I can't believe it ...

[catfishhunter]

I thought this was a catfish talk forum not a bass forum. I mean dag'um .. I haven't heard this much whining since my boys were babies. You have got to be kidding me. I can't believe that the catmen on here are complaining on where tournaments are being fished and where the Classic is being fished.

If you are a lake catman you have to learn rivers; if you are a river cat, you have to learn how to fish lakes. It's that simple. How can you claim to be the best at catfishing if you can't fish both conditions? I wouldn't want to be called the best without proving on both types of waters. I look at this year's schedule and there are a ton of rivers on there, a lot more rivers than lakes, and a ton out in MO! It appears that there are a lot of people wanting the Classic to be on their waters each and every year, that's not gonna happen. If you want to win a classic, quailfy and then prefish the body of water where it is to be held. Learn it. It's no different than any other sport, you have to learn and learn new things all the time. Adapt and overcome and handle adverse conditions.

Then there are those who are claiming that rivers produce the bigger fish and therefore the tournaments should be held there more often, what about the 80+ pounder caught where the classic will be held this year, and all the 100+ fish that have come from this basin in the last 5 years? I think the weights are pretty evenly matched with some slight differences depending on location and turnout.

Then there are those who say "good luck in 2006, I'll not be fishing any of your tournies b/c there not on my home waters where I have an advantage and it's all I know how to fish!" Oh well!

Then some say they will not fish Santee b/c of the launch location? A flat out hoot! I can be from just south of I95 to south of Black's Camp on the lower lake in under an hour by boat. And the funny thing about it is, they allow you to trailer your boat. That's rare. Then in the Classic last year they set up an alternate launch location on the lower lake to accomodate half the field. I felt that took some of the competition out of it but I didn't whine, I just trailered on up north and fished the best I knew how.

You have two choices, fish the tournies or don't fish them. But remember this, you are only hurting the promoting of the sport that Outdoor is working hard at doing!

Remember that chambers of commerce play a big part in locations. Don't take it out on Darrell or any other staff personnel. Learn to fish rivers and lakes and learn to catch fish in different locations on both.

[Southerncats]

Amen, Catfishhunter........If that Pisses anybody off it's because its the truth......and they know it and should apologize for actually posting things like this....which only hurt and bring down the sport of catfishing, which we all should be doing our best to support and promote.


Mike Mitchell
SCA

[Trophycats]

I agree with you 100%. To be the best you have to fish against the best and prove yourself. You have to be able to adapt to different waters and conditions. I am a river man myself, and to be honest, fishing lakes is my weak point, however i know i must learn to fish lakes. But then again that is the fun part, to learn something new. You read, you talk to the guys/gals that are good on lakes, you get out there and spend time on a lake and learn you a good technique and deal with it.

This organization, or any other organization is not going to make everyone happy all the time. There are doing the best they can, and like Darrel said, the chamber of commerce and the locals that show the most support will dictate where the tourneys are to be held.

As for me, i plan on fishing several, rivers and lakes, and just hope i get my stuff together on the lakes. It will just be a matter of time. When you can put it all together and do well in any condition then you can rest assured you are a all around catman.

Just my 2 cents..warren

www.trophycatfishing.com

[wldtrkyterry]

You said it catfish hunter!! Some of you guys don't understand how easy you guys got it. I live in Colorado, so we have to drive a long ways to even fish some of these tournaments.Junction City is the closest one at ten hours,but me and my 12 year old daughter still do it because we love the sport.This year we hope to make more shows.Darrell took dang good care of us last year at lake milford. Some other Org.dont even give the time off day to people like me.So to me it seems like Darrell has the best interrest of the club at hand,and for the ones whom don't seem to get there way there are other clubs available if you just want be a entry fee and not a member.


ps sorry for the typing just had surgery on my right shoulder and can't type left handed

[mhill]

I will admit when I am wrong. I am one of the ones complaining and I apologize to anyone and everyone that I may have offended with my comments. I complained about the launch location for the Santee tournament in Feb from the State Park. I am thankfull that Richard and the others at King Kat were concerned enough to consider other options for this location.

I have fished several of the King Kat tournaments in other locations around the country, Pickwick/ Wilson Lake Al, Mississippi River in Iowa and Santee in SC. In my opinion the lakes at Santee have the most unique situatution of all these other locations because their size, structure and effects of weather. Those of us who have fished these lakes have seen them go from a calm gentle lake to a raging lion in a matter of minutes because of changing weather patterns, and all of this during past King Kat Tournaments on these lakes. Thanks again to the people at King Kat for considering our safety on this lake system and changing the rules for this location.

According to my navagational maps and personal experience of these lakes it is 33 mile by water from the I 95 bridge to lower end Diversion Canal at the head of the lower lake. This is following the channel markers. The State park is a couple of miles North of the I 95 bridge, so it will be approximately 35 miles for those of us who wish to fish the lower lake not including an additional 12.5 mile to the lower end of the lower lake. So some of us will be making a 40 to 50 mile run by water without the rule change and some of this run will be passing through no wake zones.

Catfishhunter I dont know what kind of boat you have, but hopefully you will be at the Feb Santee tournament so I can see it. If it will make the trip from the I 95 bridge to Blacks Camp following the channel markers and going through the no wake zones in less than an hour, I want to get me one like it.

Good Luck to all this year. Be safe and have fun.

Monty Hill

[catfishhunter]

Monty,

First of all, you did not offend me by any means and I am sure you didn't offend any one else either.

Secondly, I fish Santee an average of 6 times a year. Usually tournament fishing. And man let me tell you something, you had it wrong when you said Santee could go from calm to a raging lion in a matter of minutes. You are way off; it can go from calm to fierce in a matter of seconds! I've seen it. It was last March matter of fact during the State Tournament out of Randolph's. Believe you me I know about that Monty!

Now if you are who I think you are, you have fished the National/State torunies out of Randolph's landing. They do not set up any other launch sites. I said that Outdoor promo go above and beyond by doing so, it's very rare for any tournament. I know they did it during the Classic. I also fished the Feb qualifier out of Black's in which they didn't do that. My partner and I made up some strategy based on the launch location at the Classic. When they allowed the second launch site, it took some of the competition out of it. If everyone would have known up front that they were going to do that, I'm sure strategies would have changed. But like I said, nothing we could do about it, we just motored on up north.

I know safety is involved on Santee. But don't post that you want fish unless they move it closer to where you want to fish; that's all I was saying as far as your post. To be the best at catfishing you must adapt and overcome especially in adverse conditions. Find where the fish are at on the upper lake and fish it instead of the lower lake. There are good fish there just as there is on the lower lake. Prime example -- the Classic this year. The winning team was fishing the upper lake and won it. Of course I don't see how some people hacked it out down there in the soup bowl (lower lake).

As far as times go, we had it down where we could make it from Black's (during the Feb qualifier) to marker 82 (I believe) in about 38 minutes with our boat that will do about 35ish. Now, with that said, we do not stay in the channel. We cut across right at Harry's and come out about mile marker 48ish. Now during that tourney we did it with 3 to 4 foot waves. And I only know of one wake zone, right there at Hill's going under the bridge.

During the 1 day tournies we will usually use our faster boat which will do about 47 in 2 to 3 foot waves and we hit that cutoff. I'll show it to you if we fish the Feb qualifier. But if it's rough like it normally is on Santee and you are going to the bottom of the lower lake, you are probably better off trailering to Black's or Hill's landing or to the launch from the alternate site. Even if they do or don't go with an alternate launch site, I hope you are there helping all catmen promote the sport!

Good luck at Santee!