Just What We Need -- More Contests

[mikeq]

<P><FONT color=black face=Arial,Helvetica size=2>Is anyone else annoyed by the increasing number of these sponsored one-day fly fishing tournaments? Seems like every club, town, tackle shop, and equipment manufacturer is jumping into the action (including Reel-Time, to its discredit).&nbsp;We are rapidly going the route of&nbsp;southern bass fishing.</FONT></P><P>Tournaments are about&nbsp;advertising and money. Sponsors' feeble claims about "promoting angler awareness" are just that; feeble. </P><P>As far as the argument, "If you don't like tournaments, just ignore 'em," that's getting harder and harder to do, what with fifty blaze-eyed anglers descending on your local beach every weekend casting like madmen so they can win a Billy pate chrome-plated annodized zero tolerance yadayadayada fly reel. </P>

[PeterSorensen]

Mike,
I have to disagree with you. I have met quite a few members of this board and other boards at some CCA/local tackle shop sponsored tournaments. Sure, some of the commercially sponsored events are being held to line someones pockets, but who cares. It cost money to put on a tournament and someone has to pay for it. These are fun events and many good friendships have been made at them. My only suggestion to you is, don't participate if you don't like them. As far as having:"fifty blaze-eyed anglers descending on your local beach every weekend casting like madmen so they can win a Billy pate chrome-plated annodized zero tolerance yadayadayada fly reel", I wouldn't worry about it too much. When was the last time this actually happened to you?

[markbudreski]

Mike,

I agree that there are an awful lot of tournaments out there these days. There are also alot more fly fisherman out there too. In recent years, I have been part of a one day or one night (depending on the year) tournament to support CCA and a memorial scholarship fund for a young fisherman who was killed in a car accident. You may not be familiar with this tournament, and it may be an exception to the rule, as I am not familiar with that many of them, other than the Vineyard C&R tounament, but the quality of the event has taken this to a new level. It has come to a point now where the event is less about fishing, and more about getting together with friends on a set date and time to support two good causes. And since the The chrome - plated zero-tolerance reel is raffled off, it is often won by someone who did NOT fish the event, but paid for a ticket to the BBQ, just to support either the scholarship fund or CCA.

Anyway, you get the picture. I felt as though your statement was a little too generalized and maybe a little too centered on "your local beach". As far as this tournament goes, people can fish from shore or from boat along the entire south shore from Boston Harbor to the canal. Even with 100 entrants, I cannot see any one beach being over-run by casting madmen. Most of the people that join the tournament are madmen, but only in the best sense of the word. I know that my friends enter to have the chance to fish together, have a blast on the water, and support the event. As far as I can tell, the format for this tournament has absolutely nothing in common with a Big Mouth Bass Event. Well there's my drivel for what is worth. For anyone interested in this type of low pressure event, check out the CCA website.

[mumichog]

Right on!

[PeterJenkins]

Mike,
Just a few details about this weekends' tourney that may interest you. First, the event was completely free. The Saltwater Edge provided the flies at no charge. Reel-Time and SWE absorbed the cost of the prizes as well. We created the fishing pairs as needed, generally trying to get out of towners fishing with local anglers. A number of folks participated to socialize and learn new water and did not turn in a log at the events conclusion.
I have conducted Conclaves for Reel-Time since 1996 and this event had the same sence of sharing and socializing that 'claves have had in years past.
I simply don't foresee the Bass Masters scenario that concerns you. As Peter said "I wouldn't worry about it to much."
Jenks

[juro]

Just wanted to make sure there was no confusion between contests (tournaments, etc) and conclaves.

The word conclave as applied to fishing was born in another web community of much deeper historical and greater participant (worldwide) proportions that started at least a decade before R/T. The honorable Dave Churbuck was a member of this society, as was I and a number of others (you know who you are!) going back at least a decade before the formation of Reel-time.

Not meaning anything other than to state facts, I arranged my first conclave of twenty people to Lake Ontario 15 years before R/T was founded. In fact, I've arranged 11 claves myself and attended many more than that in the care of other meisters.

A conclave's success is measured by enjoyment, camaraderie, and sharing of knowledge.

A tournament is measured by some quantity, weight, or species. Some even require the death of the fish to validate the results.

Two VERY different concepts... no?

