How would you feel

Post by **Jimmy_1** » Mon May 17, 2010 2:26 pm

I had the opportunity 2 weeks ago to speak with the Mississippi Valley Conservation Authority.

One thing that was brought up was the fishing concerns.

Turns out that in future, these "fun" tournaments that keep popping up may be subjected to royalties and will be under much more scrutiny.
Currently there are no rules or regs, so anyone and their Uncle can host a tournament, derby etc.

There have been rafts of complaints apparently by land owners due to increased boating traffic and disrespect vis-a-vis docs etc.

Do you feel this is a good thing that will help ensure the lakes are protected from over-fishing, littering etc?

or

Do you think its a bureaucratic piece of BS?

Not trying to stir the pot, just trying to get people opinions on this.

For the record I am a tourney angler and do partake in some of these derbies myself.

Post by **Canmoore** » Mon May 17, 2010 5:10 pm

It makes sence to collect loyalties from derbies, and I think that unregulated derbies/tournaments are a bad thing for the fishery.

Not everyone knows how to properly keep fish, increasing mortality. Nor will some clean up after themselves. Plus as we know, some people disrespect landowners. Rules must be in place for these derbies, that go beyond just a printed out 'guideline'.

A small fee attached to the entrance fee should be created. Percentages of the fee, will go directly to landowners for allowing the derbie, and the rest will go to the local conservation authority.

But then that begs the question, who will enforece the rules at these derbies? And what will happen if people break those rules? How will landowners be compensated for any damage? I am beginning to see an avalanche of red tape decending down the hill!

Post by **Carl** » Mon May 17, 2010 5:23 pm

WOW there's another waste of my tax dollar hard at work.

Post by **Eli** » Mon May 17, 2010 5:28 pm

Canmoore wrote: A small fee attached to the entrance fee should be created. Percentages of the fee, will go directly to landowners for allowing the derbie, and the rest will go to the local conservation authority.

Landowners shouldn't get a single cent unless their land is being used during the course of the derby (i.e. use of a private boat launch). Landowners are in no position to allow or disallow an event that takes place on public land/water. Joe Cottage shouldn't be getting a chunk of the tourny proceeds just because a boat or two might pass in front of his dock.

Post by **cprince** » Mon May 17, 2010 5:45 pm

Eli wrote:
Canmoore wrote: A small fee attached to the entrance fee should be created. Percentages of the fee, will go directly to landowners for allowing the derbie, and the rest will go to the local conservation authority.
Landowners shouldn't get a single cent unless their land is being used during the course of the derby (i.e. use of a private boat launch). Landowners are in no position to allow or disallow an event that takes place on public land/water. Joe Cottage shouldn't be getting a chunk of the tourny proceeds just because a boat or two might pass in front of his dock.

Ditto on the cash grab for the dock trolls. Pee on that!!

Some owners are not happy because fishing lines get in the way of their Sea Doos!

But I am certain that not all tournament anglers are the type of people your would chose to have in your back yard.

Perhaps some reasonable percentage should go to the local lake association or a body that is dedicated to maintaining the launches, and cleaning up the area and perhaps a stocking program. I think that is a good idea.

The other thing is enforcement of rules. I am NOT a seasoned tournament guy... but some of the smaller scale ones do not have officials going around to check on their participants from time to time to make certain that they are being respectful of the rules. I would think that would be important to ensure that the tournament gets welcomed back year after year.

Craig

Post by **Canmoore** » Mon May 17, 2010 5:59 pm

Yes, landowners who's land is not being used should not get any proceeds from the tourney. But landowners who's land is used, say for storing vehicles, if the public parking lot is full for example.

I know it is hard to govern these small tournaments, but for the benefit of the local fishery, i really do think that rules should be in place.

Post by **Eli** » Mon May 17, 2010 6:10 pm

I agree with you on that, Canmoore.
Any rules put in place to govern these derbies should directly benifit the fishery, not the people who live along the water.

Post by **smokercraft** » Mon May 17, 2010 6:31 pm

Landowners/cottagers should not get a penny from tournaments. People can't think that they own the water in front of their property or even their dock for that matter. Half of the cottagers I see are doing more harm to their water bodies than any angler could ever do! I see so many people dumping sand, rocks, digging out weeds, pulling weeds etc just to make a good spot for swimming. I agree tournament fishers need to be respectful of peoples property (boats, seadoo's etc.) when they are fishing around them but by no means should they not be allowed to do it. As far as fisherman parking on their property because there are no spots left available to park, then call a tow truck, have the vehicle towed the same way you would if someone starting parking in your laneway at home. I fish alot of the local tournaments and usually parking is either plentiful or their is a landowner that allows people to park there and they are given a parking fee that is agreed upon in advance. The smaller tournaments do not have people going around checking to make sure fisherman are respectful of the fishery laws but it is in every tournament anglers best interest to make sure the fish is alive and healthy when brought back to the weigh in. They are also required to release the fish a distance away from the weigh in so thay are not all let go in the same spot. I actually saw a guy get disqualified for this last year. I would be confident in saying that 95% of the tournament anglers are respectful of the fishery and are avid fisherman outside of tournaments just as you and I are. I respect the fishery, follow the rules, and put alot of money into the local towns economy when I am in a tournament by buying gas, chips, drinks etc when I am there and hungry from a hard day on the water when I leave. Just my two cents. If they want to enforce it more... I am more than welcoming the idea of the MNR/OPP being aware and present at a few of these tournaments just to make sure everyone is following the law. I live in Canada, I pay a Sh*t load of taxes, purchase hunting/fishing licenses every year and it is my right to fish a public body of water when and how I like providing I am not breaking the law....

