Capt Vince Pierleoni

I heard several teams from Canada are coming that didn't last year. This should be a BIG one and a great way to close out the USA based Tournaments!

Congrats to you and the Screamer boys for the 7th place finish. Congrats to Vito on the win. We just have to help them with the meeting and observer pairing. Ours came from a 35 footer and got placed on an 18 footer. There was no seat for him. Growing pains, I'm sure. Even they must be amazed at the hunger for Tourny competition. We stumbled onto a slight concentration of migratory fish, on our way across the lake. They stayed put long enough Sat morning for us to have a shot. Just a day of drops for us and only managed 2 matures. We went down swinging for the big boys, as we knew with the caliber of the field that 6 immatures or Cohos would not do it. See you in a couple weeks!

Quality, one piece handle. I would consider it med hoop. Perfect for walleye, and all but the biggest Salmon. $20, Olcott area.

This was $300 new, and is in perfect working order. $75 It is the Horizon Nova model. NOW $50!!!! 8/11/10

Sold pending payment.

One reel sold pending payment.

Greg, if you run into anyone who needs the cannon stuff I have, let me know. I guess you said the probe and head were of an older cannon model.

Interesting is the fact that whether those are wild or hatchery fish, both of those fish are crowding the inside and are "mature". They would be precocious jacks this fall. The biologists don't always agree why, but I have heard that if the food source is abundant you will see more of those representing the year class. They spawn and die and are almost always males. The theory is this happens to ensure propagation of the species in a wild setting should there be a low water year. If a smallish female makes it over the shallow riffles to adequate spawning water, there will be surplus males there too.

Chinooker, that is absolutely a fine trophy Atlantic! They love the South shore, as the Canadians say they just don't get 'em. There is a cost for those fine anglers to the north, for the OMNR turning their backs on the wildly successful Pacific program. On the other hand, we learned while we were over there that the anglers are encouraged to harvest the "yankee" Steelheads, as they are running south, and return their wild fish to the water.

Please, Please, Tom, LOTS of advance notice! LOL! Some comments and observations on the above posts: Tightliner shootout is a great event, and is willing to listen to get better. Johnny asked me yesterday morning in the chaos of the observer exchange, "how do I fix this?" This is one place the Pro-Ams have it down. Should have been exchanged the night before-period. If they don't show by the time stated-BOOM, one of your teammates must go. Too big of money on the line there to be lax. Our observer was prompt, but we had to wait for our assigned obsever until boats were already leaving the harbor for ours to show. Growing pains for sure. If they can fit it, you will see 100 boats in this event. I'd like to see it 2 days, otherwise, a great event! We found a fair concentration, put a program together, just could not execute the landing part. I knew there would not be excess opportunities. We had to make them count, and we did not. God, I love Salmon tournaments!!! Paulie, you are such a gamer and I respect you. Are you serious? We were fortunate to win the main Niagara event last year, talked to no one. We then gladly agreed to the no comm "gentlemens agreement", went out and placed 2nd in the "Big Boys" on Monday, talking to no one. If I remember right, Maverick lost his water, came screaming west next to us and out scored us with weight to notch the win. I don't believe he communicated either. In fact, even though he "mugged" our spot, it was very respectable. Never once did we have to alter a troll, and this is well within the rules. Ethically, it is horrible when someone crowds a boat on the second day, because they saw what they brought in day 1. Making the boat who established the program alter their plan when they had no such traffic the day before is wrong. They fished higher than we did, stayed a long way away, and we shook their hands on the win. This year, Gehrig and I were the last 2 standing, as one by one everyone bailed out. The concept has great potential, but not as an afterthought. This Lake has the players and gamers to support a true "Big Boy" event. It needs to stand alone, not be attached. I had alot of time to think and reflect this weekend in Canada,as we did alot of running. The events will shake out, and the survivors will be bigger and better. As I have said before, I am for whatever elevates this incredible pursuit. As tournament fishing goes, Salmon stand alone I have discussed it with my main team members. We will continue to conduct our own closed comm policy, even in the open comm events. We must get back to the "spirit of the rule" that we all try to live by. We hold no hard feelings towards teams that have used open comm to their benefit. Many of these guys are our friends--and we want to keep it that way. Its like meeting for a pick up football game, and running over to the other teams huddle and telling them, "we are going to blitz this play, OK?" No, you bring your best, they bring their best, and you shake hands when its over and go have a coldie. Paul, I will sign the first line on the "gentlemens no comm agreement", and I hope you will be second. Who else is in?

Shimano Triton 400, loaded with wire. Mounted on an Eagle Claw roller guide rod. $50 firm.

These were spoken for, but the individual never came up with the money. $40 each, firm.

Tim, it went well from the standpoint that there were many intelligent opposing views presented. One that stands out in my mind was a comment from the owner of RCR yachts in Youngstown: "why, would we ever jeopardize the ONLY thing we have going for us in this area? Why, would we jeopardize the only thing that gives us a competitive edge?" It was disappointing, however, that despite presentations from engineers, naturalists, historians, Sportfishing reps, boaters, businessmen, to name a few, they reserved judgement on the situation. I am being told there is a whole lot of political posturing going on. Nick, I guess it's easy to buy in to the propaganda. If its reducing the dependence on foreign oil that you desire, fight to drill in our own vast INLAND 40 yr supply. Thats a 40 yr supply that could serve THE WORLD. Instead, we make the terrorists richer. Anyways, throwing up inefficient, unproven, permanant, "feel good" band-aids in an effort to grab the endless cash that is being printed under the guise of "green energy" would be a mortal sin. No matter where you sit on this, this is drinking water for many communities, and each mill holds 1800 gallons of oil. And yes, to those of us with lifetime ties to the lake, who have watched it rebound from a wasteland, you are damn right we are saying-NOT IN OUR BACKYARD! Even more importantly, not in anyones backyard if its in one of the precious GREAT LAKES.

