Yep....C&R means you have to take somebody's word for it....when there's cash involved, it brings out the worst in people.

as far as options...why not a Kids tournament....maybe award prizes for the number of kids you put on fish....need to take date stamped pics as proof. Points awarded to that angler based on a "per kid that catches a fish" basis. But then the beer companies can't get there advertisement dollars in it.

Maybe the tourney includes a "Per Veteran" category, a "Per Woman", a "Per Senior Citizen" category.

Prize money gets awarded to charities that match up to the categories.

"Make A Wish Foundation" for Youth
"Wounded Warrior" for Veterans
"Susan Komen Foundation" for Women
"Alzheimers Foundation" for Senior Citizens

Maybe get people to do something for someone else other than themselves.

Just some thoughts.....

The Block Island businesses have about 12 good weeks to make enough money for the year. The revenues from the "shoulder season" of May and Sept/October - while heavily promoted, are very small in comparison. After that it drops off to nothing. They're not giving away money when their own economic survival is tenuous at best.

Personally, I don't drink when I fish. I've posted evidence of why in the past. When I do drink, I don't drink PBR for sure. I probably excrete PBR after I drink what I drink. No Offense to those who like it.....

If PBR or any other brewer wants to sponsor an event that would bring beer drinking patrons to the island, why not put up the same money for a serious volleyball tourney and maybe a bikini contest every weekend, culminating in a final match for both on the last day. Make it a trophy event where the winner takes it home for the year and has to defend the BI title next year.

They would draw more people, sell more beer and food, and not offend the patrons that populate the island in the spring and fall off seasons.

For $25K in prize money, surely they can come up with a more profitable promotion than killing breeding age fish from a crippled species.

I would think BI values the economy created by the surf guys that make the trips every year and wouldn't want to upset the off season business that we bring.

How would negative publicity affect their decision? Other than emailing PBR, what can we do?

The fishing tournament takes place mostly at sea, so the islanders are a lot less likely to shoot that down - because it's not on the island.
A bikini contest takes place on the island. For a place where drinking to excess is almost out of hand, it is not a good idea because it fuels the fire. The police presence is small and they'd be vehemently against it.
Also, it runs counter to the veneer the island tourism people have constructed which depicts the island as a quiet, eco-tourism destination. It's really a heavy drinking destination, but that does not look too good in tourism literature.

When it is not about MONEY,....it's all about MONEY. :) :)

Tough to blame PBR for having a tournament, when ASMFC says everything is OK with striper stocks. They're a beer company, not biologists, and are sponsoring a tournament that operates within current rules; no different than Striper Cup, MV derby or any other tournament. The blame here should go in ASMFC's direction. Each individual can obviously make up their own mind as to whether to enter or support this or any other tournament, but if you want to complain or take action, a beer company doesn't really seam like the right direction to me.

Ok...Here goes.I have been posting on this site for about 4 years now.While I don't post much I listen.....(read).I'm lazy,I don't allways like to comment on all posts,although I wish I had the time,especially this thread.So here comes my crazy request.....JOHN.Can you install a "LIKE"or "DISLIKE" button (yes,like FB) for all future threads???

Sorry....I mean comments on threads.

well said!

Good point. I suspect the complaint box at PBR has been overflowing for quite some time.

that would require the facebook link
 

Job applicants are being asked for there facebook password before they are even being Hired
....so the employer can read up on their prospective applicant.

maybe the google + 1 would be a better
idea .... so that others who are in agreement can click away

I'm thinking most of these guys would be fishing anyway and these events are always a good time. Am I the only one here that takes a 35# striper home to eat?? Do the rest of you guys release a #50 if you catch it?
.

?????
 

I'm sorry, but for the lower dumb un-informed what are you talking about ??????

I've said this before...If I catch a 50 I'm taking it home and Mounting it...then I'm taking it to the Taxidermist

Thirty pound+ fish taste like crap. If you poke around their body cavity, by their internal organs, you'll see thumb-nail sized parasites that look like something from outer space.

I could not agree more.How I wish we could eat them in the 18-24 inch range.....

Another myth,they don't really taste any different than 20 pound fish. Go to a place that knows how to cook it and I think you will agree.When restaurants buy the fish they want the larger size because the yield is more cost effective. I have heard the littles are tasty though.

You seem to forget Block Island Race Week which brings some massive amounts of money over.

God I hate to agree with Chris....

A bled, cared for bigger fish to me tastes as good as a 12lb rat.

