View Full Version : Is having the PWT Championship on waters which are not producing big weights help build the public's interest in competitive walleye fishing?
JLDII
09-17-2005, 06:58 PM
We have had many discussions about how to build the public's interest in walleye fishing to the same level as bass fishing.
As walleye fishermen (women) we may have a different outlook on the results we see coming in from Milford right now than those of the general public, but does having "our" championship on waters such as this help build the public's interest?
Would having big weights at the scales foster greater public interest in the sport of competitive walleye fishing?
Mitchell
09-17-2005, 07:10 PM
Of all the lakes this tournament could have been held on, Milford was a very poor choice for the PWT.
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The big differnce is that we saw the action as it was happening during the bassmaster classic.. For the pwt championship we look at the weights at the end of the day, and we only see the results of the day.. We dont see if somebody lost a good keeper at the boat, or how many non keeper fish they are catching... I believe there is an 18" size limit on milford lake. So Im guessing that they are catching fish, just not keeper fish. Just like the classic... I think the one thing we for sure have learned about fishing tournaments for t.v. coverage is that live t.v. is the only way to go.. It is not exciting to watch a tournament on t.v. when you know who wins the tournament 3 weeks before it is actually on t.v.... Its no different than any other sport. How many people would watch the super bowl if you new who won the game, but it wasnt on t.v. until 3 weeks after the game. Not very many people I think... Here is my sugestion for the people at prime media, show the tournament either on the same day on tape delay or show it the day after the tournament... that is the only way they are going to increase the sport.... As to your question on weather the championship is on the correct body of water. It wouldnt matter if they were on erie and everyone was catching 40 lbs a day. I think that who ever wins this tournament is someone who really worked there tush off to figure something out that other guys didnt.. That is what makes a champion!!!! To me finding your tournament championship winner should be on a lake that is different and the best have to figure it out.... Just my thoughts...
Colorado Fisherman
09-17-2005, 07:36 PM
It's good to have the championship in new locations like Kansas. The general public is typically amazed that people "make a living" fishing and this is a great way to get more people into walleye fishing.
I live in Colorado and I know the guys would have a tough time (like at Milford) catching legal 'eyes out here, but it would be exciting to see how they could do on waters we fish all the time.
I'm sure the local walleye clubs and even general interest fishing groups will see greater numbers at their meetings and events. And that's where you see if this is a winner or not.
If other states had the same number of anglers per capita as Wisconsin and Minnesota, the PWT and every other fishing organization would have a lot more following.
IMHO,
Ken
Colorado Fisherman Magazine
Milford
09-17-2005, 07:46 PM
If the public knows the story behind the weigh in they would be as interested as we are.
A high scoring game is not nearly as interesting as a hard fought, close game.
I personally think Milford is a great fishery. It has some good walleye.There are a lot of lakes in this condition right now.These guys have a lot against them but to say there are not enough walleye in the lake is not one of them.
The weather,loads of bait,hot water,and not much pre-fishing are making this a great tournament!
Have a good one.
Texeye
Ruben
09-17-2005, 08:10 PM
Milford was not a good choice for a championship tournament. There are much better walleye lakes in Kansas. PWT should have checked this lake out before selecting it.
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Mike R.
09-17-2005, 08:47 PM
I really like it when a tournament is a close shoot out. And quite honestly I would really hate to see a championship just be a one method event. Erie is a trolling paridise, but I think a true test of champion is place where an angler can win it using any presentation. A championship that can be won jigging, cranking deep, rigging and trolling structure shows what a true champion is.
The reason I say this is that I lived in Bismarck when the championship was there for a few years and it was really in my mind a true test. You had guys like Selhoff win it by trolling and also had guys win with jigs. Those events could all have been won using any method and showed off these anglers skills.
As a side note I don't think any other place has come close to the crowds and excitement that Bismarck had. If they ever go back there I would make a trip back just to see it.
KansasState
09-17-2005, 08:54 PM
Milford is they best walleye lake in Kansas by far in my mind.
I just got back...This is bad...real bad!
Poor fishing as predicted,I mean pro after pro with nothing,not even a short.
Very poor show and crowd(maybe 200 people)Personally I had trouble finding the event,but the parking was great! I parked about 100 yards away from the tent.
