Walleye challenge cancelled.

[adkRoy]

Due to unsafe ice conditions, the walleye challenge on Great Sacandaga Resevoir has been cancelled.


This year's January 28th Great Sacandaga Lake Walleye Challenge has been canceled according to event official Beaver Ross.  Lake conditions have been deemed unsuitable.

[VDueslerIV]

Darn was hoping to fish for it but i understand the scenario. Lotsa liability and they gotta do what is safe for everyone in general. See everyone there bout noontime, have some good fun, and hopefully win a prize or two.

[rpdfishes]

y wouldn`t u postpone the event  cancelled

[fullThrottle]

Because they know what's best for everyone duh  seen this coming from a mile away lol

[jaws76]

Bad news we really wanted to fish that this year

[octanehi5]

still making the trip and hopefully will get to fish friday &sat

[Tanimal85]

This is two years in a row now.  They may need to rethink the timing of the tournament or have a "safe ice date" that they reschedule the tournament for.  Almost every other tournament I fish has a reschedule date.  I'm well aware that there is a tremendous amount of planning and coordination that goes into this event.  I'm all for doing what's in the best interest of everyone's safety.  It's just frustrating that after investing a couple hundred dollars for entry and lodging, plus taking time off of work, the event gets cancelled and my chances of winning anything lie solely on pure luck instead of on my ability to catch fish.  I've never had the good fortune of winning anything in the raffle, 50/50, door prize or machine drawings in the handful of years I've been fishing this event.  I have entered fish and at least won enough money to cover my entry fee.  Maybe this year will be different and I won't go home empty handed and I'm still going to make the trip up and hopefully be able to fish safely Saturday.  I'm seriously considering making this year my last year of entering this tournament though unless changes are made. 

[dullbladessuck]

is daves bait and tackle open?

[hunts2long]

No, he closed last summer...h2l

[Pike Paralyzer]

still making the trip and hopefully will get to fish friday &sat

You'll definitely be able to get out and fish. Most places have 11 inches, with the upcoming nightly lows there will be safe ice, just steer clear of pressure ridges and shady spots.

[adkRoy]

The drawing and raffle prizes will still go on at Lanzi's at noon on the 28th.

[snelly]

This is two years in a row now.  They may need to rethink the timing of the tournament or have a "safe ice date" that they reschedule the tournament for.  Almost every other tournament I fish has a reschedule date.  I'm well aware that there is a tremendous amount of planning and coordination that goes into this event.  I'm all for doing what's in the best interest of everyone's safety.  It's just frustrating that after investing a couple hundred dollars for entry and lodging, plus taking time off of work, the event gets cancelled and my chances of winning anything lie solely on pure luck instead of on my ability to catch fish.  I've never had the good fortune of winning anything in the raffle, 50/50, door prize or machine drawings in the handful of years I've been fishing this event.  I have entered fish and at least won enough money to cover my entry fee.  Maybe this year will be different and I won't go home empty handed and I'm still going to make the trip up and hopefully be able to fish safely Saturday.  I'm seriously considering making this year my last year of ente ring this tournament though unless changes are made.

theirs no sure thing when it comes to this body of water. last year the was only a couple weeks when it was fishable even the contests scheduled late in the season were cancelled. is it fishable right now? yes ( for fisherman who use there heads) is the whole lake safe? no. picking an alternative date is no sure thing. leave it alone

[RaCKaHoLIC518]

theirs no sure thing when it comes to this body of water. last year the was only a couple weeks when it was fishable even the contests scheduled late in the season were cancelled. is it fishable right now? yes ( for fisherman who use there heads) is the whole lake safe? no. picking an alternative date is no sure thing. leave it alone

Well said 

[snelly]

one more thing, just my opinion but when they hand out the money prizes for fish, if your # is drawn you should have to show a fishing licence to clam the prize, last year people's tags were drawn, they won money and didn't have a licence. if the contest was on they had no attentions of fishing. why should they win a prize in a fishing contest and not  be legal. otherwise it's not a fishing contest it's just a lottery. I'm done

[NORRM]

Must say i agree with snelly. No fishing license no prize. Have those without go to the penny social at the firehouse and save some parking

[bugchazer]

To bad they cancelled the tourny , was looking forward to it .Still planning on coming up and fish Friday and sat. tho as there is very little ice in ct right now. Ice looks thick enough for the atv as long as we stay away from the cracks. Maybe see some of you at the drawing.

