Are Walleye Tournaments Done For

[Traxion]

First of all I'll say I'm not a tourney participant but I do follow them. First and foremost, a split in walleye tourney series is not good for the sport. I understand there are only so many weekends available and a lot of locations over a large geographical area. It makes no sense to have a tourney at Erie, then Ft. Peck, then Bull Shoals. But it also makes less sense to have the same tournaments over and over at the same locations in MN, Erie, and Green Bay. I understand the economics of things, fisherman are mostly from that area and the communities putting the tourneys on plop down a good bit of cash to get them there. That said, I think it makes the fans less interested. Another tourney on Erie. What fun. But look at any major sport out there that has split. It's not good for the sport. And neither is the walleye tourney split.

Second, the TV productions surrounding the walleye tournaments are weak compared to the BASS events. Watching the BASS events, or even the bass fishing leagues they have on TV is much more entertaining. Part of that is the type of fishing, casting to a dock or cover can lead to more excitement than picking a rod up to a holder. And, a lot of that is just difference in fishing methods. But unquestionably for me, watching the BASS events is 20x better than watching a walleye event.

Until you get more fans and can show the value to sponsors the events will continue to decline.

[codybrown5991]

I agree 72 dead Walleye is not Walleye fishing at all but I disagree about getting rid of the tournaments all together....I think tournaments help promote the sport of fishing as well as promote conservation efforts so you and I have the ability to fish....I just wish every tournament would adapt the process the AIM walleye Series has been doing, which is their CRR format(catch-record-release) it helps prevent dead fish and should be the method that all tournaments use for weighing fish.

[Yarhcaz]

Now I am sure this will unpopular, but it is what it is... I would like to see the big tournaments fail. I fished several years on the PWT (way back lol) and outside of making some friends and fishing some new waters I did not really enjoy the large events. I am convinced that those early days are part of the reason the new boats are 20 footers with 300's hanging on the back and the reason our tackle/gear has gotten so much more expensive...we as walleye guys are trying to compete against those bassers...I dont think we should do that, we are better than them (I kid, I kid). But seriously to be a good Walleye fisherman takes a lot of talent and I don't feel the same about Bass.
Small friendly tournaments are awesome...the biggest I might fish again would be the So Dak Gov Cup but I personally can not bring myself to support the "national" tournaments as I think they do more harm than good...and speaking from experience...they are not fun to do, it is real work, real expensive, and really stressful...everything that chasing Walleyes shouldn't be! Lets all remember why we started fishing...I bet most of you have forgotten, I know I did, now I am trying to get back to it and I am much happier for it.

Good luck and for those that want the major tournys, even though I don't like em, I wish you the best and hopefully you find what makes you happy!

[I Walleye]

Originally Posted by codybrown5991

I agree 72 dead Walleye is not Walleye fishing at all but I disagree about getting rid of the tournaments all together....I think tournaments help promote the sport of fishing as well as promote conservation efforts so you and I have the ability to fish....I just wish every tournament would adapt the process the AIM walleye Series has been doing, which is their CRR format(catch-record-release) it helps prevent dead fish and should be the method that all tournaments use for weighing fish.

Those 72 dead floating walleye would have been fish that where released on the water, not from the tank.
It dosen't matter if it's a CRR event or not, fish pulled up from deep water to fast are going to float.

[stevefellegy]

And god forbid, if a non-tourney angler releases a fish! Of course, only fish released by tourney guys die. LOL

Look....here is a real world fact. The general public makes up 99 percent of all walleye harvest--per the DNR records. Why are they ( the general public/non tourney angler) able to kill many of those walleyes? Because they take advantage of all the tactics, locations and equipment that tournaments have pushed into reality for the non-tourney angler to utilize.

So anyone who thinks tourney anglers are hard on the resource? Look in the mirror and stop doing anything you read about in In-Fish, saw on TV, learned at a seminar and so on for the past 28 years...go back to how and where and what you did fishing before the mid '80's. Then tell me/us tourney anglers are bad guys and bad for the resource. In fact, tourney anglers are bad. But only because the likes of the general public fish with and how they were taught by pro anglers/guides/writers etc.

No--this blame game doesn't fly. The big bad problem related to tourney fishing is you--the angler holding a high buck rod, standing in the modern day boat looking at the modern day electroncis, using a specially designed bait in a spot you never would have dreamed walleyes would live.

And that scenario ain't all bad...now is it?

Originally Posted by codybrown5991

.I think tournaments help promote the sport of fishing as well as promote conservation efforts so you and I have the ability to fish.