Poor press coverage...I have seen nothing on any of the Television chanels(news,morning shows,outdoor TV or radio stations) but a small amount in the newspaper...No special person to entertain the crowd while they were waiting!I don't even think the mayor was there!
I saw maybe 15 state level tournament fishermen there,from a circuit that has 100 boat fields pretty regularly...poor support...for a national tournament.
They had 4 pickup trucks for trailers to weigh-in and it lasted forever...
One of the major venders who is a friend of mine said that this was not worth showing up for and he traveled maybe 200 miles.
I hope the camera crews are doing something to add hype to this!
The music and the stage were good! but at anytime one could walk in and find a very good seat...
I am going for the final day and I sure hope the fish turn on!
walleye fella
09-18-2005, 06:04 AM
The real losers are those in the community who were sold a bill of goods on how much business this tourney would generate from spectator traffic at stores and restaurants. Moreover, not only will this fail to generate interest in future visits to Milford, it may well have the opposite effect. The people at the convention and visitors bureau who promoted this should be held accountable.
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KansasState
09-18-2005, 08:16 AM
THERE WAS MORE THAN 200 PEOPLE THERE, AND I PARKED A LONG WAYS AWAY, AND MOST OF THE COMPITTIORS CAUGHT AT LEAST SHORT FISH, ITS SEPTEMBER IN kANSAS TOUGH FISHING LIKE MANY OF THEM SAID THE FIRST OF SEPTEMBER IS TOUGH MOST PLACES, I SURE GOT A LOT DIFFERENT VIEW, IN MY EXPERIENCE THERE. If they wanted a good bite they should of waited until october, but i think this is testing the best of the best and thats good. i WILL AGREE IT TOOK FOREVER, I WOULD NOT EXPECT THE FISH TO TURN ON TODAY STORMS FROM 2 TO 4 AND ANOTHER ONE MOVING IN ON THE RADAR. I WILL AGREE THE PRESS COVERAGE IS TERRIBLE AND HAS BEEN SINCE THIS TOURNAMENT WAS ANNOUNCED.The topeka paper had a big article about bASS FISHING ON SATURDAY.
The 6.50 is terrible. They announced it would be free then you have to pay for a state park permit. If you came on saturday it is good until 200pm sunday so you have to pay another 6.50 if you want to watch the sunday weigh in, they could easily have waved it for a couple of hours, but Kansas State parks are cluless and mismanaged.
guest3
09-18-2005, 09:08 AM
Iwas there and there were very few ovwer 200 people there. The turnout was hoorible especially considering how many were supposed to be there.
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Eyesrfn
09-18-2005, 10:25 AM
I read somewhere that the PWT said there were over 2000 people for the weigh-in. What's up with that? Are they trying to make it sound better for the public or what?
somebody was attempting to pass Milford off as a good walleye lake in the fall. It is not. It is, however, a fairly good lake in the spring.
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D. Kraft
09-18-2005, 12:12 PM
I think you asked the poll question wrong. It isn't necessary that you have big weights at a tournament, but it is important that almost everyone is at least bringing some fish to the scale. If you expect to have interest and spectators, then you have to give them something to watch. It's also very hard on the fisherman to go out day after day without catching a "keeper" fish. Yes, everyone is on the same body of water and fishing the same conditions, but it doesn't make for an interesting contest when most of the worlds best walleye fishermen are coming up with empty baskets.
Reels
09-18-2005, 01:05 PM
Yes, they claim 2000 people there.
Wisconsin Pro Takes Mercury Championship Day 2 Lead
In-Fisherman Professional Walleye Trail pro angler David
Andersen moved into the second day lead of the Mercury Championship.
The
Amery, Wis. pro was fishing for a first place prize of $115,000 against
the
top 52 PWT anglers on Milford Lake near Junction City, Kansas.
The final Championship day on Sunday, Sept. 18, will prove
interesting, with Bill St. Peter, Bay City, Mich., in second place with
13.17 pounds. Day one leader Scott Fairbairn, Hager City, Wis.,
slipped to
third with no fish on day two. Canadian John Butts weighed 8,46 pounds
and
jumped to fourth place. Tommy Skarlis, Waukon, Iowa stayed in fifth,
and
has a two-day total of 9.25 pounds.
