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Post by sleepswithdafishes on Jan 24, 2011 7:06:17 GMT -5
A few years ago I helped put together A small tournament on lake Willoughby !!! We put it together with the idea of having fun!! Which we did!! When Applying for the permit if I remember correctly the only real issue was that there wasnt to be another tournament on the same days . Also the fee was what I thought cheap at 50 bucks!! So maybe the application process could be tweeked a little so as to better moniter the number of derbys on the lake. Sleeps
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Post by fishing eagle on Jan 24, 2011 19:30:41 GMT -5
As a past president of a local BASS Federation club and as a fisherman who has fished in a number of Bass tournaments and a a couple of LCI tournaments I do have some mixed opinions. First of all, most sponsored Bass tournaments have rules that dictate all boaters must have working live-wells and also they deduct points or weight from dead fish. Some of the tourneys will not weigh a dead Bass but then deduct points from the other fish weighed in. I no longer fish Bass tournaments because I hated the cut - throat attitudes among many of the tournament fishermen. It was more like a job to them than a day of having fun. I enjoy fishing and having fun as I relax and enjoy myself. My son is a tournament Bass fisherman and enjoys the competition.
As far as the LCI goes, my son and I fished or competed in a couple of LCI Father Day Tournaments because we thought it be lots of fun and a great opportunity for us to get away as Father and Son and enjoy 3 days of fishing. My son now has a career in the US Coast Guard and we have not been able to spend much time together or fishing for the past 7 years. We have discussed fishing the LCI on Fathers Day weekend so that we could have a weekend together doing what we both love. We discussed this event a lot last year but we never did enter the LCI because we both have qualms about the LCI. Neither of us arr over happy with some of the rules or maybe the lack of enforcement of the rules. We have witnessed cheating in past LCI derbies. We have witnessed half dead or almost 100% dead fish being weighed and then thrown into a tub of un-fresh water to see if a fish will survive. He and I do believe in conservation of our fisheries and other resources and we both think that the LCI doesn't promote such. I personally believe that the LCI should put in more rules for working live-wells that must pass inspection. They can also have a second division for fish that are not released and then maybe a one fish limit to weigh in non-release fish. The LCI needs to be revamped with rules.
I also agree with one poster who said to look at the number of tournaments out of Ticonderoga and his comment that many are non-registered tournaments. Bass clubs come to Lake Champlain without following the regulations and registering their tournaments. So where is the enforcement of the fishing regulations. Where is NY & VT wildlife and conservation officials? Why are they not inspecting these tournaments and writing tickets?
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Post by An Bradon Charters on Jan 24, 2011 20:30:01 GMT -5
As a past president of a local BASS Federation club and as a fisherman who has fished in a number of Bass tournaments and a a couple of LCI tournaments I do have some mixed opinions. First of all, most sponsored Bass tournaments have rules that dictate all boaters must have working live-wells and also they deduct points or weight from dead fish. Some of the tourneys will not weigh a dead Bass but then deduct points from the other fish weighed in. I no longer fish Bass tournaments because I hated the cut - throat attitudes among many of the tournament fishermen. It was more like a job to them than a day of having fun. I enjoy fishing and having fun as I relax and enjoy myself. My son is a tournament Bass fisherman and enjoys the competition. As far as the LCI goes, my son and I fished or competed in a couple of LCI Father Day Tournaments because we thought it be lots of fun and a great opportunity for us to get away as Father and Son and enjoy 3 days of fishing. My son now has a career in the US Coast Guard and we have not been able to spend much time together or fishing for the past 7 years. We have discussed fishing the LCI on Fathers Day weekend so that we could have a weekend together doing what we both love. We discussed this event a lot last year but we never did enter the LCI because we both have qualms about the LCI. Neither of us arr over happy with some of the rules or maybe the lack of enforcement of the rules. We have witnessed cheating in past LCI derbies. We have witnessed half dead or almost 100% dead fish being weighed and then thrown into a tub of un-fresh water to see if a fish will survive. He and I do believe in conservation of our fisheries and other resources and we both think that the LCI doesn't promote such. I personally believe that the LCI should put in more rules for working live-wells that must pass inspection. They can also have a second division for fish that are not released and then maybe a one fish limit to weigh in non-release fish. The LCI needs to be revamped with rules. I also agree with one poster who said to look at the number of tournaments out of Ticonderoga and his comment that many are non-registered tournaments. Bass clubs come to Lake Champlain without following the regulations and registering their tournaments. So where is the enforcement of the fishing regulations. Where is NY & VT wildlife and conservation officials? Why are they not inspecting these tournaments and writing tickets? Even more excellent points. I have sent numerous emails to F&W on the issue you point out. so far i ave NEVER heard a response. Capt. Tony www.anbradoncharters.com
