Members can see more Boards, Topics, Picture Galleries, Videos, Games and more. Register NOW...
Recent Pictures (List All)

Rating: (None)
Views: 34
Comments (0)

Rating: (None)
Views: 37
Comments (0)

Rating: (None)
Views: 35
Comments (4)

Rating: (None)
Views: 25
Comments (0)
*

Author Topic: ABT Barra Tournament Boater/Non-Boater Negativity???  (Read 14648 times)

0 Members and 1 Guest are viewing this topic.

Offline Member

  • Fish Restocker
  • Legend Member
  • *
  • Thank You
  • -Given: 420
  • -Receive: 1212
  • Posts: 3032
  • Liked: 104
  • Karma: 1242
  • Gender: Male
  • Sweetwater Fishing Larrikan
  • View Gallery
  • Favourite Fishing Spot is: Lake Wivenhoe, where else
Re: ABT Barra Tournament Boater/Non-Boater Negativity???
« Reply #15 on: March 08, 2011, 07:04:20 AM »
Dale, if the fuel money means its a commercial transaction, it probably also means your unlicensed to drive the boat, pretty sure you must have a coxswains ticket to operate a boat for commercial use! Which also means your likely uninsured! (Except in your case you would probably need a master's licence, coxswains are restricted to 250kw  ;D )

The fuel money thing is definately the case with a car.  I can't see why it is not the case with a boat, and yes, insurance and coxswains tickets do come into it.  It's there to stop the dodgy operators who want to be a taxi driver (or fishing guide) but don't have the neccessary qualifications and equipment. 
I don't know why it went from a teams event to an individual event, but it does leave some leeway for stretching the rules.  Let's say you and I are fishing a comp together.  You're a good barra angler and I'm average.  You get a 118 and a 121, I've got a couple of 80's.  You then get a 105.  We're up the back of bay B with nobody around.  Are you going to take a piccie of me holding the 105 to help me out?  If it was a teams event it really wouldn't matter a rats patootie, but if it's an individual event it's a different story.  I'm not sure if it's a two fish bag, or unlimited, but you can see what could happen.  I'm not saying that it does happen, but it could. 
A lot of boaters won't accept cash from non boaters, and some non boaters have caught on.  Pete Robinson from the Alvey team many moons ago always gave his boater a $10 scratchie if he wouldn't accept cash.  Most guys will accept this.
Johnnie, you are correct too.  The Taylor boys do a pretty good job fishing from their state of the ark tinnie.  Those lads are just fish freaks.  There is no reasonable explanation for how they catch so many big fish, but they consistantly do.  A bit like young Carl on the Bass circuit.  I would have liked to see how they'd go on the shut down Awoonga.
If comps are your scene, do it, you can meet some great people and hae a good time.  But don't get totally caught up in the who shares wins thing.  I know it's almost unbelievable, but some fishermen are not 100% accurate with their stories.  The next winner who ties a different lure on his rod to return to the weigh-in won't be the first.
I fished a barra comp with a rather devious older gentleman who shall remain nameless.  We did OK, but found that the flash when taking a pic of a landed fish attracted more than annoying insects.  A quiet motor into an adjacent bay and a few free flashes tended to get them to leave the good spot and fish the barren one.  If that had remained a teams event we'd have come second behind Jas and his mate.  I think my partner came 3rd after Jas and his mate and I came 16th after dropping a monster late on the second day which would have given me 4th.

Offline Member

  • Full Member
  • ***
  • Thank You
  • -Given: 7
  • -Receive: 25
  • Posts: 70
  • Liked: 0
  • Karma: 17
  • Gender: Male
  • Sweetwater Fishing Fanatic
  • View Gallery
Re: ABT Barra Tournament Boater/Non-Boater Negativity???
« Reply #16 on: March 08, 2011, 09:54:14 AM »
Don't know the detail but sounds like they didn't want the same guys winning the comps year in year out.  I think it really comes down to the bar being raised and everyone else needing to catch up.  Look at the Aussie Cricket team.  They made the leap forward and for many years they were the top dogs.  Now other countries teams have improved and the Aussie's have come back to the pack(loosing some good players doesn't help either).  If the top performers have got the inside info on How,When,Where and Why then the other blokes have gotta lift their game and learn.

