I-Match Tournament might not make it...
Well I was all pumped up for the coming up I-Match season that BassChamps has put together for the first head-to-head bass fishing tournaments in Central Texas. My excitement had a little of the air let out yesterday when I checked for the latest updates to the I-Match website, http://www.basschamps.com/05/imatchhome.htm, and discovered there would be "slot" lakes in the tournaments. If you are wondering what a "slot" lake is, then have a look at the Texas Parks website and look up the Exceptions to Freshwater Harvest Regulations for 2005. Here is an example of a slot on a Lake Walter E. Long, also known as, Decker Lake:
For largemouth bass, length limit is a 14-21 slot. Bass 14 inches and less or 21 inches or greater in length may be retained. Only one bass 21 inches or greater may be retained each day. Anyway so back to the subject at hand. I had exchanged email with the BassChamps guys putting this thing together and received an email stating "slot" lakes wouldn't be part of the tournaments lake draw, so that's where the loss of excitement stems from. Now I'll potentially have to fish a slot lake during the I-Match tournaments.
The Reason Why
Let me try and explain why slot lakes shouldn't be part of a bass tournament. Example using Decker Lake? the lake is recognized by Texas Parks and Wildlife as Walter E. Long. You can look up the restriction for that lake at the following link, http://www.tpwd.state.tx.us/publications/annual/fish/fwexceptions.phtml#D.
Now for a tournament held on this lake, it means for anglers to have a valid weigh-in, the catch must consist of 4 fish under 14 inches and 1 over 21 inches for a 5 fish limit. That's only assuming a 5 fish limit. For a 4 fish limit, without a big bass over 21 inches, it means the winner is determined by the "heaviest", fish under 14 inches. I use the word heavy because bass less than 14 inches aren't considered "large" by definition in the bass fishing population of tournament anglers. I've followed jack pot tournament results held on Decker, and many times there are several 4 fish limits brought the scales with no big fish over 21 inches weighed. Ultimately tournament results should be a direct correlation to angling skills and not harvest limitations. I can catch 3 to 5 lb fish all day on Decker, but I can't weigh them because of the slot which forces me to fish for little fish under slot and then pray for a big bite once I got a limit of dinks.
Oh well I had to get that off my chest... we'll see how the season goes now. :-)
For largemouth bass, length limit is a 14-21 slot. Bass 14 inches and less or 21 inches or greater in length may be retained. Only one bass 21 inches or greater may be retained each day. Anyway so back to the subject at hand. I had exchanged email with the BassChamps guys putting this thing together and received an email stating "slot" lakes wouldn't be part of the tournaments lake draw, so that's where the loss of excitement stems from. Now I'll potentially have to fish a slot lake during the I-Match tournaments.
The Reason Why
Let me try and explain why slot lakes shouldn't be part of a bass tournament. Example using Decker Lake? the lake is recognized by Texas Parks and Wildlife as Walter E. Long. You can look up the restriction for that lake at the following link, http://www.tpwd.state.tx.us/publications/annual/fish/fwexceptions.phtml#D.
Now for a tournament held on this lake, it means for anglers to have a valid weigh-in, the catch must consist of 4 fish under 14 inches and 1 over 21 inches for a 5 fish limit. That's only assuming a 5 fish limit. For a 4 fish limit, without a big bass over 21 inches, it means the winner is determined by the "heaviest", fish under 14 inches. I use the word heavy because bass less than 14 inches aren't considered "large" by definition in the bass fishing population of tournament anglers. I've followed jack pot tournament results held on Decker, and many times there are several 4 fish limits brought the scales with no big fish over 21 inches weighed. Ultimately tournament results should be a direct correlation to angling skills and not harvest limitations. I can catch 3 to 5 lb fish all day on Decker, but I can't weigh them because of the slot which forces me to fish for little fish under slot and then pray for a big bite once I got a limit of dinks.
Oh well I had to get that off my chest... we'll see how the season goes now. :-)
posted by Previous Guide Clint Bridges at 10:29 AM
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