Just got off website for this tourney in Qunicy on Aug.19 and
W. Dennis on Spet. 16. Looks like competition for our Local
tourneys by some organization called FLW. Anyone entered
in this event and anyone got some insight into it. Curiously,
only SB between 28 and 36 inches are eligible.

Curiously,
only SB between 28 and 36 inches are eligible.

I guess they figure that the fishing world has been waiting with bated breath for a tourney that will get decided by a hundreth of a pound :huh:

http://www.striped-bass.com/Stripertalk/showthread.php?t=32940

I'm thinking about entering the Bass River event in Sept. Plus I have a Yamaha engine which qualifies for extra $$. Frankly, I like the idea of a slot limit. Should ensure an even playing field.

Unfortunately, since their goal is to release every fish alive after it's weighed (or so I hear), what it'll ensure is a few 8 oz sinkers stuffed down a 36" fish, I'm afraid.

Unfortunately I'm an optimist regarding people and tournaments. And looking back at the last two events, lb ranges were right ~ 33 for the winning two fish.

where does the slot limit fall?
i wonder too, if you happen to bring in a fish that has died, if it will be disqualified??? i mean, sinkers down the gullet can't be all that nutritous.

How do you get 33 lb fish with a 28-36" slot? :confused:

X 2 ?

Best 2 fish between 28-34"

2 lb penalty for dead fish

For full rules see - http://striperseries.flwoutdoors.com/rules.cfm?cid=13

I actually had a long and I thought very informative discussion with the director of this tournament. I have to say I was pretty impressed. They have done extensive preperation and research to facilitate a fair and conservation friendly tournament in a time when very few tournaments are fair and conservation friendly.

In fact, I have been meaning to have a Q&A here on S-B with the tournament director so people can ask and he can give his spiel to the folks here...

In addition to the slot of 28 - 36 inches, 2 fish combined weight,
This is a NO bait tourny, not even a worm on a tube!
There is a 1 Single hook role also, so if you use a 9er rig, only 1 shad can have a hook !
We (Team Ave Maria) will be fishing it :buds:

Basser and I had a long talk with thier rep at the Mass Bass Show. FLW has been running the Redfish for a long time and seems to have all the bases covered. Tubes will be provided to keep fish alive. Every way of cheating you could think of has allready been tried and they know how to deal with it. All they needed was a permit to high grade from Mass, so I guess they got it.
All the recent discussion on yo-yoing raises a question tho. Suppose your 36" ate a yo-yoed pogie and broke off? Without your knowing you could be DQed and falsely branded! What if he swallowed a 6 oz jig? It`ll show up on the x-ray.
Slinger

Seems like a lot of ridiculous rules to me. One hook? Kept alive? So if you're a surf fisherman, you're supposed to haul one bass in some half-assed life support device around with you until you catch a second?

If their premise is that these tubes keep the fish alive, why have a slot limit? For the first time ever in the striper surf, you'll hear an agler say "Damn it! another 40 pounder."

Seems like running the 100 meters and awarding a tropy to the guy who comes in 4th.

Seems like a lot of ridiculous rules to me. One hook? Kept alive? So if you're a surf fisherman, you're supposed to haul one bass in some half-assed life support device around with you until you catch a second?

If their premise is that these tubes keep the fish alive, why have a slot limit? For the first time ever in the striper surf, you'll hear an agler say "Damn it! another 40 pounder."

Seems like running the 100 meters and awarding a tropy to the guy who comes in 4th.

Its a boat tournament. And its a pretty standard style of tournament in other species now. It keeps things way more close and exciting for the viewing audience. I don't see much wrong with it.

Zac

Seems like a lot of ridiculous rules to me. One hook? Kept alive? So if you're a surf fisherman, you're supposed to haul one bass in some half-assed life support device around with you until you catch a second?

If their premise is that these tubes keep the fish alive, why have a slot limit? For the first time ever in the striper surf, you'll hear an agler say "Damn it! another 40 pounder."

Seems like running the 100 meters and awarding a tropy to the guy who comes in 4th.