On Milford Lake, walleyes must be 18 inches, and with the PWT 4-fish
limit, and billions of shad in the lake, the catches have not been
representative of the walleye population. As Andersen and many other
anglers said, "We're all on the same lake."
Most anglers remained positive, and commented on stage and to the
2,000 walleye fans on hand to witness the first PWT event in Kansas,
that
they could win the Mercury Championship in one day if they caught big
fish
like they did in practice. The Coleman $1,000 big fish on day two
belonged
to Jim Carroll, Minot, ND. It weighed 6.49 pounds.
The largest fish to the stage was 19.36 pounds, caught by Colorado
pro (and 2-time Mercury Championship winner) Ron Seelhoff. However, it
was
a flathead catfish, and represented what many anglers have been
catching all
week. Milford contains flatheads, channels and blue catfish. Pros
were
also catching lots of white bass, wipers (cross between white bass and
stripers), smallmouth bass and panfish.
As a special incentive, the first 250 youngsters into the huge
structure erected at Milford State Park, received Plano tackle boxes.
On
Sunday, the first 1,000 youngsters in the doors (open at 3 p.m.) will
receive Shakespeare rods and reels, presented by Westar Energy. The
big
marine, tackle, and sport show in an adjacent structure was well
received.
The show will run all Sunday, with the weigh-in ceremonies (video,
color
guard, lights, music and more) starting at 4 p.m.
For Results log onto www.pwtleaderboard.com
<{{}}><
Been There
09-18-2005, 05:01 PM
The crowds are tiny and I mean tiny. I read elsewhere they were huge. Baloney! The bulk of the first two days was made of friends and family. The "arena" is a giant tent they use for Octoberfests in Germany.
Compare this event to the 2003 Cabelas NTC that was there and there is no comparison as far as the event goes. Not talking the quality of fishing, but the event itself.
The sound system is ultra-poor and the lighting terrible. I don;t know what's happening with the PWT, but this ain't the show they've had in the past.
This is a semi-pro promotion at best with some of the best pro walleye anglers in the world getting the short shaft.
The BS about the crowds being big is a shame. Total BS. Hopefully the final day crowds were big. I left last night.
Thank the good Lord above I was'nt there fishing, I mean who would want to have a shot at 100k against 50 othere guys? The public will always be over critical of every action on every tournament. I'm sure they could careless if 100000000 fish are brought in or 1 they are there to see there fishing i-con's. If they make the guys mingle amonst the crowd people are happy! Shame on the PWT and FLW for trying to grow the sport by going to southern waters! They should line up the top brass and shoot them! I mean they should just stay in the Upper Midwest and grow the sport, RIGHT? The Championships are held NOW, they pick waters with large populations of eyes and hope the weather and everything else falls into line! Sorry for the tough bite, I'm sure they put the Championship there so the sport would take steps backwards! They have no idea what they are doing, they should hire all YOU guys because you are all the best MARKETING, SALES and walleye guru!!!! What else will you guys complain about???? The season is almost over for the Tours!!!!!!
Thank the good Lord above I was'nt there fishing, I mean who would want to have a shot at 100k against 50 othere guys? The public will always be over critical of every action on every tournament. I'm sure they could careless if 100000000 fish are brought in or 1 they are there to see there fishing i-con's. If they make the guys mingle amonst the crowd people are happy! Shame on the PWT and FLW for trying to grow the sport by going to southern waters! They should line up the top brass and shoot them! I mean they should just stay in the Upper Midwest and grow the sport, RIGHT? The Championships are held NOW, they pick waters with large populations of eyes and hope the weather and everything else falls into line! Sorry for the tough bite, I'm sure they put the Championship there so the sport would take steps backwards! They have no idea what they are doing, they should hire all YOU guys because you are all the best MARKETING, SALES and walleye guru!!!! What else will you guys complain about???? The season is almost over for the Tours!!!!!!
Mike R
09-18-2005, 06:02 PM
I really believe that the pwt has taken the wrong path the last couple of years in the way that they are trying to promote and grow this sport.
The pwt is still the top circut in pro walleye fishing and angler for angler they have deepest tallent of all the tours and they are just spinning there wheels and not getting any where. I think they should start looking for a really good marketing team and take advantage of the high interest in tournament fishing right now.
