Upset walleye fishermen

Tournament fishermen · #1 08-22-2010, 12:41 PM

I have tournament fished for walleye on lesser slave lake for many years and have been a sponser for many of these derbys. Last year me and my partner had a horrible accident in the mercury marine derby. The waves were six to seven feet high and we flipped my partners boat aprox 5 miles from shore. The boat was a 21 foot tracker and my partner was a very experinced operator who had fished these tournaments for the past 18 years. We just caught a wave the wrong way and flipped our boat. We were able to hold on to the back of the boat as it was still floating upside down. We were in the water for 3 1/2 hours and both had hypothermia as it was in june. I made it but my partner drowned. I would explain this in more detail but the memories are still fresh and this hurts to much to talk about. Life jackets are now mandatory when boat is in transit in these tournaments. I had mine on and my partner did not have his on. In my opinion life jackets help but without holding on to the boat until it drifted to shore I to would not be here today. Two months after my accident I entered the golden walleye classic as I know my partner that drowned would not want me to quit tournament fishing and if it were me I would not want him to quit. I fish the golden walleye every year with my wife and it is something we love doing. The second day of the two day tournment the waves were 6 to 7 feet high and I took video to prove it. That day 40 some boats out of a hundred did not go out due to the extreme weather. I protested to the tournament president to use are alternate day but this fell upon deaf ears. I admit I got a little carried away but I believe I had post tramatic stress and did know this until I woke up that morning. I did not go out that morning. While I was protesting I did not get violent and I was not asked to leave or I would have. The lake calmed down in the afternoon so my wife and I went out for the last four hours of fishing. When I put my boat in at noon the president of the tournament said to me oh I guess our derby is good enough for you now and I said the derby has always been good enough for me. He told me that enviroment canada reported the winds that day to only be 20 km/hr and I said so if enviroment canada says it's raining outside and you walk otside its sunny what is it raining or is it sunny. I think this embarassed him because alot of people standing around laughed. I admit I called him an idiot and have since apoligized for my behaviour but this also fell upon deaf ears. I am now not allowed to fish in the tournament this year and do not feel that this is fair. I also have a history with the president. Two years ago I brought close to twenty thousand dollars in sponsers and was not even giving a thank you and the reason for this is cause when I seen the prize structure there was five thousand dollars missing and I caused a stink with the president and he told me they were gonna use the money to repair some of the docks in the marina. I told him that I raised this money for the fishermen not the park. He did use the money for the prizes but only cause he new I would raise a stink. He even tried to shut me up by putting a prize for the furthest traveled fisherman which would have been my father from buffalo new york. If I wanted money I would kept all these sponsers and put it towards my team. I feel that my wife and are not being treated fairly because I spoke my mind. What happened to freedom of speech in canada. If anyone has ideas on what I could do could you please let me know.

beerhunter · #2 08-22-2010, 01:16 PM

If you pay your entry fee you should be able to fish. Don't understand how they can stop you. Some people are just azzholes.

npauls · #3 08-22-2010, 02:08 PM

I just want to say thanks for speaking up and doing what you feel is best for the competitors.

I fish the SAWT and love how all the money and prizes go back to the people that pay to fish.

I have heard of to many other tourneys where they don't have a full payout and that money and prizes go missing that were donated for the soul purpose of the competitors.

I am glad there is still some solid people out there that are looking out for everyone well being and would rather call the day off then risk peoples lives to catch fish and win some money.

Nate

DuckBrat · #4 08-22-2010, 02:21 PM

All though I don't know both sides of the story it sounds like $%*^ing Politics and a power trip.

ice · #5 08-22-2010, 02:33 PM

That's ****in rediculous

gramps73 · #6 08-22-2010, 03:46 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by npauls

I just want to say thanks for speaking up and doing what you feel is best for the competitors.

I fish the SAWT and love how all the money and prizes go back to the people that pay to fish.

I have heard of to many other tourneys where they don't have a full payout and that money and prizes go missing that were donated for the soul purpose of the competitors.

I am glad there is still some solid people out there that are looking out for everyone well being and would rather call the day off then risk peoples lives to catch fish and win some money.

Nate

Well said Nate

First off glad to hear you kept at it, must be tough and i commend you for that. I also fish the SAWT and find if to be fair other then the 2 way radio thing at Ridge...
I would talk to some of the other guys on the northern trail and see what they can do for you. As far as him not letting you in send the money and then have him put it in writing why you are not aloud.

Good luck and keep fishing

g73

Tournament fishermen · #7 08-22-2010, 04:13 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by gramps73

Well said Nate

First off glad to hear you kept at it, must be tough and i commend you for that. I also fish the SAWT and find if to be fair other then the 2 way radio thing at Ridge...
I would talk to some of the other guys on the northern trail and see what they can do for you. As far as him not letting you in send the money and then have him put it in writing why you are not aloud.

Good luck and keep fishing

g73

Thank you for your advice. I will send them my check.

Retired · #8 08-22-2010, 08:36 PM

Paying your money buy's you a piece of ground to make your stand ... good for you...

Shmag · #9 08-24-2010, 09:15 AM

Hi Tournament...first off i see you are a new member, welcome to the AO forum. Secondly i am sorry to hear of the accident you guys had last year, i was also in that same derby and strange enough running the exact same boat as you guys were in, so i do know how easy it is to take on major water in that rough of water.

I don't fish the golden, mostly because i had a fishing buddy that also drown at a different lake in 1996 and that week-end marks the anniversary of that. More times than not that week-end is horrible weather.