Unfortunately it is just for boat guys - hence the big prize money - which increases if you win froma particualr brand of boat or outboard. Probably be a little embarrasing if a surf guy outfished the boat guys :hf1:

But as far as (boat) tourneys go, can you think of something more C&R friendly wise in a tournament? It is an interesting concept.

All they needed was a permit to high grade from Mass, so I guess they got it.
Slinger


Slinger - your reference to high grade, what exactly does that mean?

Does anyone know if they are planning on tagging any of the released fish to try to come up with a mortality rate of bass kept alive in those tubes. Might be a good idea just for information purposes. I'd be curious to see the results and how they compare to mortality rate studies that have previously done for catch and release with stripers. By the way, I applaud their efforts to run a responsible tournament and this post was in no way supposed to come off as an attack (things don't always come out right when typed and I just want to be clear).

In MA it is illegal to keep a Striped Bass alive with the intent to High Grade. ie; release the first fish in favor of a larger fish caught at a later time. High Grading or the intent to High Grade is illegal in MA.
But, I'm guessing they will give permits to allow it? I've never heard of that happening.

My understanding is that they have achieved a waiver during the tournament for those participating...

Its a boat tournament. And its a pretty standard style of tournament in other species now. It keeps things way more close and exciting for the viewing audience. I don't see much wrong with it.

Zac


Except the guy who catches the most large fish (the historical definition of winning in fishing) doesn't win.

I have to admit, before people begin questioning my motives, that no outdoor television annoys me more than those stupid FLW redfish tournaments. That's why I hate the idea of this. Slot tournaments are silly and uninteresting, in my opinion - the fifth horseman of the apocalypse. Like giving a trophy to the fat kid cause he tried really hard.

It's illegal to keep a bass alive in Mass, period. Keeping one on a stringer, or in a livewell, is deemed per se evidence that you're engaging in high-grading.

322 CMR 6.07(5)(e):

(e) To prohibit the practice of high-grading as defined in 322 CMR 6.07(2) recreational fishermen may not retain legal-sized striped bass and release said fish in favor of another larger legal-sized striped bass captured subsequently. Any legal-sized fish not immediately released into the water and held by stringer, live-well or another means shall be considered intent to high-grade

322 CMR 6.07(7)(g):

(7) Prohibitions. It shall be unlawful for:

(g) a recreational fisherman to "high-grade" striped bass or to keep striped bass alive in the water by attaching a line or chain to the fish or placing the fish in a live-well or holding car.

What a great concept in which you are rewarded for being an average fisherman by the need to target slot fish. If you do manage to catch a few slot fish it's then dumb luck if you get a fat slot fish.
The one that was held in CT had a bunch of boats trolling tubes tipped with Berkley Power Sandworms, what tremendous fishing skills that requires. Many of the boatscame in with no fish. It should be a no trolling tournament.................

F wal mart.

This makes me so freakin mad. How can it be bad to catch a bigger fish in a tourny? Those redfish tournys on tv are the most boring fishing shows on earth. No other place will you see a guy catch a 25lb fish and have to throw it back cuz it's too big?! Lets make them go back to the damn South. Us yankees like big fish!WHAT THE HELL!

I was looking forward to fishing this tournament when I first heard about it. They were claiming $1,000,000 in prizes. I was excited, finally Striper fishing could become a sport that could earn the best fisherman a living. Largemouth fisherman have had this luxury, look at the top pros, making MILLIONS a year. Sunfish fishing isn't for me though. I'm not knocking those who fish for them, but I prefer Stripers, the real bass.

The rules are pathetic, you can not keep a fish over a certain length. I understand the minimum length, requirement, but a maximum? Are these people stupid?!? There is only one state I'm aware of that has a maximum weight law, but they don't fish there.

People come to these tournaments to watch, they want to see the BIGGEST fish. How boring is it, when all the fish at the weigh-in are going to be around the same size. What's the point? I want to go catch some hogs. It is a catch and release tournament; yes sometimes the fish die, but since the Striper Tube has been introduced, it cuts down the chances majorly.

Another thing that I can not stand is the fact that the tournament is ARTIFICIALS ONLY! That's ridiculous, the only reason why I can think of is because Wal-Mart wants to sell their artificial lures. Being the great sponsor, I am sure they had a major influence on this decision. If I wanted to sling artificial baits all day, I would be fishing in the bass tournaments! There is so much skill in using real bait. Locating them, knowing which ones to use, cut baiting techniques.

