Pro/Am Question and Poll

[KING ME]

This is for all you pro/am fisherman out there. Looking for your personal input.

Here is the question.

Should the pro/am tournaments be open communaction between boats (like Olcott) or closed like the other events?

[KING ME]

here is my 2 cents. The pro/am tournament ARE NOT about the money for the vast majority that enter them. It is more of a prestige thing.

If you want to be the "best" then you should do it by yourself!!!!!! No communication between boats, every man for himself, let's see what you got type of event!

Any day on the water can be good or bad for ALL of us, but anybody can do good when they get a hot tip (phone call) on a bite, location and such.

If you want to be #1, it would be more rewarding to do it on your own.

just my take.

[Guest ReelDiel]

steve, i agree with you even though its mostly about prestige its still a competition no on water communication after the event at the bar well thats another thing

[Yankee Troller]

I agree, although I have used the open communication thing in Niagara. Pesonally I would be all for no communication for the entire trail. I do have to say though this past year it was a good thing we could use communication becasue a fellow angler in the tourney was taking on water and the fact the radio was on and people could use it got him home safe!

So on a side note......Who is fishing the Pro-Ams this year and which ones?

[KING ME]

Yankee,

The case on taking on water- the touranment commity allows for communication is cases like that! - emergencies are different from (run purple with red eyes down 55' back 20' at 2,5 on west troll at the 24.5 northline )

I am planning on olcott and sodus (if my team is up for it) not sure about oswego yet.

[Yankee Troller]

Yeah, but dont you think that people would be more prone to turning the radios off if they arent getting used? Not to start a dumb bickering blog but if the radios are on then you could still get "reports" from a weekend angler. So where is the closed communication? I totaly would go to the no communication though!

[KING ME]

Yankee,

According to the rules of the "closed" tournaments (like sodus) All boats are to maintain VHF to channel 9 as directed by the tournament commity. This channel is used by tournament control...for emergencies, announcements and such. Plus there is an observer on board to monitor vhf and cell phone use. These to things prevent "inout" for other vhf users.

Also, not for nothing but If I am taking on water I will be calling someone! Safety first over tournament rules! I highly doubt that the tournament commity would kick you out of the tournament for a vhf communication "that I'm taking on water" or "I blew a motor".

[Yankee Troller]

I hear ya bro! Plus if I remember correctly arent you obligated to keep all devices that aid in navigation on as a captain? For example I know if you have a radar unit it has to be on. I know a vhf isnt going to aid in navigation, but it is an important tool. Anyway, I'll see you at the meeting this week. I have been playing soccer on Tuesdays and couldnt make it out. It will be nice to see some of the guys again.

[A-TOM-MIK]

We Vote No Communication.........

I personally think the Oswego event goes off without a hitch with this in force, I have heard all the bickering on the un-inforcable issue's and wonder why many even bicker in the first place? Maybe some just can't trust themselves? I have been riding in these boats for 10 years fishing them, observing at times as well and have never witnessed the issues everyone talks about. Cell phones are off and in the observers posession, radio sits on 16, etc. etc. ect.

The prestige is what it is all about, from finishing first to finishing last there is never much coin left for much of anything, but winning feels cool and there are always memories left for many years down the road!!!

[L&M]

I have to agree with Steve. Unless it's an emergency. No phns. No radios. Think about it. This is supposed to be a professional tournament the best or the luckiest out of both Pro & Am divisions. To many variables with open communication. Do your pre fishing and go out, do your best, and see how you fared when you get to the weigh station. But nobody said anything bout a little chatter over a Coor's Light at the dock, after or before.

Hank

L&M

[Yankee Troller]

Before? Isnt that supposed to be coffee time?

[L&M]

Before? Isnt that supposed to be coffee time?

Well that too.

[TrimTab]

I'm relatively new to the forum and tournament fishing (both kick a@# BTW!) but I did participate in last years events and was on the boat that was taking on water. So here are my two cents. I am in favor of no communication. Way more fun and competitive. In the event of an emergency, and I do mean only an emergency, the no communication rule goes out the door and you CYOA! Just common sense. There's plenty of time for communication at the weigh in tent and/or bar after the events each day.

