Everstart weights...

[Pierre Voisine]

Anyone see the weights for old hickory. Top spot stands at 10lbs/day...pretty small weights.



Pierre

 

[Donnie Matney]

I had about 8lbs in a tourny there at the end of July...So thats got to be low...winner had like 15lbs



Donnie

 

[Marke Cicero]

What's the cause? Is something wrong with the lake or were they just fishing under tough conditions?



10 lbs? Geez Pierre, even you can compete with that....LOL



Marke

 

[gone bye bye]

Old Hickory is tough....



BUT did you se this?:



"The winner caught his limit using a 3/8-ounce black-and-blue rattleback jig with a blue Zoom Superchunk trailer. He pitched the jig around laydown logs and focused mainly on water less than 4 feet deep. His winning fishing spot? Well, Shaffer

 

[Marke Cicero]

I didn't see the article but I had no idea that Ben Trodder won it.



I guess all is far in love and Bass fishing.

 

[Texas Transplant]

Really don't like to hear/see these types of things. Bad enough when someone can't/won't take the time to find his own fish, but to follow the leader of a tourney and then use it two weeks later, bad stuff.



No, I don't believe that all is 'fair' in love and Bass fishing, as above.



Tex

 

[Scott Hammer TOXIC]

I agree but still 2 weeks is a long time. On my lake 2 weeks = 2 miles for fish movement. Heck, my partner caught 7 stripers around 10lbs off of a "secret" hump on Saturday, CIII and I were there on Sunday and couldn't get bit!!



TOXIC

 

[Rob LaMoy]

He will get "Shut out" in next year's circuit for it, I'm sure. There are some things you just don't do, and that's one of them. I could have easily put my rig in on the 3rd and 4th days of the 'start to follow guys to new spots on Champlain, but then it wouldn't be "MY" lake...would it? If you can't find your own fish, you have no place in competitive fishing.

 

[Dan J.]

It's sad, but I've seen fellas working on a "bent-pole pattern" at just about every Bassmaster, Red Man or other large purse tourney or trail I've fished. They burn practice time and gas covering the lake with a set of 'nocs around their neck scanning for hookups or well known pro's and/or guide's locations. You'll notice on the water as a tournament progresses how attendance on productive holes seem to double almost day for day as well. Any more it seems like there is nothing common about "common courtesy" and fishing the fish you found on your own. I don't know if they do it for the money or the fame. (Some place or even win.) It's a sad state of affairs, especially when you recognize a well known pro(or pros) doing it. You just have to shrug it off and go about your game. I believe there is nothing worth sacrificing your integrity, especially a contest whose origins were based on just good, clean sport and fellowship. IMHO



As far as Old Hickory goes, the weights look typical. Of the times I've fished it, seems like 10-12lbs. a day can win.

 

[gone bye bye]

Belive you me, I had it happen to me everytime the "Pro's" come to town. I got sick of getting followed and stomped on. As did many of my buddies. One guy in a FLW followed a friend with a plane because my friend refused to let the guy follow him.



I still find it hard to believe that a "Pro" would openly admit it on the internet and the governing body of the tournament had nothing to say about it.



Mac, please send me Jay Kumars address....I want to make sure he didnt miss this. It would make a great story.



Mini

 

[Texas Transplant]

Mini,



I know that I'm going to come off as bashing FLW for this, but it's what I feel. You commented above, that 'the tournament had nothing to say about it'. For me, that's not surprising.



It seems as though in the FLW series of tournaments, it's okay to do anything that is not specifically against the rules, and that their rules are loose enough, that almost anything is allowed.



Want to follow someone and track their holes? Fine.

Want to prefish for 1 week, 2 weeks, a month? Fine.

Want to hire 5 different guides to learn the lake? Fine.

Want to take a chain saw to an area that is not accessible, and cut your way in? Fine.



Just don't like the way they run their business, personally.



Tex

 

[gone bye bye]

I am with you....



Mini

 

[Bill McElroy]

and NON of those examples happen in BASS tourneys???..BS!!!

 

[Scott Hammer TOXIC]

It's just what I have said all along, many times....You start making it for $$$ and it brings out the worst in everyone.



TOXIC

 

[Bill McElroy]

The more people that get involved in the sport,....the more it's going to happen...and for everyone involved in the fishing industry no matter in what capacity,..what is our goal?? To bring MORE people into the sport!! So, IMHO it's a double edged sword,....it doesn't make it right and I'm certainly not condoning it....but it's going to keep happening and it's going to get worse before it'll ever get better,......so whether we fish BASS,FLW,WON,A/C,BFL or any of the 100's of JoeBlow Opens,...you'll never escape those that will do "anything" to win,....so we just gotta grin and bear it!! Let your conscience be your guide,...the bad part is, a lot of today's "pro's" don't have a conscience and until it happens to them.....they couldn't care less....like Tox said,..when there's BIG $$$$ on the line,..it brings out the worse in SOME people....thank God not everybody!!

 

[Texas Transplant]

Mac,



Certainly not saying that BASS is lilly white in all their dealings, but seems as though most of these stories come consistenly from one area/group.



Of course, the other item here needs to be addressed. FLW does in fact open up their tourneys to many anglers that wouldn't otherwise have the ability to attempt to compete in higher dollar tourneys. However, with that, there are many, many more boats that are generally on the water - whether just pre-fishing, or competing. With more and more folks on the water, it certainly makes it tougher.



Tex

 

[Bill McElroy]

Deffinitely,.....and with all the advances in technology coming our way,..(ie, GPS/Sonar/camera's/satelite imaging, etc..etc) it's going to get easier and easier to find good fishing spots and at the same time,...eliminating bad water,..all of this will put more people on the good spots sooner than later. Imagine how pist you'd be if you legitimately DID your homework and found good spots entirely on your own,..only to be accused of "following or glassing" someone else......at what point will all of this technology become our "enemy?"..LOL!!

 

[Rob LaMoy]

Actually Tex, they can't hire guides in the FLW. I have encountered a few bent rod artists myself. One was filming a show. They got to know my boat and followed me 2 years in a row. It's only a matter of time before they figure out that the white/red Ranger is me and try it again. I don't like people coming right up on me when I'm on a spot either, but then in the last tourney I realized as I approached two of my spots, there were guys on it and they probably felt the same way. Just because you were there first THAT time, doesn't neccessarily mean the other guy hasn't been there before and hit pay dirt. He might know the same thing you do. We could debate tourney ethics all day but like everyone said, it will continue to happen. Here's one for ya, how about one year you do really well in a tourney on a spot. Your co-angler seems cool, then next year in that tourney again, who shows up on the pro side in their own boat on YOUR spot???? That co from last year! I have warned all my co's about a few spots, that if I catch them there in tourneys in the future, I will sick Champy on them and sink their boats! LOL