[o2rmk800]

I also agree with snelly on the point of no license no prize. They mainly get in for the chance of the larger prizes anyways.

[hunts2long]

What we have to remember is ALL money taken in is given out whether they are fishermen or not. On those years where WE were able to fish, we won money that they put in the pot. I don't recall any of those complaining....h2l

By the way, I have stated before: If there are those who want to just be in for the "Door Prizes" have a ticket for that only. It may also bring in more money for those prizes. Sell the bands for those that do fish...my .02....h2l

[o2rmk800]

Your right we didn't complain about people winning, but the people winning and turning in fish had a license to fish and did so. Correct me if I'm wrong, I tend to be sometimes.....but think I may have nailed this one. Just puts ALOT more people into the drawings that normally wouldn't fish. Yes there money is in the POT but that's the chance they take by entering and not fishing. This is like an added bonus for them as they are now entered into the hourly money

[hunts2long]

I would bet that most do have a license. Just so you know, I didn't buy a tag this year. I wasn't sure I would be able to fish it and I sure don't need another set of tip-ups...h2l

[RaCKaHoLIC518]

I have no problem showing my license when I win that side x side!!!!   

[limitout]

I also Agree with snelly....But keep smiling and hold our heads high

[snelly]

I would bet that most do have a license. Just so you know, I didn't buy a tag this year. I wasn't sure I would be able to fish it and I sure don't need another set of tip-ups...h2l

i stood next to a person at the drawing last year who won $600 for a first place fish and stood there bragging about winning said they don't even icefish, had no plans to, and didn't even have license. that's all I'm saying and I didn't care because that was the rules at the time. just looking for a rule change

[fullThrottle]

Or just having a fishing contest that you need to fish to win ?

[hunts2long]

All I am saying is that there may be a few that don't fish but on all those years that we were able to fish and win prize money, I don't recall one of those non-fishing people saying it is not fair. They buy a ticket, the money goes into the pot. The only way it will change is sell only the tags to guys that do fish and sell the door prize ONLY to those that don't want to fish or can't fish. Last year was the only year that someone in our group DIDNOT win at least one money prize. No one complained....h2l

[o2rmk800]

All I am saying is that there may be a few that don't fish but on all those years that we were able to fish and win prize money, I don't recall one of those non-fishing people saying it is not fair. They buy a ticket, the money goes into the pot. The only way it will change is sell only the tags to guys that do fish and sell the door prize ONLY to those that don't want to fish or can't fish. Last year was the only year that someone in our group DIDNOT win at least one money prize. No one complained....h2l

your not making any logic on this. of coarse the non-fishing people aren't going to complaint in previous years because when they sign up and pay their money they have the option of NOT fishing. that is their choice by only entering for a chance at a door prize or the 3 main prizes. however last year and now this year, they have that added bonus of collecting in hourly money that they wouldn't  have had a chance at if the contest was on and they still didn't plan to fish...............

[hunts2long]

I am saying NO one in our group complained when we didn't win anything. We still went to the drawings, met with friends we hadn't seen in a year and had a good time. What we are not seeing is, if only those that fish are the ones that may be able to win the money, there won't be as much money. You have said that not all who buy tickets fish, but it is also their money that makes for the bigger pay outs. I know that not having ice two years in a row takes away from what we like to do this time of year....h2l

[o2rmk800]

without the people that DONT fish there are MANY more that can get into the contest that WOULD fish.......same amount of people, same amount in the pot. there is no easy way to have a contest that everyone that enters must participate though. from now on hope for better weather so that hourly money goes to people fishing......

[hunts2long]

I agree, hope for better winter weather but not TOO cold, I am getting old. Have to have the wife in NYC at 7:30 in the morning so am getting on the road this afternoon to beat this storm they are saying is coming in. May just be another false alarm but it I wait until 3am to leave you know what will happen...Good Luck if you go out and maybe I will see you at the drawings...h2l

[o2rmk800]

SAFE TRAVELS!! I will be out fishing the morning from the shanty on scout then head over for the festivities at Lanzis........