Finders Keepers

**Tourney Update & Announcement** We're halfway through the 2021 NYS Summer Classic Fishing Tournament, here are the current leaders: Small Species Event: Crappie: David Muir - 13.25" SMB: Kathleen Muir - 20.00" LMB: David Muir - 21.00" Rock Bass: Jose Vuittonet - 10.75" Panfish: Jared Raimo - 10.50" Perch: David Muir - 14.00" Catfish: Eric Scordo - 32.75" Large Species Event: Salmon: Frank Kohlbach - 38.25" Brown Trout: Frank Kohlbach - 26.75" Lake Trout: Guy Rosenbarker - 32.50" Walleye: Bob Rustowicz - 31.25" Land-Locked Salmon: Brandy Stone - 16.50" Steelhead/Rainbow Trout: Brandy Stone - 26.00" Pike/Tiger Musky: Frank Kohlbach - 37.00" Lake Ontario Boat Event: David Urban - 181.00" With 4 weeks left, there's lots of time left to get in the game and join the fun!! For those who register through the end of the event, make sure you sign-up the day before you wish to start entering fish: NYSsummerclassic.com Tonight we would like to announce another sponsor award: NYRA Awards in Rochester has sponsored the event with crystal and acrylic awards for the Boat Event (Crystal award for 1st place, acrylic awards for 2nd and 3rd). NYRA will also be attending the Fall Classic Sportsman Show on Sept. 18th at Batavia Downs. Thank you to NYRA for this great addition!

The 2021 NYS Summer Classic is underway! Announced today, all Top-3 anglers in all 14 species divisions will receive premium trophies thanks to a very generous sponsorship from Clingerman's Taxidermy! With an uncapped payout at 80%+ watch the amounts grow as more anglers join in the fun (the 2021 Winter Classic paid out over $10,500 in cash and gave away over $15,000 in prizes)! Youth at any age are encouraged to participate, especially in the Small Species Event where you don't need a boat to target the 7 included species: LMB, SMB, Rock Bass, Crappie, Perch, Panfish, and Catfish. The Classic events have continued to work hard to produce events that not only engage youth anglers, but also promote and work to sustain our fishery. Check out the latest improvements: *Catch and release now available for ALL FISH. *100% of proceeds from apparel sales go towards LIFETIME YOUTH LICENSES. *A portion of the event proceeds at higher participation levels go back into the fishery (stocking programs, pen rearing projects, youth fishing organizations, etc.). *Sportsman Shows that precede the awards ceremony, all held at the Batavia Downs Casino. Thank you to all those who support these efforts. We will strive to continue to develop the next generation of tournament events that are pro-angler, pro-fishery, pro-community, pro-youth-engagement, unbiased and 100% transparent.

The statewide 2021 NYS Summer Classic Tournament kicks off on July 1st and features 3 events this year (enter one or all three): 1) Small Species Event (LMB, SMB, Rock Bass, Perch, Panfish, Crappie, Catfish) - $25/angler entry 2) Large Species Event (Salmon, Lake Trout, Brown Trout, Steelhead/Rainbow Trout, Walleye, Pike/Tiger Musky, Land-Locked Salmon) - $25/angler entry 3) Lake Ontario Boat Event (Best 5 Salmon & Trout) - $125/boat entry (any fish caught on the boat is eligible for entry no matter who catches it) Each event features a guaranteed cash payout (Top-3 for each species) based on the number of entrees (at least 80% with no cap, increases with increasing anglers), and Batavia Downs Casino has put together an awesome sponsorship package including free overnight accommodations for all 14 first place anglers the night of the awards ceremony plus up to 3 rooms for the 1st place boat in the LO Event and a $1,000 cash bonus award for the first place boat in the LO Boat event! Anglers can enter at any time, but must register the day before they wish to start entering fish. All fish are entered in real-time using the Fish Donkey App via length pictures and/or videos. Bump boards are preferred for fish entry, however there is a second alternate protocol to enter fish if you do not have a bump board (see rules and regs for specifics). The awards ceremony will be on Sept. 18th at Batavia Downs after the 2021 NYS Fall Classic Sportsman Show. While youth anglers register and compete alongside the adults, we also reserve a large portion of the sponsored prizes to outfit the participating youth at the awards ceremony - often the highlight of the event!! Bringing the FUN back into tournament fishing, the Classic Events are both easy, secure, and 100% transparent - join today and see why they have a near 100% satisfaction rating among participating anglers and why so many events are switching over to this platform across the country! The next generation of tournament events has begun - are you in yet? Website: NYSSummerClassic.com

If you have any questions let me know! Biggest thing is make sure you take the required photos (4) with a bump board or photos and video with a metal tape measure.

