Willi wrote:
wrote:
Willi wrote:

wrote:

Wet golf with living biological golf balls has officially come to
colorado. Needless to say I'l not be sending my dues to the Colorado
Troutmasters or was that Tournaments Unlimited this year.

How any organization can simultaneously promote flyfishing competition
while pretending to understand the word "wild" (and even emblazen this
word on license plate bling) is entirely beyond my capacity to
understand. There are so many things wrong with this it's not even
funny. I wonder how they would feel about paint ball hunting deer? I'd
sure like to have a conversation with someone trying to explain the
difference to me.

http://www.nationalflyfishingchampio...ion_rules.html

Which is in direct conflict with the rules of fishing in Colorado which
prohibit contests on moving water (see paragraph 8).

http://wildlife.state.co.us/NR/rdonl...shbrochure.pdf

Eventually all things merge in to one and a golf match runs through it.


TBone



Fishing contests like this are CLEARLY in violation of the 2006 Colorado
DOW regulations. I emailed several people at Colorado TU, and the
Colorado DOW. I'll be interested to see what, if any, response I get.

PS How's the competition Bass fishing going Tim? Got any holes in one?

Willi


FWIW - I talked with a gentleman today who was fishing the Platte
during the contest. In the morning he was told by one judge that there
would be a contest but who was otherwise polite but pretty much told
them to scat. Later on as more judges arrived they became more and more
rude. They were surly and intimidating. The regulation is also clear on
this...on still waters, where approval for a contest has been granted,
fishing MUST stay open to the public during the contest.

Next year I'm rocking the ****ers.

TBone



"I appreciate your concerns, and will try to respond briefly to them.

First, with regard to fishing regulations, the actual DOW regulations
limit fishing contests using marked/tagged fish; we coordinated with DOW
to ensure that the National Fly Fishing Championships were consistent
with their regulations and indeed had DOW represented on the event
steering committee to ensure communication and compliance. The event
was strictly catch-and-release, and public anglers were not excluded
from the areas used (all of the areas we used for venues had that as a
requirement). The event did not violate any DOW regulations.

[bone] Well, I'd have to disagree. Public anglers that went there to
catch a few trout in what relative solitude they can find were
'practically' excluded by this event. That the CDOW supports this now
is a pretty dramatic shift in policy. That the 'real' regs aren't
printed just ****ES ME OFF. As far as I'm concerned, if we don't give a
rip about the accuracy of the regs, the statewide bag and possession
limit is still 8.

The more general question - why would TU be involved in this - the
answer is three-fold. First, is educational value. The event provided
a forum from which we could build greater awareness about fly fishing
and conservation.

[bone] This is the worst point. To use a competitive event, with the
likes of Jack "A cash flow runs through it and Jackson Hole flyfishing
retailer" Dennis, as anything resembling the intrinsic soul of
flyfishing is not an education I want conducted on public waters. They
can hold this thing on a private pond if they want.

For example, as part of the competition we had
stringent gear-cleaning protocols in place to ensure that exotic species
like mud snails and whirling disease were not spread; this was included

[bone] BFD. It's the law.

in some print and TV coverage of the event and will help raise angler
awareness about what they as individuals can do to follow this example.

[bone] It will also bring more people transferring more mud snails.

The event also included a Conservation Symposium with displays and
speakers from various agencies, conservation groups, etc. - creating a
platform for public education on those issues.

[bone] You do not need a fishing competition as a draw. Just get some
chicks in daisy duke shorts and Dale Jr. jerseys.

Second, is volunteer recruitment.

[bone] Seems like these guys have a problem at HQ. This is a simple
marketing program that does not need to be paid for by making a slut
out of the noble pastime of hunting for fish.

The event drew in around 100 volunteers, many of whom had
not been active volunteers in the past but plan to be involved in the
future. Third, is fundraising. While this year's event will have a
very modest net, it has the potential to raise significant dollars for
conservation. For example, the Jackson Hole One-Fly event raises
$300,000 per year for conservation, and while we aren't expecting to
reach that level we should be able to raise significant dollars for
conservation.

[bone] Be real. The revenue from the flyfishing industry is huge. The
sales tax from the town of Basalt rivals the ski town of Snowmass
Village. See how many of these guys will drive down next weekend just
to hand out pamphlets.

The participants in this event were class individuals with a real
dedication to fly fishing and to conservation. It was an amateur,
Olympic-style event with no money on the line, only pride and the
opportunity to represent the U.S. at the World Championships later this
summer. If your concept of competitive fishing is based on what you see
with things like professional bass fishing, this event is nothing like
that.

[bone] Oh, it has plenty of similarities. Do you really think that you
are 'superior' to the bass sportsman? That kind of grosses me out.

Certainly events like this aren't for everyone, but it is not
contrary to our mission for conserving, protecting, and restoring
Colorado's trout habitats.

[bone] Respectfully disagree. Teaching people that fishing for a living
animal competively is at about the same moral high ground as competive
paint ball hunting for deer.

I hope this helps answer some of your questions, and thank you for
taking the time to write."

[bone] Well, the response you got was better than mine!

I re wrote him quoting the following part of the regs from printed
version we get with our licenses and the downloadable one from the DOW
website.:

"Fishing contests not permitted on streams, rivers, other flowing water
or Gold Medal Water. Contests for trout are permitted only on waters
with more than 200 surface acres and managed as a catchable fishery. All
regulations apply. Public fishing areas must stay open to free public
fishing regardless of contest fee or other charges. Commercial and
private lakes licensed by DOW are exempt."

This is part of what one guy from CO TU emailed me back:

"On the regulations - the description in the regulations brochure does
not match the actual regulations themselves (see DOW website:
http://wildlife.state.co.us/NR/rdonl...390/0/Ch01.pdf)

-the actual regulation adopted by the Colorado Wildlife Commission reads:"

So the webpage he sent me has regs concerning contests that are
different from what was published in our printed regs and the
downloadable one on their website! Note the date it was changed,
probably close to when they applied.

[bone] Nope. The minute I read this, I recall that this is what I was
told when I moaned about the Lyons event either a year ago or two.

Still sucks though.

I also wrote to the members of the Wildlife Commission.

Willi