2nd Chautauqua Musky Tourney Oct 6th

[mostlymuskies]

The 2nd Chautauqua Cash Tourney will be Oct 6h,2012.The Tourney will be $40 per Fishermen.(Full Field 100 Fishermen,Notice: Tourney Field will be allowed to go behond 100,but prize structure will stay as set at 100),***NEW PAYOUT STRUCTURE:***1st Place $800,2nd Place $500,3rd Place $400,4th Place $300,5th Place $200,and Most Muskies Caught By One Entrant $300(total Inches will used for most muskies caught if there is a tie),with the remaining $1500(and Entry Fees Behond 100) going to the Bait Fish Fund!This will be based on the 5 Longest Muskies caught & released,each fishermen can only enter 1 fish,size must be exact,their Longest!Then those longest muskies caught can be added with other muskies caught by any One Contestant to Win Most Muskies Caught Prize! or maybe someone with the most muskies caught might not even make in the top five fish with any of their fish,but still have the Most Muskies Caught to Win! Photo must be taken with pin on Tourney Button visable in picture for Entry to count toward prizes.Tourney Button will be mailed to you 10 days before the Tourney along with Release Form or can be picked up from 6:00 am to 9:00 am Oct. 6th at Mayville Launch.Witness of your release form can be by anyone else in the Tourney.Picture of musky with Tourney Button for prizes can be show from your cell phone or camera to me when you turn in your Release Form.Release Forms must be turned in by 6:00 pm to count for the Prizes,bring them to (Mayville Town Park or Happy Hooker Tackle Shop will have the one location picked out soon).Tourney fishing hours at Midnight Friday Oct 5th to 5:00 pm Oct 6th.There will be a 1/4 Chicken Dinner with potato salad & baked beens starting at 5:00 pm.We will have a 50/50 Raffle & Lure Raffle Table.We will use Mayville Town Park for the Awards Presentation,we will use the green shelter.You may launch from anywhere on the lake,other launches are Long Point State Park,Prendergast,Bemus Point & Celeron!

Donations to the Chautauqua Bait Fish Fund are much appreciated as well!Make checks out to Mostly Muskies and mail to Capt. Larry D. Jones,268 Harrison Ave,Buffalo,NY 14223.

You may also submit payment online via PayPal by clicking on the link below:

SIGN UP VIA PAYPAL TODAY

This year the spawn ritual will be early ,the hatchery will have muskie fingerlings earlier,out side growing time will be longer and we may need to purchase more then $3000worth of extra fathead minnows.

[mostlymuskies]

Because the surface water temperature is at 82 degrees I have Cancelled the July 28th Tourney and replaced it with October 6th Tourney. Those who already paid can get a refund or move their entry fee to Oct 6th or next Summers Tourney .

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[Nalod]

Larry,

I completely agree with you canceling this tournament and really respect you for making this decision. To me, making the hard decision to cancel a tournament for the safety of the fish shows your great character and respect for the fishery.

Thanks,

--Joe

[Ronix 51]

sounds like a good idea larry, lookin forward to the fall tourney!

[Ivan]

Good call Larry. I think the fishing will be better in October anyway.

Adam A.

[Ivan]

The Three Rivers MI board also voted last night to postpone the club's Chautauqua Tourney that was scheduled for 7/21 and 7/22. A new date has not been set yet.