The 2021 Event kicks off this weekend! Compete against teams from all across the Great Lakes in this fun 5-month long tournament event! Anglers can register at any time through the event, but must register the day before they wish to start entering fish. Every fish caught aboard a registered boat is eligible for entry making this a fantastic format for charter boats - all of your clients are already in the event with you! Join in the fun this year!

Agreed, there are some events that make arrangements for the catch to be taken by groups, however most are not. Smaller species like bass, perch, walleye, etc. can be kept alive in livewells and therefore can be brought to weigh-in, entered in, then released. Trout and salmon however can not be. Any kept for a tourney will perish. In any tourney event there will be positives and negatives, for those run on the Fish Donkey platform there are little to no negatives - the reason why I (and many others) have switched all of the events we run onto this platform. These are the next generation of tourney events...

It's no different than weight, just a different method of measurement. And if there happens to be a tie in total length of the Top-5 fish, then yes the first one to that total length wins, same as any similar tourney done by weight. Best thing about these events, however, is that all the fish can be released unlike all the weight-placing kill events. The platform these events are running on is far superior IMO, it just takes a little getting used to the new format. I have yet to have anyone not like the format once they have fished an event on it - speaks volumes when there are 100's of anglers fishing the other Classic events I run...

The statewide 2021 NYS Summer Classic will feature 3 events in one: 1) Small Species Event: (Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Rock Bass, Crappie, Yellow Perch, Panfish, and Catfish) Entry Fee: $25/angler Fish Entry: Top-3 of each species place via length using the fish Donkey App Waterways: All NYS waterways 2) Large Species Event: (Salmon, Lake Trout, Brown Trout, Steelhead/Rainbow Trout, Walleye, Pike/Tiger Musky, and Landlocked Salmon) Entry Fee: $25/angler Fish Entry: Top-3 of each species place via length using the Fish Donkey App Waterways: All NYS waterways 3) Lake Ontario Boat Event: (Salmon & Trout) Entry Fee: $125/boat Fish Entry: Top-5 Fish Stringer via length using the Fish Donkey App Waterway: Open waters of Lake Ontario Visit the following websites for full tourney info: FishDonkey.com NYSsummerclassic.com

For the GLSS events anglers register by boat. Any fish caught on a registered boat can be entered regardless of who caught the fish; the captain, the mates, clients, friends, family, and anyone else fishing aboard the vessel! The events are open to both the US and Canada. There are two levels of competition: Pro Division and Am Division. The only differences between the two levels are the entry fee (Pro Division = $250/boat, Am Division = $125/boat) and stipulations that require a boat to be in the Pro Division: operated by a capt. or guide, and/or if the boat is sponsored by one or more fishing related companies. All fish entrees are made using the Fish Donkey App on the captain's (or other designated) cell phone at the time of the catch. Measurements are made to the nearest 1/4" rounded down. When a fish is caught simply take the following 4 required pictures that are automatically uploaded to the App: 1) picture of the fish on the bump board showing both the nose of the fish against the front, zero end of the bump board and the tip of the tail indicating the measurement, 2) a close-up of the fish's head (for ID purposes), 3) a close-up of the tail showing the measurement (also for ID purposes), and 4) a picture of the fish and angler who caught it (can be a selfie if fishing alone) that also includes an identifiable part of the registered boat. Online leaderboards are updated in real time so anglers can see who is leading at any moment during the event. Anglers can also submit as many fish as they want too upsize their catch - the App will automatically take their Top-5 for placement. For those in other events, there is an "Other Tourney Protocol" to follow (see Rules and Regs on Fish Donkey) to allow for entering fish in both events. After the events conclude on September 30th, checks will be mailed out to the winners. Winners of sponsored physical items will need to make arrangements for pick-up or shipping if not included in the prize. For more information visit the event website at: GLSSevents.com

