ProAm Question

[skipper19]

Not me!...you guys are pro's..I'll watch..melted butter on mine please!

[Erskin]

I just saw a photo of a guy holding the first place recreational open trophy. His charter web page says he has a 36 foot boat and thirty years experience. There is no way new guys are going to have a shot against folks like this in the open division.   No wonder you don't get many teams in the open division.

 

Is there anyone from the Proam committee that would like to comment.  I am curious of your thoughts on this subject.

Edited December 13, 2014 by Erskin

[spoonfed-1]

I just saw a photo of a guy holding the first place recreational open trophy. His charter web page says he has a 36 foot boat and thirty years experience. There is no way new guys are going to have a shot against folks like this in the open division.   No wonder you don't get many teams in the open division.

 

Is there anyone from the Proam committee that would like to comment.  I am curious of your thoughts on this subject.

 

You can't catch 3 fish because there is a 36 ft boat fishing?

The open division is open to everybody.

Now stop whining and go out there and kick some a$$.

[Silver Fox]

You can't catch 3 fish because there is a 36 ft boat fishing?

The open division is open to everybody.

Now stop whining and go out there and kick some a$$.

A freaking men!

[on the lam]

I'm not going to get into this conversation about the open division directly, as i have never entered it. When I first decided to fish pro-am's i definitely was out classed and that was in the AM division. Then I decided to get my captains license, not to charter, just to have a better understanding of my boat and proper navigation, so I became a weekend warrior/amateur with a Captains license.   So if I wanted to fish Pro-Am's it would be in the Pro Div.  So on to the pro side i went. And what will happen, as happened to me, is you find out about yourself, your ability to catch fish and make "tournament" decisions and how that stacks up against the best. If you feel you are out of your class, then back out, lesson learned, if not move forward with a plan for next year.

I like to compare Pro tourny fishing to professional baseball pitching. there are those pitchers, and there are only a few, that go out every fifth day and you could expect to get a good performance out of them. Then there are the rest of the "pro" pitchers who on any given day will throw a gem, and the Cy Young guy will have an "off" day, and the average guy wins. So if you feel you "belong" in the division you fish, and your confident you can "compete", then stick with it, your day will come. For me, I am still waiting for my day in a Pro Am. I've been in the top 5, bottom 5 "comeback award, you name it. Like the lottery says, "You have to be in it to win it"

[GAMBLER]

Charter captains can enter any derby on the lake. I look at it this way, any day you can have a good day and beat some of the best charter captains on the lake. Come fish the Sandy Creek Shootout. Lots of recs and some charter captains. Every year recs place ahead of some big name captains on the lake.

[motoman]

I'm not going to get into this conversation about the open division directly, as i have never entered it. When I first decided to fish pro-am's i definitely was out classed and that was in the AM division. Then I decided to get my captains license, not to charter, just to have a better understanding of my boat and proper navigation, so I became a weekend warrior/amateur with a Captains license.   So if I wanted to fish Pro-Am's it would be in the Pro Div.  So on to the pro side i went. And what will happen, as happened to me, is you find out about yourself, your ability to catch fish and make "tournament" decisions and how that stacks up against the best. If you feel you are out of your class, then back out, lesson learned, if not move forward with a plan for next year.

I like to compare Pro tourny fishing to professional baseball pitching. there are those pitchers, and there are only a few, that go out every fifth day and you could expect to get a good performance out of them. Then there are the rest of the "pro" pitchers who on any given day will throw a gem, and the Cy Young guy will have an "off" day, and the average guy wins. So if you feel you "belong" in the division you fish, and your confident you can "compete", then stick with it, your day will come. For me, I am still waiting for my day in a Pro Am. I've been in the top 5, bottom 5 "comeback award, you name it. Like the lottery says, "You have to be in it to win it"

 

well said, if your unsure of what  class too fish use the open class and try and win one or two , we used it for that purpose and it seemed too work.for a stepping stone .for us then we moved up.

[JakeyBaby]

Charter captains can enter any derby on the lake. I look at it this way, any day you can have a good day and beat some of the best charter captains on the lake. Come fish the Sandy Creek Shootout. Lots of recs and some charter captains. Every year recs place ahead of some big name captains on the lake.

Brian is spot on.... there are a bunch of tournaments on this side of the pond that cater to everyone and not just the pros. Sandy Creek shootout definitely being one of them. Every year it gets bigger and bigger, a lot of great teams with a ton of experience and doesn't break the bank to participate. Another one would be the Oak Orchard Open. Not a ton of money to participate, a ton of great competition. They also have organized it so an AM team can win a separate prize for winning that division but you are still able to win the big pot. Either way for me tournament fishing is a great time and a ton of fun. The amount of knowledge you will gain is unmatched in my opinion. Give it a try you won't regret it! Edited December 14, 2014 by JakeyBaby

[GAMBLER]

Another way too look at is are you ever going to get better fishing at the same level? Learning by competing against a higher level of competition will make you think outside of your comfort zone and keep you on your toes. You will learn a lot more and become a better fishermen.

[on the lam]

Another way too look at is are you ever going to get better fishing at the same level? Learning by competing against a higher level of competition will make you think outside of your comfort zone and keep you on your toes. You will learn a lot more and become a better fishermen.

