FLW Tournament Perspective!!!!

[Raider Ronnie]

Originally Posted by Fisherwoman

Raider Ronnie, don't take that the wrong way buddy, every fisherman is good at some method and some are better that others. What I meant by that is that 90 % of the time fish are more willing to take live bait than and artificial. So if you have it it does make catching fish easier most of the time if you know how to do it.

Julie,
My reply was more towards fishing live bait and getting BIG fish!!!
And when even there are days that the fish are finicky, some are MUCH better at getting the fish to eat than others.
Maybe it depends of what some think a big fish is !
To me, a 20 - 25lb fish is NOT a big fish! Maybe for my son , but not for me !!!
Year in year out in Boston harbor we have the usual same guys who allways get the big (40lbs + ) fish.
It's not because they are just fishing live bait or they are just lucky,
They put their time in and are just better at it !!!
Lots of guys don't even know how to find or get the bait !

[Fisherwoman]

Raider Ronnie, I totally agree with you there!!!

[blue oyster]

i think they should allow boats of all sizes , i find it hard to believe my 18 ' parker is not seaworthy

[Squid kids Dad]

I dont think its meant not to be seaworthy,but it might not be able to keep the live well on board ,as far as room goes...???

[sokinwet]

Hey Ron, we all know that it's your son who catches all the fish and you just drive the boat!. You hit the nail on the head with your observation on who is catching big fish on a regular basis. There is no substitute for time on the water when it comes to developing skills and that "fishing" intuition and intensity that good fisherman have. I used to be pres. of a local bass club and constantly heard complaints about scheduling tournaments on waters that a "few" would have an advantage on. The fact is that it was almost always the same guys finishing in the $$ and they could catch more fish in a bathtub than most of the complainers could catch in a bass factory! Good fisherman make their own "good luck" regardless of the technique being employed and they are usually proficient in all methods whether it be trolling, casting, jigging, chunking, live bait fishing, etc. My complaint about the "slot limit" tournaments is that the "luck" element becomes too much of a factor. Given the number of big fish in the haba this year (anything over 34" is big to me...or big enough $$) I still can't believe the tournament weights were not within oz's for the top 20 boats...never mind 29 boats getting skunked!!! Sorry about the rant...I'm at work and bored!

[Fisherwoman]

Sokinwet, that is my point, if you are good at taking large fish on a consistent basis, than it should be awefully easy for you to take fish in the slot, or some would think. If you think it is that easy then why not participate, thats why only 10 boats weighed in fish and only 5 of those 10 had 2 fish. There were some real heavy hitters out there that never weighed in a fish.
I think that the Boston Harbor tournament being time it was scheduled was one of the toughest legs of the tournament as far as fish caught. End of July and early August are the toughest months to produce consistent fish in the harbor. ALot of the other tournaments will be during the fall run or were during the spring migration. In my opinion if you are good at taking big fish you should not have a problem taking slot fish, whats the difference, as far as the luck part goes, is it unfair to have everyday fisherman participate and have the same odds or are we just havin a tournament to satify the high liners. JMHO

If you don't like this type of tournament, no problem just don't participate, we have fished big fish tournaments and won and now we wanted to try and new experience that was more on an even playing field for every fisherman, but more so because the fish were being released. We had alot of fun and the cards were lined up for us right that day. Will it happen again? Who knows? But I think you will see more nail biting in the next several tournaments as there should be alot more fish weighed in and more close at the end.

As far as the fish box is concered, it is pretty big as it sets right now, and alot of boats had problems at this tournament having room in their boat to even have the box there and set the right way so the fish would not get damaged. as it was with the water and the fish in it at weigh in, its weight was about 150 lb to lift out of the boat and get it on the cart and up to ramp to the weigh in scale. SO its not a light item for sure. We have a 9'6 inch beam and only had a ft on each side of it to fish out of while jiggin, you can stand on it without a problem, but its not small thats for sure.

[schoolie monster]

Its always easy over the internet. I don't frequent the site much anymore, but in the old BOAT vs. SHORE battles, I remember so many people claiming how easy it was to fish out of the boat. Ducks in a barrel. I always wondered why they didn't just become guides... if its that easy, make some money doing the thing you love.

And then there's the old BIG FISH OR NOTHING argument. People wouldn't enter b/c it wasn't the biggest fish? Well then shouldn't it be a piece of cake to go out and get a couple of 33" fish? If you are that good, you know your waters and you should be able to find a few fish under 30#s.

I don't buy it. People are going to skip the chance at $35K b/c its boring? they catch fish that are too big? its a stupid format? alot of excuses not to try...

Sokinwet, you did the freshwater bass thing... I did too as a teenager into my 20's. It wasn't just about the lunker, it was competition. Those fish are a couple of pounds. You don't think bringing a 34" into the boat with 35K on the line might be exciting.

I like the format. Its a level playing field. Thats what makes a good competition, isn't it?

Live release. Artificials.

IMO, the best fishermen are those who are versatile. I know there are alot of people that think its all about who gets the biggest fish, each time out. But there are alot of ways to enjoy fishing.

I like to switch it up and do different things. My favorite is to throw a jerkbait into the whitewater of the rocks or sight fish a flat. I enjoy live bait as well... nothing more exciting than when that bait starts gettin' jumpy. I'll throw topwater, I always give the flyrod some time too. I'll even do a little trolling from time to time. No chunking, but I just don't want to cut bait.

This tournament was just another chance to try something different and it was sweet as SH#T!

[sokinwet]

Jules - Sorry if I come off sounding a little negative; certainly no disrespect intended towards any of the participants and I'm sure that a good time was had by everyone (or most everyone!)...but I stand by my statement that I think the format is for the birds. I think you missed my point about the slot limit thing. Certainly those of us who target big fish for sport or commercially are capable of catching slot fish but when the field is comprised of a number of factory teams and other experienced anglers who are willing to run to the earth's end for fish, I find it unbelievable that almost every boat did not come in with 2 fish in the slot. I don't think the format evens the playing field at all and as I said before, it in fact introduces too much of the "luck" factor into a test of skill. If you knew me you would know that I am as competitive as they come; tournament or not if I'm fishing next to you I want to kick your butt (when I fished f/w bass tournaments I just knew I would win until I lost!), but I did not like this format, felt that I might as well by a lottery ticket and therefore did not choose to participate. I am certainly glad that you did well and showed the big $$ teams that local anglers are no pushovers. Judging from your posts and the smiles on your crews faces I know that you were deserving winners! I'll just shut up now before I get myself in trouble!
P.S. If you happen to see a ratty looking old Seacraft, powered by a rattier Evinrude captained by a bearded old geezer with an older geezer (my dad) as crew just give a wave; I'm nicer in person than in print!