Would like to thanks you also for your sponsorship money towards tournament, because with out it tournaments probably wouldn't survive. I do feel you are being treated unfairly especially about raising concerns of a safety issue. I also lived in slave lake since 92...long enough to know that 20km winds do not generate 6-7ft waves, i had friends camping there last year and they told me how bad the lake was. If ever in that situation i would probably call the nearest airport and get the recorded wind speed i beleive that envir-canada gets their info from them.

Since you were in the golden last year, you should of had an automatic by in... so did they just not send you early entry or did you send it in and they sent it back??? Was there any reasoning explained on why they did this??? If they came right out and said it was for the reasons you explained i would contact other members of the committee, maybe they are un aware and it is just the president doing this.

Anyways i hope it works out for you and it is good to see you back on the water again.

Tournament fishermen · #10 08-27-2010, 10:24 AM

Thank you. I was never sent an entry form. I was informed by one of the members who is a friend of mine that the president said I was not alowed to fish the tournament and this was the reason he gave my friend. My friend asked him to have a vote and they did so reluctently. There were seven members present and four of them voted against me. Might I add two of those members that voted against me have there wifes as members and of course they voted the same as there husbands. I believe that I should have been there if the meeting was about me so that I could present my case. Thank you for your concern and if you are from slave lake I am sure we know one another as I to am from slave lake also.

fishnut9 · #11 08-27-2010, 05:40 PM

i have to say with your current situation you handled yourself like a true gentlemen. If it was me i would have given him more than an ear full.

BrownBear416 · #12 08-27-2010, 08:44 PM

Good to see you back on the water and way to stand your ground on this issue..

I agree with fishnut that you handled yourself well..

I was a good friend of Owens and worked with him for many years.

He is missed by all

Shmag · #13 08-28-2010, 08:48 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tournament fishermen

Thank you. I was never sent an entry form. I was informed by one of the members who is a friend of mine that the president said I was not alowed to fish the tournament and this was the reason he gave my friend. My friend asked him to have a vote and they did so reluctently. There were seven members present and four of them voted against me. Might I add two of those members that voted against me have there wifes as members and of course they voted the same as there husbands. I believe that I should have been there if the meeting was about me so that I could present my case. Thank you for your concern and if you are from slave lake I am sure we know one another as I to am from slave lake also.

Yes, we have probably crossed path's along the derbies at one time or another. There is mine and one other (Scotts)black tracker in slave that i know of. For what its worth from what i now know about the members of that derby, i am glad i don't support them. What a load of B.S...you should now just support the anglers cup on the east end, because after last years derby they need all the help they can get,lol. Anyways, its good to see you back and don't sweat the other derby, hopefully the word gets out and it leaves a black eye on them...

Tournament fishermen · #14 08-28-2010, 10:44 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BrownBear416

Good to see you back on the water and way to stand your ground on this issue..

I agree with fishnut that you handled yourself well..

I was a good friend of Owens and worked with him for many years.

He is missed by all

There is not a day that goes by that I dont think about Owen. I miss him alot he was a very dear friend to me. It just kills me to watch his children that live across the road from me growing up without there dad. I am always there for them and will do anyting to help them as long I am alive. Owen was great guy and thanks for your comments.

Tournament fishermen · #15 08-28-2010, 10:55 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Shmag

Yes, we have probably crossed path's along the derbies at one time or another. There is mine and one other (Scotts)black tracker in slave that i know of. For what its worth from what i now know about the members of that derby, i am glad i don't support them. What a load of B.S...you should now just support the anglers cup on the east end, because after last years derby they need all the help they can get,lol. Anyways, its good to see you back and don't sweat the other derby, hopefully the word gets out and it leaves a black eye on them...

I think you are right screw there derby. And yes I do Know Scott. Thanks for your concern.

floppychicken · #16 08-28-2010, 01:24 PM

Sorry to hear about your friend and I'm sure that he's in other's thoughts every single day....

Honestly, I really don't think I'd 'tread lightly' with this issue. Clearly, they have chose to muck about with your 'Civil Rights'...

If you have any future problems, I would get a lawyer involved. Contrary to popular belief, they aren't that expensive and my feeling is that you'll get 'very quick' results with a properly constructed letter stating the obvious discriminatory process taking place.... I am a 'firm believer' that 'Bullies' need to be put into their place and this guy sounds like just that... Trust me, as soon as you 'Lawyer-Up' and send those letters to ALL board members, the wives will suddenly have a LOT more to 'Discuss' with their husbands. Let's face it, as much as we like to 'think' that we're the Boss, the 'Women' always have the last word and 'rightly' so as they're usually RIGHT as we're usually too 'stubborn' to admit it !

Cheers,

/J...

Shmag · #17 09-12-2010, 04:49 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tournament fishermen

I think you are right screw there derby. And yes I do Know Scott. Thanks for your concern.

Well by the sounds of it you didn't miss much. On another note if you ever see me at the launch or on the water, come say hi

Overdrawn · #18 09-12-2010, 02:22 PM

My 3 Uncles, 2 brothers and couple friends fish that Tourney every year. But I showed them this and not anymore. Sorry for your loss. And stick to your guns you have every right to feel the way you do.

Tournament fishermen · #19 09-15-2010, 09:59 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Overdrawn

My 3 Uncles, 2 brothers and couple friends fish that Tourney every year. But I showed them this and not anymore. Sorry for your loss. And stick to your guns you have every right to feel the way you do.

I want to start by saying thank you for your concern. Please tell your uncles and brothers I said thank you for making a stand for me and thanks for showing them my post.

Graffy91 · #20 09-15-2010, 10:04 PM

I vouch your 6-7 foot swells, we were there this summer staying at norms walleye camp, as we came outta the slave river, bam. HUGE swells, our alumacraft immediately started swaying, was pretty intimidating at first, but soon as we pulled out a 5 lb walleye 2 minutes after dropping the bottom bouncer, we knew its money.