Pro am ice tourney

[rball]

I wish there was a like button for posts like on facebook.......so many comments here I would love to second. Cant wait to do it again.....next time ill get a sled or wheeler, the walk from the boat launch to past bluff island on tupper with all my gear was brutal. haha good thing we didn't catch anything or we would have had to draw straws and see who had to take the trek back.

[dave1984]

Had a great time at all the tournaments Tim does a great job at running the events. I also meet some good people at them looking forward to hitting the ice with all you next year at the events. I would like to congratulate team gaff lunkage for taking 1st in triple crown. Tim keep doing what your doing you run a great tournament you will always have someone b******* about something with any tournament ran just the way of the world.

[Finders Keepers]

TO THE PEOPLE WHO HAD A GOOD TIME AND SAID IT WAS WORTH IT,,,, MUST OF VOTED FOR OBAMA AND CUOMO     show me 1  prizes that's better than the stuff the pro am's got ALREADY ? can u answer that.       

LOL! Hmmm...Let's see:
Brand new Frabill shelters for EVERY 1st place and several in the door prizes...
Plano Hydroflo and Angled R tackle systems...
Straight line tip-ups just released this year...
261 combos just released this year...
PAIR of Extreme Ice Armour Suits for every 1st place Pro-Am team...
Aqua-Vu Micro Plus underwater camera systems...
Full Automatic Fisherman kits...
Beautiful trophies...
Largest fish mounted free (Tupper and Sodus Events)...
Need I go on?? 

If you don't want to upgrade your gear to the newest stuff available, or have a second shelter for some friends to use when you go out, maybe this tourney isn't for you right now while we don't have large cash payouts. Give us a year or two and then take a look at what we're giving away. I bet we'll see you there!! 

[GAMBELL]

LOL! Hmmm...Let's see:
Brand new Frabill shelters for EVERY 1st place and several in the door prizes...
Plano Hydroflo and Angled R tackle systems...
Straight line tip-ups just released this year...
261 combos just released this year...
PAIR of Extreme Ice Armour Suits for every 1st place Pro-Am team...
Aqua-Vu Micro Plus underwater camera systems...
Full Automatic Fisherman kits...
Beautiful trophies...
Largest fish mounted free (Tupper and Sodus Events)...
Need I go on?? 

If you don't want to upgrade your gear to the newest stuff available, or have a second shelter for some friends to use when you go out, maybe this tourney isn't for you right now while we don't have large cash payouts. Give us a year or two and then take a look at what we're giving away. I bet we'll see you there!! 

People want $.  Getting taxed on equipment that you can not pick out yourself sucks.  When you win and the $ you get back does not cover the money you paid to enter, there is something wrong here.  I for one do not want to see this fail.  It is good for the sport and a great idea.  BUT If people get a bad taste, they will not come back or give it a try. 

[scott14580]

Honestly, am I the only one that was misled by this? I could care less about the money. I'll give it to the freakin church. It's the principle of the matter.
Being a tournament organizer is a thankless job and my partner and I know all about it as we are one also. If you dont give back to the people, you'll have nothing. I don't care how much stuff you give away. The business model of getting ALL your lost money first THEN taking care of the people later does not work. At this pace you guys will be donating money for more jerkey and sounders for the participants way down the road. Again, I have no problem with recouping expenses for the tournament at hand and putting towards the lost money from other tournies, but you cannot take it all or you will lose people and I know many that have and have not fished that will not be back. It's just the business model guys.
 Also, you have to pay cash for this tourny and you still need a ton of 1099's? **censored**. I have never heard of a tourny 1099 donated prizes. Think about it people!

1st Place ($2000+): Trophy/Frabill Fishouflage Outpost Shelter/(2) IceArmor Extreme Suits/(2) Plano 4845 Hydro Flo Systems/(2) Frabill Calibrator Tip-ups/(2) Light Action Automatic Fisherman Kits/(2) Frabill Softbags/Frabill Medium Sled/Frabill Quad Shelter Light/Frabill 8” Curved Fishing Pliers/(2) Large PolyStic Glo Packs/(2) Small PolyStic Glo Packs/(2)Frabill Dropshot Packs/$$ Check.



