Question for Pro Am Committee

[Erskin]

I have a question regarding the open division. This is what is stated from the ProAm website

"Levels of Competition

Recreational Open Division

The Recreational Open Division was created with the novice or weekend angler in mind.

My question is this. How do you have charter captains, some of whom on their website have placed in 19 different places in tournaments including three 1st places in Am division and other captains who have over 32 years of fishing in the Open Division with guys who are new and want to enter for the first time. It's like putting a fouth degree black belt with thirty years of martial arts training and winning numerous tournaments against and orange or yellow belt with one year experience and going into a tourney for the first time. Where is the fairness?

[ray koziatek]

yea I kinda had a little reserve on gettin in the open for that reason not that Im a pro by any means,but after fishing in the am dev for a few years and actually beating some of the pros (overall score) in more than one derby..

So with that said I guess anyone could win the open too,you can choose yer port (follow the fish) ,have home port advantage by fishing yer usual waters....many of the LOC winners or high placers are not captians just guys like you or me that drops yer lure in front of the right fish..some days the fish are all left of port but the guy who went right wins,go figure....

Ant no disputing a 5 or 25 yr captian has some advantage (lots), but hey ya ant gonna win it belly achin on the couch,and you shure the hell can guarentee a winning fish if you dont get in it...If I didnt miss the deadline i might of got in th oak this week just to whip Motomans Butt...take this jonnie and scott too.

[Paul Czarnecki]

I have a question regarding the open division. This is what is stated from the ProAm website

"Levels of Competition

Recreational Open Division

The Recreational Open Division was created with the novice or weekend angler in mind.

My question is this. How do you have charter captains, some of whom on their website have placed in 19 different places in tournaments including three 1st places in Am division and other captains who have over 32 years of fishing in the Open Division with guys who are new and want to enter for the first time. It's like putting a fouth degree black belt with thirty years of martial arts training and winning numerous tournaments against and orange or yellow belt with one year experience and going into a tourney for the first time. Where is the fairness?

If someone has "placed in 19 different tournaments including three 1st places in Am Division"......they are NOT a charter captain. The rules clearly define that the Am division could not include any professional anglers---past or present.

The Open Division is also a "cull tournament" which means you can release fish until you get the three you want to weigh----same as the KOTL events and the Wilson Invitational--events that EVERYONE loves!

[Iceman]

Go get EM Paul!!!! LOL!!!!!!!!

[Fishtails]

I think Dick fell off the wagon again.....

[Silver Fox]

I have a question regarding the open division. This is what is stated from the ProAm website

"Levels of Competition

Recreational Open Division

The Recreational Open Division was created with the novice or weekend angler in mind.

My question is this. How do you have charter captains, some of whom on their website have placed in 19 different places in tournaments including three 1st places in Am division and other captains who have over 32 years of fishing in the Open Division with guys who are new and want to enter for the first time. It's like putting a fouth degree black belt with thirty years of martial arts training and winning numerous tournaments against and orange or yellow belt with one year experience and going into a tourney for the first time. Where is the fairness?

I think your talking about me and thats fine. We won those 3 well before I became a Captain and that was only 4 years ago. I too am a weekend guy and only have been doing about 5 trips a year. Just because someone has Captain by their name definately doesn't mean they are on the water every day. I can only make a living painting and not fishing.

See you at the weigh in and stop me to say hi.

[stoutner]

To be fair Erskin. The Open division is just that...."Open" They may have had weekend warriors like you and I in mind but it was stated as Open and I have no problem with it. You are never ever going to please everyone so in this case I think they did what they thought was best. I personally would rather see it as "open division boats 27' and under".