LubeDude
Admiral
- Joined
- Oct 8, 2003
- Messages
- 6,945
My experience at a Bass tournament
I actually had a hand in starting this Bass club [Umpqua Valley Bassmasters] back in the mid 70?s, was very active and was President several times and Secretary also. The club has done very well over the years and I`m proud to say that I was a part of it. They host an open Bass Tournament every Spring at Tenmile Lakes on the Southern Oregon Coast. I decided after not fishing tournaments for over 20 years that I would fish it as my only tournament of the year. Last year was my first year and it ended with disaster as the trolling motor cable broke on a freinds boat so we were at the mercy of the wind all afternoon. This year I had my own boat and had either battery or starter problems around noon. I`m about to think this tournament is cursed for me! But let me give a rundown of what happened after my breakdown during this years tournament.
What you are about to read is going to leave you with a How the H*ll could something like that happen in a Bass Tournament Feeling.
When we found that we were unable to start the big engine, the first boat we could flag down was notified about our problem and was asked politely to notify someone that we were broken down up in the end of Tempelton arm. [Which incidently is about as far away from the county ramp as you can get in the South Lake]. They said that they would. This same boat came by again within about an hour and asked if anyone had helped us yet. We said no and asked them again if they would contact someone. He came back with, ? Why don`t you use your trolling motor and motor out to the mouth of the cove and flag someone down?? Well, that?s only about a ? mile or more. I said back to him, ?We can`t get a signal from our cell from here so would you mind going out in the main lake where you can get a signal and calling Osprey Resort and give them the message so someone know`s we are up here broken down?? He said ?Sure?, and off he went. We then after about another hour flagged down another boat and told them the situation and his response was, ?We have a pretty good bag of fish, but when we weigh in we will let someone know?! ?OK, Thanks? I said and off he went. At about 2:30 to 3:00PM we say another couple of fishermen and told them the same story, they also said that they would make sure that someone was notified, but continued to fish along the bank for another 30 minutes. The weigh-in was at 4:00PM.
Now, please understand that these boaters were all involved in this tournament and that it is not a big dollar event, winners may make a couple thousand dollars. After setting up in the end of Tempelton Arm until after 5:00 and having released the fish we had which totaled to around 10#`s which wasn`t that bad for spending the entire day in One place finally a contestant came by to release his fish close to where he had caught them. We were able to flag him down with our paddle and he came to our assistance. He towed us all the way back to the county ramp and we didn`t see any boats go buy us during the 30 minute tow back to the dock. I offered him money for gas but he refused. To him I offer my gratitude, what a Sportsman and a great guy. When we passed the weigh in site, everyone was having a great time at the raffle which we had several tickets for. I waved and said under my breath, ?Thanks a lot? as we were towed by which knowone even saw.
I loaded my boat and went home. I told my partner that I wasn`t going to over there as I would likely say or do something I would regret later, being that I have been known to go off on occation.
I would like to personally thank the officers of the Umpqua Valley Bassmasters for running another great tournament.
I would also like to tell the inconciderate, unsportsman like poor excuse for a human beeing people that I contacted about being broken down to :
Kiss my *ss!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I actually had a hand in starting this Bass club [Umpqua Valley Bassmasters] back in the mid 70?s, was very active and was President several times and Secretary also. The club has done very well over the years and I`m proud to say that I was a part of it. They host an open Bass Tournament every Spring at Tenmile Lakes on the Southern Oregon Coast. I decided after not fishing tournaments for over 20 years that I would fish it as my only tournament of the year. Last year was my first year and it ended with disaster as the trolling motor cable broke on a freinds boat so we were at the mercy of the wind all afternoon. This year I had my own boat and had either battery or starter problems around noon. I`m about to think this tournament is cursed for me! But let me give a rundown of what happened after my breakdown during this years tournament.
What you are about to read is going to leave you with a How the H*ll could something like that happen in a Bass Tournament Feeling.
When we found that we were unable to start the big engine, the first boat we could flag down was notified about our problem and was asked politely to notify someone that we were broken down up in the end of Tempelton arm. [Which incidently is about as far away from the county ramp as you can get in the South Lake]. They said that they would. This same boat came by again within about an hour and asked if anyone had helped us yet. We said no and asked them again if they would contact someone. He came back with, ? Why don`t you use your trolling motor and motor out to the mouth of the cove and flag someone down?? Well, that?s only about a ? mile or more. I said back to him, ?We can`t get a signal from our cell from here so would you mind going out in the main lake where you can get a signal and calling Osprey Resort and give them the message so someone know`s we are up here broken down?? He said ?Sure?, and off he went. We then after about another hour flagged down another boat and told them the situation and his response was, ?We have a pretty good bag of fish, but when we weigh in we will let someone know?! ?OK, Thanks? I said and off he went. At about 2:30 to 3:00PM we say another couple of fishermen and told them the same story, they also said that they would make sure that someone was notified, but continued to fish along the bank for another 30 minutes. The weigh-in was at 4:00PM.
Now, please understand that these boaters were all involved in this tournament and that it is not a big dollar event, winners may make a couple thousand dollars. After setting up in the end of Tempelton Arm until after 5:00 and having released the fish we had which totaled to around 10#`s which wasn`t that bad for spending the entire day in One place finally a contestant came by to release his fish close to where he had caught them. We were able to flag him down with our paddle and he came to our assistance. He towed us all the way back to the county ramp and we didn`t see any boats go buy us during the 30 minute tow back to the dock. I offered him money for gas but he refused. To him I offer my gratitude, what a Sportsman and a great guy. When we passed the weigh in site, everyone was having a great time at the raffle which we had several tickets for. I waved and said under my breath, ?Thanks a lot? as we were towed by which knowone even saw.
I loaded my boat and went home. I told my partner that I wasn`t going to over there as I would likely say or do something I would regret later, being that I have been known to go off on occation.
I would like to personally thank the officers of the Umpqua Valley Bassmasters for running another great tournament.
I would also like to tell the inconciderate, unsportsman like poor excuse for a human beeing people that I contacted about being broken down to :
Kiss my *ss!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