Mike R
09-18-2005, 06:02 PM
I really believe that the pwt has taken the wrong path the last couple of years in the way that they are trying to promote and grow this sport.
The pwt is still the top circut in pro walleye fishing and angler for angler they have deepest tallent of all the tours and they are just spinning there wheels and not getting any where. I think they should start looking for a really good marketing team and take advantage of the high interest in tournament fishing right now.
walteye
09-18-2005, 06:07 PM
First-congrats to Dave Anderson for his win-and everyone better be looking over their shoulders next year for Chase Parson.
Second-I have to agree with DUDE as to the real time TV coverage like BASS did at their championship-that is the way to draw an audience. I do have to say the general public would probably like to see a 9 lb. eye compared to a 2 lb. one, just as most people would like to see a home run rather than a single. But then again, a lot of people don't know what a walleye is, unless you live in an area where it is a popular pasttime. I know that when I tell people that I fish for walleye here in Eastern PA, I get a pretty weird look back.
Walteye
walteye
09-18-2005, 06:07 PM
First-congrats to Dave Anderson for his win-and everyone better be looking over their shoulders next year for Chase Parson.
Second-I have to agree with DUDE as to the real time TV coverage like BASS did at their championship-that is the way to draw an audience. I do have to say the general public would probably like to see a 9 lb. eye compared to a 2 lb. one, just as most people would like to see a home run rather than a single. But then again, a lot of people don't know what a walleye is, unless you live in an area where it is a popular pasttime. I know that when I tell people that I fish for walleye here in Eastern PA, I get a pretty weird look back.
Walteye
walleye4
09-19-2005, 10:43 AM
>Milford was not a good choice for a championship tournament.
>There are much better walleye lakes in Kansas. PWT should have
>checked this lake out before selecting it.
What other lake in Ks do you think is better than Milford right NOW?
Wallagator Chaser
walleye4
09-19-2005, 10:43 AM
>Milford was not a good choice for a championship tournament.
>There are much better walleye lakes in Kansas. PWT should have
>checked this lake out before selecting it.
What other lake in Ks do you think is better than Milford right NOW?
Wallagator Chaser
fishinfool1
09-19-2005, 04:42 PM
i'm 66 yrs old and I finally learned not to reveal what lakes. We are catching walleye now and lots of them, in Ks, and i have not been on Milford since late May. That lake is not nearly as productive as it was 2 years ago.
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fishin4eyes
09-19-2005, 05:30 PM
Milford was raped the last 3 years. If it was the best walleye lake in Ks. it no longer is. We had 47 walleyes in the boat last Thurs on a lake in kansas. I will not name the lake because I don't want the same fate for it.
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Texeye
09-19-2005, 06:24 PM
I do not know what you consider "raping" but in my books taking 47 walleye in a boat instead of stopping at a reasonable limit is "raping".At that rate you won't have to tell anyone.
I am not trying to be smart. I just wonder what is wrong with getting a limit and going home,or trying to catch some other species?
I guess I'm getting grouchy in my old age??!!
Texeye
fishin4eyes
09-19-2005, 06:51 PM
Sir...we released all of them. We have caught over 2000 walleye this yr and we have yet to keep one. Again, we release everything we catch...all walleyes are released. The biigest one we released this year weighed 8 lbs.
hollywoodeyes
09-19-2005, 07:50 PM
I'm with Dude! It's not the weight,as we all witnessed at the Bassmasters,it is the live excitement. The big one lost at the side of the boat. The thrill of victory,the agony of defeat. The tv audience bonds with their favorite. Do we not all think we can out fish the pros? If we only had a big sponsor or the right boat. We live vicariously through the guys we cheer. That live now tv coverage is what made it exciting. Bottom line the PWT is in severe need of some marketing,advertising and promotion help.
hollywoodeyes
fshrmn
09-20-2005, 05:47 AM
I would suggest that PWT excercise due diligence next year when selecting the lake they want to have their championship on. They failed miserably this year. They never should have selected Milford.