As a sidebar, like I said I'm relatively new to salmon fishing as a whole but I got hooked , no pun intended, two years ago and lucky enough to get involved with 3 guys willing to show me the ropes and let me fish with them. They got me turned on to this forum as well and I've learned by leaps and bounds. Great guys, great site. Thanks for all the help. My two cents.

Keep it between the navigational beacons.

TrimTab

[Yankee Troller]

Welcome TrimTab......Cool name too!

Hey Tom........when you gonna post the new pictures on your site of your new flavors? I have been waiting since like September brother!

[A-TOM-MIK]

I will not have them up there any day soon, stock is still being built and anticipation for orders concluding the SSS Dealer show is our strongest intention. (To give our dealers first dibs on the new stuff) After that time (mid Feb. or so) we will start reworking the site. But send me your addy again via E Mail and maybe I can get an image or 2 for you and maybe a sample or 2.

***(NO COMMUNICATION)*** lol

Thanks for asking YT,

Tom

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Get the point?

[Billy V]

I agree with everybody else....closed communication. You either have it that day or you don't.

[Erbyjoe]

I agree also MUMS the word Tom I'm with Yankee can't wait until the unvailing of the new fly's come on febuary

[landingzone]

Following is an e-mail I sent to the Pro-Am coordinators in October. What are the opinions of others on these ideas?

Dick ........

Dear Bill, Troy, Chris, & Mike:

Having participated in all 10 of the Pro-Ams in the last three years, I would like to share my thoughts as you plan for the future.

First of all, I want to complement all the tournament directors and their dedicated staff. All events have been professionally run and a pleasure in which to participate. I am well aware of the many thankless hours that go into efforts like this. They would not happen if the same selfless effort did not occur time and again.

Having said that, and since nothing is perfect, and I would like to offer my opinion on a few topics for your consideration. Obviously, the vast majority of policies and regulations work well and meet with approval.

I suggest the following considerations:

1) An overriding policy should be that all rules are exactly the same for all the events. The exact same rule sheet should be used.

2) It may seem insignificant, but having common days of the week is important. When coordinating your team for 4 different events with partially changing team members for each, many times there is confusion about: “is it Sat. & Sun., or Fri. & Sat.â€Â

[Billy V]

Very well put Dick. Those are are very valid suggestions and I hope they take them into serious consideration.

[Dave B]

Great letter Dick. I hope it spurs some talk between the Pro / Am groups.

I too have fished most of these events the last few years and have fished the Scotty. I may not agree with all points of your letter but do agree that some uniformity is needed in the Pro /Ams. I lost a teammate one year because of the date differences. I also feel that the border and communication are the major issues out there.

I don't think that most of us fish these events for the money. I

think it is for pride and doing things on your own.

We plan on being at all four events this year and hope to see you there!!

Dave B

Team Dream Chasers

[Miss em]

Dave

I think you lost a team mate one year becasue of senility - on his part! Ha-Ha

[Chasin Tail]

If you want to be the "best" then you should do it by yourself!!!!!! No communication between boats, every man for himself, let's see what you got type of event!

To be the best you have to beat the best , on your own!

[David Chilson]

I attended the pro-Am meeting on 12-28 and it was decided to have open communications. There is a unified set of rules and one application that covers all events. Another change is that all water MUST be drained from the coolers prior to the pre-inspection and only block or ice still in the bag will be allowed. I am waiting on a "official" press release and application which I am including in the upcoming Derby paper due out early next month.

[David Chilson]

Open communications and the rules have been standardized for all tournaments. A 12 fish limit for the Pro division with no more than 2 lake trout. In the Am division, there is a 7 fish limit with the requirement of one lake trout. Also 2 person teams are now eligble. (Observer must have a fishing license to run 6 rods) Additionally in the am division only, unijured fish may be released at boatside.

The complete rules should be available in the near future on the Pro-Am web site or as soon as they make them available I can put them in a pdf file to forward.