FLW Championship.... Problem?

welcome to Iowa!!!
that's the IDNR for ya...........take Lake McBride for instance outside of Solon Iowa. BIG TIME MONEY around the lake and it's the money that talks and makes the rules!!!!!!!
Probably the same in other areas. Anybody that lives near this lake probably knows exactly what I'm talking about. It's very frustrating!!!


Good luck to all you tourny guys and gals!!!!!!

welcome to Iowa!!!
that's the IDNR for ya...........take Lake McBride for instance outside of Solon Iowa. BIG TIME MONEY around the lake and it's the money that talks and makes the rules!!!!!!!
Probably the same in other areas. Anybody that lives near this lake probably knows exactly what I'm talking about. It's very frustrating!!!


Good luck to all you tourny guys and gals!!!!!!

[Nick(Ia)]

Gary, I've read your posts on a couple of threads. I appreciate your perspective even if I don't agree with everything you say. I also appreciate and respect the use of your name on a post. Some discussion points on the issues you present:

#1. you post that "After reading the various posts on here it becomes clear to me that some feel strongly that competive angling takes precedence over recreational fishing"

I reread the thread and I'm not sure I see that anyone has made a claim that competitive angling takes precedence over recreational fishing. In Iowa, competitive angling and particularly walleye tournaments are regulated to a much greater degree than recreational angling. Competitive angling is already singled out for different rules than recreational angling-we are forced to abide by separate rules than the recreational angler.

#2. "Frankly, I do not want competive angling to start telling the DNR or Game and Fish, how to manage the resource."

I agree that no single group should dictate the management of a resource that belongs to everybody. Everybody should have a right to the resource and it is the DNR or Fish and Game's job to ensure that those rights are protected. They do this by regulation of the resource. In order to support fair regulation they must have some basis for determining that an event or group will harm the resource. This is the issue that needs to be addressed. How do tournaments harm the resource? To place a greater degree of regulation on tournaments because they will impact the resource and then not have the evidence that the tournament's impact on the resource is negative or greater than other uses is unfair.

#3. "Competive angling will stay healthy if we continue to consider the resource and competive angling's social impact on the recreational fisherman and live within the rules in which the event takes place. setting a precedence of "exceptions to the rule" will seriously harm relationships with the State Game and Fish Departments and the angling public"

I think that competitive fishermen are some of the greatest stewards of the resource, they prize and value the resource. To imply that somehow competitive anglers don't "consider the resource" is not accurate. I'm not sure what you mean when you talk about the social impact on recreational fishermen. I note in your post on another thread that you indicate that the nonangling public gets their hackles up when they see alot of boats on "their favorite" lake. I'm sure you understand that the lake like any other resource is for everyone to use and enjoy, not just the people that are fortunate enough to live on or around it. I think the single biggest "social" impact that competitive anglers have on recreational fishermen would be congestion at the boat ramp. This is an issue that tourney directors and state agencies look at when permits are issued in an attempt to make sure that there are alternative ramp options for recreational fishermen when a tournament clogs a ramp. As far as exceptions to the rules...permits, fishing hours, designated ramp use, catch and release, lower bag limits are all rules that the tournament angler must follow that the recreational angler on the same body of water at the same time doesn't have to worry about. We are already singled out for special regulation so the idea that this is somehow precendent setting is debateable.

The real issue is a public relations issue that the Iowa DNR's anti-walleye tournament policy creates. It is easy for us to sit here and tell our fellow resource users that this waiver will not make an impact on the resource but it becomes much more difficult when the state agency in charge of the resource implies that there is an adverse impact on the fishery by the waiver. Many people will believe them because they are the "DNR". I believe they need to give us the facts and data that support their position that tournaments are adversely impacting the fishery.

I apoligize for the long-winded reply and appreciate the discussion. I'm sorry you find some of my posts to be name calling but this is a walleye tournament message board and if someone anonymously comes here and makes unfounded negative allegations about tournaments then they will be called out to defend their position. I think everyone is welcome to discuss and debate but you've got to be prepared to support your ideas and not just sling mud.

[Nick(Ia)]

Gary, I've read your posts on a couple of threads. I appreciate your perspective even if I don't agree with everything you say. I also appreciate and respect the use of your name on a post. Some discussion points on the issues you present:

#1. you post that "After reading the various posts on here it becomes clear to me that some feel strongly that competive angling takes precedence over recreational fishing"

I reread the thread and I'm not sure I see that anyone has made a claim that competitive angling takes precedence over recreational fishing. In Iowa, competitive angling and particularly walleye tournaments are regulated to a much greater degree than recreational angling. Competitive angling is already singled out for different rules than recreational angling-we are forced to abide by separate rules than the recreational angler.

#2. "Frankly, I do not want competive angling to start telling the DNR or Game and Fish, how to manage the resource."

I agree that no single group should dictate the management of a resource that belongs to everybody. Everybody should have a right to the resource and it is the DNR or Fish and Game's job to ensure that those rights are protected. They do this by regulation of the resource. In order to support fair regulation they must have some basis for determining that an event or group will harm the resource. This is the issue that needs to be addressed. How do tournaments harm the resource? To place a greater degree of regulation on tournaments because they will impact the resource and then not have the evidence that the tournament's impact on the resource is negative or greater than other uses is unfair.