[ShutUpNFish]

I have been muskie fishing for 20+ years. We have made efforts to release 99.99% of the fish we catch, educated ourselves (through experience) on proper fish handling, efforts in stocking and bait funds for hatcheries to keep muskies longer enabling for stocking of bigger fish for better survival rates. How much more can be done? IMHO proposing/supporting the notion to not fish when the weather gets hot is a bit extreme if you ask me. These attitudes are simply leading down a path of extremism/purism that I feel are unecessary for preservation of the species and sport. I remember fishing many tournaments/days on the water in hot weather with surface temps exceeding 80* in the past with NO harm done. Are these decisions being made because of past issues or are they being made because of political correctness and image? Some use barbless hooks, some don't fish when the weather is hot, some do not net fish, some do not handle fish and MOST release 100%. These are personal choices and MOST have chosen to do what is best for muskies since they have had proper education and have obviously been led through fine examples from others who are successful at it. It should be about personal choice right? For those of you who have been doing this for 20+ years, just take a look at how far this sport has come over the years...I believe we are pretty much at the peak of what muskie fishing can be in the eastern region of the country and need to focus more on maintaining that; not trying to control that which we know we cannot. Some fish will die and we must accept that. It is the nature of what we do and it sucks when a fish dies in our care, but it happens to the best of us regardless sometimes. It is just funny how some are in support of this decision, yet they go out and fish anyhow?

I could really care less if I fish the tournament or not, but I feel that cancelling due to high surface temps is extreme and unecessary and may lead to more harm as far as organizations are concerned that are supported by a membership of fishermen. This decision somehow seems unfair to those who have planned for these as vacation time or time off in advance and look forward to the weekend tournament/comeradery with other muskie fishermen/women that they see every year. And it also seems unfair to cancel due to something that MAY or MAY NOT happen. And who knows anyway, those temps may drop in the next few weeks....Do we eventually just end all tourneys in July in the future? Is that where this is leading?

Again, this is just my view and I'm sure I may get bashed by some people these days, it just goes along with the time I guess. I am not upset about the tournaments being cancelled myself because I will be fishing that weekend regardless, However, I know that a lot of people are upset/disappointed especially knowing that we have been doing it for years regardless of the water temps with NO ill effects. So why the sudden change? And I just happen to agree with them.

Paul Fec

[Ronix 51]

Paul,

What July Chautauqua tourney have you been doing for years? As far as im aware this was the first one scheduled at this date...correct me if im wrong since ive only fished them for 2 seasons now but hasnt it always been a june and october tourney?

A lot of tournaments have been forced to do the same thing, the PMTT for example would reschedule events if the water temps became too high...they almost rescheduled the eagle river event due to water temps holding right around 80 and on Chautauqua the temps at 22 ft down are in the 70s.

I definitely see your argument that its a let down especially when plans have been made and hotels have been booked. I think Larry's concern was just to avoid having X amount of excessive pressure on the water during these high temps. As far as fishing in the heat and highi water temps, I dont think its going to become any sort of extremism case scenario, I highly doubt the DEC or any DNR agency would ever even consider closing a season due to water temps unless it was a threatened or close to being threatened species.

Nobody with a logical head on their shoulders is trying to start a "no fishing in heat" movement (notice I said logical, I agree there are certain people out there looking to start a witch huntfor anglers deciding to do so) but what it all comes down to is that you bought a license and you have the right to fish whenever you please in the given season and no one is saying not to do so. Some anglers just make the choice not to fish for them to avoidn the chance of killing one.

[mostlymuskies]

There were only 10 fishermen signed up for the July 28th Tourney when I cancelled it.It was cancelled more because of lack of interest then the fact that surface water temps today were 84 degrees and 20 ft down was 75 degrees.With 3 weeks to go only 10 fishermen had signed up,110 persons were mailed a signup sheet to bring to the June 23rd,only 3 persons did.The fishing has been very slow the past week under this heat spell as well.I use frozen milk jugs in the net with the muskies to help bring them around quicker and a hose off my livewell airator placed in next to the fishes gills,when the surface water is over 80 degrees.The Tourney was moved to October to not over stress the fish,but to also get a larger turnout of fishermen. I also think Three Rivers M.I. Chapter made the right call as well.

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[ShutUpNFish]

Yes they did Larry....They made the right call be reinstating the tournament as planned. They realized that they jumped the gun on the initial decision to cancel. They got a lot of flack by many seasoned/veteran members, so they jumped off the bandwagon. Temps are forecasted to be quite normal for this time of year for the next ten days. Highs in the low 80s and lows in the low 70s and high 60s....Looks like prime fishing weather if you ask me.