Initially reading this article I was very interested in this NB option as I have never really thought about taking part in a comp.  Since the Dave's great beginning to this thread I have seen the other side and can see why it might be tough for the B's.  Personally I think anyone going on someone else's boat means they have the shared responsibility of everything that comes with being on the water(fuel, food and shared help when needed).  After all the NB would be on the water if it wasn't for the generous nature of the B.

Having said this, if anyone wants or needs a deckie give me a yell  ;D

Cheers Geoff

I certainly dont think that fellow competitors wanted to see the leading team split up  ...... just because they keep winning. A high percentage of the teams that fish the tour , fish together year in year out -  so they would be cutting their own throat. ...... as you said fellow competitors have had to lift their game  -  which I feel they are.   We have new faces on the podiums & winning events + we certainly have a new name at the top of the rankings for the first time in several years.

Chris

Offline Member

  • Hunter
  • Sr. Member
  • *
  • Thank You
  • -Given: 42
  • -Receive: 19
  • Posts: 153
  • Liked: 1
  • Karma: 20
  • Gender: Male
  • Sweetwater Fishing Fanatic
  • View Gallery
  • Favourite Fishing Spot is: Where ever the fish are
Re: ABT Barra Tournament Boater/Non-Boater Negativity???
« Reply #17 on: March 08, 2011, 03:28:04 PM »
Yeah, my comment was more aimed at event organisers but I could be being a little criticle maybe.  Tall poppy syndrome is alive and well in Aus and I don't like it. I doesn't matter what you say so much as what you demonstrate out on the water.  Fantastic how innovation can be enhanced when the need to think differently is thrust upon us.

Cheers

Offline Member

  • Full Member
  • ***
  • Thank You
  • -Given: 7
  • -Receive: 25
  • Posts: 70
  • Liked: 0
  • Karma: 17
  • Gender: Male
  • Sweetwater Fishing Fanatic
  • View Gallery
Re: ABT Barra Tournament Boater/Non-Boater Negativity???
« Reply #18 on: March 08, 2011, 09:47:25 PM »
The other positive note for BnB is that it reduces the opportunity to .......... "conspire to construct a victory"  ... I didn't want to use the other word  ;)

Chris

Offline Member

  • Sweetwater Fishing Australia
  • Administrator
  • Legend Member
  • *****
  • Thank You
  • -Given: 2751
  • -Receive: 1294
  • Posts: 3628
  • Liked: 88
  • Karma: 1340
  • Gender: Male
  • Sweetwater Fishing Australia
  • View Gallery
  • Favourite Fishing Spot is: Connors River
Re: ABT Barra Tournament Boater/Non-Boater Negativity???
« Reply #19 on: March 09, 2011, 12:23:56 AM »
Here's another perspective.

Late one friday arvo I received a call from ABT organisers asking if I'd come to a bass lake the following morning to make up a number as a non-boater; to help them out I agreed.
I drew a bit of a name in the game as the boater & away we tore as the shot gun went off. There was a giggle from this driver as he over took & cut in front of a slower boat giving a nice rooster tail shower, the poor bloke behind dropped off the plane to check his gear was all ok (hope he didn't have a phone in an open spot)

There was nothing in it for me as I wasn't really in the comp but I did have a casual fish, not offering much input preferring to let the "gun" do his own thing.

I was a bit annoyed to see a couple of other anglers treat non-target fish ie Golden Perch really roughly tossing them head over fin like a cricket ball back into the water, a curse followed the splash. Also I saw a smaller fish get upgraded, but the smaller fish was simply tossed over board as it now offered little to help the angler get on the podium where just minutes before the same fish was treated as gold.

The rules for the event noted no communication permitted between boats in the form of radios etc. To get around this I saw some baseball like signalling employed to allow one "mate" who had come up to give the other guy the heads up they are onto a hot bite down the front of the lake & he had bagged out on good fish, not a verbal word was spoken, all correspondance was at a range of 40 or 50 meters. Our anchor was up in a flash & we tore off at a gazzillion mph, falling into the wake of the instigator of the secret squirrell hand codes.

