Canada-US Walleye Tournament results ?

[Monster29/66]

Straggle lake you might have caught onto somwthing... maybe what's goin on is the guys that run the tourney aren't releasing all the fish and maybe taking home a bunch !!!!'

maybe thats why they don't care to have the shimano live release boat becuz they don't really need a good one just one that makes it look like the are live releasing the fish !!!!

[Fenelon]

Before anyone starts attacking me claiming I'm not "following science", please let it be known that the following is my own personal opinion. The fish are dead with a 3rd to 4th week run in May, but regardless, the use of any release/transport boat is half of the problem for this tournament. It's the retention part of the sequence that's doing most of the damage (eg. livewell retention (and duration), and transport tank retention). I was not at the tournament this year. I saw the forecasted weather 3 weeks prior, and decided not to go (wouldn't have been good for the blood pressure). I only heard word back from a few friends about what happened at the weigh-in. Some questions to those that were there:

how long did the weigh-in take? What was the tank retention time for the longest held fish?
did the organizers know what their tank volume was, and were they counting fish as they went into the tank ?
did anyone there know the correct/safe tank loading (density) rate for Walleye of that size, held at that water temperature ?
was the tank merely receiving surface water pumped water, and what was the flow rate?
what was the DO level in the tank, and what interval was used for tank measurements?
was supplemental oxygen (tanks, regulators, and diffusers) being constantly delivered to both the holding tank and the indoor processing troughs?
was ice used at any stage, including by fishermen in the livewells ?
were any fish dry-held obn the stage?

Etc, etc, etc, Stress is a cumulative thing. Having a release tank merely adds two more thermal shocks, overcrowding, and anoxia to the equation. They would be better off completely ditching this approach. Once again, do as they do out in Alberta, where their DNR seems to have some common sense.

Have it in the rules that livewells MUST be continually run. A DQ if you're caught with it not running.
Rules - state mandatory livewell size based on the 13.5 liter:1 walleye rule.
Rules - two fish rule for retention. You get DQ if caught running with 3, or come to check station with 3
Rules - and/or clause - two fish rule and/or max. retention of 2 hours in the livewell
No release tank. No indoor trough system. No twin dryland carries. No holding up of fish/exposure to atmosphere
On-water weigh stations ONLY. Sturgeon is tiny. You'd only need four, spaced-out in fishing area. Protected, on solid shore dock (need this for electronic scale). Gov. dock at Verulam Park, Gov dock at Sturgeon Point, Long Beach dock, Kennedy Bay marina dock.
In-water 4X4 cribbed holding cage that floats at surface, 1/8" knotless ACE mesh only. 20" depth on pen bag. Boat pulls to dock. Derby person (NOT ANGLER) responsible for removal of fish from livewell. Wet cotton glove and 1/8" ACE mesh Eagar minicradle ONLY. Direct transfer to surface pen with two fish in cradle. Judge checks lengths with cotton glove, directly in cradle. Transfer to perforated weight tub. Immediate weight at dockside. IMMEDIATE release at dockside. You get two thermal shocks instead of 5, and it will not be a big one if anglers stay clear of ice and have livewell running all the time. Fish are never held up.

[Monster29/66]

This is a great strategy for the fish but unfortunately it does nothing for " the fishing show " at the end where sponsors are and want to see their product endorsed like they are at the bass masters classic..

lets be honest though.. Tourneys aren't about the fish or resource they are a fishing show where people make money at expense of a resource.. One would think the OPP would police criminals like that.

[stragglelake]

Haha I'll get the popcorn.


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[Monster29/66]

Straggle its amazing how in some threads a fish is as sacred as a cow in Africa but in others it's okay if bunch die for no valid reason I guess what matters is who's the ones catching them, what stickers are on their boat and truck and how much money is involved.

Can you pass over some popcorn.. lol

[stragglelake]

Where is everybody from that other thread with the fish just over the slot ?
I think they were commenting mostly on blind support of the OPP rather than the fish because it's pretty quiet over here now.
That's some tasty popcorn !!


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[Attila]

This is a great strategy for the fish but unfortunately it does nothing for " the fishing show " at the end where sponsors are and want to see their product endorsed like they are at the bass masters classic..

lets be honest though.. Tourneys aren't about the fish or resource they are a fishing show where people make money at expense of a resource.. One would think the OPP would police criminals like that.