love them eyes guy
09-20-2005, 06:31 AM
I voted no. The reason being that they held Championships a Bismark ND and seemed to draw interest. There is a slot there also and the weights were not big, but being in a walleye fishing mecca helped. I also think that growing the sport starts by spreading out to states not really considered walleye fishing mecca's. I mean what good would it be to have the Championships every year in MN,WI,MC or say Ohio these are already walleye States. It's to bad the bite was off there, but like the movie says "If you build it they will come". People in the Southern States may be intrigued if you hold events in there back yard. There is another old say "Rome was'nt built in a day". This will take time so someone has to build the ground work. I like it when new waters are used and it's even better when so much is at stake. 50 plus guys fighting it out on waters they have never fished is a TRUE Championship. Some of the great walleye anglers in the world today went down there and struggled. If walleye fishing was easy everyone would be great at it. I fish tournaments also, and have been at tough bites. I don't like them either, but the guys that figure it out do well. The others go home with a sour taste, but don't quit from one bad event. The guy I was hoping to win did'nt win but did well, He along with all the guys there should be proud. These guys are the top 50 and had a chance at something we would all love to win.
Texeye
09-20-2005, 09:02 AM
My apologies. I just never felt it was good to get on walleye and catch as many as possible just because I could. I always felt there was some harm being done. I guess I see it different...that's all. I am glad for the catch and release attitude you have.No hard feelings here.
Have a good one.
Texeye
New Locations
09-20-2005, 09:14 AM
I agree, when it's the Championship, new waters to grow exposure to the sport is a good thing. Even if the fishing is tough and no one has ever fished there. The Bass championship is a prime example. It brings the best out of the competitors, and the best rise to the occasion! I also think it's good to hold it in populated areas to bring a crowd, North or South.
JackK
09-20-2005, 03:11 PM
I also agree with the above post. I see where the location of Milford did nothing to hurt the sport of professional walleye fishing. I believe expanding into new markets is important. PWT did not know what the bite is going to be like, no one does. Besides, there is always a bite and this is suppose to be the best of the best. I felt enough fish were caught to keep my attention and I'm sure a good TV show will be produced out of it. You guys that feel these tournaments need to be on waters at peak bite times and have big weights, kill me. Its a tournament, the best will rise to the top no matter what the conditions. This was a challenge to these guys and that is what is needed in a championship.
Texeye
09-20-2005, 04:54 PM
You last few guys are right on. This is the first time I have ever followed a major tournament.It was finally on a lake some of us southern fishermen have fished and it really got my interest.Most of the time it's so far north and such a hot bite the tournament centers around how much total weight it will take to win ...not if they can figure out how to catch a limit against the odds. I congratulate the winner for a job well done.
Have a good one.
Texeye
I second that Texeye. I thought it was great to see some of the pro's who I have read articles from but never had the chance to see them in a tourney. Also made it much more interesting with them fishing a body of water I fish most often.Would have loved to stay and watch the whole thing but was unable too. Congrats to Everyone who made the championship's and to the winners. Was a job well done and you all have a new fan here.
Daryl Christensen
09-20-2005, 06:07 PM
I've been fishing tournaments for 27 years and I prefer a tough bite over an easy one when tournament fishing. It is very difficult to win a tournament when everyone is catching fish. Although I did not finish well at Milford, it wasn't because the fishing was tough. It was because I didn't put a winning program together. As far as I'm concerned, they can keep the tough tournaments coming and throw us a "great bite" bone now and then just to remind us that we actually CAN catch walleyes when everyone else is!
People watch the PGA because they put the best golfers on the toughest courses. Although some of the golf pros complain about tough conditions and tough courses, the best just go out and do their thing. Most walleye pros do the same.
I don't think that every pro angler bringing a limit to the stage is that exciting to the crowd. It would get boring in a hurry. In fact, our most exciting tournaments are those when the crowd watches pros weigh two or three fish and then all of a sudden a limit is brought to the scales. It really gets the crowd fired up.
I also think that most in the crowd can relate to the pro who doesn't always limit out or even catch a fish on tough days. Walleyes are great equalizers at times and fishing can be just as tough on the best walleye waters in Wisconsin and Minnesota during September.
Two years ago, Bull Shoals was our best tournament of the year. This year, it was tough for both the PWT and FLW. If we all caught limits every day at every tournament, it would be, well, ho-hum at best and intimidating to the average angler at worst.