The vessel will remain in the water for inspection through Sept. Will sell the boat stripped of equipment for $19,000 firm. $14,000 in new motors below decks.

That is how they do things. No observer, but if you are a contending boat after day one, one should be placed aboard as per their rules. This event, with its 5 fish a day format, should become the largest event on Lake Ontario when held in Oswego. Held during the Fall LOC, many boats are fishing already. Last year, I was astounded how many anglers in the area didn't know about it.

Let me take a turn with this. All you "shark" hunters, The Scotty is coming back to Oswego. The event is Sat Aug 21 and Sun Aug 22. This also has a bigfish event on Friday, open to those that enter the tourny. No matter if the numbers of Kings are there, it will take 2 days of them to win. It is Kings and Cohos only. Lets blow this up with all the boats down East.

Yes, Tim is correct. Tomorrow night, 7/27/10, at 7pm. Come out and voice your opposition, or support those that do.

They are still for sale. I may be in Roch again soon.

C'mon Shadster, of course there are exceptions. Be proud of your diligent service, and don't feel threatened. You will always find a boat to observe for. My opinion, and observations are based on 26yrs of having observers aboard my boats, and I stand by it. There are always people scrambling last minute, and I can't tell you how many of these observers have been enduring a tremendous hangover. I have never been considered a snob before! Keep in mind this thread started because apparently an observer did not do their job adequately on another lake. My observers have consisted of: Xerox worker, D.E.C. employee, Buffalo biology teacher, fork lift operator, and a salesman. Not what you would call elite by todays standards, and several of them had no Tourny experience prior. Since their involvement, they have desired greater roles, thus reinforcing the growth concept.

To answer the above question, most Pro-Am style events are no cull. This is done to not waste fish, considering how fragile Summer silvers are. Ripping and tearing through numbers and whipping them back into 75 degree water isn't sportsmanlike. If you don't like the size you are catching, you must change your strategy. This could involve moving to new water, or changing your presentation. It would be incredibly unfair to the rest of the field, if one team were not boxing the smaller legal fish, and all the other teams were complying. For example, if just one 3lber was traded out for a 20lber, that would result in a 17 point swing at weigh-in. With todays intense competition, that would be huge. The difference between 1st and 4th can be as little as a few points. In addition, ripping mortally wounded fish off is wanton waste. Not only is that illegal, it is unethical and super-bad "mojo" and "karma". Not too many of the competitors I know want to mess with that!

Just have to chime in on this. If it is true, no cheater should rob the rest of us,nor any future players of the pure exhilaration, camraderie, and sportsmanship that takes place around these events. No downcasting on Tournies overall is necessary. This fishery IS a CONTEST fishery. I spend MANY days all alone on the water with my charter. Come a Tournament or derby, and the ports come "ALIVE". Just the American way, and there is absolutely nothing wrong with it. Striving for excellence is what originally made our country great, and it needs to get back to that. Mediocrity will get you "smoked" in life, and business. In my Profession, a Captain OWES it to his clients, to sharpen the pencil often. The clients pay good money for shortcuts to action, and fishing success on days when most would run for cover. There is absolutely no replacement for these tournaments for ongoing improvement and education. You learn more when you get thrashed by the competition. In addition, the economic "shot in the arm" these events give the communities they are held in, is critically important and helps justify the programs expense in these economic times. As Tommy Burke mentioned at one of the awards ceremonies, you will learn who your friends are during these events. As he has, I have made many lifelong friends through Tournament competition, and look forward to seeing everyone at all of the events. I too, have had competitors help me with repairs, and it will not be forgotten. Now, as for communication, this is a touchy subject. It is because of the friendship, respect, and spirit of competition, that I rarely communicate during events. If your communication hasn't caused a riff, just give it time, it will. I do not agree with "open comm", but I do understand how impossible it would be to enforce with todays technology. Imagine how hard it would be to get a observer if they couldn't look at their "dingleberry"(blackberry). It is up to the Capts to compete within the confines of of good sportsmanship and "the spirit of competition". So dbutts, and any others looking to get involved, do so. I have watched several teams climb the ladder to greatness. I so look forward to each Tournament, and so do the choice clients of mine who have been invited to be involved. We make irreplaceable memories at every event--win or lose, and learn more in one Tournament than all the other days put together. Salmon are the ultimate Tournament fish, and trout are no slouches either. We have never wasted one fillet, in fact, our observers are often the benefactors of any extra fillets. As for observers, they are the backbone of the Pro-Am format. Problem is, teams often take shortcuts and "buy" or "hire" one. Bad Play. They won't care the same, in fact, they will often end up pulling for the boat they are on! You need to find observers that are your friends or sometimes teammates. We often let observers fish with us during pre-fish in return for their loyalty. Any future growth in payouts will require impeccable observers. It is our responsibility. So, lets continue to improve the events, even if there is growing pains along the way. There is absolutely no reason why they can't reach the stature of Bass events, especially with the fishery we have. Although they aren't for everyone, many of us couldn't imagine a Summer without them!

I will be addressing the Niagara county legislature on wind power and the ramifications to the Sportfishing industry, 7pm at Niagara county courthouse in Lockport. People will be there speaking for both sides. Open to all, and anyone residing in Niagara county should come out to support the cause, preventing this horror from marring the greatlakes.

Congrats Glen, I told you this past winter on here, you would "get your share". Thats putting it lightly!

Vessel will be available for in-the-water inspection July 19th--- July 29th, and out of the water after that. Thx, Vince

Thank you, guys, for your warm condolences.