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Post by bassgeek (Brock) on Jan 24, 2011 21:24:01 GMT -5
"I also agree with one poster who said to look at the number of tournaments out of Ticonderoga and his comment that many are non-registered tournaments. Bass clubs come to Lake Champlain without following the regulations and registering their tournaments. So where is the enforcement of the fishing regulations. Where is NY & VT wildlife and conservation officials? Why are they not inspecting these tournaments and writing tickets?" Read more: cjohn2979.proboards.com/index.cgi?board=lci&action=display&thread=7196&page=2#ixzz1C0fkcGiCEnforcement cost $$$$$$$$$$$$$$
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Post by schodackbassman on Jan 25, 2011 10:50:55 GMT -5
Don't expect NYS to do much of anything. Yeah they will probably process permit request fast enough because there is a check in the envelope. But as far as enforcement, forgetaboutit as our downstate elected officials will say. Encon staffing has been reduced by about 25% the past few years and is looking to get hit again as Cuomo II sets his sights on NYS employees (while appointing more executives at the same time of course AND handing out bonuses of 5 to 90K paid out of his campaign funds to the same folks). Encon may have patrol boats but won't have anyone to operate them. Vermont is better. Let's hope that continues.
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Post by fishing eagle on Jan 25, 2011 19:52:36 GMT -5
No I am not counting on NY ENCON for much enforcement because they have very little staff. ENCON has been reduced much more than 25% over the past few years and they are going to get hit again. Then when a NY ENCON officer tries to do his job and hands out some tickets for fishing without a license and taking fish beyond the legal limit... a judge gives the violator a fine that is less than the price of a yearly fishing license. What the hell is up with that? And I am not talking about just one time... but numerous offenses and even more than one offense by the same violator.
Does anyone remember the violators taking Crappie two winters ago from Lake George? They were caught taking more than double the legal limit and then selling the Crappie to a local baitshop in Whitehall, NY. They were also fishing without a license and were caught a second time after their first appearance in front of a Washington County judge. The judge slapped their hands even the with their second court appearance on a second violation. What a joke. Oh yeah, they had a local restaurant putting on a fish fry to raise funds for their defense until a number of real sportsman spoke out against the fund raiser and these poachers. Then the restaurant owner turned around and tried to hide after sportsman told the local newspapers what was going on.
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Post by lateforsupper on Jan 26, 2011 23:15:54 GMT -5
I fish the LCI and a couple other cold water derby's I do agree LCI could do a better job of releasing fish but they can only release them in as good of shape as they get them. but considering most of the fish in the LCI are released alive a certain percentage of them will survive.I have never really had a problem catching fish on lake champlain so maybe I take it for granted but I don't think its derby's we need to worry about.We should be worried about lampreys, cormerants, water quality,and whats going to happen with the new administration.every body should fish and take what they want up to there limit and let the rest go.thats why we have limits to protect the resource.thats why they call it a renewable resource.bass tournaments bring lots of money into the community and if those guys just took there 5 fish limit home with them after the tournaments you would not have to see them floating around and the many that do survive wouldn't be there for you to catch again and anybody that doesn't think bass are plentiful probably should take some fishing lessons
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Post by ouananiche on Jan 27, 2011 13:31:38 GMT -5
I have to disagree with you, Lateforsupper. The trout and salmon fishery is not a renewable resource, as it relies on the states of Vermont and New York to replenish the stocks due to a lack of spawning habitat/success. Yes, it appears as though the bass seem to take care of themselves; for now. With the added pressure on them that has come from the notoriety that Lake Champlain has garnered in the BASS world it stands to reason that some degradation may occur. Let's hope that this is not the case. The only way that a resource is going to remain renewable is for the people that use it to do so responsibly.