After running a full year testing out the Fish Donkey online tournament platform with the NYS Classic events with great success and receiving 100% positive remarks from the anglers who participated, the 2021 Great Lakes Salmon Showdown will be opening up all of the Great Lakes to compete in one monumental event that runs from May 1st through Sept. 30th. Registration is by boat ($250/boat for the Pro Division, $125/boat for the Am Division) - once registered, any salmon caught on the boat (regardless of who caught it) is eligible for entry via the Fish Donkey App. This includes charter clients for a registered charter boat. Fish are entered at the time of the catch and place via length. Pictures and/or videos verify the catch and measurement with the date/time/GPS Coords all encoded into the pics/video. The leaderboards are updated in real time and all participants are notified when a new leader is entered. Full rules and regs and other tourney information can be found within the event at FishDonkey.com (Pro) or FishDonkey.com (Am). There are many benefits to this style of tournament: 1) All fish can be released after entry (angler's choice). 2) Anglers can fish solo. 3) No extra travel necessary to bring fish to a weigh-in station. 4) No set hours - anglers can fish 24/7 and take advantage of the evening bite. 5) Event is open to both US and Canadian anglers for larger prize pools. 6) The event is 100% transparent - the number of anglers, the resulting payouts, percentages paid, sponsored prizes, etc. are all laid out for all to see. 7) The protocols along with the checks in the App offer very little opportunity for foul play. 8 ) All anglers are treated equal with no favoritism. Denied fish are publicly seen in the app (as all fish are) along with the reason why, disputes are sent to the tourney committee (5 members) for review and a final decision made. 9) The fish entry process is very quick and easy (less than a minute), especially with two people for larger fish. 10) Leaderboards update automatically in real time. We will be working to secure sponsors for the event over the next couple months as new contracts are finalized and Covid restrictions are modified. Current sponsors include: Plano, Frabill, Okuma, Koyote Ugly Spoons, FishUSA, Reel Cool Lures, and Omnia Fishing. Tourney Details: When: May 1st - September 30th Registration: Pro Division - $250/boat Am Division - $125/boat Location: Any open waters on the Great Lakes, both US and Canadian. Fish Entry: Length via Fish Donkey App Fish Placement: Stringer Total of Best-5 Salmon (boats can upsize all season long) Cash Awards: 80-85% Payback + Sponsor Prizes (checks mailed at end of event, prizes shipped)(number of places & amounts paid determined by number of boats entered, in US funds) Website: GLSSEvents.com Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Great-Lakes-Salmon-Showdown-Tournaments-111757507172599 Boats can be registered at any time, even after the event starts, but cannot start entering fish until the day after registration. If you have any questions, please drop me a PM. Best of luck to all the teams this year and tight lines!!

Update for cash payouts in all 7 species divisions: 1st Place = $600 2nd Place = $330 3rd Place = $220 4th Place = $25 FishUSA GC + $25 Batavia Downs FPC PLUS $46/week for leading fish in all 7 divisions all 8 weeks. *NEW AWARD FOR FEBRUARY* Place in the Top-10 of any species any time in February and include a release video with the fish entry to be entered into a drawing for a Bow Fishing Excursion with Fish Hounds Outdoors and Capt. James Vladyka for up to 3 shooters!! Still over 4 weeks of tourney action to be had in this year's event - join in the fun with over 580 other anglers this winter!! If we can reach 615 anglers we will be adding Bass as a new species with a new Aqua-Vu HD 10i Pro Camera System valued at $999!! Register today for only $25 at: www.NYSwinterclassic.com

Update for cash payouts in all 7 species divisions: 1st Place = $540 2nd Place = $292 3rd Place = $195 4th Place = $25 FishUSA GC + $25 Batavia Downs FPC PLUS $41/week for leading fish in all 7 divisions all 8 weeks. Next set of prize drawings: January 31st at 7pm Live on the tourney Facebook page, anglers must be registered by noon on the 31st to be eligible. Only $25/angler to sign-up. NOTE: Anglers must register the day before they wish to start entering fish. www.NYSwinterclassic.com

Update for cash payouts in all 7 species divisions: 1st Place = $468 2nd Place = $250 3rd Place = $167 4th Place = $25 FishUSA GC + $25 Batavia Downs FPC PLUS $35/week for leading fish in all 7 divisions all 8 weeks. Next set of prize drawings: January 31st at 7pm Live on the tourney Facebook page, anglers must be registered by noon on the 31st to be eligible.

