Seneca Trout derby no scales north end?!

[FLXWaterfowler]

So get a couple nice lakers in the boat over 8# just went to weigh in at Geneva only to find they have no power and the scales are down! Why would they rely on a solar and wind power setup for this. Really seems like they were lost on how to solve the problem. So back out fishing we go with a couple decent fish that havnt been weighed in. This whole tournment could use some help.

[slab88]

Those people running that are probably doing there best under the circumstance cut them some slack

[hermit]

Hmmm I didn't check the scale setup when I stopped by at 1:30 but 12.52 lb was top of the board and around 10 the bottom (for lakers) not counting the Watkins weigh station. There was no shortage of wind today so maybe it was just solar?  That wind made things interesting and we didn't go more than a few miles south of Geneva... can't imagine fishing Sampson and Watkins!

[hermit]

Checked the board, it says 12.14 laker on top.  Don't know why I saw 12.52, could be my mind is playing tricks but I was certain I saw what I saw... oh well just correcting the info.

[FLXWaterfowler]

I also saw the 12.52 in the cooler this morning.

[reeldilemma33]

heard reel stories has a slobbbb don't think that 12lbs is gonna last much after scales open...

[Sk8man]

Hey Reel Dilemma I enjoyed our brief chat today at the launch ramp. Pretty discouraging day and weather but at least we made it out alive today!   Best of luck with it!

 

Les

[hermit]

I also saw the 12.52 in the cooler this morning.

 

Okay good... not losing my mind yet.  Congratulations!  Guess the website standings aren't up to date though it says as of 5:31 PM.  And the 12.14 is a brown.

 

Edit:  wow a few hours sleep makes a big difference: I'm an idiot, that's last year's Saturday board.  

 

Edit 2:  Oops got everything confused yesterday, guess it was a different boat with the 12.52... whew too tired and confusing website made for an interesting evening.  Better now.

Edited May 26, 2013 by hermit

[lakebound88]

heard reel stories has a slobbbb don't think that 12lbs is gonna last much after scales open...

Shhhhhh! Don't let the word out!

We'll see in the AM!

Nick

[reeldilemma33]

LOL I'm 3rd in brown hopefully it holds...

[Frogger]

FLX, I feel your pain, things weren't planned very well, SLAB, sorry but the things I've seen over the past few years tells me it's time for change. When you can walk up to see the leader board on the second day in with nothing on it but the leader, and oh yea 4 people working, I believe they get paid, standing there drinking coffee doing nothing, telling you to get the information on line??? Oh I forgot, the one guy first asked what is it your looking for?? I said I would like to know if anyone I know has placed, were still pulling the information together...... On day 2? This was the geneva location.

[dbutts]

Yea, they couldn't tell the diff between a landlock and a brown either.

[reeldilemma33]

I got bummed a couple yrs ago by a brown in the rainbow division. something has to be done, horrible!

[reeldilemma33]

Hey Reel Dilemma I enjoyed our brief chat today at the launch ramp. Pretty discouraging day and weather but at least we made it out alive today! Best of luck with it!

Les

[reeldilemma33]

I enjoyed it as well... how'd you guys make out?

[Sk8man]

I can't get my engine looked at until tomorrow at the earliest so we basically had a 1/2 day derby with one 6- 6 1/2 lb laker and that's it. We never got to even try anything much other than throwing out a couple sets of cowbells and we were flying speed-wise. Derby 2013 was a total disaster for us. Hey at least you folks have some decent weather today to work with.... I guess everyone is pretty "beat up" from that past two days of "wind tunnel" experience.....good day to just sit back in the boat throw your lines out and relax I think that wind was  pretty brutal this time around. Best of luck  to you John.

 

Les

[Bigfoot]

The people on the weigh stations are all volunteers from various non profits-most of them aren't fishermen either. Exactly one person (and only one person)is paid. Some of the key leadership have been running the derby for decades, and they are not receptive to change. A lot could be done to improve the derby- I know, I tried.

[slow rollin]

They did the same thing last year. I weighed in a brown and they thought it was a salmon. It would have won as a salmon if I didn't correct them. Kinda have to know that stuff

[reeldilemma33]

I get that they're volunteers but the amount of money this derby generates I think they could pay for some help. 1500 entries at $30 a pop. comnn

[Frogger]

I'll have to get the skinny on who's volunteers and who isn't. The DEC that supports it along with some of the other folks for food stands and maybe some who do help out at the weigh ins are indeed volunteer, but the leaders of this event are definitely paid. Sad to see a first time derby placer that wanted to see her name up on the leader board couldn't because they wouldn't update the board the whole day. I also can't imagine the number of fish that could of been thrown back if people would of known prior to coming in that you needed 10lb plus to place the last day but instead brought in 9 lbers thinking they could get on the board. Maybe it's to simple. My final frustration is the daily drawings. No numbers provided on who were the winners. Was told they have them and that checks would be mailed to the winners. Mmmm. Now that doesn't seem right in Denmark..........

It's a long standing derby that means a lot to a whole bunch of people out there. I would hate to see it dwindle away. Having 2300 entrants back in the day compared to 1300. Next year is the 50th year, hope they can see the importance of it.

[Bigfoot]

Since you asked......

 

The volunteers at the Watkins Glen weigh station are from the Finger Lakes Trollers Association and the Montour Falls Masonic Temple.

 

The volunteers at the Sampson weigh station are from a bass fishing club and an artillery reenactment group.

 

The volunteers at the Geneva weigh station are from the Geneva Teachers Association and a barbershop singing group. I might have left out one other group......

 

These people give up their holiday time (in many cases they are giving up fishing time) at NO pay to support the event and their organizations.

 

These organizations split the "profits" from the event to support their activities. I assure you that no one is getting rich from the event.

 

The DEC participates in the event because it is absolutely their best opportunity to obtain fisheries data- which is used to determine things like growth rates, stocking rates and fishery regulations.

The purpose of the $50 daily prizes is to get people to bring in small fish to complete the DEC sample (remember, Seneca Lake has too many Lake Trout and you are not helping the lake by releasing lakers).

 

The derby is run by an unpaid board of directors (made up by reps from the various volunteer groups) which meets about 8 times a year.

 

One person ( Colin Morehouse) manages the day to day operations and is paid (last I knew) a stipend of $200 /month. There are plenty of other expenses such as printing and mailing, tent rental, computer and phone charges. In addition, the derby sponsors youth fishing events and sends several area youth to DEC summer camp each year.

 

I was one of the directors representing the Trollers Association, but I stopped participating due to my inability to effect any real change.

[Frogger]

Thats a great run down of how it works Bigfoot, Thanks for that information.  I can understand the diffculty to affect any change as i have heard of that recently as well.  Hopefully a few meetings this week with some councilman from Geneva may provide an arguement that its time for some change.

 

One thing that should be accpeted is that it can always be better.  And for what its worth, the daily raffles, one of the imporatnt things is letting people know who won? and the catch and release theory should be practiced as much as possible.  If for what ever reason your thinking the lake trout population needs to be decimated because you think theres too many?  thats a whole other argument that I really would rather not get into.  Anyway, Im looking foward to next years derby.

[Bigfoot]

Dec fisheries biologist know that there are to many- that's why the creel limit on lakers in Seneca was raised from 3 to 5. Laker stocking also has been reduced due to increasing natural reproduction. Taking fish from the lake will result in bigger fish, an over populated lake will result in stunted fish.

 

They also know that many anglers just don't care to keep most of the lakers they catch- little chance that the population will be decimated- truth is, we aren't that good.

[Frogger]

Yea, I cant seem to get them to fit my taste for dinner, guess ill keep staying with the perch......