I think tournament style comps are a good thing, the intentions of the ABT guys I believe is on the money. However it appears that some competitors (Im sure a minority) are a little anti-social & uncaring of the fish, or simply ignorant of how to treat a fish. Other competitors who also saw the acts above obviously condoned them as no complaints were laid; do they act the same? Attitudes of those who enter would be wide ranging & as in everything, the majority unfortunately get tarred with the same brush as the minority.

All of the above convinced me that I'd fished my last Bass Pro... I probably would have enjoyed fishing a few more but I'd rather not be associated with that type.

There needs to be some serious consequences for those who break the rules, handle fish badly or cheat. Perhaps a course, test or induction is needed to clearly show what is acceptable conduct.

It may encourage those on the fringes to get in there & have a go themselves.  :youbeauty

Offline Member

  • Fish Restocker
  • Legend Member
  • *
  • Thank You
  • -Given: 419
  • -Receive: 279
  • Posts: 750
  • Liked: 46
  • Karma: 291
  • Gender: Male
  • Sweetwater Fishing Fanatic
  • View Gallery
Re: ABT Barra Tournament Boater/Non-Boater Negativity???
« Reply #20 on: March 09, 2011, 05:36:23 AM »
Thanks for some insight there Fitzy.

It's a shame to see that there are cowboys in comps who you'd think would know better.

Offline Member

  • Fish Restocker
  • Legend Member
  • *
  • Thank You
  • -Given: 420
  • -Receive: 1212
  • Posts: 3032
  • Liked: 104
  • Karma: 1242
  • Gender: Male
  • Sweetwater Fishing Larrikan
  • View Gallery
  • Favourite Fishing Spot is: Lake Wivenhoe, where else
Re: ABT Barra Tournament Boater/Non-Boater Negativity???
« Reply #21 on: March 09, 2011, 06:51:05 AM »
The thing about ABT is it's a company, not a community service.  If people don't like what they do, they are welcome to start an opposition company.  Sadly, Steve Morgan won't enter a debate here, there is a notorious group of people around who believe know more than ABT organisers and Fish Stocking Groups who love to cut people down on certain web sites, and Steve has learnt that he can't win against these people.  I'm sure if the question was asked on the QFM website he'd give you some insight into the decisions made.  For every bad story about an ABT event there is a good story.  I remember Fitz becoming quite agitated at a big name competitor who decided to fish our snag at an Electric Comp.  We were fishing one side of the structure, and he motored up and cast at the same tree from the other side.  He snagged up on it and drove his boat into it to retrieve his lure. 

Offline Member

  • Sweetwater Fishing Australia
  • Administrator
  • Legend Member
  • *****
  • Thank You
  • -Given: 2751
  • -Receive: 1294
  • Posts: 3628
  • Liked: 88
  • Karma: 1340
  • Gender: Male
  • Sweetwater Fishing Australia
  • View Gallery
  • Favourite Fishing Spot is: Connors River
Re: ABT Barra Tournament Boater/Non-Boater Negativity???
« Reply #22 on: March 09, 2011, 11:42:12 AM »
I remember Fitz becoming quite agitated at a big name competitor who decided to fish our snag at an Electric Comp.  We were fishing one side of the structure, and he motored up and cast at the same tree from the other side.  He snagged up on it and drove his boat into it to retrieve his lure.

The guy always was, & still is a w@nker, pure & simple. Only in it for what he can get out of it. You never see his type as fish restocking meeting, offer any assistance or give 2 hoots about the fishery he wants to use to get his picture on a corn falkes packet.

On the day we clearly heard through the fog this guy say he was going to follow us. We'd dome some Crazy Ivan's in the fog to throw the labrador's off our heels & then headed to the spot we wanted. A couple of fish had been caught as the fog lifted. The the guys spotted us & made a B Line straight to us.

A spinnerbait past his ear didn't give him the hint either. We left the now stuffed spot to him. Ironically I went elsewhere to get a better fish which got me into the final (which I won with a still standing record bag I believe), so a thanks to the w@nker are to be offered I suppose.


