Bass boat pocker run??

[Gatto Nero]

I am clueless on fishing matters so can anybody tell me why there are what seems like hundreds of bass boats screaming past Black Cat Island from the Center Harbor area at 6:45 this morning? It's now been going on for a least 20 minutes and hasn't let up yet. Is it a fishing tournament or is it some kind of poker run?

[topwater]

Yes, IT was A bass TOURNAMENT. new HAMPSHIRE Bass FEDERATION had THIER first OPEN tournament. THERE were 40 BOATS, you SHOULD have SEEN them COME back AROUND 2:45pm. ALL THE CAPS ARE FOR SAMIAM SO HE WOULD BE ABLE TO UNDERSTAND WHAT I WAS SAYING.

[Gatto Nero]

OK, thanks. So how does that work? Does everybody launch early then hang around until a certain time, then go as fast as they can to their favorite spot? Do they all have to leave from the same place or did that happen all over the lake?

It was cool to watch, even at that hour. It's amazing too, how many boats went by and with hardly a ripple at my dock.

And yes, I did see some come back later but not as obviously as synchronized mass exodus this morning. I saw one guy scream by the MP this afternoon and wondered if he might get stopped, but he appeared to have been spared.

[topwater]

Take-off is 7am. Every boat has a seperate number from 1 thru 40.(if there is 40 boats), The person who has the highest number, which in this case is 40, would be the start boat. The start boat gets the furthest away from the beach, and calls off numbers 1 at a time, as the boat numbers are called, the boaters have to drive by the start boat with thier live wells open and running so the start boat can verify the air raters are working properly, so the bass will be given fresh water and oxygen all day long. They allow the boat to pass them and give them about 100 ft before they call the next boat, by this time the boat that passed already is well past the 150 ft mark. They should have been only going 45mph, while passing your palce on Black cat. And you are correct about the wake faster boats make, not much at all !
The weigh-in is usually 3pm, the workers who will be doing the actual weighing in, would be coming back sooner then the rest . For being part of the weigh-in team, you usually get a beginning number like 1,2,3,4,. so they will take off alittle earlier then the rest of the field, but have to be back sooner then the rest of the field. At 3pm there will be a boat out in the water somewhere with a flag or something distinguished, that every boater will have to check in with , proving they were back in time. If they are not they would be penalized, 1/2 pound per minute, that they were late. Which could lose you a tournament in a New York Minute!!
After you weigh in your fish, your partner is going to go up and get the truck/trailer ready and will drive it down to the launch, while he/she is doing that, you(boater) will be bring your fish out to deeper water to release.
By this time your partner has your boat at the launch waiting for you to drive it on, and this just continues until all boats are out of the water.
They do ALL take off from the same spot, and as far as the boater screaming past a MP, I believe strongly that if he was going over the speed limit going by a MP, he would have been stopped. Getting a ticket for anything by MP, constitutes a disqualification for the entire tournament.
Hope this gives you a little better idea how things work at a bass tournament.Also, if you really want to see how a boat is supposed to be put on a trailer, go to a bass tournaments weigh in, we can put the boat on in less then 2 minutes, and be driving out of the way for the next boat.

[Gatto Nero]

All very interesting, thanks. Not being a fisherman, it's all new to me. I would love to check it out up close sometime. I'm sure its crazy with the launch and load process. Not as entertaining as the newbies, but fun just the same. BTW, I don't care if they were doing 100 mph. No skin off my back either way. I just happened to notice as it passed the MP and was curious if they would stop him.

[Pineedles]

So, if I understand correctly many many bass are released in Centre Harbor bay? COOL!

[topwater]

Yes Pineedles, they were all released , probably anywhere from 100 yards out from the docks all the way to 1/2acre island in the deeper water. Not many tournaments are held out of Center Harbor, this is the only big one that I know of. I was not in this one, but did speak to a few friends I saw on the lake that were in it, and some were really struggling for a limit. This time of year you can only keep 2 Bass per person, it was a team tournament so each boat could have brought back 4 fish. Do you fish for bass it that area? I know it quite well, especially during the summer when the fish go deeper. I would love to share some of my knowledge with you if you want. I'll even tell you exactly what to use, where to use it, how to use it, and where to buy it.

[Pineedles]

Thanks for the offer Topwater. My camp is directly across from 1/2 mile island and we usually see many bass right off our dock. I would imagine this release will increase the density of bass. No matter what I throw out, Hula Popper, Jitterbug, or a Daredevil lure they usually go for it as long as conditons are right. Early morning, very still lake, etc.

[NoBozo]

So are these Professional Tournement Bass Fisherman vying for a Cash Prize?

I've always wondered if the fish in the live well get Seasick bouncing around in there all day. NB

[topwater]

Yes, there is a cash prize, usually $1,000 to $1,500 cash(check). If you win enough during the course of the year, you have to pay taxes on your winnings.
As far as sea sickness, No they don't , well let me just say I have never seen bass puke in my live wells. , There is a chemical called re-juvinate that you can pour into your livewells which calms the fish down from being to excited. Actually, the bass guys/gals take very good care of their fish. Most know how to deflate(FIZZ) a bass that comes up from the deep water and thier bladder swell up with air, and if you don't fizz them, they will not be able to return to the deep water. Yes, you might have a casualty now and then, But is is againest the rules in any bass tounament to cull a dead fish.
These aren't Pro's by any means !!! LOL, these are guys and girls just like any of us, that belong to a bass club, and the club members are the ones you see out there fishing. NoBozo, you could join one of the clubs and be out there with the week-end anglers.

[triton186]

Topwater, great post on Bass TX. Most people don't know or realize how professional they are ran. I plan on moving up there in June and hope that you would give me some pointers on good locations to catch some of Winni's smallies.

[Rattlesnake Gal]

New Hampshire Bass Federation has three events currently scheduled. This past weekend was the only one for Winnipesaukee.

2010 Open Schedule

Spring Open - April 25, 2010 Winnipesaukee

Summer Open – July 25, 2010 Squam

Fall Open - Sept 29, 2010 Winnisquam

2010 Fishing Tournaments in New Hampshire

[topwater]

No Problem Triton, I usually have Mon's off, If you are not planning to fish tounaments. I'm not fishing tournaments this year, if your just fun fishing, would love to have you out there. But if your just looking for spots to fish in tournaments, I'm really not interested in giving up my spots that have taken me years, and many hours to locate, and alot of money.

[townsde]

I have just got a camp on Moultonborough Bay this year. I enjoy bass fishing but do not like to fish in tournaments. If any one knows this area as well as topwater knows the Center Harbor area then I would appreciate some pointers on where to fish and what lures to use. I know it does change with the time of the year.

I fished Saturday and Sunday this weekend and turned up with 1 smallmouth, 1 largemouth and 1 pickerel. I released all of them.

Thanks

[LIforrelaxin]

Having witnessed many such events on Lake Champlain. I only hope they only continue to grow in number on the big lake. Hopefully at some point a quality public launch onto the big lake will be created that will attract the a Pro tournament. I have always found that these Bass tournaments are well organized and except for the mass exodus in the morning, you really don't know that they are even going on.

As a further aside not, having been around Lake Champlain when the Bass Master top 150 was in town you will never find a nicer more considerate group of men. I ended up running into 3 of them at dinner one night. I was a good night with good conversation, not just about fishing, but boating, the environment and the area all wrapped into one.