Do you believe tournament anglers have "squatters rights"?

[Vollmer]

Poll: Vote above, and comment below.

 

[lunkerslayer]

Kind of like Ice pirates or boats who like to anchor in front of the bridges on Devils Lake. It is hard to fish devils lake especially in a boat, well it must be because on any given weekend there could be as many a couple dozen boats anchored out in front of the bridges. It real hard to catch fish in a boat::: LOL I have had some situations with boaters who feel they are entitled, which most of are out of staters. I don't bother arguing or getting upset, I just call the game warden.

 

[NDwalleyes]

The guys I know who fish tournaments are all good guys. That being said there are a few dicks out there though.

When you go golfing, do we let the guys who play in tournaments play the holes in what ever order they want to or play the same hole over-and-over? Nope.

These guys are no different than anyone else, their fishing skills are no better or worse than anyone else. The only difference is some of their egos. They can play by the same rules as everyone else.

 

[sweeney]

I don't fish river tournaments often for this reason (and i am a pussy about navigating the damn thing)sometimes you have 15 boats fishing a 40 yard hole sometimes it is a 40 foot hole, either way when you add 100 river rats ontop of 100 weekend warriors, it is going to strain some relations. especially when half the tourney field is really just weekend warriors, playing the chip and a chair mentality.
Personally i fish the lake and the less people around me the better sometimes though there is just going to be a crowd if you can't handle it move i guess. the only one that does piss me off is boats that are the patrol boats fishing anywhere within throwing distance of me. My tournament fees are paying for your gas go somewhere else, or better yet go patrol, don't fish especially on top of tournament boats.

 

[DirtyMike]

Isn't it annoying to be in a group of boats and pass over the same spot with the same presentation yet the boat right after you or right before you picks up fish and you don't? Oh wait, that's fishing. The only issues I have is when boats with better electronics and trolling motors can sit in a spot on the river, in heavy current, and I can't. Even if I was drifting through that spot before, I now have to move or spend more time maintaining boat control vs. fishing. As far as shore fisherman go, give them space. Maybe they don't have the same opportunities we have in a boat. I know, some of the best spots happen to be at public access areas but come on. I've always said, if you want to see ethics and morals go out the window, put money on something. People (not all of them) get absolutely stupid if there is something on the line. It's stuff like this that takes an enjoyable activity and turns it into another hassle.

 

[KDM]

I've had several tourney guys tell me they are in a tourney and if they could fish where we were at. I usually say no problem if they can tell me where they have been where I can go to catch the same sized fish I am catching here, what they were using, depth and all the other particulars. If they can, I usually move as fishing is supposed to be enjoyable and It's just good sportsmanship IMO. If they can't then I'm less apt to give up my place on the water just because they spent some money to be in a tournament and feel entitled to the spot.

 

[lunkerslayer]

Isn't it annoying to be in a group of boats and pass over the same spot with the same presentation yet the boat right after you or right before you picks up fish and you don't? Oh wait, that's fishing. The only issues I have is when boats with better electronics and trolling motors can sit in a spot on the river, in heavy current, and I can't. Even if I was drifting through that spot before, I now have to move or spend more time maintaining boat control vs. fishing. As far as shore fisherman go, give them space. Maybe they don't have the same opportunities we have in a boat. I know, some of the best spots happen to be at public access areas but come on. I've always said, if you want to see ethics and morals go out the window, put money on something. People (not all of them) get absolutely stupid if there is something on the line. It's stuff like this that takes an enjoyable activity and turns it into another hassle.

Well said DirtyMike well said indeed if someone asked if they could anchor in front of me, I probably say yes most every time. Just like most farmers would let you access the ROW to launch your boat, curtious is only to be. It is a north dakota ethics thing.

 

[Riggen&Jiggen]

No one is entitled to a particular spot no matter the situation. The only thing I would say is don't be a douche and screw up anyone's fishing.

 

[powerman]

I fish as many tourneys as I possibly can and have met some very good guys and learned quite a bit from them. I don't fish an area in a tournament that I didn't pre fish. I will not pull up on another boat unless I have previously spent some time in the spot and done my own recon. If I do try a new spot during a tourney I will be the only one there. One thing I dislike is if you are fishing a certain presentation and another boat pulls in and does something completely different causing me to change my program. That sucks. I try to yield to any boats that were there before me.

 

[svnmag]

If I were I tournament angler, I'd sure as hell politely ask and make it truly worth their while to move. Flat of cranks, knowledge, horny calender models, fresh yogurt cup etc. If I couldn't bribe, then on to the topo map for similar conditions.

 

[SDMF]

Tournaments have brought us some fantastic advancements in every single aspect of fishing, except for common sense and common courtesy. Both of those have gone out the window. Tournament participant boats should be required to display the tournament director's direct phone line in numbers no less than 18" tall.

 

[Rowdie]

I'm not much of a tournament guy, but reluctantly got in a couple last year. They were both one day 3 man option. I like these better than the 2-day, 2 man. I had a pretty good time in the Mobridge, so I got in the PKC tournament. I'm really not a fan of tournaments, because it seems like there are just too many of them. In the Mobridge area anyway. The mess at the ramps is the biggest problem for those who just want to use it to fish. I've heard that Linton has some bragging rights tournaments where they check at a lot in town. Go to any ramp on the river you want. I wish Mobridge would do that.

But I'm glad that the big circuits influenced the boat manufacturers, lure companies, and all the other technical advances.

 

[martinslanding]

Why would there be any difference from any other weekend on the water??? Should a "tournament" label entitle you to fish anywhere? Would one "tournament" fisherman ask another to move from their spot? ?? If this is the case then I guess I should "tournament" fish everywhere I go..

***disclaimer: please keep in mind that this does not in anyway apply to or remotely resemble any sanctioned NDA fish gathering

 

[shorthairsrus]

I have never ran into an issue in tourney or fishin beside em. Fished under the bridge during last flw. Keith looked at me like dont cast here but he never said anything

 

[SDMF]

I've never had a problem during a tournament. I have had tournament fishermen be exceptionally discourteous during pre-fishing.

 

[Rowdie]

One thing nice about tournaments is, the results provide an accurate fishing report.

 

[SDMF]

One thing nice about tournaments is, the results provide an accurate fishing report.

Report: Crowded w/90% chance of assholes.