Criminals?

[Attila]

Before anyone starts attacking me claiming I'm not "following science", please let it be known that the following is my own personal opinion. The fish are dead with a 3rd to 4th week run in May, but regardless, the use of any release/transport boat is half of the problem for this tournament. It's the retention part of the sequence that's doing most of the damage (eg. livewell retention (and duration), and transport tank retention). I was not at the tournament this year. I saw the forecasted weather 3 weeks prior, and decided not to go (wouldn't have been good for the blood pressure). I only heard word back from a few friends about what happened at the weigh-in. Some questions to those that were there:

how long did the weigh-in take? What was the tank retention time for the longest held fish?
did the organizers know what their tank volume was, and were they counting fish as they went into the tank ?
did anyone there know the correct/safe tank loading (density) rate for Walleye of that size, held at that water temperature ?
was the tank merely receiving surface water pumped water, and what was the flow rate?
what was the DO level in the tank, and what interval was used for tank measurements?
was supplemental oxygen (tanks, regulators, and diffusers) being constantly delivered to both the holding tank and the indoor processing troughs?
was ice used at any stage, including by fishermen in the livewells ?
were any fish dry-held obn the stage?

Etc, etc, etc, Stress is a cumulative thing. Having a release tank merely adds two more thermal shocks, overcrowding, and anoxia to the equation. They would be better off completely ditching this approach. Once again, do as they do out in Alberta, where their DNR seems to have some common sense.

Have it in the rules that livewells MUST be continually run. A DQ if you're caught with it not running.
Rules - state mandatory livewell size based on the 13.5 liter:1 walleye rule.
Rules - two fish rule for retention. You get DQ if caught running with 3, or come to check station with 3
Rules - and/or clause - two fish rule and/or max. retention of 2 hours in the livewell
No release tank. No indoor trough system. No twin dryland carries. No holding up of fish/exposure to atmosphere
On-water weigh stations ONLY. Sturgeon is tiny. You'd only need four, spaced-out in fishing area. Protected, on solid shore dock (need this for electronic scale). Gov. dock at Verulam Park, Gov dock at Sturgeon Point, Long Beach dock, Kennedy Bay marina dock.
In-water 4X4 cribbed holding cage that floats at surface, 1/8" knotless ACE mesh only. 20" depth on pen bag. Boat pulls to dock. Derby person (NOT ANGLER) responsible for removal of fish from livewell. Wet cotton glove and 1/8" ACE mesh Eagar minicradle ONLY. Direct transfer to surface pen with two fish in cradle. Judge checks lengths with cotton glove, directly in cradle. Transfer to perforated weight tub. Immediate weight at dockside. IMMEDIATE release at dockside. You get two thermal shocks instead of 5, and it will not be a big one if anglers stay clear of ice and have livewell running all the time. Fish are never held up.

I like the in water pen idea; perhaps instead of 2 on the north shore they could have one right in town at Fenelon under the dam so that there would be a lot more colder water flow which would help the fish in the long run?

[jimmer]

They could increase the cost of entry to cover any expense associated with ensuring the safe release of all the walleye caught and weighed. Water pens, multiple weigh stations, proper checking of live wells, medication supplements, ice, etc. They would still have to find a date with cooler temperatures.

[Bandwagon]

This is a great strategy for the fish but unfortunately it does nothing for " the fishing show " at the end where sponsors are and want to see their product endorsed like they are at the bass masters classic..

lets be honest though.. Tourneys aren't about the fish or resource they are a fishing show where people make money at expense of a resource.. One would think the OPP would police criminals like that.

Make money???... bwaaaahhaaa There is not a single professional tournament series in Canada, every single participant in any tournament I have every fished in Canada have day jobs just like you and I, to say we do this for the money is laughable.

It's amateur fishing guys and nothing more. Only those that are competing at the highest levels are being financially compensated and the few that are will not be competing in two day weekend tournaments in Ontario.

When do we do all this "selling" ? at the whopping 20-50 people at the weigh in... lol

Tournament guys care more about the resource than arguably anyone, without the resource we cannot enjoy the competition of tournament fishing and all the other days spent on the lake.