Sign up now for Lake Oahe FLW!!!

Walleye pros looking to win over $60,000 for 1st Place should sign up now for the FLW Outdoors Walleye Tour event on Lake Oahe, SD taking place July 12-14. There are co-anglers waiting to help fill the field for the 3rd stop of the 2012 season. The bite is said to be exceptional!!

Visit WWW.FLWOUTDOORS.COM or call (270) 252-1000 to sign up!!

Fish Hard,

John Balla
Dr. Pepper 10 Pro

[Eric_CO]

Any idea on the total boats registered as of now?

After the shocking low numbers of contestants at the recent AIM Lake Erie tournament? It will be interesting to see what numbers do show up for the FLW at Pierre. The upper tier of wallye tournament fishing appears to have been hit hard by the economy and obviously has not recovered. Time will tell if it can return to the level it once was. A level that did adequately support the anglers who have loyally supported AIM and the FLW. This reply is not intended as a bash, but I do have serious concerns as to where the upper tier of walleye tournament competition is headed. Right now it looks like it is headed to the hobbyist, recreational level or even worse.

[walleyedmike]

Originally Posted by Fishing Insider 2

Time will tell if it can return to the level it once was. A level that did adequately support the anglers who have loyally supported AIM and the FLW. This reply is not intended as a bash, but I do have serious concerns as to where the upper tier of walleye tournament competition is headed. Right now it looks like it is headed to the hobbyist, recreational level or even worse.

Well, isn't that how tournament fishing started? When "hobbyists and recreational level" anglers wanted to up the ante, they helped create small tournament circuits, which then evolved into larger and more lucrative fishing tournaments.

Don't get me wrong, I enjoy following the major circuits as often as possible, and even throw my hat into the ring now and then, when time and money allow. I would truly hate to see that go away. Maybe we need to realize that this may be a cyclical thing, that as one circuit dwindles, another may prosper, or maybe, like the Phoenix, one will "spring forth from the ashes......"

Personally, at this point in MY life, I would love to see the Walleye Leagues come back. It allowed me to fish with and against tremendous anglers, without having to sacrifice a week or more of prefishing, at a price that didn't break the bank.

Sorry in advance for this going off topic..........

[Gale Johnson]

Originally Posted by Fishing Insider 2

After the shocking low numbers of contestants at the recent AIM Lake Erie tournament? It will be interesting to see what numbers do show up for the FLW at Pierre. The upper tier of wallye tournament fishing appears to have been hit hard by the economy and obviously has not recovered. Time will tell if it can return to the level it once was. A level that did adequately support the anglers who have loyally supported AIM and the FLW. This reply is not intended as a bash, but I do have serious concerns as to where the upper tier of walleye tournament competition is headed. Right now it looks like it is headed to the hobbyist, recreational level or even worse.

very few are full time pro's, most all of them are hobbyist or recreational anglers that have a real job or other source of income

[620]

Originally Posted by walleyedmike

Personally, at this point in MY life, I would love to see the Walleye Leagues come back. It allowed me to fish with and against tremendous anglers, without having to sacrifice a week or more of prefishing, at a price that didn't break the bank.

Amen...

Originally Posted by walleyedmike

Well, isn't that how tournament fishing started? When "hobbyists and recreational level" anglers wanted to up the ante, they helped create small tournament circuits, which then evolved into larger and more lucrative fishing tournaments.

Don't get me wrong, I enjoy following the major circuits as often as possible, and even throw my hat into the ring now and then, when time and money allow. I would truly hate to see that go away. Maybe we need to realize that this may be a cyclical thing, that as one circuit dwindles, another may prosper, or maybe, like the Phoenix, one will "spring forth from the ashes......"

Personally, at this point in MY life, I would love to see the Walleye Leagues come back. It allowed me to fish with and against tremendous anglers, without having to sacrifice a week or more of prefishing, at a price that didn't break the bank.

Sorry in advance for this going off topic..........

My concerns were with the apparent downward spiral of the upper tier of walleye competitions.

[walleyedmike]

Understood, and I too am very concerned......... I'm sure the tentative loss of the National Guard sponsorship isn't going to help, either. It seems like the loss of sponsorship dollars is going to be the "deal breaker;" it has become very apparent that tournament entry fees are not enough of an incentive to play anymore.