Bass tournaments and the DFG.

[Tobe]

We all agree that the preservation of our resources is a shared objective.
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What is your suggestion to bring about a better working relationship between tournament organizations/anglers and the DFG ?


It would be valuable to have constructive suggestions without negativity and finger pointing.



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[ash]

Honesty and Reciprocation. As you can tell by the last thread we all have a long long way to go. I find it shameful that bass fisherman and T-Circuts dont work more closley with the DFG.

Invite them to tournaments, ask for fish handeling suggestions and implement them. ask them if they would like fish counts and measurments from tournaments. Volunteer to assist in Bio-Habitat or lake clean up projects.

All of these small efforts go a big way when other special intrests are pushing against the agency.

Just this guys .02 All of the above comments take a little selflessness.

[mac (Doyle McEwen)]

Good points there Johnathan..As we all know it is far too easy to cast blame and make assumptions rather than committing to something that might actually make for more pleasant situations..Of course this would only work if boths sides were to actually cooperate rather than be antagonistic..

In all my years of fishing, I have only been approached by fish and game agents twice..Once here in California and once in Tennessee..Neither experience was bad in any way..They were doing their jobs and I respect that..

I think it would be great to have DFG involvement at tournaments..We all want our resources to continue to thrive and we all want our tournaments to be well run and the fish returned to the water alive and well..Perhaps with DFG involvement at an educational level we can actually decrease post tournament mortality..None of us knows everything about keeping our catch the healthiest it can be, we can always learn a little more..

mac

[Ringer]

We have organized round table metings with G&F every 4 months or so. We also have volunteered to help them with habitat projects, shocking surveys and lake cleanups. Not really organized by tournament directors but by Arizona fisherman who are in clubs and on the azbasszone website. I think it all helps so we don't feel the relationship is adversarial.

[DeltaDan]

FREELY Invite them out !!

Have a special table for them as honored guest at the awards cerimony and let them be first in line for the BBQ. (make a platter for them to go back to the office or home with any left overs even as appreciation for them enjoying the time/day with you all)

They will most likely let everyone else eat first so that they can continue to talk openly with everyone that has their back and shares their same concearns, love and passion for the Outdoors as they swore an oath to protect and uphold without bias.


If anyone of you thinks at all that the DFG personel are in it for the money as a career -- or has a personal "vendeta" against you of all people-- You need to be educated into walking a step their shoes.


Cheers,
Dan

[Jay Rowan]

I believe that the tournament organizations and the DFG do have a good working relationship. As with everything else in life there is always more that can be done, but aside from the two recent events at Clear Lake, I don’t recall there being that many big issues come up besides the culling rule, which seemed to work out well. The events on Clear Lake earlier in the month were two isolated incidents that happened to fall close together. While I won’t comment specifically on these because there is still an ongoing investigation, which is why I stayed out of the other thread, I will say that for the most part, the tournaments that I have observed do a decent job. I don’t think anyone at the Department (at least I don’t) questions that the intentions or “objectivesâ€

[Smitty_dennis]

I don't post too much, but this thread deserves a compliment. We (DFG, tournament orgs' and fishermen) all need to look at what we can do better vs. complaining about we each did wrong. This is the only way to resolve conflicts.

[mac (Doyle McEwen)]

Jay, I for one appreciate your response..It is imperative the adversarial attitudes between tourney fishermen/women and the DFG be kept to an absolute minimum for the benefit of all..No doubt there are things that have occured and can occur that puts one or both in a bad light..An open discussion of problems and potential problems is a sure step toward forward progress..I really like the idea of DFG officials spending time with the various clubs and tournament orginizations..

mac

[Levy]

*******Post Deleted From Thread********

The originator of this thread specifically asked for this thread to be kept positive so that we can move the topic forward. As a result and also due to poor language, this post was removed from the thread.

Please, let's be positive and constructive or don't post to this thread at all.

Thanks to all,

Forum Moderator



***********************************

[Ringer]

One small suggestion. Don't invite Jon to any of your meetings with DGF.

[DeltaDan]

No bashing at all Levy.


