Hi all, this little speech is in response to the cancelation of the fall tournement. A tournement is a competition between fisherman for a prize. That prize may be fame ,glory,bragging rights or Money and all of the above. There are tournements all over the country with different rules and regulations. No one likes them all. On Lake St. Clair trollers compete for ten to 15 thousand dollars for the biggest fish and on many wisconsin tournements there is no trolling allowed. In planning such an event in Michigan you have to ask yourself several questions?? Do I want a big turnout? Is this competition going to harm the fishery? Who do I want to draw to this event? In a head to head competition I would never compete with Will Schultz in a Casting contest. I would be better off just handing my money to the club and going fishing somewhere else. 
😀 But given a level playing field where I can use my best tools which are my trolling skills I feel like I have a real chance at winning the event. I would be at a disadvantage against many good casters therefore I would be less apt to compete in an event where I had a slim to none chance to win. This should be making sense to everyone. Gabe for instance trolls all the time. It is what he does best and he has won several events with these skills. Michelle and I did very well in the ice up 2005 by precise trolling tactics. Asking someone to compete with thier best tools left at the dock is not going bring these people into the competitions. If you want a good turnout for a fundraising tournement in this state then plan it on water where we can all compete. Wisconsin events where trolling is banned will never get my dollars nor will any tournement in Michigan. It is one of reasons I dont do many events or tournements. Ive been asked to compete in several Wisconsin trails and have turned them all down. I would compete in the Calcutta except for the fact that it is a kill event. If it were held with judge boats and fish were released I would enter in a heartbeat. It appears that Ovid was not a good choice after all. The fact is we may not have a good lake inland to hold a good tournement. So expect these results——- A tournement with no trolling will draw casters. A tournement with no casting will draw all trollers. An open tournement where michigan rules apply will bring us all to the event and make it a good fundraiser. These are my observations about these events,lets face it I wouldnt put my aveo up against Kid coulsons Buick for pink slips and I wouldnt put up my money against the caliber of casters that this club and Indianas chapter have . That would be just throwing my cash away. Bottom line is if its fair for all its good. If its one sided dont expect the other side to participate. I hope this post is well recieved as I point no fingers or condem anyone in it. Just looking at the facts and explaining our position on these events. Mike and Michelle
I have to agree with mike on this he said it well, people are competative I have to admite when I go to fish a outing or a club tounament I'm fishing against one of the best caster Will or the best caster in this club and the only way to beat him is with my best weapon trolling I might as well just go and hand Will my money and go home if I can't troll.I didn't know the club name was change to michigan musky casting club I'm not trying to be mean but the lake should be big enough for casting or trolling not one or the other.
It doesn't matter where we have it or don't have it or how big the purse is, most of the people won't show up for one reason or another. Big lake little lake it really does not seem to make much difference, but I agree with Gabe, there needs to be more input from the club members. That is pretty much what has been said all along, so if someone has a good idea for a lake and a date lets hear it.
Kevin
"Gabe" said:
I have one more thing to say if this is a club should it not be put up for a vote with all club members who want to vote on it and not just two people.I herd it said this is not just one persons club.and these people don't speak for the club.Well let's vote on the tounament then here on line.
The tournament commitee has responsibility for the tournament, period – no vote needed per by-laws.
Objectives of Michigan Muskie Alliance, Muskies, Inc. Chapter 47
* To promote a high quality Muskellunge sport fishery;
* To support selected conservation practices based on scientific merit and carried out by authorized federal and state agencies;
* To promote Muskellunge research;
* To establish hatcheries and rearing ponds and introduce the species into suitable waters;
* To support the abatement of water pollution;
* To maintain records of habits, growth and range of species;
* To disseminate Muskellunge information;
* To promote good fellowship among men, women and children
I've always said that a tournament doesn't support any of these objectives. If the objective is to raise money, well… it doesn't even do that. For instance, in a single "guide for a day" trip to St Clair this Saturday the chapter will make as much, or more, than any tournament we've ever held.
oops you are correct. Its the last one I was referring to. three dead fish. that stinks. I also had to sink a dead 47 they left behind. I also said we have to ask ourselves if tournements are bad for our fisheries. I agree there are many more better ways to make money for the club. I have a new member for one who is buying tons of lures right now. He will be a benefit at the banquet. Will ,I'm going to send you his email address. I tried to get him here but he has not made it yet. Very cool guy ,he will be a good addition to the crew here. Kingfisher
no tournaments!!!!!!!! No one will show.The non competive people in michigan out weigh the head cases…….I don`t want to see MMA become a head strong walleye or bass unit.I`ll be OUT ! If that happens !! I don`t think the musky group in michigan is anything like the walleye/bass guys/tourneys all year with the exception of the LSC tournaments.The future ❓ …..kinds scares me…….if our group doubles or triples in 10 years and gets headstrong and forms new chapters and people get big wallet/ego appetites 😡 well then the gig will be up..and I`ll be 56 and probably ready to step aside and let the newbies(new age muskie fishers 25-35)hash it out. 
Dave 8)
No I`m not pointing at you kingfishers or gabe,or anyone DIRECTLY….
