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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.
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