You just might need to get out a take a step in their shoes.... It will help towards opening your eyes fully from the limited manpower, Govt. backing of resources and all the way down to BELOW sub-standard pay for Law Enforcement Officers that put their lives at risk in more perilous conditions than other city and state and federal govt. branch agencies with near the same exact qualifications of all mentioned.


That is why I would more than encourage every fishing tourney, hunting chapter, outdoor activst, to the tree hugger --and have an open seat filled or unfilled if a DFG Represative/Officer are in the area and free-- and offer an open invite to Officer Rowan on his off time even.


Communication face to face is A#1 - Typing behind a PC does not reflect much -- Nor accomplish much of anything on an open forum.



How many here have taken the time to attend a DFG Commision meeting in their life?

They schedule them so that they are local to you and I alike through out the state - and give you the ability to voice your concearns not only on paper- but verbaly as well. Gtranted the Commison does not alwways voice the Field Officers and Staff- They just make the rules, procedures and constraingts of their limited abilities... But YOUR VOICE CAN BE HEARD !!

Yes they happen on week days.......... but if everyone can get someone to act as a spokesman as a local voice of reason to attend and be a spokesman it does go along ways !!

the dates are listed here ~~> http://www.fgc.ca.gov/2007/2007mtgs.html

I won't at all toot a horn of how many I have been privilaged to attend -- It is not nearly enoufgh........ and not even rasie a hand at some -- But most everyone there has the same concearns and questions as myself and others walking into it already that were asked and answered by als the DFG Biologist, Upper Staff as well as the Commisioners presant.

Make no mistake !! There will be Anti's presant there as well for rebutal of EVERY Faction in our favor of enjoying the Outdoors! -- and for the opposition of our youth to enjoy the same privilages and pleasues that we "currently" have........

Hopefully you have to trust the APPOINTED members (not voted in) of the commitee to represent you in the end -- and they do just my your silent make up of letters emailed, mailed snail, and personal presance with a good voice to make your voice heard. (speaking is definately not one of my gifts as well a styping....)

What I am saying is in short- Get out and be with them united for the common cause they are there to uphold side by side with you !!

Ask for a ride along and sign the waivers for a day if available. See how understaffed and way underbudgeted they are up close and personal ..... Google" CA DFG" then wade through and read up on the to get to the heart of what the officers have to deal with on a daily basis........


Respect them as you would your own wife or family member -- as that is at he core of what we want from them ....... what they are protecting and giving back to us the best to their ability.

Trust, Devotion, Love, Respect and more.

[Guest]

I have to say - everything I have ever dealt with personally with the DFG has been first class. However, the Clear Lake events were a mess and are now well too widely publicized. I think it is VERY important for people to understand that this was handled poorly by EVERYONE involved and even a few who shouldn't be involved. As for the DFG part of the issue, it is my experience that this is not the typical way DFG handles itself.

I for one saw an outstanding display of DFG, tournament orgs and anglers working together to maintain a resource at lake mead last week. The DFG was on hand to work hand in hand with Vern and his staff to take care of the fish, the fishery and the anglers. Toni of the Nevada DFG should be proud of the way she works with the tournaments on Lake Mead. Vern and his staff should also be proud of the efforts they put in to take care of this resource... and the anglers should be proud for the way they handled themselves as well. One team even came in 3 hours early with two fish over 4 lbs that were having some issues. They came in so they could save the fish by deflating them and getting them back out into deep water ASAP. Kudos to them!

The best thing we can all do is Communicate openly and honestly with each other. If the DFG has a problem - they should contact the people and tell them so. I know that last post had people saying they needed to catch them in the act and so on. Well, we aren't dealing with habitual offenders here.. or even offenders who know they are offending a law. We are talking about law abiding citizens who are trying to do the right thing. If the DFG sees a potential problem - stopping it before it happens would be a great thing and a learning experience for the potential offenders.

On the flip side - we as anglers need to try and preserve our resource as best we can by using rejuvenade, understanding the process of deflating fish correctly and keeping as few fish as we can out of the water for as little time as possible.

As for tournament orgs... I think the best thing we can do is continually improve on our weigh in processes and maybe even stiffin up the penalties for dead fish!