2nd Place ($570+): Trophy/Frabill 8” Curved Blade Auger/(2) Frabill Straight Line 101XLA Combos/(2) Frabill Enticer 6715 Combos/(2) Frabill Softbags /Plano GS Angled Tackle System/(2) Frabill Straight Line Tip-Ups/Frabill 8” Curved Fishing Pliers/(2) Large PolyStic Glo Packs/(2) Small PolyStic Glo Packs/(2)Frabill Dropshot Packs/$$Check.



3rd Place ($400+): Trophy/Frabill Medium Sled/(2) Frabill Straight Line Tip-Ups/(2) Frabill Ice Hunter Combos/(2) Frabill Softbags/(2) HT Walleye Lure Kits/ Frabill 8” Curved Fishing Pliers/(2) Large PolyStic Glo Packs/(2) Small PolyStic Glo Packs/(2)Frabill Dropshot Packs/$$Check.



4th Place ($250+): Trophy/(2) Frabill Camp Chairs /(2) Frabill Straight Line Tip-Ups/HT Rod Locker/ HT Walleye Lure Kit/(2) Plano 3741 Stowaways/Frabill 8” Curved Fishing Pliers/(2) Large PolyStic Glo Packs/(2) Small PolyStic Glo Packs/(2)Frabill Dropshot Packs/$$Check.



5th Place ($200+): Trophy/(2) Frabill Straight Line Tip-Ups /(2) Frabill Enticer 6718 Combos/HT Rod Locker/(2) Plano 3640 Stowaways/Frabill 8” Curved Fishing Pliers/(2) Large PolyStic Glo Packs/(2) Small PolyStic Glo Packs/(2)Frabill Dropshot Packs/$$Check.

[Team Halpin]

I do understand what your saying, however everyone has the option not to participate. Most of the bar tournaments for ice fishing pay 90 to100% payback just to get you at the bar. The larger bass tournaments and or clubs which I fish seem to pay 80% like Avon Anglers or the Dash For Cash at The Log Cabins in BLack Lake. Smaller clubs pay out as much as 100%. As stated earlier volunteers make a huge difference. Ice fishing on a large scale may be a little different, but also stated if the paybacks are low it may hurt future attendance. I believe there is a great foundation that has been started for this organization and with a few tweaks every thing will work out just fine. Jim

Honestly, am I the only one that was misled by this? I could care less about the money. I'll give it to the freakin church. It's the principle of the matter.
Being a tournament organizer is a thankless job and my partner and I know all about it as we are one also. If you dont give back to the people, you'll have nothing. I don't care how much stuff you give away. The business model of getting ALL your lost money first THEN taking care of the people later does not work. At this pace you guys will be donating money for more jerkey and sounders for the participants way down the road. Again, I have no problem with recouping expenses for the tournament at hand and putting towards the lost money from other tournies, but you cannot take it all or you will lose people and I know many that have and have not fished that will not be back. It's just the business model guys.
 Also, you have to pay cash for this tourny and you still need a ton of 1099's? **censored**. I have never heard of a tourny 1099 donated prizes. Think about it people!

1st Place ($2000+): Trophy/Frabill Fishouflage Outpost Shelter/(2) IceArmor Extreme Suits/(2) Plano 4845 Hydro Flo Systems/(2) Frabill Calibrator Tip-ups/(2) Light Action Automatic Fisherman Kits/(2) Frabill Softbags/Frabill Medium Sled/Frabill Quad Shelter Light/Frabill 8” Curved Fishing Pliers/(2) Large PolyStic Glo Packs/(2) Small PolyStic Glo Packs/(2)Frabill Dropshot Packs/$$ Check.



