AC/ WRL North Region Opener Postponed

Randy Pringle · Post by **Randy Pringle** » Tue Jan 19, 2010 8:34 pm

AC/ Western Rookie League
Northern Division
Director - Randy Pringle

AC/ WRL North Region Opener Postponed

For the last eight weeks I have been aware of the low water problems at Lake Oroville. A one-lane gravel ramp to launch on was a problem for many new anglers. During one of the last AC tournament, with 33 boats, it took over 2 1/2 hours to launch all contestants. This was a pro team tournament and these seasoned anglers have more experience in launching under these circumstances. The tournament director of that division is a professional at running events on this lake under these conditions and has a large team assembled to facilitate their tournament.

This is the AC /WRL and there are a lot of new comers to the world of team tournament fishing in this league. We have to keep that foremost in our minds when running our events.

In the last few months, my wife Sheri and I have been getting multiple calls from new anglers wanting to learn all about tournament fishing and the AC/WRL. As the tournament at Oroville was approaching we received numerous calls with concerns. Many teams were making the decision not to fish this event, as it was not a good tournament to learn, what with the problems of the lake level and ramp issues.

After several conversations discussing the positive and negative repercussions to hold this event, I have decided to postpone this event and make the Berryessa tournament on February 20th out of Pleasure Cove the â€œkick offâ€

Jon Bradford · Post by **Jon Bradford** » Wed Jan 20, 2010 7:38 am

Come on now Randy!! Your killin me, I might go completly crazy now having to wait another month for the season to start!!! Season opener being on Berryessa makes it kinda feel like I'm fishing the Future Pro.

haha This week before notice really does suck for ALOT of us that have been prefishing and have had work schedule off to prefish and what not!! I really wish you would reconsider this decission!! Maybe see what the lake levels/launch conditions are during the weekend also see how much debris are actually on th lake!?!?
Hopefully you can work out the make up tournament if there is one, so its not at the very end of the year and screws alot of us out of a shot at making the TOC's or AOY for not only this circuit but other ones indivduals may be fishing aswell!!

flipit · Post by **flipit** » Wed Jan 20, 2010 7:47 am

Hate to say it but this is a joke. Lots of us have been pre fishing for weeks. The ramp will be open before the weekend. Debris has not been an issue in the past, just need to use your head and slow down a bit. Now Im wondering if your gonna cancel others if its blowing 20mph on Clear Lake. We all have schedules, thats how alot of us choose what we are gonna fish.

I truly hope you reconsider this rash descision. A few emails from some about debris is nothing compared to the number of folks that are gonna be upset about the cancellation. These folks may be new to tournaments, but I dont think they just ran out and bought a boat. These folks have been fishing for a while.

Steve Reed · Post by **Steve Reed** » Wed Jan 20, 2010 8:21 am

I don't think anyone is going to enjoy launching on the ramp there now. A small tournament, as Mr. Pringle mentioned, was a real hassle. A 70-100 boat event would be a disaster on that ramp.

I'm not sure that all the boats could even launch in time for the tournament for one, and secondly why would you want to do that anyhow? I know I wouldn't want to wait several hours launching my boat.

Now, the other ramp may be usable again for the tournament, but thats a gamble. If its not and the tournament gets postponed the day of, how many more people would be upset.

flipit · Post by **flipit** » Wed Jan 20, 2010 8:26 am

Steve Reed wrote:I don't think anyone is going to enjoy launching on the ramp there now. A small tournament, as Mr. Pringle mentioned, was a real hassle. A 70-100 boat event would be a disaster on that ramp.

I'm not sure that all the boats could even launch in time for the tournament for one, and secondly why would you want to do that anyhow? I know I wouldn't want to wait several hours launching my boat.

Now, the other ramp may be usable again for the tournament, but thats a gamble. If its not and the tournament gets postponed the day of, how many more people would be upset.

Its not a gamble, its inevitable. The water is already on the ramp, and at 2 ft rise per day it will be usable by thursday.

Brian Ruthman · Post by **Brian Ruthman** » Wed Jan 20, 2010 9:10 am

Hey if you all want to catch some spotted bass this weekend why dont you try fishing the Nor-cal bass team tournament at lake McClure , no one will have any advantage the fish will change with this weather we are having , so everyones Pre-fish just went out the window no matter where your fishing at . Lake McClure ramp is in the water and in good shape , sign up for the tourney and see if you can apply what you learned at Oroville , figure it out that day as you fish and have some fun .

I can tell you this much last year when i was up at Oroville after all the rain there was alot of debris in the water and i wouldnt want to be out there running around that lake possibly hitting a submerged log and fighting the ramp issues . It is just not worth it , i think Randy Pringle has made the right decision , being the ramp conditions and the lake conditions .These types of issues can come up and you have to respect the decision of a great tournament director that looks out for the best interests of all the anglers in the circuit .