Juro Mukai

[Mitch]

[PeterJenkins]

Juro,
Point well taken regarding the difference between 'claves and contests.
Perhaps I created the confusion because of the terms I chose to describe the event. I was trying to point out that this was a "low key" tourney; hence no fee, free flies and great prizes. I know that SWE wouldn't do it again if it wasn't "low key". I also know the definition of a good time on the water and that is as you described "enjoyment, camaraderie, and sharing of knowledge.". That being said,
what is the appropriate term to describe this type of event?
Best,
Jenks

[juro]

Knowing you and the SWE staff, I'd call it a "clave with cool prizes". I only made my commentary for the purposes I stated, and to reply to the thread - not to imply anything about any specific event.

In fact I wish I was there!

take care Peter,
juro

[CMP]

MIKEY!

Hope marital bliss is still treating you and the lovely Ellen well! Those "tournaments" are all about moving product as you are well aware and I am afraid we're stuck with 'em. Hell, they're even invading the commercial sector with a scheduled tournament out of Hyannis this year (good $ too) during which each participant is required to sell thier fish to one specific buyer. How funny is that? Are you and the missus planning soe Cape-time this summer? If so, lemme know...

CMP

[mikeq]

<P><FONT color=black face=Arial,Helvetica size=2>Hey Cap!</FONT></P>
<P>Yeah, I know we're stuck with them (contests, I mean). Just exersizing my right to bitch. Somehow they always&nbsp;remind me of that scene from Jaws; the one where the harbor is full of yahoos in overloaded boats cursing eachother and dropping sticks of dynamite over the side.</P>
<P>Marital bliss is great (I'll email you a picture). We just got back from a belated honeymoon in Mexico. I fished. Ellen discovered a fondness for the local&nbsp;tequila. I'll email you.</P>
<P>Mike</P>

[mikeq]

<P>Peter:</P>
<P>To answer your question (sic: Have I ever been pushed off a beach by a tournament?) the answer is "Yes, several times." But you’re basically right – it doesn’t happen THAT often (so far, anyway). And to anglers there are other, more imposing, obstacles: jet skis, landowners, mosquitoes, mean dogs, etc. I haven’t been punched out by Jim Belushi yet, but I’m hoping maybe this summer.</P>
<P>What I guess yanks my chain most about these quickie one-day fly fishing tournaments is that they are contrary to what I believe fishing – and in particular – fly fishing, is all about: solitude and patience. Granted this is just my opinion. I’m not suggesting tournaments be banned (pointless anyway). And yes, they do sometimes benefit good causes. </P>
<P>But in my bones, each time I hear about yet another tournament I feel commercialism working its way further into something I hold dear. And it ****es me off. For each new chance to win a Billy Pate fly reel, I have to ask myself, "Is this really where I want this sport to go?"</P>
<P>I don’t expect to win this argument. So long as there is money to be made, FF tournaments are going to happen regardless of what I think. They’ll start out small. Then because they make money, they’ll get a little bigger. They’ll attract more sponsors, the prizes will get bigger, and so on. So long as the fish stocks hold up, tournaments will continue to grow. Fifteen years ago you’d be hard-pressed to name six FF Tournaments occuring nationally. Today, there are probably 50 occurring just in Massachusetts in a given year. </P>
<P>As a lifelong fisherman, I always looked at the crass commercialism of those freshwater bass fishing tounaments and said, "Thank God that’ll never happen to fly fishing." I’m beginning to suspect I was wrong. As to your advice, "Don’t worry about it," I must wonder if my (and other fishermen’s) best interests are something you care much about.&nbsp; Rereading your post, it sure&nbsp; does'nt sound like it.</P>

[Brendan2]

Just a comment about the commercialization of a resource like our beloved striped bass.
It's a sad thing to say but one has to remember that a resource only becomes protected as soon as it valued. When an entire industry grows around a resource like a species of fish (i.e. your $400 Abel Reels,
$300/day guides and even your $4 package of Krystal Flash) more money and efforts will go into it's long-time preservation. Sure the Bass Master's Classic sort of bastardizes some of our ideas of fishing,
but on the other hand, we're not going to see the Large Mouth Bass disappear any time soon. I love having my own area to fish in solitude but the more people we can encourage to enjoy the outdoors and fish
for striped bass the more pull we have in habitat preservation, water laws, coastal development, access...etc. I'd rather fish with a couple people beside me and hook some nice fish than be alone slapping the
water without a fish in site.
Just a thought....

Brendan