DIRTY DOG

Sorry haven't seen this thread til now Terry. Here are my thoughts on what has made these events successful in the past and what has killed them.

I've experienced the inception of the Manistee fun tourney, WMFL, SJFL, and the Dreamweaver event. I've been around for the downfall of Manistee and the SJFL. I watched but was not involved with the contraction of the WMFL and have been very involved in the expansion of the Dreamweaver.

The number one killer of these events has been money. As soon as people start looking at it as a way to pay their tackle or gas bill it's all over. The sponsors and prizes are cool but as they grow they change the atmosphere. Dreamweaver is immune to this because it revolves around the charity but we still struggle every year to not get too big for our britches. I'd say we're tickling that line right now but we've continued to be blessed with a core group that do it for the right reasons with a few that come and go because they don't.

The number one reason guys fish the league events is because they are NOT like big money events. The more you make them similar the less attractive you are. Early start times, no charters, points per fish species, honor system, open communication, bragging rights mean more than prize money, making friends on the water. These are all things that draw the weekend warriors to the league. I'll bet 90% or more of the guys that have fished the league would say the number one reason they actually went to their first event was to meet and learn from other guys. And I'll also bet that same amount would say the reason they kept fishing it was to compete against and hang out with their new found buddies.

So my humble suggestions:

Keep the points per species because it's different

Keep the lines down time because it's different and allows guys to safely get out to fish in the dark instead of trying to run balls out.

Keep the charters out. Lot of great guys but too intimidating for the newcomers

Move to the different ports. It brings new guys in that fish that particular port and takes guys out of their comfort zones to learn new ports.

With the changing of the fishery I like the 1 man DNR weigh in.

Lastly an addition I would like to see is during the weighing of your teams fish you give a quick synopsis of your day to the group. Sort of like a report on here. You see guys doing it in small groups but it ends up turning clichy. I think this would be a great way to bring new guys in and start conversations between guys that don't know each other.

Thanks for asking my opinion. Whatever the decision's are I think the league is in good hands.

Thanks for your input Tom , I will look into all of these , I really like all the points and reason. With that said , I will try to get a list of rules set up this weekend , probly two or three options and put it up to vote, reson being is I would like evey one that plans on fishing this season to be a happy as possable.

Also a set of dated and start times.

Ok , lots of good ideas, keep them coming , later this week I will make a set of rule and post them on hear.

Just the capt of the tangled mess if I rember correctly , I could be wrong.

Ok , hears another question , what's every ones thought on charter capt. Fishing this. The way it was back in the day they were not aloud , but the past few years that had been removed , would anyone like that reinstated?

Yes , as in no more than 3 trout of any speices , example ,3 steelhead , 1 lake trout 1 browm 1 steelhead , or 2 lake trout and a steelhead , all examples of three trout , the other 2 must be salmon , or you could weigh all 5 as salmon, and get 10 points per fish max. Points is 50.

Are you thinking one man limit at 10pts per fish? Or one man and the points the way they are?

Either way would work well.

I understand that some would still like to play the different strategies with the points the way the are now but at least with a one man limit the field wouldn't be dominated by a box of 4lb browns.

I'm thinking catch 15, weigh your best 1 man leagle DNR Limet with all fish worth 10 point per fish. This way people would not be out strictly fishing for lake trout.

How abou makeing it weigh 5 fish but weigh a 1 person DNR Limet , as in now more than 3 trout or five salmon.

I've never been involved but would be interested this year. Are these always on weekends? And is there a minimum number of events you have to fish in to participate?

Yes , these are one Saturday a month and you can fish as many as you wish. But to compete for the end of the season points championship you need to fish. At least 3.

How about you team Killin it. You guys have fished the past number of years, lets hear your input.

Ok , what is everyone's input on boundaries that one should stay with in?

So, if this is switched to a multi port, I will add one more event so there is 3 in each port . So that it stays fair to the slipped boats that want to fish it.

How about some input from a few others that fished last season like Any minute , paulywood and jdh?

If by port start you mean like everybody starts in the mouth personally I would not be for that our boat doesn't get and move quickly being stuck in the back fighting 10 or 15 boats wouldn't be fun for us and the only reason we do this is to have fun.

This would be line up with in 1/4 mile north or south of the peirS so that you would not be influenced much by other boats , your boat is one of the larger in the group today so it would be safe.

I like it Terry make it more like a Pro Am style event without the large entry fee. I really like the port start to keep guys from being on the fish when the event starts. It makes everyone equal if you can see where they all run to in the morning. 10 points a fish is also the best way, fish are fish we tried the mixed points and it really did not work for us. Having consistent rules and scoring makes it much simpler to do challenge style events like the ones we planned in the past that never worked out. It would be fun to do a head to head at a neutral port like Grand Haven some time.

You hit all the points im looking at Jim and all the reasons im looking at them. Thanks for the input to all that have commented , please keep them coming.