I'd rather stay with the NSBA, and win less money then support something with such stupid rules.

So only AveMaria is putting a team in the Wal-Mart Striper
Tourney. Of all the boat owners on this web we can get only
one team. Ave Maria is my kind of team. Go get em' guys and
I would like to be a the dock when the weighing get done.

I think Bill & Jules are also

That is correct SKD, we are participating!!!

Good luck Jules....

This was as professionally run a tournament as I have ever seen. I like the fact that it’s artificial only, I love the fact that it’s a live release and I honestly feel that the attention that this brings to our sport can significantly increase our chances of getting meaningful regulations to protect them. The more people realize that there are millions of anglers that target stripers and that those millions of anglers spend big $$$ not only on tackle and boats, but on lodging, donuts, coffee, etc., the stronger the lobbying effort will become to save stripers. The slot limit does make it a nail-biting affair at the weigh in (only fractions of an ounce determine the winner in many cases) and that’s good for the camera and helps make it a more dramatic weigh in. This kind of tournament also give the non-pro angler a chance to mix it up with the big guns, especially if your local knowledge puts you over a bunch of fatties that are within the slot limit.

Is my idea of a great day on the water racing at 67mph to some distant spot through 6 foot seas because I’ve got to boat the biggest or should I say fattest striper I can cull? No way! My idea of the ideal day is one where I watch the sun come up with a good fishing buddy that also appreciates the beauty of the surrounding as well as catching fish…and oh yeah, we then proceed to catch giant cows on surface plugs. I also don’t like what tournament fishing does to ordinarily nice people…put some significant money on the line and some people go nuts and do very bad things. I’ve always been taught that the conscience is a person’s compass and I’ve seen people go way off course while in tournaments. To those who enter, good luck and good fishing.

This was as professionally run a tournament as I have ever seen. I like the fact that it’s artificial only, I love the fact that it’s a live release and I honestly feel that the attention that this brings to our sport can significantly increase our chances of getting meaningful regulations to protect them. The more people realize that there are millions of anglers that target stripers and that those millions of anglers spend big $$$ not only on tackle and boats, but on lodging, donuts, coffee, etc., the stronger the lobbying effort will become to save stripers. The slot limit does make it a nail-biting affair at the weigh in (only fractions of an ounce determine the winner in many cases) and that’s good for the camera and helps make it a more dramatic weigh in. This kind of tournament also give the non-pro angler a chance to mix it up with the big guns, especially if your local knowledge puts you over a bunch of fatties that are within the slot limit.

Is my idea of a great day on the water racing at 67mph to some distant spot through 6 foot seas because I’ve got to boat the biggest or should I say fattest striper I can cull? No way! My idea of the ideal day is one where I watch the sun come up with a good fishing buddy that also appreciates the beauty of the surrounding as well as catching fish…and oh yeah, we then proceed to catch giant cows on surface plugs. I also don’t like what tournament fishing does to ordinarily nice people…put some significant money on the line and some people go nuts and do very bad things. I’ve always been taught that the conscience is a person’s compass and I’ve seen people go way off course while in tournaments. To those who enter, good luck and good fishing.


I agree with Fish Eye Mike.
Seems like a fair format. They have boat size minimums also.One which puts my 18 fter out of the comepetion.Otherwise i would fish it.
The keep alive format is for the fishes sake not highgrading(Catch a bigger one throw the smaller one back).Which I believe is illegal in this format.So important on the water,on the spot decisions have to be made.It's a catch an release lure only format.Short of luck playing a big part in winning.As a Striped Bass fisherman, of all the contests/tourneys that are kill formats. How could this be bad???
I too could give a rats arse about walmart but if they wanna give me money to catch a fish then I'm beating em.The BASS type tours do quite a bit for conservation in their sport.Why couldn't this trickle into the salt water species.Ya the white shirts with all the lgo's an the Nascar type boats are a little overboard never mind Icconelli spinning on the deck,but the saltwater world could use a good punch in the arm to unite it's anglers.This could be just what the doctor ordered.