Fishing

I just wanted to get everyone's opinions on having an ice fishing derby at Henry's lake next year. I participated in my first derby last weekend at Chesterfield and we had a blast. Jared Scott came down with us to film a show and he mentioned that he tried to sponsor a derby at Henry's 2 years ago. The Fish and Game said the lake could support the derby with no impact on the fish, however they wouldn't give him a permit due to the fear of the public not supporting it. At that time ice fishing on the lake was controversial, and many people were strongly against it. Now 2 years later I think that public opinion on ice fishing at Henry's has changed. And as Windriver's post showed us Fish and Game believes ice fishing isn't having much of an effect on the lake at all. Jared was thinking of trying again to get a permit for the 2012 season. I personally think it would be a blast, and I'll be the first to sign up. It adds another aspect to the already thrilling sport of ice fishing. When you hook into a big one the anticipation of getting that fish out of the hole without losing it is multiplied when the fact that it could be worth hundreds of dollars is on your mind. Thanks for your input. If Jared decides to host one I'll be sure to post a thread about it.


"Hawk. Goin' for the Musselshell. Take me a week's ridin', and he'll be there in... hell, he's there already." -Jeremiah Johnson

I think it would be a fun idea and I would support it.


Duct tape is like the force. It has a dark side and light side and it holds the universe together.

I'd sign up

Me Too . Curt G.

I am in.

Idaho

I would give it a go

When you have a derby on a lake the size of Henrys the chance of cheating goes up.

At the Devils Creek tournament the people who check your fish are there in seconds and they can see if the fish is fresh or not. At Henrys I can see a huge problem with precaught fish being weighed in.

WIndriver

The only people that cheat, are cheaters. A thief is a thief. Oh well.

Idaho

I would be there for sure unless it will cost alot. They would need many places or people to check the fish around the lake to keep it fair.

Sign me up! As long as who ever is running it is not robbing the fisherfolks. Too much greed to support some of these events. F&G need to raise fees for tournments to account for any effect on that body of water. Rockport in Utah planted something like 40 tag fish sponsered by a local gas station. I'am told this place is a circus 7 days a week. I love tournments and fishing as long as the impact is accounted for.

I fished a few tournaments a few years ago. I decided that 1 or 2 day tournaments are not for me. I also decided that tournaments that could put money in my pocket are not for me. Too much pressure........

If they have a tournament at Henry's, I hope at least it will be ran by Idaho people. I really hate it when out of staters come up here and run tournaments. They talk about all the money they bring in, and they do bring some money to the local economies, but doesn't most of the prize money end up going back where it came from? And what about the impact to the fisheries?

If I could vote on it, I'd vote no for Henry's. It doesn't bother me as much on AF or Devil's Creek because they are put and take fisheries maintained for a large harvest. CF and H are maintained as trophy fisheries. I don't believe tournaments should be allowed on those types of waters. Just my 2 cents. Hope I didn't offend anyone.

Keep your gun powder dry and your fishing hooks wet....

Thank you everyone for your responses and opinions. Another thing to consider about a derby at Henrys, I think the people who would participate are people who would be ice fishing up there anyways. They may move their trip from Thursday to Saturday to participate in the derby, but I doubt that a derby really brings any additional fishing pressure to a lake.


"Hawk. Goin' for the Musselshell. Take me a week's ridin', and he'll be there in... hell, he's there already." -Jeremiah Johnson

What??? I've never seen a derby NOT bring additional fishing pressure to a lake. Never. No matter what lake.
Jim
http://jims-wanderings.blogspot.com/
http://LakerSaver.com

It may bring in a few people who otherwise would not have fished that lake. But I think the vast majority are people who would have fished the lake with or without the derby. The derby just concentrates the fishing to a particular time. Maybe not, but I know that is the case in my situation. I only have so much time to spend fishing, if there was a derby I wanted to fish, I would adjust my fishing time to go to the derby. If I didn't participate in the derby I would still fish that lake.


"Hawk. Goin' for the Musselshell. Take me a week's ridin', and he'll be there in... hell, he's there already." -Jeremiah Johnson

I'm in. Have it the Friday and saturday after T-day!
Just one more brookie........

A big money derby would bring in a huge amount of people who otherwise would not fish the lake. People would come out of Wyoming, Montanna, Utah and Idaho to fish a big derby. I think you would have to limit the amount of entries. Maybe I'm wrong but if you had an open derby in December I am confident it could draw 1,000 participants. I counted well over 300 fishermen on one of the Saturdays that I was up there this year.

Think of 1,ooo or 2,ooo of the biggest fish being Cherry Picked out of the lake on one or two days.

None of my thoughts have any scientific basis it is just a gut feeling. I don't think it would be a good idea. However if it fell on weekend when I was available I might throw my hat in the ring.

Windriver

If it was unlimited entry then I agree, things could get out of hand, however Idaho limits derbies to 150 participants. I may be wrong but that's what I was told.


"Hawk. Goin' for the Musselshell. Take me a week's ridin', and he'll be there in... hell, he's there already." -Jeremiah Johnson

Blue Ribbon fisheries should have derby's?????? There is a lot of miss handling in the quest for one bigger.




Some things are better left alone, Even though, some feel they know better.
http://www.utahflydrifters.com/guides/profiles.htm

I'm thinking you meant to say "shouldn't"?

Keep your gun powder dry and your fishing hooks wet....

"I object to fishing tournaments less for what they do to fish than what they do to fishermen." Ted Williams

Tournament or Derby at Henrys lake would be a bad idea. I would not even go to something like that.
Big Lake Trout should be caught, handled correctly and turned back to catch another day.

I don't like a tournament anywhere. I don't think they are good for any fishery no matter how big it is. But I especially don't like them at the smaller or lakes with special regulations.

They even have problems with the ones on Lake Powell, and it is huge. Besides damage to the fishery there is the contestants' attitude. Unfortunately the attitude of many of the contestants is that they have some kind of priority to areas etc because they have money on the line. I know it isn't all contestants, but it is enough of them for problems.

Honestly, would you schedule your families outing for the same time on a lake that is having a tournament?

To me it is a commercialization of a public resource for private gain. Whether that gain is monetary, advertising, or even just "atta boys". I just think it is a poor use of our fisheries.

There is one type of tournament that I do support, and that is the tournaments that are geared toward removing carp or other invasive species. I just don't think "game" fish tournaments are a good idea even if the fishery is a "put and take" one. Each of those hatchery fish cost about $3-$5 of our fisheries money. They aren't a free and an inexhaustible supply. Let the kids catch them!

I actually forgot the "?" Blue ribbon fisheries should have tournys????? but I like your correction much better Thanks




Some things are better left alone, Even though, some feel they know better.
http://www.utahflydrifters.com/guides/profiles.htm

Good idea on the poll iwantabuggy. Just for the record its my understanding that in Idaho derbies are limited to 150 people. If this isn't correct then I would be 100% against a derby without entry limitations. Like Windriver said an unlimited derby at Henrys could potentially draw thousands of people from surrounding states, I wouldn't want to participate in anything like that. But I think a small derby (150 mostly BFT members) would be a lot of fun. If Jared doesn't end up hosting one maybe us BFT members could host one, open to only active BFT members?


"Hawk. Goin' for the Musselshell. Take me a week's ridin', and he'll be there in... hell, he's there already." -Jeremiah Johnson