A little shocked :( RANT to a select few tourney anglers

[sidekick10121]

Im not going to get to specific because I'm sure some of the people lurk here.

I was fishing a local lake around me this weekend. There was I local club tounry on a small lake. I'm actually surprised this lake still has fish given the size and pressure it gets. Long story short... Pulled up to the launch at 4 after the dzn or so club guys got their boats outta the water. Had my aunt out for her first fishing trip and my gf. I got a 32" 6.7 lb pike so I was happy ( like I said. Big pike small lake). When I got to the launch there was a 3.5 lbs largie floating not 10 feet from shore. My gf looked behind the boat and noticed a 3 sitting sideways one the bottom. I LOVE to eat fish but also practice management. That big girl went back and any big bass I get. Even on big lakes like Simcoe. I HATED to see these fish dead and discarded. There is no was they were alive in the wells when they are dead 10 feet from shore. I wish people would ask other boaters if they wanted the meat if they didn't want to eat it. I understand fishing for sport an tournies but don't waste dead fish please. It only gives all of us a bad name ( professionals, parfessional and weekend warrior alike).

Please change your water and keep frozen water bottles on board to keep the oxygen
levels high in your wells

I'm glad I seen atleast these two. My grandparents love bass. I was able to take them and fillet them. Just hate to see needless waste.

Rant over. Thanks all

 

[sidekick10121]

I guess the short short version is keep what you kill, suspect will die, find someone who wants it, or don't run the risk of killing our natural resources for the chance at a small amount of money

 

[[email protected]]

I agree 100% a lot of tournaments require that the bass be alive and healthy when brought in, its the small club style or private tournies that give them a bad name, after all they're called live wells, not deathwells. if you're boat doesn't have one, one can be made quite easily from a cooler, get a pump and some rubber tubing, or even a simple air pump with an aerator on it will do


I know people that have caught a large bass while fishing at their cottage, put it in their freezer for a week or two, and then thaw it for the tourny and weigh it in and win

 

[rybak]

Yeah, that kind of behaviour is ignorance to the highest degree. You can pick up a Berkley live net basket for 9.99 at Sail or around 15 at canadian tire and then keep fish alive for the whole day.

Hell, I even bring a cooler stocked with ice and ice packs for drive home.

Shitty people in every day make shitty anglers and stewards as well.

 

[sidekick10121]

The best part. One of the guys sees me, points, and laughs that I'm picking up a floating fish... I had to keep me cool. In the words or Ron white. I don't know how many of them it would take... But I knew how many they were gonna use haha. My aunt kept saying to calm down. But that was the straw that broke the back.

 

[Dave Bailey]

Any proper tournament assesses penalties for dead fish. Had it happen a couple of times at the one I run, each time the fish was taken home for the dinner table.

 

[instapump416]

That's not cool and I bet these are the same guys that complain about how they don't catch big fish anymore.

Good on you for not letting the fish go to waste.

 

[BowSlayer]

that sucks man, its a nice little lake, i don't see why they wouldn't want to change the water in their live wells often as they get penalties for bringing in dead fish. You'd think they'd at least take them home to eat and not et them rot, id be pretty pissed in you position as well especially if there was some idiot laughing!

 

[alwayscatching]

To be honest guys, the best that a tournament director can do is make sure the boats are well equip to keep fish alive and educate the anglers. It is up to the angler that needs to take the advice/educate themselves as well. The directors will ALWAYS penalize a person/team for having a dead fish in the boat, as to what happens to the fish, usually they are given to someone to take home. I hate when I see dead fish and I myself have had a dead fish before, sometimes they swallow a jig too deep and there is just nothing you can do! Also, if I saw a fish after being frozen, I think I would recognize that during a weigh in. My biggest problem in tournaments are people who trade fish, put tungsten weights down the throat of the fish, store fish in cages prior to the tournament. Those are my issues lol.

 

[buckhorn-bassin]

Ya I'm not sure about this frozen fish at weigh in story... Most tourneys don't have that many dead fish. Most tourney directors will post on the web page how many dead fish were weighed in.

I know my self when I'm fishing a tourney my partner and I are always taking care of our fish. We use water treatment powder call "catch and release".. Changing the water often helps a lot too.. We change out the water every 30 mins or so depending on the size of the fish, and wether they are largies or smallies. Smallies can be a little harder to take care of if the water temps are really warm or if they are caught deep.. 18ft or more. We will also use fish clips on the back belly fin if the fish starts going sideways in the livewell.. Fish clips really work and suggest to any tourney angler to have some.. We've found frozen water bottles don't last any longer than a few minutes.. Changing the water works just as well.. Could be my livewell too..

Keep in mind 9 out of 10 tourney anglers don't want the fish to die or be harmed in any way. I only bass fish.. Take a guess how many iv kept or killed this summer or even the past 6-7? Same can be said again from most tourney anglers or guides..

I just fished a tourney on Rice lake 2 weekends ago.. My partner noticed one of our smallies wasn't doing well.. He spent the next 2 hours of the tourney making sure that fish didn't die.. Yes while I fished.. I eventually caught another fish a little bigger.. Once that happened he spent another 10-15 mins making sure that fish was going to swim away safely.. So please keep in mind not all of us tourney guys are out to make a cheque or to become famous .. Or something like that.. Or we don't care etc..

As far as cheating.. I don't think it happens that often or I'd like to believe that.. I'm sure it happens .. Again a small percentage maybe

 

[alwayscatching]

Yea I really hope nobody here is doing this to make a cheque to support a family. There's no money here for that lol

 

[prettyflyforawhiteguy]

I was fishing Gloucester Pool a couple of weeks ago when there was a tournament occurring. Most of the anglers drove like a##holes through the slower no wake channels, and one party even asked if he could buy a large bass he saw me catch. I was really dissapointed how unsportsmanlike these fellows seem to be.

 

[buckhorn-bassin]

Are these no wake zones clearly marked as 10 k/m zones? By the MNR or who ever is responsible for the channel markers.. Or are they no wake zones in place by the cottagers?

They guy was probably kidding about buying you're bass off you... Iv said that to people before .. Just I was joking around with them.. I try to be polite as possible with people while fishing the tourney.. You wouldn't believe the number of cottagers or weekend fishermen that are just as rude or unsportsmanlike ... It's a 2 way street..

 

[hamtownhog]

You wouldn't believe the number of cottagers or weekend fishermen that are just as rude or unsportsmanlike ... It's a 2 way street..

Amen !

 

[sidekick10121]

Sorry to start all this guys and gals. Not what I wanted to do. My main point was just not to waste the fish. I'm sure there are tons of non tounry fishers that are ahol too. I see them all the time. And I'm glad you look after your fish. Happy to hear . I know some die and there's nothing we can do. Just don't waste . Tight lines all