I think Legend's slogan applies here - ONE AGENDA.... That one agenda should be to maintain the fishery and the health of the fish. I think overall most everyone works together to do what is best. There are a few however, who have their own agenda and that is where the problem lies.

just my .02


P.S. - Mike Giusti in Southern California is also a great example of how the DFG can work with tournament Orgs to help maintain a fishery. His work at Diamond Valley alone is remarkable and I believe he has other lakes he deals with as well. A big thanks to Mike Guisti and the California DFG!!!

[Jay Rowan]

Thanks for the kind words Dan.
Just to make clear, I am a Fisheries Biologist for the Lake and Reservoir Management Program in the North Central Region. One of my assignments is fishing tournaments. I'm not a warden.

[evenflo]

Honesty and Reciprocation. As you can tell by the last thread we all have a long long way to go. I find it shameful that bass fisherman and T-Circuts dont work more closley with the DFG.

Invite them to tournaments, ask for fish handeling suggestions and implement them. ask them if they would like fish counts and measurments from tournaments. Volunteer to assist in Bio-Habitat or lake clean up projects.

All of these small efforts go a big way when other special intrests are pushing against the agency.

Just this guys .02 All of the above comments take a little selflessness.

Riiighhhtttt guy.....

[Nacho libre]

It's good to see a positive spin on the issues from that other thread. With the quality people involved on all sides, I have to believe that there is no limit to what can be accomplished if we just all get on the same page. Good job getting this thing turned in the right direction TOBE.

[Tobe]

Thank you Nacho,

This thread does not seem to have the same popularity or momentum as the previous one.

We sure received more attention when there was drama, even from those who criticized the drama.
Where are all the opinions now?

It is ironic, when anyone takes a step to move in the right direction, many voices are lost.

[Dewayne]

Like said above, I really do not think there is a bad relationship. That is just the view of a few people. At Clear Lake we have some people who complain and push DFG to get involved with inspecting tournaments. This has led to a couple incidents there, but at the other lakes I have fished I have never heard of any issue. At times some of us do not take the TD instructions to heart and our actions put the TD into a difficult position.

Tournament organizations could do a few things to help us anglers help them. Add a rule that no dead fish may be culled. If you do not follow tournament staff recomendation of how to bring fish to the scales or place fish back into the lake you are DQed. Utilize proceedure like was suggested here to improve the flow of anglers coming to the tanks. A few simple changes could do a lot to improve on the number of complaints heard about most tournaments.

There are many examples of DFG working with us to improve the sport. Could more be done? Sure! but the relationship is not near as bad as some would have you think.

There were a couple issues at Sonoma I believe that led to the 4 fish limit deal. DFG worked as quickly as possible to come up with a solution to that issue so we could get back to 5 fish limits and still cull live fish.

At the FLW events I have fished with off-site weghtin DFG has worked with FLW to make sure the fish are cared for and release back into the lake safe. They allow us permits to transport fish.

At Oroville we have permitted exmptions for the Slot Limit that shows that the DFG understands that we work hard to release healthy fish and allows us the exemption to the law. Most slot limit lakes around the country to not have tournament exemptions and the communities suffer. Look at Lake Fork as an example.

The fish snagging regulation that have prevented anglers in some states from being able to drop shot are worded to allow drop shotting here except on rivers other than the Delta.

We have a tournament permit process that keeps our lakes from being totally overrun by tournaments.

We have a 6 hour summer tournament limit that helps prevent what you are hearing in some states where some people are pushing to outlaw summer bass tournaments.

We have been lucky that the CA-DFG has shown time and time again a willingness and understanding of our sport. Let's hope that relationship continues.

[mac (Doyle McEwen)]

Excellent points Dewayne..We all know that things can and do happen at tournaments that do not always reflect well on the TD, the tourney organization and the fishermen..It is incumbent on all of us to do our part to prevent such events..One of the things all of casn do is abide by the TD's directions..If they say only two people in line, they mean only two people in line, not two people in line and a bunch standing there to get in line with their bags loaded and in hand..I think a numbering system that is enforced will go a long way to help, but only if there are penalties for not following directions..It may sound like a drastic step to take, but it may be to our advantage to do so in the long run..

mac[/code]