I believe that professional anglers exist to grow the sport of walleye fishing and a good dose of humble pie once in a while helps all of us remember the days when we first started walleye fishing and how tough they were to catch on a consistent basis.
Sometimes they still are.
-Daryl Christensen
Professional Walleye Angler
uhmmm....
09-20-2005, 06:39 PM
How is that different than a tournement?
I was there for day 2 and day 3.....
The turn out for day 3 was better,much better....
I was disappointed in the show itself.... at 4:30(weigh-in) no one was entertaining the crowd...just people fanning themselves in a tent. PWT could of brought in a good quality show person(governer,senator,singer,playboy model,ect) to get the crowd really going...and then the pros.
The actual weigh-in was good... I thought they did a good job...it was exciting at the end...did Chase have enough!...or not...it was good entertainment. My wife enjoyed it and was pulling for the young man!Hey this is what tournament fishing is all about!
Most important it was about the anglers!
I hope it is that way on Television!
PWT you will grow from this if it is!
I hope there are lots of interviews with the top 3 to 5 fishermen...maybe even a show about them and only them...where they live...,how they got there...that kind of stuff.
It was good stuff for Chase Parson to thank his sponsers for taking a chance on "A KID"....put that on TV...it was right from the heart.
Every tournament has this kind of thing...it is how we present it that counts.
People want to follow people!!!
Daryl,
Thanks for the words of wisdom.... Spoken like a true professional!!!! Some people on this board don't understand that you dont have to be on a lake where everyone is catching 40 lbs of fish to have an exciting tournament.... I also think that some people think that all pro's should know how to catch walleye's, no matter where they are fishing... This is just not true... There is no doubt that who ever won the championship was someone who figured something out that the other guys didnt.... I have been in tournaments where 5 or 6 guys are fishing really close to one another, and they would all be not catching fish... My partner and I would go by those same guys doing something different than they were, and we would catch fish right in front of them... That always feels good.... But I just wanted to say thanks for replying on this thread, and if you don't mind we would like to hear on what you did at the championship? How did your prefishing go? Were you catching fish, just not legal fish??
fishin4eyes
09-21-2005, 03:47 AM
If these great fishermen can't catch walleye at Milford there is not much hope for me. I live in the area and I believe I am going to look for another lake to walleye fish. The fish apparently aren't there which also is supported by some of the local rumors going around this year.
KansasState
09-21-2005, 08:49 AM
In june in a transition period when the fish were starting to move to deeper water the KWA had there tournament there 46 boats caught fish on day one and 52 on day two it took 34 pounds in a two day tournament to win, so the fish are in there. Its just September in a late summer in Kansas. Wait until October or go out in april May June or July next year and youll catch them there. I was amazed and it showed the talent of these pros as many fish were caught as were caught.
fish caught
09-21-2005, 12:51 PM
Daryl did say he caught 44 walleyes in 10 days, some undersized. My Pro friend said he could have weighed a limit everyday had the size limit been 15". He had several just under 18". But, those are the rules...
So, there are nice fish in the lake.
Stacker1
09-21-2005, 01:14 PM
Dude, remember that what you find exciting may not be for the next guy. Watching 40# baskets come across the stage VS watching 20 fish. Suspense in two variations. Lets not down talk anyone on the board because of there personal preferances.
On the other hand, Milford lake is a good walleye lake. I have been down there for the NTC. Also, the hospitality of the area people is fantastic. Predict a bite that is going to happen next week, nontheless 12 months from now in sept. and the PWT will book it for the championship.