Thinking about what I just wrote I may have been a little harsh 
but I don`t think tournaments are what MMA`s objectives are all about…but…If there was to be a tournament have it on LSC.Show who the real top dawg is.Have it a big $$$$$ thing,and maybe MMA not necessarily putting the whole thing together as advertising MMA,but getting all those other canadian people/LSC people to share in it so it doesn`t come down to just MMA(work,etd,maybe bad press)??I don`t think the small lake gigs really show that much.Sure you can out fish someone,but I think it`s more of being at the right place right time,as opposed to a thinking mans deal,of dealing with 25,000-200,000 acres of where to begin……….Just hand Will your money NOW.LMAO 🙄
DU
Bottom line is, the tournament didn't make the club that much money, and the work and the headaches that come along with it far outways
the good (if any) that it did for the club. We are a bunch of good guys
and it seems every year at this time someone starts an argument about
something to do with the tournament. For example, this year I've gotten pm's and emails from people (some of which have never fished one of our tournaments) about the lake its on, or not on. it should be a casting only event, it should be a trolling only event, people complained about what hotel I had gotten for everyone, people complained about where the hotel was at, Will should be banned from fishing in it because it's not fair, he catches too many fish…(Will is human people) he hasn't won every tournament we've held. Shoot I fished with him on LSC last year and I caught a fish and he didn't. People need to stop being so intimidated by who is going to fish an event and just fish it.
It's not like people had to drain their savings accounts for an entry fee into the tournament. People can be ticked off at me if they want but
bottom line is, for some reason money, giftcards, or whatever the prize
was does funny things to people. In the end it just wasn't worth it.
Well I can see everyone is geetting the message 😕 . Like I said are tournements good or bad for the Fishery??? My opinion is they are bad. I cant stand bass tournements. All I ever said was that if im going to compete in one the rules will be fair or it doesnt get my money period. I would look like a one legged man in an azz kickin contest in a casting only tournement . Im an old man and would have to sit out the 2nd half with sore wrists and back. There are limits to how much Motrin I can consume. 🙂 Im with you dave ,NO MORE TOURNEMENTS PERIOD!!!. I like the outings when you cook the burgers 🙂 . We like the ice up and ice out challunges 🙂 . Money events cause 😈 😈 👿 . Better left to the Basswits . aLL IN FAVOR SAY aye!! Mike and Michelle
The word that makes me cringe that keeps coming up is competition. I don't get it… why do we need to compete when it comes to fishing. The only one I am competing with is the fish. The outings sound cool. I'd like to make one someday. I don't care if I don't have a follow and Kingfisher has a double header trolling. I will still have fun and not think I am a lesser fisherman than him because of it. I think that tournaments and guiding take away from the true fun of fishing.
I also hate that word. I dont think there is any issue with friendly events like the ice up or the ice out. No cash prizes to fight over. bragging rights for the club and its a team event. Im glad the Pmtt doesnt come up here and dont want any other tournement trails here either. The evil part is money as the good Lord said the root of all evil is money. In the last 48 hours Ive rethought my outlook on these cash events and have decided that due to the issues that surround tournements I will never take part in one again no matter what the rules are. Its in the best interests of our growing fishery to keep the pressure spread out. Lets make our outings on big waters where we as club can explore new areas learning new waters and enjoying Daves burgers 🙂 The outing we had on The Elk chain two years ago was very cool. The Intermediate chain very cool. If we did a Smallwood, Wixom,Sanford outing very cool. Margarethe in few years very cool. I have always thought that outings would be the best if we were in a search mode so to speak. Using our catch or lack of catch data for good use. I look at the Mullet,Burt,Black chain and think man ,I need an army just to find out where to start. So much water here that I dont know anything about. As for fundraisers we should have a used lure auction and sell dinner by the plate along with MMA jackets,hats and other stuff. This should be seperate from the banquet. I have 4 Big games and a bunch of other stuff I dont want. I know everyone in the club has lures ,reels,rods and other stuff laying around they would donate. Mid year musky flea market. I will help in planning such an event seeing that I helped to kill the tournement. Anyone in favor? Mike and Michelle P.S. Iwill also build a MMA 21 inch Deepthreat and donate it to such a cause.
"Kingfisher" said:
Mid year musky flea market. I will help in planning such an event seeing that I helped to kill the tournement. Anyone in favor? Mike and Michelle P.S. Iwill also build a MMA 21 inch Deepthreat and donate it to such a cause.
Get in touch with Bomba, this would be great for September 9th at Ovid! I think it's an awesome idea!!!
💡 While sanding 24 Little claws I had a better Idea. The outing will still be limited to people who can attend. John and the others from the Upper Peninsula are too far away to participate. I pmed Bomba on this . My Idea is to have a new page on the site like our existing buy and sell page called MMA FUND SALE or something to that effect. I will take care of aLL the moderating of this forum. People with items to donate simply post them at the forum. People bid on the item by replying to the post. after 2 weeks owner of item ships item to winner,winner sends MMA a check or money order. This can go on for years and be a steady source of income for the club. I have 10 items now to donate. Can I have my forum? Kingfisher
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