Web Site Backlash

[Paul J Trybul]

I have been advocating catch and immediately release on tournament sites and warning about flooding on vacation sites. Did I get blasted by site managers for being negative.

[tjtroester]

paul, good for you, anyway. sounds like you might have found a sore spot. timothy

[Paul Trybul]

Don't be afraid to exercise your freedom of speech.

[Mike G]

I have been advocating catch and immediately release on tournament sites and warning about flooding on vacation sites. Did I get blasted by site managers for being negative.

 

Anybody who does not believe in the Easter Bunny deserves whatever he gets

[joshw]

I agree. The MLF type format as well as the format used on the PMTT musky tournaments (measurement with pics and witness if available) are definite steps in the right direction for tournaments. I have found heavy resistance on some other sites when I expressed my opinion as well. Several sites had administrators send me private messages that I would be banned if this continued because tournaments help fund the sites! Needless to say they can keep their site. I can't imagine the type of fishery we would have for Door County smallmouths without all of the tournaments held on a weekly basis. It made me sick to see the large prespawn females hauled around to weigh ins during the spring tournaments let alone the horrendous rides they take in livewells for many miles in big seas that are a regular occurrence on that body of water. I have seen a change in the south end lake Michigan smallmouth population as well. I believe largely because of tournaments the Indiana smallmouth population in lake Michigan is not what it was 8-10 years ago. Don't get me wrong, its still good but nothing like it was before the tournament onslaught. Maybe down the lines the changes could be made for tournaments to be immediate release or charge huge tournament permit fees for those who choose a different format. On a side note I have a friend who is a tournament fisherman and he informed me that the DNR had reduced tournament hours on the fox chain during August. Their days were cut short due to the "usually high water temps". Actual water temps were in the 70's. The tournament weigh ins were to be held at Noon instead of 3pm and a DNR representative was onsite to make sure they were in compliance with this tournament permit time....kudos for the DNR making a move in the right direction to help protect the resource.