Post by **Jimmy_1** » Mon May 17, 2010 7:13 pm

Ok,

Look on thee flip side.

You pay mucho $$$$ to live on a lake and relax. Probably enjoy retirement.

EVERY W/e its boats,boats,boats...

Just saying

Post by **smokercraft** » Mon May 17, 2010 7:24 pm

I get your point... but the lakes that these tournaments are on have had lots of boats buzzing around on them for decades... Most of the cottagers on the lakes have a boat or 2 and maybe a couple jet ski's as well. While slowly creeping along on a shoreline with your trolling motor fishing bass , you can count a dozen seadoo's doing 60 mph or ski boats pulling skiers all day long. It has hardly been anything but quiet and peaceful for years. If people minded it so much, they wouldn't buy there. We have a cottage and it doesn't bother me at all (the fishermen that is) The seadoo's ripping around relentlessly from morning to dark every weekend does get annoying though. Tournament fishermen are generally very quiet, half the time they come by your dock and if you had your eyes closed you would hardly even know they were there unless they were talking or a fish was splashing on the end of there line.

Post by **riverdog** » Mon May 17, 2010 7:48 pm

I think the MNR would have to determine what classifies as a fishing tournament i.e. number of boats entered or prize money. There is a big difference between 10 and 30plus boats or $100 and $1000. I always thought that big prize $ tournaments would require a licensed # no? Anyways I'm not a tournament fisher but I'm sure circuts like Renegades series and others drop a good amount of money when there visiting a town for a tourny. I know as an avid fisherman of many towns I seem to always leave some $ behind in the area I'm fishing ,JUST ASK MY WIFE!As for land owners my parents and grandmother live on the Larry and fishing tournaments don't seem to be an issue once or twice a year you see the boats with # on the motor cool! Being a person that hopes some day to own a spot on any water, fishing pressure will be something I would look at.

Post by **cprince** » Mon May 17, 2010 8:02 pm

Jimmy from the Harley wrote:Ok,

Look on thee flip side.

You pay mucho $$$$ to live on a lake and relax. Probably enjoy retirement.

EVERY W/e its boats,boats,boats...

Just saying

I dunno Jimmy... I am with you on a lot of things... but this one (And I think that you are just playing Devil's advocate!) not so much.

Perhaps I should charge $ to the fly boys getting their pilots license by stalling over our farm every week end... then restarting their engines a couple of hundred feet off the ground causing our cows to stampede into the neighbors field (Usually clean through a fence I just fixed too!)

Or the Balloonists that land at least twice a year in one of our pastures?

Or the BMW, Audi, Mercedes, and Porch owners that fly by my driveway on their way to their cottages on Lac Bernard (Where I cant get permission to launch for the life of me!!!

).

No. I cannot expect that.

Just like cottage owners don't own the water, I don't own the sky, Balloonists often have little say about where they land and I don't own the road in front of my farm.

Hell... I don't even own the mineral rights under it!!

Craig

Post by **Bass Addict** » Mon May 17, 2010 8:25 pm

cprince wrote:
Perhaps I should charge $ to the fly boys getting their pilots license by stalling over our farm every week end... then restarting their engines a couple of hundred feet off the ground causing our cows to stampede

Who..in their right mind ever allowed this kind of NONSENSE to take place .

This kind of activity should only be allowed over an Ocean somewhwere far away from land ...

A room full of 6 month old Babies crying and screaming is a lot less annoying than .those losers who take to the sky and perform that maneuver ..over and over and over and over again......

:roll

Get a Life already...

Post by **cprince** » Mon May 17, 2010 8:29 pm

Bass Addict wrote: Who..in their right mind ever allowed this kind of NONSENSE to take place .

This kind of activity should only be allowed over an Ocean somewhwere far away from land ...

A room full of 6 month old Babies crying and screaming is a lot less annoying than .those losers who take to the sky and perform that maneuver ..over and over and over and over again...... :roll

Get a Life already...

Someone told me that they need to do that to get their pilots license. No idea if it is true... kinda made sense to me.

But, yes. It is annoying. But... I also lived in Point Clair in Montreal right under a flight path to the runway less than 2kms away. This is Mozart in comparison.

Craig

Post by **CNs** » Mon May 17, 2010 9:04 pm

This all begs the question....

What constitutes a derby/tournament?