spectacular Championship May 2005 - 2nd
Tres Amigos POC October 2005 - 4th
Spectacular Matagorda Proam November 2005 - 5th
Spectacular Galveston / Matagorda Proam Feb 2006- 3rd
Spectacular Galveston April or May 2006 - 10th

So, yeah, I like tournies too. Regarding behavior of participants - This weekend was a great example - Lingerie on the Bay in Matagorda - Had a tourny boat anchor 80 yards from our group. Had another tourney boat attempt to idle into our spot (picture my boat, another boat 80 yards to west, and another boat 300 yards to east, with us wading between my boat and boat to east). They only turned around after we started raising hell. how do i know they were tourny boats? Um, "lingerie on the bay" anyone? Sorry I didn't get TX #s, lol. We fished Sat and Sunday, and I can tell you, we had no problems on Sunday. I see this happen a lot, thats all i am saying.

So to clarify, I was not suggesting tournies are bad, or that all tourny anglers are rude by any means. I especially agree with the comment someone made about the top anglers being super courteous - very true. However, many that enter are not top tier anglers, and many do exercise bad judgement in the exitement of the hunt. I guess what I am saying is that there may be TOO MANY TOURNAMENTS nowadays, and that forced consolidation might be good for both the tournaments and the bays. I probably could have been more clear in stating that i was not slamming tourny anglers themselves, but I thought stating that I fished them myself would suffice.

Peace