Last year was our first time fishing the WMFL and had a great time at every event and just wanted to say thanks to Jon for the time he put in to make that happen and also thanks Terry for keeping this event going into the future.

I like the idea of multi port to change things up a little but wanted to throw this out there why not a port like South Haven ??? I'm just saying this because they have lost there league and I'm sure there is some boats down there that would want in on the action and there is a league currently running out of Muskegon. Maybe the city launch doesn't make that a possibility im not sure but like I said just throwing an idea out there.

I'm sure you will do what is best for everyone and we look forward to fishing with everyone again this year where ever it may be.

That is a very good point on doing a few in South Haven , I really like the idea and will check into this.

Ok , let hear the opinion of some of the guys that fished this in the past and haven't been to many in the past few yrs. Such as tgafish, Holland piper, Motion Show , Bed in rods and 1 maniac just to name a few. Any thoughts?

Sounds like fun! How many events are in the planning?

Normally we do 5, one a month from May to sept.

I think The winner of each event should have to wear a pink fighting belt at the next weighin also Terry if you need any help let me know.

Kevin , are you ok with makeing this a multi port thing?

If we keep the points challenge I would still like it to be were we keep your best 3 scores.

Lmao , we may have to come up with some thing, just have to keep it family freindly.

Your are write Ken it was three in Port Sheldon and two in Muskegon.

Don't think I'll make the Muskegon ones since I don't trailer, so I'd kind of like to see alternating ports, Holland one then Muskegon next

Do you mean like one in Holland and then the next in muskegon and then back and forth ? That is a interesting thought.

Ok ,as some of you may have heard thru the grape vine I have taken over running the league from Jon..

Im looking forward to doing this this summer and would like to get it back to the number of participants that it was in the early 2000's when Caznik ran it.I would like to keep the rules mostly the same as last year.

Here is a copy of the current rules.

2014 West Michigan Fishing league Official Rules

• Set lines at 6 am and pull lines at Noon

• Weight in 1pm at the fish cleaning station

• We will fish predicted seas of 1-3' or less. (or game day call)

• If small craft advisories are in effect we, will not fish.

• I would like to encourage reports posted from teams after the events.

Communications encouraged on channel 72. Keep it clean for this is a family oriented event.

1. Max of 9 rods in the water at one time.

2. Tourney Fees. 15 dollars for tourney, 5 dollars for big fish.

3. Tourney Pay Outs will be on 15 boats or less

a. 1st place 50%

b. 2nd Place 30%

c. 3rd Place 20%

i. 15-20 boats = pay down 4 boats 40%,25%,20%, 15%

ii. 20+ boats = pay down 5 boats 40%, 25%, 20%, 10%, 5%

d. Tiebreaker will be biggest fish.

e. Big fish is winner takes all of big fish money.

4. Weigh your top 5 fish. Weigh Big Fish First. Only one fish may be

weighed per boat for Big Fish.

a. 5-Lakers

b. 10-Coho

c. 10-Kings

d. 15-Steelhead

e. 20-Brown

f. Point Per Pound

5. Max of 3 DNR limits of fish per boat may be kept.

6. Money is due at weigh-in. Gentleman's honor to pay.

7. Start out of the same port as the weigh in.

8. If two members are fishing together, than the boat they are fishing out of gets the point.

9. Follow all other State and Federal Laws. The captain is responsible for his crew. Keep it safe.

10. No Blow date.

11. You do NOT need to fish all events to partake in this league.

There are few things that i would like to change and these are as follows.

1. Remove the points per species and go back to 10 points per fish the way it was in the past.
   
2. Make it a shot gun start at the piers so there is no issue with some being accused of starting early.
   
3. And go back to a multipal port tournament like it was originally.
   

For those of you that don't no what I mean by "multi port" is. that the first few years this was done it we fished the first 2 in Port Sheldon and the last 3 in Muskegon .

I would like to see 2-3 in Holland and the last 2-3 in some place like Muskegon . When we did it this way it was a lot of fun , it was ran out of fisherman's landing and over half of the 20 plus teams that were in it every month would camp there and have a great time. It was also a great way to meat a lot of new people and learn a few more areas and techniques.

I would also like to bump the entry up to $20 with a $5 big fish pot.

Well with all of that said ,lets hear some thoughts and ideas from any one that has fished it in the past and is interested in fishing it this season.

As Jimmy said, we are trying to build this up in participants , normally it's only 4-6 teams and we would like to see how big it can get.

So let hear some thoughts as to what you would like to see to help get more people invalved.

Well it's that time of year again. The Holland Steelheaders will be holding our annual river tourney this weekend on Dec. 6, this is open to any anyone that is interested as long as one of the 2 person team is a steelheaders member .

This is open to any river in the state of Michigan catch what you wish, only a 2 person Limet is to be kept and weigh your best 3.

For those that are interested in a fun little compation you can go to http://www.hollandsteelheaders.org for a full set of rules and to sign up.