Most bigger fish aren't bled/gutted immediately b/c people want to get an accurate weight....

OK , Back-in-the-day

When commercial fishing was a free for all

the large dealers // the ones that shipped paid by size

16" to 6 # were select .top money

6#+ to 15# Mediums

15#+ & over large

many small dealers wouldn,t even take anything over 10#

depending on when & where selects where worth anywhere between . 4 to 8 X,s large .

Even last year I saw that one dealer started putting around the 34" ,35" in different boxes than the large ><><><

I don't always drink beer, but when I do I prefer it not be PBR

THe MV Derby was originally conceived to boost tourism. Of course that event clearly occurs during the shoulder season, mid Sept to mid Oct. The thing about these Island economies is that those folks need to make the majority of their income in what amounts to about 3 months time.

This is a very unfortunate event to be starting now, at this time when most of us feel our beloved striped bass is experiencing enormous pressure from many sources.

Boycott the tourney and boycott PBR

What a bummer...Remember to treat those fish gently when you release them

What a bunch of nitwits

Kill tournements suck! What happened to fishing for fun,relaxation ,and just the love of it? Killing fish for prize money and recognition does not justify it. We will all learn the hard way when we go back to the way striper fishing was in the eighties. Everybody in the early eighties thought killing big fish was no big deal too until there were none to catch. I believe a great man once said "those who don't learn from history are doomed to repeat it" or something to that effect. Screw these tourneys!

They Love them
 

and will even sit up for their favorite BEER

http://i25.photobucket.com/albums/c6...ealsloveit.gif

I don't get everyone's issue with the striped bass. The stock is well over the SSB target, and well over the SSB threshold.
-- The stock is not going to go back to the stock of the 80's.
-- The stock of the 80's was not overfished. The problems arose from anthropogenic effects where they spawned. The water quality did not let the eggs hatch.
-- The issue now is not a matter of fish, it is a matter of bait. There is not enough bait for the fish to eat.

-- The issue now is not a matter of fish, it is a matter of bait. There is not enough bait for the fish to eat.[/QUOTE]

That's why "Acme" bait gets boycotted too.....

You are right, the stock was not over fished in the 1980's during the moratorium years, back when there almost wasn't a stock. In the years prior to that, though... different story.

It's one thing to boycott PBR... it's another thing to LET THEM KNOW IT... I'm sure they may eventually see it in their quarterly sales reports, but even then they wont know decreased sales were a result of their stupid tourny... Shoot them an email. (I would, But I havent had a beer of any brand since 1992)

No it was not overfished prior, the fish could not spawn prior. Narragansett sponsered the striper cup why don't you boycott them?? how about Budweiser????

You want more striped bass, bring back the bait. Protect menhaden, herring, mackerel, etc..

Its a tournament that will help an island bring in much needed money. Since the economy took a turn for the worse, they have lost many tourist. The tournament is much needed, also with the 35lb min they will not be killing tons of fish. If its a weeklong tournament many boats are not going to weigh a fish unless its over 40lbs. Its not going to be the kill all everyone thinks. Also its a tournament catching a fish which is well over the target threshold. Thus it is a tournament which will be fishing a sustainable fish. A fish which is not of concern at the moment!!

X2 on everything you have said. The bait is offshore and we see thousands and thousands of stripers out there. I'm not saying inshore fishing hasn't suffered but the bass don't seem to care. We used to kill the fish in the rips off Nantucket in the 80s...you can't fish there now, but trust me..if you could you wouldn't be complaining about a lack of big fish.
I also wouldn't be boycotting anyone unless I held myself to a "release every striper I catch" standard.

This is pretty funny. PBR should be boycotted because it sponsors this kill tournament? As someone else mentioned, the PBR marketing people probably aren't in tune with what's going on with the striper stocks. They probably see it as a way to get their name out there to a new audience.

How come there isn't a big hew and cry to boycott Budweiser, Toyota, Lowrance, Quantum, Hydra Sports, Sebile, Yamaha, West Marine and Spider Wire? They are all sponsors of a much bigger kill tournament than PBR. I guess it's easy to say boycott a crappy beer but not so much for other products that you may already use.

Bunch of hypocrites chiming in here.

Maybe they should go to chatham and see the amount of stripers about 1.5nm offshore. Guess surf guys can't cast to them....

I imagine the PBR Big Wigs will be devastated to hear that people who hate and don't drink their beer will be boycotting it in the future and also won't participate in the tourney while not drinking their beer, which was probably going to be the case anyway....and so it goes....