JamesH · Post by **JamesH** » Wed Jan 20, 2010 10:44 am

You made a great decision Randy. The right decision isn't always going to be popular but it's not a popularity contest when it comes to safety.

As far as all the time put in prefishing, Oroville is going to be chocolate milk for a while and anything you found prior to these storms would be of no use to you during the tournament.

The lake will be full of debris and a lot of it won't be visible, especially if the wind is blowing.

James

Rich reeser · Post by **Rich reeser** » Wed Jan 20, 2010 1:47 pm

Brian, James & Steve hit the nail on the head. I to think Randy made a good call on this one.

Kevin Evans - Kap · Post by **Kevin Evans - Kap** » Wed Jan 20, 2010 6:37 pm

Good call Randy...

Kap

ash · Post by **ash** » Wed Jan 20, 2010 6:54 pm

JamesH wrote:You made a great decision Randy. The right decision isn't always going to be popular but it's not a popularity contest when it comes to safety.

As far as all the time put in prefishing, Oroville is going to be chocolate milk for a while and anything you found prior to these storms would be of no use to you during the tournament.

The lake will be full of debris and a lot of it won't be visible, especially if the wind is blowing.

James

Agreed, fishing is adaptability, making a decsion based upon safety is one of the tougher calls a TD has to make and I respect the foresight you have lots of time to prep for Berry - besides theres only 4 spots on Orroville that hold largies

Fast 492 · Post by **Fast 492** » Wed Jan 20, 2010 7:14 pm

Randy made the best decision he could with the conditions that he was looking at, at the time. Good luck at Berryessa next month, for all you guys not wanting to wait until the 20th, start practicing now and fish the event that is on the 6th then you will be even more ready for your first north event on the 20th.

MIKE TREMONT · Post by **MIKE TREMONT** » Wed Jan 20, 2010 8:59 pm

I see both sides of this one. While I appreciate this getting canceled now, rather than the day of the event. I still think we should go fishing, "rookies" or not. There are way to many variables that "could" happen, which could have positive or negative effects.

I don't think the whole lake is going to turn to chocolate milk and if anything, a little stain would be helpful. Debris are something we always have to be mindful of, and sometimes a little wind makes it easier to see those shiny spots on the water, where those debris are hiding.

I don't think the ramp is going to be an issue with all the water coming in the lake now. I totally agree though, if that was the only ramp, I wouldn't want to wait out there for hours to get the boat on the trailer. The mud down there is horrible as well. Lots of guys would of gotten stuck

!

If this weather pattern continues as many predict, we're going to have these conditions for quite sometime. Berry next month "could" be just a dangerous. Putah Creek is most likely already chocolate milk. A few years back during a Pro/Am I believe in April on Oroville, there was so much debris and the water was rising so fast and pouring over the spillway. Killed the guys that had bed fish going!

For those that know me, I'm all about safety and I'm a lot more conservative than a derelict. I still think we could have gone fishing. It's never going to be fair to everyone.

Luv ya like a brother Randy

. Hope to see you at Berry next month.

allbelac · Post by **allbelac** » Thu Jan 21, 2010 4:42 am

If you guys need something to do, come down to McClure on Sunday. ACWRL Motherload Event. Should be another good one and I believe there are three lanes there.

Champion Jon · Post by **Champion Jon** » Thu Jan 21, 2010 7:32 am

I think its a good call as well.

I fished the oroville tourney last season and it was a pain launching on that ramp. I missed my blast off due to waiting in the huge line at the ramp to get my boat in, and having my partner have to run all the way back down the ramp.

Then it took a couple hours to get my boat out and get weighed at the end of the day.

Berry on the 6th!

Jon

Scott Shambre · Post by **Scott Shambre** » Thu Jan 21, 2010 7:38 am

Too bad the Spillway dirt ramp will be 5 ft. underwater on the 30th

calfisher71 · Post by **calfisher71** » Sat Jan 23, 2010 8:44 pm

For safety i think the right decision was made, i think it may have been a little sooner than neccesary. Wasted money spent practicing cannot be recoverd. There was no debris there last sunday on the lake. Rising water is a normal spring condition and so is some driftwood, I have never heard a tournament being canceld for this before. Lake level condition for the amount of boats we would have would stink on the spillway ramp i agree with that. But i was there sunday the lake came up 2ft that day and Bidwell was 6 feet from the water. This ramp will be usable by the tourney date. Last year the lake came up 30ft in 2 weeks and there was no debris issue other than the middle fork and beleive me you could see all the debris.Everyone went 5mph through it and it was clear on the other side. Bottom line is it's done Randy knows what he is doing weather I like it or not, He has to think of a bigger picture. Stinks for me im on the fish! Everyone needs to move on and focus on Berryessa. 14-15 lbs will win it! good luck! The tough part is scheduling, people make plans well ahead around family work and vacations and this rescheduled event will no doubt be a issue for people .