|
|
| Do you think the days of the big musky tourney is over. Sure seems like it to me. I used to fish all the Rollie & Helen tourneys/Eagle river, ect. and slowly the interest dropped. Was fun at first. Entry fees were low. Lots of pre and post tourney raffles. Great food. Great payouts. Seemed everyone had fun. What happened? |
|
| |
|
Posts: 285
Location: Price County WI | I think there are just to many of them right now, Look at how many touney trails there are and then theres the small local ones on top of that. I pick a few of the close ones to me and skip the rest. The average musky fisherman can't afford to pay the entry fee, gas money, lodging, and food every weekend that there is a tourney. If a few of the tourneys folded I think that you would see a lot more fishermen at the ones that were left. |
|
| |
|
| Maybe but there just doesnt seem to be the spirit or the intensity that there once was. Maybe I'm just getting older but I sure dont see the interest there once was. Used to be if you didnt sign up right away the spots would be filled. |
|
| |
|
Posts: 714
Location: Rhinelander, WI | This seems to be the correct place for this so here goes. I am pretty sure I have posted something similar before, but it again came up this weekend so here goes again.
I think one thing that has negatively affected the smaller local tourneys are the circuits. Before I get filleted please let me finish my thought.
One thing the circuits do is create friendships and groups of fishermen who know each other VERY well. This is a great benefit of fishing these type of events, and guys get to know each other and even to some extent share information. Not necessarily during the event but over the years. As a result there is a large group of teams that have NO problem fishing very close to each other, because everyones buddies. Heck it’s the same way for me when I fish the Lake View Tourney on Pelican, and it’s one of the things that make it very fun.
I think though what happens is people get TO comfortable fishing very close together. Then you put some of those people in an event that has a higher population of local guys or just one event type of guys. Those one timers are NOT comfortable with that level of crowding. About 3 or 4 years ago I started to here more and more non-circuit guys start to complain about how people no longer give you any space on the water. I heard it again this year at the Hodag, and when the Anglers complained in a large group standing around the bar someone responded: “Well you should fish a WMT or PMTT that stuff happens all the time!”
I don’t think it’s a on purpose type of thing, I just think the circuit guys get used to it and it doesn’t bother them, but it does bother the one timers, and as a result those one timers stop fishing these type of events because it’s a different atmosphere than it was 10 or 15 years ago.
I think all tourney organizers need to realize that and stress the importance of respect for other peoples space, if there your buddies go ahead and do what you both feel comfortable with, but if you don’t know the other guys in the boat please give them room.
And PLEASE this is not a shot at circuit fishermen, I truly think this affect is a by product of the good relationships being formed at those events. It’s just that it becomes to comfortable overtime.
Hope that makes sense, if not have at me.
Also these events are funded by discretionary income, as that drops the willingness to spend even 100-200 dollars on an event goes down. Every year after the Hodag we have a conversation on if our money would be better spent on a long weekend in Mn or Canada. It really wouldn’t cost to much more and we would not have set fishing hours.
The draw of the competition keeps us coming back, but who knows when that scale will tip or what will tip it.
Nail A Pig!
Mike
|
|
| |
|
Location: Contrarian Island | I think the economy has had a big impact on tourneys. the MAC is trying to get $750 an event correct? Take in to account, gas, lodging, food etc etc and you have a pretty expensive weekend. So here you have 2 options...you can spend your say $600+ each, for a long weekend to be told where and when to fish whether bite is on or not...take a look at V...one fish caught by 16 or 18 teams...to me that isn't fun. I like to catch fish...
Or take that same $600 plus money and go when and where you want, and be able to fish the hours you want...no brainer for me...
I use to do tourneys, even did the big Bob M tourney back in the day, PMTTs, WMTs, ....did the Hodag a couple times, the old Lac Du Flambeua one they use to have...so I've done some...and may do more in the future if the PMTT comes to Madison again for a qualifier, just because it's close...
With the economy and jobs for a lot of guys on the line, it might not be wise to plop down $500 plus for a weekend you are simply rolling the dice whether or not you win any money...I doubt the MAC can survive at $750 a boat but that is just a hunch....they picked odd lakes imo at odd times and the PR was less than stellar...PMTT does a good job as does the WMT series....I agree with a lot of what Mike says above as well...
we shall see what happens in the future...but the high dollar tourneys for now seem to be on life support....
Edited by BNelson 9/22/2009 11:06 AM
|
|
| |
|
Posts: 1906
Location: Oconto Falls, WI | I agree 100% with Mike. The whole crowding deal is a BIG turn off.
Tournaments are for those that enjoy competition. However, I think there is a line drawn at how much someone is willing to pay for that competition. High dollars for the near future I think will suffer. Guys are still fishing the smaller tourneys (less people here of course), but the higher dollar tourneys are the ones that really got hit.
Is it really the economy, or are we seeing a change in the type of anglers out there? Are there just more anglers out there right now that would rather just fish than fish a tourney? I think there are. I also think some of the smaller tournies just don’t maybe promote as much as they use to thinking that with the trails around now that why try and bother to compete with them.
|
|
| |
|
Posts: 1220
| I just fished the WMT Three Lakes Invitational two weeks ago where entry was $300.00 per team, 120 teams (240 guys and gals) and the winners took home close to $30,000.00. I really must tell you that I am glad to say I was shown nothing but courtesy on the water and tried really hard to be just as careful not to interfere with others. One time, I roared up to a shore line where the sun initially kept me and my partner from seeing another boat, but we quickly waved an apology and got the heck out of there. With 120 boats and everybody knowing how to read a contour map, there will be the occasional cluster-XXXX, but I really can say that every single time I saw two boats come toward one another, a voice quickly offered the other boat to go low or high as they crossed. We finished out of the money, but I had a terrific time up there. The guys were great and the WMT's are a very well run and friendly circuit. It's pretty clear that you either love these things or you hate them, but for those of us who love to couple our joy for musky fishing with a competitve nature, it's a terrific way to spend a wonderful weekend, see better fishermen do stuff that you can copy, be part of something exciting and maybe get lucky. Marty Forman |
|
| |