**NEW PRIZE ANNOUNCEMENT** Smallest Walleye = Aqua-Vu HD 10i Pro ($999 MSRP) or Aqua-Vu HD Quad System ($1799 MSRP)(Waiting for confirmation on exact unit). Protocol for entering fish will be posted in Rules & Regs soon.

Today the event topped 400 anglers!! This brings the current cash payouts for all 7 species divisions to: 1st Place = $445 2nd Place = $235 3rd Place = $158 4th Place = $25 FishUSA Gift Card + $25 Batavia Downs Free Play Card PLUS $33 for the leading fish every week in each species division! PLUS a ton of other prizes to go after including youth cash & prize packages! This week will be the drawing for the 3 Youth Package Giveaways only available to youth anglers (16 and under) entered by noon on Wednesday Dec. 16th and must include their birthdate in their Fish Donkey profile. Just a reminder that this year’s event will place all fish via length in the Fish Donkey App and using a manufactured bump board (no homemade boards, tape measures, etc. accepted). Order now while boards are available and to receive your board before the event starts on Jan. 1st. Frabill Benchmark boards are recommended (available up to 48”) and will likely remain in stock. There is also a protocol for entering a fish bigger than your board (see rules and regs). Make sure to register before Dec. 31st at noon to be eligible for the largest set of prizes being drawn for the Door Prize Drawings – Round 1 (over $4,500) LIVE at 7pm on Dec. 31st on the tournament Facebook page. A list of prizes to win can be found at: http://www.nyswinterclassic.com/2021/weeklyleaderboard.html under the weekly awards.

We now have (3) large prize packages specifically for the youth anglers (16 and under) entered by Dec. 16th at noon. These packages include: *Fish Donkey Bump Board *Fillet Away Fish Mat *Ice Well Live Well *(6) Packs of Makiplastic Baits *Addicted Fishing Hat *Lure Package And more being added daily! Drawing will be Dec. 16th at 7pm live on Facebook. Weekly cash awards are now $30/week for all 7 species division all 8 weeks for the leading fish, and the cash payouts continue to climb! New sponsors announced almost every night during our live show on Facebook at 7pm - join in the fun!

Tournament update: Now with over $26,000 in cash and prizes to be awarded in the 2021 event and 373 registered anglers, the 2021 NYS Winter Classic is now the top-performing tournament on the planet utilizing the Fish Donkey Platform! Just announced tonight was the addition of 3 youth prize packages to be given away on Dec. 16th! Check out all the prizes at: http://www.nyswinterclassic.com/2021/weeklyleaderboard.html Current cash payouts in all 7 species divisions (373 anglers): 1st Place = $355 2nd Place = $210 3rd Place = $140 4th Place = $25 FishUSA Gift Card + $25 Batavia Downs Free Play Card PLUS $29/week for all 8 weeks for the leading fish in all 7 species divisions! Register today at: www.NYSwinterclassic.com

The statewide 2021 NYS Winter Classic Tournament has over $20,000 in cash and prizes up for grabs this year! With a record number of early bird registrations, a new format featuring the Fish Donkey App that allows for C&R and fish placement by length, and minimized expenses allowing for larger payouts, it is drawing attention from all across the northeast US! Get in now and get entered into the 12 Days of Christmas Giveaway that increments the prize package every day - tune in LIVE on Facebook at 7pm each night for the drawings and updates for the event (including new sponsor announcements). Drawings will be held Dec. 1-12, with additional Door Prize Drawings held on Dec. 31st and Jan. 31st. A full list of prizes and the winning anglers can be found on the website at: Weekly Leader Board & Awards Registration is only $25/angler and can be found off the tourney website at: NYS Winter Classic Homepage As of 12/3/20 the current cash payouts for all 7 species divisions are: 1st Place = $316 2nd Place = $190 3rd Place = $125 4th Place = $25 FishUSA Gift Card PLUS $26/week for the leading fish in each of the 7 species divisions. Additional cash awards will be announced during the LIVE Facebook shows as new sponsors are confirmed and announced. If you have any questions please free to reach out to me at any time. Let's hope for a great ice season ahead!!