Lake Sharpe Court

[Judge Judy]

You make the call!
4 issues have come to light at Lake Sharpe.
Vote on each of them, vote only once!
1. Should any tournament be allowed to continue on any body of water when sustained winds exceed 40 m.p.h.?
2.Does a director have the right to advise contestants to hold in an area while a decision is being made, costing the travel time that could lead to disqualification?
3.In slot limit tournaments, how many times should a fish be measured to qualify or disqualify that fish and /or the contestant?
4. Should a contestant who stops to assist any other person in distress, if following the tournament guidelines, be disqualified?

It's been a week since these problems arose. Lake of the Woods is coming up, let the PWT know by voting, how they should make their decisions.

[Joey]

1. no
2.no
3.3 times
4.no

[jeff reed]

1. Are you saying at the start of the day before any boats leave or after everyone has left and the wind comes up during the day????


2.NO

3. Twice, close calls are called by tourney director.
Measuring of fish is not rocket science.

4. Yes. If you don't everbody will use that as an excuse to be late.

[Jon'eye']

1)NO
2)NO
3)I can get the correct measurement of a fish the first time.
4)NO - I know your about to sink and die, but you know how it goes...have to pay the bills.

Jon'eye'

[kurt]

1. no
2. no
3. no
4. no, as long as pwt protocol is used

[dutchman]

1. NO
2. YES
3. Once
4. NO

[Judge Judy]

anytime during the day!

[fish_er]

Now this forum makes sense. Listen up PWT
1. no
2. no
3. twice
4. no, It shouldn't even be a question, Always help first. No penaty for doing whats moraly right.

[Nofish]

Hey Gang,

Based on parameters offered,
1) No
2) No
3) Three times, if needed
4) Absolutely, No.

my two cents........R

[5-speed]

fish_er i wish there were more people like you around i agree with your list

[lilfish]

1.no
2.no
3.2 or 3
4no way

[Wannabe]

1, No
2, No
3, 3
4, No, Always help a fellow angler if he / she needs help

[smally]

1) yes
2) yes, for safety sake. but they ##### well better cancell that day's fishing afterward or be ready to face the storm
3) once better be enough
4) no.

[Phil T.]

1. No
2. Yes, but stop the clock during the hold.
3. Once, unless challenged, then a second time.
4. Isn't aiding a craft in danger of damage, or threat to life a legal requirement? If I were in serious trouble, and any boat passed me by, I'd be giving its registration number to the Coast Guard or other law enforcement agency for prosecution. Let them hire a $200/hour defense lawyer.

[Jeff reed]

1. Then my Final ANSWER IS YES

[jeff reed]

Everyone should be required to stop and lend assistance. The QUESTION IS is that a VALID excuse to keep from getting DQ'd if you're late. I say that rule is ripe for abuse.

[jp]

no
no
twice
no! Help first...As far as abuse there's always someone to confirm your story.

[FJH1]

>1. Should any tournament be allowed
>to continue on any body
>of water when sustained winds
>exceed 40 m.p.h.?

No

>2.Does a director have the right
>to advise contestants to hold
>in an area while a
>decision is being made, costing
>the travel time that could
>lead to disqualification?

No

>3.In slot limit tournaments, how many
>times should a fish be
>measured to qualify or disqualify
>that fish and /or the
>contestant?

Twice (once by the bumpmaster and a second time by the tournament director if the call is close).

>4. Should a contestant who stops
>to assist any other person
>in distress, if following the
>tournament guidelines, be disqualified?

Yes (too many people will use it as an excuse for being late).

Best Regards,

FJH

[curt quesnell]

1. yes
2. yes...i dont think contestants should be
calling in to ask the question...to stay
or go is first a call for the pro to make
(with the help of his amature partner)and
finally to cancel the day is a job for
the tounament director.
3. once.....ok maybe a check of the wieghmaster
measurement by the tournament director...
twice tops
4. yes...stopping to help could cost you the
day..as a sportsman or woman you still
must stop to help, or see to it that help
is on the way...

curt quesnell

[jimK]

no
no
twice
no......never!