#3. "Competive angling will stay healthy if we continue to consider the resource and competive angling's social impact on the recreational fisherman and live within the rules in which the event takes place. setting a precedence of "exceptions to the rule" will seriously harm relationships with the State Game and Fish Departments and the angling public"

I think that competitive fishermen are some of the greatest stewards of the resource, they prize and value the resource. To imply that somehow competitive anglers don't "consider the resource" is not accurate. I'm not sure what you mean when you talk about the social impact on recreational fishermen. I note in your post on another thread that you indicate that the nonangling public gets their hackles up when they see alot of boats on "their favorite" lake. I'm sure you understand that the lake like any other resource is for everyone to use and enjoy, not just the people that are fortunate enough to live on or around it. I think the single biggest "social" impact that competitive anglers have on recreational fishermen would be congestion at the boat ramp. This is an issue that tourney directors and state agencies look at when permits are issued in an attempt to make sure that there are alternative ramp options for recreational fishermen when a tournament clogs a ramp. As far as exceptions to the rules...permits, fishing hours, designated ramp use, catch and release, lower bag limits are all rules that the tournament angler must follow that the recreational angler on the same body of water at the same time doesn't have to worry about. We are already singled out for special regulation so the idea that this is somehow precendent setting is debateable.

The real issue is a public relations issue that the Iowa DNR's anti-walleye tournament policy creates. It is easy for us to sit here and tell our fellow resource users that this waiver will not make an impact on the resource but it becomes much more difficult when the state agency in charge of the resource implies that there is an adverse impact on the fishery by the waiver. Many people will believe them because they are the "DNR". I believe they need to give us the facts and data that support their position that tournaments are adversely impacting the fishery.

I apoligize for the long-winded reply and appreciate the discussion. I'm sorry you find some of my posts to be name calling but this is a walleye tournament message board and if someone anonymously comes here and makes unfounded negative allegations about tournaments then they will be called out to defend their position. I think everyone is welcome to discuss and debate but you've got to be prepared to support your ideas and not just sling mud.

[Fish_on]

Gary I would take issue with several of the things you say in this post. First of all you state that recreational fishing should take priority over competitive angling. Competitive angling is recreational fishing. You cannot separate the two. Everyone should have the same right to the resource no matter if they have paid an entry fee and plan to weigh their catch at the end of the day or not. Saying that an angler who is not in a tournament should have priority over one who is in a tournament is discrimination in its purest form.

I would also have you take a look at the reason that slot limits were put into place in the first place. They are to protect a certain segment of the population from harvest. They are not intended to restrict anglers from catching the fish within a slot and releasing them. In C&R tournaments there is nothing wrong with lifting a slot in order to make the tournament weigh-ins more exciting and bring attention to the quality of the fishery. That is not what the slot limits were put into place to do anyway. Illinois and many other states understand the great value of fishing tournaments is in driving sales of fishing related products, tourism, and more fishing license, boat registration fees, boat ramp permits, etc. and getting youngsters invloved in fishing. Tournaments have huge positive economic impacts in addition to the great things they do for the fisheries. Illinois understands that, and a couple people in the Iowa DNR fisheries who happen to be policy makers simply don't get it. And it is time they change some of their outdated and discriminitory policies or be replaced by people who will.

[Fish_on]

Gary I would take issue with several of the things you say in this post. First of all you state that recreational fishing should take priority over competitive angling. Competitive angling is recreational fishing. You cannot separate the two. Everyone should have the same right to the resource no matter if they have paid an entry fee and plan to weigh their catch at the end of the day or not. Saying that an angler who is not in a tournament should have priority over one who is in a tournament is discrimination in its purest form.

I would also have you take a look at the reason that slot limits were put into place in the first place. They are to protect a certain segment of the population from harvest. They are not intended to restrict anglers from catching the fish within a slot and releasing them. In C&R tournaments there is nothing wrong with lifting a slot in order to make the tournament weigh-ins more exciting and bring attention to the quality of the fishery. That is not what the slot limits were put into place to do anyway. Illinois and many other states understand the great value of fishing tournaments is in driving sales of fishing related products, tourism, and more fishing license, boat registration fees, boat ramp permits, etc. and getting youngsters invloved in fishing. Tournaments have huge positive economic impacts in addition to the great things they do for the fisheries. Illinois understands that, and a couple people in the Iowa DNR fisheries who happen to be policy makers simply don't get it. And it is time they change some of their outdated and discriminitory policies or be replaced by people who will.

In my opinion this is one of the only things that the IL DNR has done right in the past couple of years. The PWT tournament on the Fox Chain also had the slot lifted.

In my opinion this is one of the only things that the IL DNR has done right in the past couple of years. The PWT tournament on the Fox Chain also had the slot lifted.

[JLDII]

First off, I want to thank everyone for the many well thought out and well worded responses to this issue.

Something strikes me a little strange. It seems that some of you seem to think that the IDNR's tough stance on tournaments is directed primarily towards walleye tournaments.

Is their stance any different with bass tournaments?

[JLDII]

First off, I want to thank everyone for the many well thought out and well worded responses to this issue.

Something strikes me a little strange. It seems that some of you seem to think that the IDNR's tough stance on tournaments is directed primarily towards walleye tournaments.

Is their stance any different with bass tournaments?