I'm glad that you added that the turnout for your tournament was minimal and the primary reason for you posponing yours...THAT was a good call.

Paul

[mostlymuskies]

I have also been rebooking clients to late September & October because the fishing has been very tough under this heat wave we have been under.Today Chautauqua surface temp was 84 degrees up north and 85 degrees down south.Last year on July 22nd the water surface temperature was 75 degrees.Having a tournament when catching fish is very tough to do makes it hard to get entrants the following year.I will be on the water because I have clients that put in for vacation in Nov last year and a couple who have airline tickets purchased a year in advance.I have moved everyone to later dates that I could,I have 5 persons left for July.August I will be doing walleye on Lake Erie,then back to Chautauqua for muskies after Labor Day.The only action has been from 5 am to 8 am all week!

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[mostlymuskies]

We will vote on possibly changing the tourney rules to the Muskies Inc Contest Rules,30" minimum size with points system. The vote will be at the NY Muskies Inc. Chapter 69 meeting Tomarrow night.

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[mostlymuskies]

Tourney rules will stay as posted for the October 6th Tourney.So far only 12 fishermen have signed up.We need a good turnout,the Bait Fish Fund will spend $3000 this coming Monday for fathead minnows for Prendergast Hatchery,this leaves only $1179.00 in the account.That means we need to raise close to $2000 from the Oct and June 22nd,2013 to be able to purchase $3000 worth of fathead minnows again in 2013.Please signup for the October 6th Tourney so we can keep the Bait Fish Fund going.

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[mostlymuskies]

We have so far only had 2 persons signup since moving the date to October 6th,only 12 persons have signed up so far!

[mostlymuskies]

OK guys originally I was not going to have an October Tourney this year because of low turnout the last two fall tourneys. Now that we decided to have the October 6th Tourney signup has been very slow.I can't reach in my pocket for early signup prizes money for this tourney,I have no extra cash since I have to replace my stolen casting rods.We need 50 entrants to break even, please signup soon. Still at 12 Tourney Entrants!

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[Ronix 51]

Larry I will be signing up for three tourney entries shortly

[mostlymuskies]

Mike, Thanks! Oldman signed up two last night and Joe Dolan the other day.

[mostlymuskies]

I added (2) Two Beckman Magnum Fin Saver Nets w/6ft Handles as Early Signup Draw Prizes.Signup for the Chautauqua Tourney by August 31st and get in on the Drawing to Win one of two Beckman Nets.

[mostlymuskies]

Only 7 Days remaining for the Early Tourney Entry Drawing for Beckman Magnum Fin Saver Nets,odds are very good-2 out of 20 so far!

[mostlymuskies]

The Tourney Early Signup Drawing for the 2 Beckman Nets will take place at the NMA Meeting Sept. 4th,2012.still time to get in on the drawing to win a net,signup by August 31st!

[mostlymuskies]

You still have a little more then 24 houes to signup for the Tourney and get in on the drawing for the Beckman Nets!

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[mostlymuskies]

You still have 3 hours to signup and get in on the Net drawing.

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[mostlymuskies]

The Beckman Net Winners are Mark Anderson and Tom Ayers,Congrads guys,I will have your nets for you at the Oct 6th Tourney

[mostlymuskies]

Sept 20th is the final date for PayPal Tourney Entries,then signup will be on Oct 6th from 6 to 9 am at Mayville Lakeside Park Launch.Signup early if you want to get the Tourney packet in the mail so you can fish starting at midnight or earlier then 6 am.

Capt Larry

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[mostlymuskies]

Only 3 days left to pay your Tourney Entry Fee via PayPal.After the 20th of September signup will be at the Mayville Launch on Oct 6th from 6 am to 9 am.

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