Exactly!

[Fbodine]

Thanks guys for all of your input. We might give it a shot this year. 

[rolmops]

Just remember,even if you do not compete,you can still have the time of your life on the water.

[TileMan Dan]

I with you rolmops on this issue. I just love being out there. Fish are always second to me.

Sent from my iPhone using Lake Ontario United

[Fishtails]

You can't catch 3 fish because there is a 36 ft boat fishing?

The open division is open to everybody.

Now stop whining and go out there and kick some a$$.

 

What Glen said

 

Seriously, anyone can put a good three fish box together on any given day out of any size boat. Don't worry about what others are driving, wearing, saying or doing.  You gotta be in it to win it, but maybe more importantly you gotta be in it to experience it and it can be a very fun experience.

 

Every year it seems like this topic comes up. The open division is for all anglers of all abilities.  I have fished the open division once , the amateur division many times and the pro division a good deal of times. I'm just a weekend warrior with average knowledge and skill.  It all depends on the situation.  To say a charter captain has an advantage in the open division  just because he or she is a captain just isn't so. They don't teach you how to fish when you get your captains license.  Time on the water matters more and plenty of rec guys fish as much as some charter captains. 

 

Besides, the payout in the open is not very good. They throw a lot of product into the open purse and not that much cash because the entry fee is lower and any sponsor cash always goes to the pro division.  The one time I fished the open I was lucky enough to win 1st place with a kids team and I think we got like less than a $1000 cash. I think we got like another $1000 in product ?  I don't really remember because I know I spent more than I won and it was never about the money anyway.  That kind of money wouldn't cover the gas bill on a 36ft boat so it's not something I'd put much thought into.

Edited December 17, 2014 by Fishtails

[finsntins]

average knowledge and skill????come on rod,who are you trying to kid!!!!hahhaha

[ray koziatek]

oh i could tell some Rod stories.....great guy ..seems a little pluged up at times tho,just ask musky...Man our team had some of the best times fishing and having a great time on shore during the Pro Ams..and other derbys .. 

[muskybob]

oh i could tell some Rod stories.....great guy ..seems a little pluged up at times tho,just ask musky...Man our team had some of the best times fishing and having a great time on shore during the Pro Ams..and other derbys .. 

[Fishtails]

average knowledge and skill????come on rod,who are you trying to kid!!!!hahhaha

 

And that's on a good day Jason!  My son Justin will quickly let you know that most days it's all him. I don't even know why I get out of bed?  I guess someone has to make the sandwiches and put gas in the boat.

 

 

Good times Ray.  I've been the butt of a few jokes over the years  

 

I guess what we are saying Fbodine is that if you don't take yourself and where you place too seriously, you can have an amazingly

​fun time and sometimes we surprise ourselves and win a few bucks back. Try not to let who else is in it and what their credentials

may be effect your decision to fish a tournament.  I have fished a good deal of tourneys over the past 6 years or so and I still fall on my a$$ more than not but I'm starting to understand that it's okay as long as I had fun.  I'll finish towards the bottom sometimes because fish are stupid, but every once in awhile I'm gonna finish at or near the top also because fish are stupid 

[minion]

We did our first pro am this past year and did way better then we thought, had a good time and won a few bucks I'd say go for it

Sent from my SCH-I545 using Lake Ontario United mobile app

Edited December 23, 2014 by minion

[ladyblugill]

A freaking men!

LOL....would that mean it wouldn't be a advantage to catch 30 and thro back your smallest 27. culling is allowed in the open division from what I remember but have not been following lately so could be wrong and a MERRY X-MAS to all.

[Fishtails]

LOL....would that mean it wouldn't be a advantage to catch 30 and thro back your smallest 27. culling is allowed in the open division from what I remember but have not been following lately so could be wrong and a MERRY X-MAS to all.

 

If one tries to find a negative spin to put on a tournament format, there is always one to be found.  IMO, tournaments are probably not suited for such individuals. This type of response Ladybluegill  only serves to be argumentative ?  

 

  Yes, culling is allowed so in reality one team of 10 fishermen on a 30 plus foot boat could technically catch 30 fish and weigh their largest 3, but really?  No team would ever do that. It would be ridiculous on so many levels. Even if it were to happen, that still doesn't mean they were on the same class of fish as let's say the guy who fished stealthy with just a few rods slow and deep and fished all morning for three big matures. 

 

If winning means that much to you that this is the type of scenario you think about, than it's quite possible that you miss what tournament fishing is really all about.

Edited December 27, 2014 by Fishtails

[JakeyBaby]

If you can put 30 legal fish in a boat during a tournament, you are more than welcome to fish with me during any tournament!! Actually I beg you to fish with me!

[spoonfed-1]

LOL....would that mean it wouldn't be a advantage to catch 30 and thro back your smallest 27. culling is allowed in the open division from what I remember but have not been following lately so could be wrong and a MERRY X-MAS to all.

 

Just have to make sure you are on the best class of fish you can find while prefishing.

Take 3 heavy fish....you beat the guy that took 30 smaller fish.

I have fished a tournament or two.

 

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to you as well ladyblugill.

The wife and I don't make it out west in the spring anymore.

Don't get the time off  since I had to change companys.

Hope you are still beating up on the Lakers out there.