Offline Member

  • Fish Restocker
  • Legend Member
  • *
  • Thank You
  • -Given: 420
  • -Receive: 1212
  • Posts: 3032
  • Liked: 104
  • Karma: 1242
  • Gender: Male
  • Sweetwater Fishing Larrikan
  • View Gallery
  • Favourite Fishing Spot is: Lake Wivenhoe, where else
Re: ABT Barra Tournament Boater/Non-Boater Negativity???
« Reply #23 on: March 09, 2011, 12:14:54 PM »
Good to see you got over it without holding a grudge mate. :o

My biggest pizz off was an electric round at the little lake up on the mountain.  I got a couple on fly in a bay, and while I was landing the second one a big name came into the bay and just about bumped into my boat as he fly cast at the school.  Didn't bother me too much then, but when I was back at the weigh-in and heard him tell the W@nker mentioned in the above post that I'd crowded him off the school I was less than impressed.

Offline Member

  • Fish Restocker
  • Legend Member
  • *
  • Thank You
  • -Given: 52
  • -Receive: 309
  • Posts: 1344
  • Liked: 34
  • Karma: 328
  • Gender: Male
  • Sweetwater Fishing Fanatic
  • View Gallery
  • Favourite Fishing Spot is: Baroon Pocket Dam
Re: ABT Barra Tournament Boater/Non-Boater Negativity???
« Reply #24 on: March 09, 2011, 07:12:34 PM »
When is it cheating, when is it being creative? whhen is it that the comps are just behind the times?

Use of hand signals because they ban voice coms? maybe cheating, may not. Depends on wether the rules say no communicating, or just no phones, lots of them just say no use of phones or radios allowed. Do you read that as meaning talking to the bloke next you you is not allowed? or are they trying to stop seagulls flocking to where the fish are?

QAFCA bans upgrading fish in their rules, they consider it to be cheating,  but I've certainly not seen a comp where it is banned. (No I've not fished a QAFCA comp)

Illegal fish being recorded in comps (oversize fish), is that cheating? I dont think catch and release comps have come to terms well with slot limits yet, , possibly illegal, possibly cheating? certainly not a good look.

Live bass weigh in comps in NSW, your only allowed one fish over 35cm, I've certainly seen people weigh in more than one over 35cm, the whole time they have them in their live well they are breaking the law. Is that cheating?

Multi day fishing comps where fish are kept, you know very well the bloke who "bagged out" yesterday quite likely has fish still in his esky or freezer from the day before, yet there he is weighing another full bag of the same fish on day 2? Cheating? Certainly illegal.


Offline Member

  • Fishing Guide
  • Sr. Member
  • *
  • Thank You
  • -Given: 1
  • -Receive: 93
  • Posts: 212
  • Liked: 0
  • Karma: 94
  • Gender: Male
  • Sweetwater Fishing Fanatic
  • View Gallery
Re: ABT Barra Tournament Boater/Non-Boater Negativity???
« Reply #25 on: March 10, 2011, 09:06:17 AM »
Money, prizes, podiums, egos- rule books are needed when these are at stake, why- because plenty of people want a share- based on equal fairness.
If it was a beer afterwards, and no prizes, I doubt a rule book would be opened.
Rules in place then need to be adhered to, and in the big picture- the rule needs to be clear cut, its interpretation by a competitor and the meaning of the word combination themselves can be two diferent things.
Dale makes a great point about never forgetting the reason for going fishing.
If it came down to 'by the letter' analysis of a rule book, then many competitors should hang up their fishing boots as there are way more fun aspects to outdoors and fishing without stress or heartache. Eg, yesterday I watched kids catching barramundi with their dad in a small boat- a family gathering where it was just fun, fun, fun in the sun, sun, sun.

 

Related Topics

  Subject / Started by Replies Last post
Barra leaders ?

Started by Member « 1 2 3 4 5 » General Discussion

64 Replies
70607 Views
Last post December 02, 2010, 05:10:42 AM
by Member
1 Replies
3620 Views
Last post December 07, 2010, 08:12:08 PM
by Member
2 Replies
3993 Views
Last post December 10, 2010, 05:01:36 AM
by Member
0 Replies
3732 Views
Last post May 07, 2011, 11:02:02 AM
by Member
0 Replies
5980 Views
Last post February 06, 2014, 09:21:36 PM
by Member

Upcoming Events, Fishing Competitions, Shows, Expos etc.....


Upcoming Events