How does 100-150 anglers coming to the stage with a limit of big females in hopes of taking home a wheel barry full of cash promote conservation? Not to mention, the fish they caught while pre-fishing for a week that they either kept, or released and went belly up?

I've went to many a weigh in, and it's a little disheartening. Most of these guys see dollar signs, and have no regards for the future of the resource.

[fishim]

Amen Steve and lets not forget the hundreds of thousands of dollars spent on local economies. Hotels full, resorts full, lines at the gas stations how about bait shops ya think they like tourneys? There are many businesses that have been kept afloat because of visiting tournaments. How about restuants? When many people go on a fishing trip with family or friends (including myself) they plan their meals, bring everything they need to cook in the cabin, they plan on a meal of fish about every day (and try to bring home their limits). Now when I'm at a tournament I might bring a little this and that but it pretty common to go get your groceries when you get there and thats usually snacks and sami's for the boat. Otherwise its out to eat almost every night again supporting local economies. And fish frys? whats that? There are some guys who will keep some fish and there are times when your nowhere near an eating establishment that you may count on a meal of fish or two but for me and my crew its very very rare to keep a fish while at a tournament. There is just no time for it. How about licenses? Just about every out of state event I have to buy an annual license to fish for a week, spend hundreds in gas, bait, tackle, lodging and food all while keeping no fish and then I'm on my way but yet I am always looked at as the bad guy when I leave by some. Lets also not forget about the thousands of dollars that have been donated by tournament anglers through conservation funds incorporated into entry fees. How about all the Youth and Family fishing clinics put on by the NPAA at about every major event? I can totally understand frustration by some when they have to share their favorite lake with 100 other guys that aren't normally around but in the big picture tournaments are very important to the fishing industry

[Burr]

Originally Posted by Rilly?

I've went to many a weigh in, and it's a little disheartening. Most of these guys see dollar signs, and have no regards for the future of the resource.

That's kind of funny. Most "Rilly" simply want to criticize tournaments because all they see is the tournament as a source of revenue for them to reach out and grab. Then they get mad when they can't walk away from the tournament organization with thousands stuffed in their pockets.

It's a public resource, and the public has rules to be followed. Not one of your criticisms has anything to do with breaking laws.

Number one - 172 dead fish huh, "Rilly"... If that happens, it's rare. Second, Cass Lake can't sustain the loss of 172 fish? "If" it did happen, it had 0 effect on the health on the Cass Lake Fishery.

The DNR knows, and has stated many times tournaments do not negatively affect fish biomass on the bodies of water where permits are issued. If you don't agree with the DNR, then fish populations should be exploding as the number of Walleyes tournament permits issued is down over 40% in the last 6 years.

Rilly...

[WAZ]

Rilly?, it's a great thing when the big females are presented at the MWC Spring Valley Tournament. The conservation folks are there to handle the fish and get them to the hatchery for optimal reproduction. We need to work together.

[stevefellegy]

Originally Posted by Rilly?

How does 100-150 anglers coming to the stage with a limit of big females in hopes of taking home a wheel barry full of cash promote conservation? Not to mention, the fish they caught while pre-fishing for a week that they either kept, or released and went belly up?

I've went to many a weigh in, and it's a little disheartening. Most of these guys see dollar signs, and have no regards for the future of the resource.

So, Rilly, how does the bad scenario you portray at the tourney stage compare to the 100's and sometimes 1000's of non-tourney anglers the same day on the same lake coming to the landings with all their fish? And then, please, do the comparison using 20 weekends a year...

Here is another fact: Unless you are speaking about a tourney field from one of the FLW/AIM/PWT/MWC level events, you are wrong to think tourney pressure is harder on any lake than non-tourney days/weekends. How can that be? Simple--80-90 percent ( or more in many cases) of ALL tourney fields not mentioned above are LOCAL anglers that fish the lake most every weekend. In fact, by having an MTT or the like event going on, the harvest is LESS since the majority of the filed would be keeping more fish than the event limit per state rules. So--thank god for small tournies every weekend! Right?

I had guy walk up to me one time at a weigh-in and grab me by the throat, in my face, as I stood in line with 6 walleyes in the bag. He proceeded to tell me I was ruining the lake! Now--this was at my HOME lake where I had been guiding 7 days per week for 40 plus years--bringing in and knifing countless limits of walleyes every day for 3 anglers. I asked him "would you rather I guide or fish tournies? I kill 18 per day guiding but you have no issue with that for 40 years nor now--and in a tourney I kill 6 per day--your choice......" He was speechless, to say the least.

Reality? This is or at least should be a mute subject.