[Jesse-WI]

1. Yes, Lake Sharpe proved that certain bodies of water are still fishable under these conditions.

2. Yes, since safety has to be the deciding factor. This is a grey area since not everyone's boating skills are equal.

3. 3 times best 2 of out 3, but contestant should be able to show judges how they measaured the fish.

4. No, but the guidelines should include the statement that it is believed the contestant would have made it back in time had the incident not taken place.

[Hans]

> 4. Should a contestant who stops to assist any
> other person in distress, if following the
> tournament guidelines, be disqualified?

If any person knowingly FAILS to stop and assist a person in distress, they should be disqualified not only for the event, but for the *season*.

Hans

[walleyepro]

With sustained winds above 40mph no tournament should be allowed to proceed!

[Mike Simpson]

Though I feel that the questions are "loaded," to the negative regarding PWT officials, I will answer anyway.

1. Not in the case of the Lake Sharp tournament. Forecast was for 25-35. By 11:30 or noon when winds reached 40 it was too late. A decision by Mark at that time would only have changed the leader board, NOT the safety of the pros.

2. Yes. The key word here is "advise." Dorn did not to my knowledge "prohibit" anyone from attempting to return. We all have the right to "advise." It's called free-speech. In this case, it was good advice.

3. Measure the fish as many times as necessary to obtain a fair result. If the fish were yours, you would want him to do his best to make it fit. I've never heard of any of our judges repeatedly measuring a fish in order to make it NOT pass the bump.

4. Can't remember question 4 will follow up...

[Mike Simpson]

4. No, IF IF IF and again I say IF... the contestant could reasonably have gotten back had he NOT assisted the angler in distress.

[Mike Simpson]

Since the questions are skewed in a negative way towards tournament officials, I hope that you will present the entire response to them, not just the vote tally. (You can often tell a poll-taker's opinion by the way they phrase the questions).

There's an old legal proverb that goes "Hard cases make bad law." This is one of those "hard cases" where establishing tournament policy based on this one circumstance would create cumbersome, inneffective restrictions to the pros.

[Gary Korsgaden]

I want to make one comment here: Put yourself in the position of a contestant in the hunt or possible top finish after day two. He hears the weather forecast and decides to stay close to insure a safe return. Knowing full well no check
in point below or a second station convenient to those that ran the distance.I have fished that stretch of river and a 20mph or 25 mph is questionable to get back safely without harm to fish, equipment or people. He fishes day three with that in mind close) to insure he will weigh and get in without risking not making it becasue of the wind. Mid part the last day it is decided by officials a second check in point for those below.Is that fair to a contestant that made his decision to stay close that morning.I would bet if he known a second check in point would be established he may run the distance knowing full well if the wind kicked up he still could get in to weigh. If it was announced that morning a check in point would be set up down river and everyone knew it then it would be different.This was a fair decision on the part of officials.

Lastly weighing Sam Anderson's fish. walleyes will relax and stretch out allowing for a more accurate measurement. Every effort should be afforded to allow that. Especially if the contestant measured and the fish was acceptable while in the boat.

[eye1]

On the measuring thing.Every tournement fisherman knows that the fish will indeed "grow" a bit in the livewell , we've seen em lengthen up to about 1/4".It is the anglers responsibility to make sure his fish are still within the slot limit prior to bringing the fish to the scales.If a fish is that close to being over early in the day its a very very tough call as to what to do with it.Its all part of the tourney game.

[Bayside]

1. No
2. ONLY to give a diffinitive answer i.e. YES or NO not I think or I recommend or I would advise you to... You are the tournament director make the call, right or wrong. Anglers have marine band radios, cell phones, etc. when they call the tournament director for an answer he of all people should be able to give them one.
3. 2 or 3 times
4. You are required by law to aid any boat in distress on the water, you should certainly not be disqualified!