2nd Place ($570+): Trophy/Frabill 8” Curved Blade Auger/(2) Frabill Straight Line 101XLA Combos/(2) Frabill Enticer 6715 Combos/(2) Frabill Softbags /Plano GS Angled Tackle System/(2) Frabill Straight Line Tip-Ups/Frabill 8” Curved Fishing Pliers/(2) Large PolyStic Glo Packs/(2) Small PolyStic Glo Packs/(2)Frabill Dropshot Packs/$$Check.



3rd Place ($400+): Trophy/Frabill Medium Sled/(2) Frabill Straight Line Tip-Ups/(2) Frabill Ice Hunter Combos/(2) Frabill Softbags/(2) HT Walleye Lure Kits/ Frabill 8” Curved Fishing Pliers/(2) Large PolyStic Glo Packs/(2) Small PolyStic Glo Packs/(2)Frabill Dropshot Packs/$$Check.



4th Place ($250+): Trophy/(2) Frabill Camp Chairs /(2) Frabill Straight Line Tip-Ups/HT Rod Locker/ HT Walleye Lure Kit/(2) Plano 3741 Stowaways/Frabill 8” Curved Fishing Pliers/(2) Large PolyStic Glo Packs/(2) Small PolyStic Glo Packs/(2)Frabill Dropshot Packs/$$Check.



5th Place ($200+): Trophy/(2) Frabill Straight Line Tip-Ups /(2) Frabill Enticer 6718 Combos/HT Rod Locker/(2) Plano 3640 Stowaways/Frabill 8” Curved Fishing Pliers/(2) Large PolyStic Glo Packs/(2) Small PolyStic Glo Packs/(2)Frabill Dropshot Packs/$$Check.

[bcons]

Here's a thought.  I golf sometimes (not much I'd rather fish) once and awhile I golf an event.  It gives me the chance to hangout with friends that don't fish.
Personally I find some events not worth my money & time.  I've never golfed at Drumlins in Syracuse for instance.  It's not what I'm looking for.

So guess what? I choose not to do it.  I don't spend my summers Bashing Drumlins because it's expensive & I don't like it.

If something doesn't appeal to you Don't do it

[cnyiceboy]

Let me start by saying I think what Tim and whoever helps him with this tournament series is doing a great thing for NY and Icefishing. With that said I fished the Sodus event last year and I think things went OK, but I would never fish the events again for one reason and one reason only and thats no cash payouts. I think the prize packs are great and they are nice but people who spend the money to travel to these events and fish them have better or comparable items to that being giving away. I dont want to win something I already have and then have to try and sell it.

I think if you gave cash away from entries and sponsors you would get allot larger turn outs. Just an opinion.

[Finders Keepers]

I think if you gave cash away from entries and sponsors you would get allot larger turn outs. Just an opinion.

Agreed! However, good luck to anyone pulling sponsorships in the way of cash from major corporations and businesses when you are just starting the tournament and do not have a substantial angler base yet. We'll get there, but it will take time and ANGLER SUPPORT. Again, if we have hundreds of anglers attend an event, the payout becomes substantial IN ADDITION to the prizes.
For example:
If we had 500 anglers at the Sodus event, this is what you would have seen:
1st place Open prize checks = $675
2nd place Open prize checks = $400
3rd place Open prize checks = $275
1st Place Pro-Am Prize check = $825
2nd Place Pro-am prize check = $500
3rd Place Pro-Am prize check = $330
(if we kept it to 3 places paid - we would likely drop them a little (1st place to $500 and so on) to pay down all 5 places)