I would like to thank the great folks of Kansas for being so nice to us during championship week. I have never witnessed so many people coming up and thanking me for taking part and driving out from Michigan...(I would have walked if I had to). We all know September is a tough month and yes we all would have liked to have a 40 pound basket, but that just isn't Championship fishing....It has really never been that way....when we all went to the banquet, every angler congratulated Dave for putting on a clinic on a tough bite, (Congratulations again Dave), something we all worked very hard at but couldn't do....It was also very cool to hear Chase talk about how bad he was shaking when he caught those fish and waited to weigh in....he is a very good young man who is great for our sport...Milford Lake is actually pretty incredible. Do not judge it by the weights brought in....I wish I could have, (and should have), taken a picture of my graph to show everyone what was happening down there. I don't think I have ever seen a graph lit up like they were there, (and I fish Erie and Saginaw Bay pretty regularly). Bait fish from top to bottom with huge hooks rising, sinking, slashing and crashing. It was really cool and a tremendous challenge to every angler. We all would like to go back and fish that lake when the bite goes nuts....Its got to be awesome...One day I was sitting in 30 feet of water and had a 4 pound walleye surface and jump between my boat and electric bow mount....Man does that mess with your head when your primary tactic is pulling lead core... (and yes I did try to fish from the top down after that.....). Then we were treated to a day with the military and it was truely a great thing to be able to thank those guys for putting their lives on the line for us...all-in-all another great championship to be a part of
PS. I ended up catching fish in two feet of water casting cranks on shorelines that either had straight drop rock walls or the smaller railroad track-type pebbles on them....went through quite a few fish but only had two legals, and a ton of wipers....If I was a walleye angler in Kansas I sure wouldn't stop fishing in September....just need to refine a little.......Mark Sak
JLDII
09-21-2005, 03:58 PM
One question off topic for a second.
You talked about lead core trolling, Daryl talked about casting cranks, and jigs. Did you or anyone else you know of try snapping jigging spoons?
spoons
09-21-2005, 04:09 PM
My pro friend fished jigs, bottom bouncers, lead slabs/spoons, and trolled. Caught fish on all presentations. Spoons were working in Practice.
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You bet we did Jack.....we snapped them, trolled them and casted them....the issue was you caught way too many Wipers....they are very aggressive and take several minutes to get to the boat,(the big ones), and when you get them in, it's like trying to grab a bunch of razor blades that are spinning at about 50 rpm's.....certainly was suprised to see so few spoon companies in that market as a lot of folks really enjoy wiper fishing down there and I'm sure they are a lot of fun, when your not tourney fishing...Mark
linus
09-21-2005, 06:08 PM
I wonder what percentage of walleeye die after a weigh in? we were on the lake today and found some dead walleye that were over 18 inches. Maybe they werestressed due to warm water temps after weigh in.
metoo
09-22-2005, 09:25 AM
Good question, that tourney was hot, weigh-in was long...seems like they could have lost a lot of them.
IP address of this message: 66.6.124.133
linus
09-22-2005, 10:43 AM
we were really sad to see those dead fish yesterday..of course dont know for sure they died as a result of weigh in and release, but they were all in the general area. We think there were no doubt other dead ones that we did not see..there were probably dead ones that did not float. it is really a shame because despite all the comments on this board milford lake is not full of walleye anymore, so each fish especially keeper fish are important.
IP address of this message: 24.124.117.187
Hangman
09-22-2005, 06:02 PM
Sure seems like a lot of folks with the same IP addy. I'll bet he talks to himself in his sleep, too. He can't get the answers he wants from someone else, so he has to answer himself. So sad Ruben, Linus, fishinfool1, eye, etc. whoever you call yourself today. Get a life.
Kalimino
09-23-2005, 09:43 PM
"We think there were no doubt other dead ones that we did not see..":)Good one and what do we call your organization?
Kalin
Kalimino
09-23-2005, 09:43 PM
"We think there were no doubt other dead ones that we did not see..":)Good one and what do we call your organization?
Kalin
A ByStander
09-24-2005, 01:47 PM
I think it was unfair to the fishermen who spent so much of their time and money and worked so hard all season to earn a spot in the "big dance". This was no reward.
I don't think it was fair to the sponsors, who are in the game to promote sales, to have the event where it was. This tournament didn't get any potential customers excited. This tournament didn't create excitement nor help sell product nearly as well as many, many other locations could have.
I think the PWT needs to get their thinking caps on and get going in the right direction again.
This experiment just didn't work well.
A ByStander
09-24-2005, 01:47 PM
I think it was unfair to the fishermen who spent so much of their time and money and worked so hard all season to earn a spot in the "big dance". This was no reward.
I don't think it was fair to the sponsors, who are in the game to promote sales, to have the event where it was. This tournament didn't get any potential customers excited. This tournament didn't create excitement nor help sell product nearly as well as many, many other locations could have.
I think the PWT needs to get their thinking caps on and get going in the right direction again.
This experiment just didn't work well.