FLW Saltwater Striper Trail

[slapshot]

I would never shop for fishing equipment at Wal Mart. They just don't carry what I need. But as far as corporate greed? Come on. Any corporations responsibility is to generate revenue for its shareholders.

Wal Mart donates tons of its (greedy) profits to charities. I have had cub scout projects and activites entirely funded and items donated by my local Wal Mart. They are incredibly generous.

Maybe I have the wrong impression, but won't this tour be very similair to the one that is on ESPN2 for red fish? If you look at the guys in those tournaments, they are pros. There is a ton of money in sponsorship tied up in the events. I have a feeling that nobody on this board would even fish the event.

As far as a kill rate.. Even if it was a weekend long event, do you think the number of striped bass killed would be more or less than the bycatch from one commercial dragger?

[Pete_G]

I actually think it could be very good for stripers. Maybe. I used to fish real hard for largmouths as a kid so I was very into the whole tournament scene.

To say that freshwater bass are treated with respect and honor is an understatement. Dead fish even had penalties at weigh in if I remember correctly. Catch and release is a BIG part of most of the other FLW tournament trails. Most of the other "gamefish" are treated very differently then stripers. Partly because they don't taste as good...

The big challenge is having a livewell big enough to hold a 50# striper comfortably, lol. I think that will be the main stumbling block involved in a catch and release striper tourney. I suspect it will be a traditional striper tourney, i.e. dead fish because maintaining live fish is just too hard to do.

[Basser]

The publicity surrounding these events (no doubt that there will be TV coverage at some point) will serve to help not only WalMart sales but those of local shops as well. I personally know a few individuals that owned shops during the BASS tournament boom that would have earned a lesser living in other endevours at the time. They did it by participating in the events and seizing the opportunity and offering more expertise for the tournament angler than that available at WalMart. That expertise then flows down to the weekend angler in terms of better tackle choices. I would love to see local teams sponsored by SWE and other local business. A "tournament tactics and techniques" seminar at next years SWE show!

The semi-controlled entry to owners of certain boats was started years ago on FLW and it irks me abit. The early FLW model was to allow a separate bonus prize to owners of cerain model boats that was not taken from the general pool. These events are difficult to initiate because there is a desire for limited entries in order to exercise control on tournament size. I think they will establish smaller trails over time that will serve as qualifying minor leagues so to speak.

BTW I don't think I have ever purchased tackle at WalMart. But, if these things are going to happen, and they will, the FLW organization is very qualified to do it right.

[beamie]

I wonder how they will run it.

You see those redfish tourneys on TV and there is a slot size limit. Often they catch too big and have to throw back. Can you see a Striper tourney that targets 30 to 36" fish and goes by the weigth of 2 fish.

[jim sylvester]

my two cents on walmart

10 years ago i was the national account manager selling to walmart.. to say the least a HUGE account. (2.6 million in one product) This is how WalMArt buyers work (probably VERY different from your buying strategies as the shop Pete.)

I would go in to see the buyer, present a contact with pricing, bogos,advertisment $$ ect,ect. The buyer wold then dictate to me the price in which he would want to buy the product for.. LESS THAN WHAT IT COST TO MANUFACTURE. Oversees production went to his price.
CORP. America = Greed
Pushing production oversees to get a inferior product for pricing.

As you can see, Walamrt is a bitter pill to swallow for me..
Regardless if they run the best striper tourney.. I would be against it.

[Joe]

I would not worry too much about a pro-striper tour getting a foothold in the norheast.
There are lots of problems - weather, sponsorship and a short season being the three of the largest.
They'll try, and maybe they will even launch a couple, but its not going to fly in this culture. That's a red state sport.

[basswipe]

Originally Posted by Joe

I would not worry too much about a pro-striper tour getting a foothold in the norheast.
There are lots of problems - weather, sponsorship and a short season being the three of the largest.
They'll try, and maybe they will even launch a couple, but its not going to fly in this culture. That's a red state sport.

I wouldn't be so sure.Its definetly gonna kick off this Summer.Will it last more than a couple seasons?That's the big question.

[TheSpecialist]

FYI they make huge tubes like the ones they use for tunas on marlin boats, they call them striper tubes and are used in the hybrid tourneys. The fish goes in nose down, and water is pumped up through the mouth and gills keeping the fish alive.

[squiddler]

These anglers, due to entry fees, equipment necessary, etc., WILL be professionals, the elite of their sports. As far as bycatch goes, the recreational sector kills TONS more fish than the commercial sector, and it is well documented. These anglers will be seeking LARGE to get paid, and therefore targeting them specifically, releasing any small fish quickly and adeptly, with cameras/ spectator boats watching their every move. BASS and FLW tourneys pump major amounts of money in to the local venue economy, bringing tourist dollars, exposure, etc. that would otherwise not be there. The local shops will benefit greatly, as WALLY world is not setup to sell the vast array of live baits and tackle required by these anglers on the tourney trail. Regardless of your thoughts on "big business", this type of event affects so many other facets of local economy that to simply state WAlMART is greedy and therefore this tournamnet is too is just plain ignorant. The business end aside, the main issue here is benefit/detriment to the Striper population. I cannot fathom how this would harm the biomass, as these anglers will undoubtedly be interested in not only promoting their sport to the masses, but ensuring the "big money" payouts are there for years to come. They have a vested interest in kkeping the fishery healthy, obviuosly.

[Pete_G]

Originally Posted by jim sylvester

my two cents on walmart

10 years ago i was the national account manager selling to walmart.. to say the least a HUGE account. (2.6 million in one product) This is how WalMArt buyers work (probably VERY different from your buying strategies as the shop Pete.)

I would go in to see the buyer, present a contact with pricing, bogos,advertisment $$ ect,ect. The buyer wold then dictate to me the price in which he would want to buy the product for.. LESS THAN WHAT IT COST TO MANUFACTURE. Oversees production went to his price.
CORP. America = Greed
Pushing production oversees to get a inferior product for pricing.

As you can see, Walamrt is a bitter pill to swallow for me..
Regardless if they run the best striper tourney.. I would be against it.

Yep, reverse price setting. Genius and a great way to make money, but cruel to US companies.