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Post by lateforsupper on Jan 27, 2011 17:45:46 GMT -5
ouananiche I agree lake trout and salmon are not renewable on there own but with the help of fish hatcheries they are and the state puts them there for people to catch and the more that are caught the more they stock
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Post by fishinmachine on Jan 27, 2011 18:05:27 GMT -5
research done last year showed that almost none of the money raised by the lci tourneys goes directly to the lamprey control program or to stocking of fish.almost all the money($450,000.00) goes to the lci,which is a lobbying group.this money is used to support the lci and its tournaments,it pays the salaries of the people that run the lci,it pays for advertisement to support these tourneys,ect.,ect., this money does not go directly back to the lake or its fishermen. but,that's OK, because of all the great things the lci does for Lake Champlain.this is all public information as is their tax return,,if you can get a copy of it.personally I don't fish the lci tourneys because I don't like crowds and as I have already stated many times that I think there are too many tourneys on this lake already. My God, take 200 tourneys and divide it by how many weekends we have in a fishing season and see how much pressure that is on the fish,not to mention the access areas,,,Its simply too much.Try to take your honey out for a little perch fishing on the southern end of the lake on a weekend,you won't find a place to park your rig,even if you get there at 6:00 AM enough is enough, All licensed fisher people pay for the right to fish this lake,why should only the people entered in a tournament be allowed to do so?
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Post by lateforsupper on Jan 27, 2011 18:43:50 GMT -5
fishinmachine if you cant find a place to park complain to F&W about better acess dont complain theres to many fisher people
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Post by fishinmachine on Jan 27, 2011 21:05:11 GMT -5
I have been complaining to the F&W and everyone else about the accesses for years and years and the accesses remain the same but the boats keep coming and I don't mean just fishermen,We have been through ALL this before and I will say no more on this thread...and lateforsupper,,,don't tell me what I can and cannot say on this forum,,I have read the rules
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Post by lateforsupper on Jan 27, 2011 22:45:56 GMT -5
fishinmachine I dodn't no where I told you what you could and coudn't say but if I came off that way then i'm sorry.but boat launches are sad in vermont and the amount none fishing people using all the parking isn't right but complaining about other fishermen and there choice to fish derby's or not is bull I don't see these bass fishermen on here talking about all the short salmon that get caught released and then die all summer and fall. then again the waters deep enough you cant see them laying all over the bottom dead can you and the ones that float are small enough for the seagulls to eat
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Post by ouananiche on Jan 28, 2011 6:11:59 GMT -5
"The more that are caught, the more they stock." Really? I do not believe that is what determines the amount of salmon and trout that are stocked in Champlain. More likely what determines these numbers is a combination of what the state feels is adequate to sustain the fishery and the funding the hatcheries have to perform this duty. Without enough funding, stocking numbers will go down and perhaps even hatcheries being shut down. The budgets allocated to run these facilities is a limiting factor. I have no problem harvesting fish for dinner, but keeping a limit every time out seems to be a bit excessive. I would just assume catch them again.
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Post by heijac (Randy A) on Jan 28, 2011 23:19:00 GMT -5
Just my little aside note here regarding enforcement; I got out on the lake something like 60-70 times last year, out of Apple Island, Shelburne Bay, and Converse, and I never saw a warden once all season. I think that this was the first year thats ever happened! I spoke to a couple of wardens at the Yankee Classic, and they told me that there are fewer wardens patrolling now than there was 10 years ago. Maybe its just because of my schedule, but Jeesh! Did anybody get stopped by a warden out of Converse this season?
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