That would have been the pay-out. Look a little better? It just boils down to numbers. As for the 1099's, there is no other tournament in NYS that receives the sponsorships like we do. In fact, no other tournament in the country is supported as much as our events by Plano and Frabill. Most sponsorships from each company to other tournaments is small and therefore not tracked individually. Plus most other tournaments are run by not-for-profit organizations which allows the sponsoring companies to write off their donations. Neither applies to us. We are a corporation with the IRS looking at us with a magnifying glass tracking every item that we take in, from a simple $1 drop shot pack to the $700 Ambush shelters. Each year we have to be able to say exactly what we took in, how we gave each item away, and anything over $250 we need to know who it went to. The amount of paperwork and spreadsheets and inventorying and item allocation we do is staggering, but I wouldn't expect anyone to understand that as nothing of this magnitude has ever been done before in Ice Fishing tournaments. That's why it is cutting edge, exciting, limitless if you stop looking at us in our infancy and look to the future at the big picture, and why we are the most supported ice fishing series in the country. There is so much that goes into these events (right down to the way we position the banners for the awards ceremony and how each item is displayed) most people simply can't comprehend it all unless you're involved with it. I understand that and that is why I write these responses - to try to give you a glimpse into the complexity and grandure of these events. Why do you think I put in over 2500 hours of work into these each year? For the money?    We are taking ice fishing tournaments to a whole new level never before seen. It's not going to happen overnight, nor will it happen in the first few years. The Pro-Am team events are intimidating at first to most anglers - IT'S NEVER BEEN DONE BEFORE ON THE ICE and thought by many last year as an impossible format to run. We proved it otherwise and the teams who participated keep coming back for some reason and would like us to spread our wings to other waterways!

If you don't like it, that's fine. Take your $30 elsewhere. But 10 years from now (or sooner) when we're writing $2500+ checks and offering a chance at a new truck, I bet you'll be giving us your $30. And if not, that's ok too.

[staggerin]

Well put Tim! I can't imagine doing what your doing for the sport is easy, but I thank you and your crew. I will fish your tournament series when ever I can .

[NYSporty]

I had a great time fishing and meeting new people, my fishing buddy and I have several memories that will last the rest of our lives! The tourney was a little of a letdown for us but being it's just starting out I can understand some growing pains. Tim and his staff really bust there hump running this and it shows!
If it were closer to me I would attend it every year.
What I'd like to see for next year is a clearly marked weigh in. A white banner on the ice don't cut it.
I literally drove by it 2 times and had to ask a guy where it was. Then when I went to take my second fish in it was gone!
 I walked on the ice from 1st creek area to the weigh in due to machine issues for what appears to be for no reason, seeing they changed the must be on ice rule half way through Saturday.
There needs to be a line of communication to the anglers be it a radio or a number to call with questions.
With the on ice weigh in your average bucket Bob with no machine and gps would never be competitive.
How about a on land weigh in requiring a photo on the ice with the fish for the open fishermen?
I think the pro and open lunker pools should be separate and being a smaller field the pro teams may want to make it a larger amount?

[Finders Keepers]

There needs to be a line of communication to the anglers be it a radio or a number to call with questions.
With the on ice weigh in your average bucket Bob with no machine and gps would never be competitive.
How about a on land weigh in requiring a photo on the ice with the fish for the open fishermen?
I think the pro and open lunker pools should be separate and being a smaller field the pro teams may want to make it a larger amount?

Great suggestions! The Lunker Pools will be separate next year, and the way(s) fish are brought to weigh-in is on the table for discussion for next year's events. Over the next two months we will be deciding on next year's events, and will be sending out angler surveys to those who attended our events for feedback and suggestions for next year. As our website states, this is a series put on by anglers, for anglers. We take your suggestions and concerns into consideration and do our best to provide an outstanding event. Follow us on FB and our website for survey announcements, and updates for next year's events.

[scott14580]

The 1099's are given out for the value of those prizes. So in the eyes of the government, the tournament takes in $9000 and gives out roughly $9000 in prizes and has all the individual winners 1099's. The tourney is getting that money back which in the beginning was prizes donated by great companies! Wait till the first place team gives the $2000+ 1099 to the accountant and he/she says you owe the government $700! Its a joke and it took time, but I finally realized it. This is a profit tournament. Correct me if I'm wrong but the website doesn't say "not for profit". Keep supporting the tournament boys......