what about a fishing tournament?

[AKFISHFOOL]

I have thought of starting up a fishing tournament for years now, but have not had the gumption to actually put in motion the required steps to solidify a venture like this.  I realize that it would take getting sponsors and vendors and marketing it to be successful, but what if it could happen!  I think that is what is missing around here.  There is nothing to get people motivated to get out and ice fish.  Except for the hard core people like the ones on this site, most folks are content to wait until spring to hit up the kenai or susitna drainages.  What if it could be done, and not nessesarily a one time event, maybe a weekly event, even held at different locations, almost like a circut.  Let me know if anyone has any ideas about how to start something like this.  I think Team Alaska could make history!

[Bryan19Alaska]

This is an awesome idea. How cool would it be to list on a thursday which lake a one day (saturday) tournement will be held. Targeting different species and keep a winter record of daily winners and a scoring system and have a season champion. Run it like the big bass tourney's down south.

I hope this takes off.

[Salmonman]

I am all for it, send me a PM if I can help out with organizing any tournaments.

[Fishin Fireman]

We have talked about a tourney on here for a long time but the logistics and to list it or even advertise it here on iceshanty has to make sure we follow the forum rules. Read this which is from the forum agreement we all agreed to and it is the policy of this forum

Derbies and Tournaments

Derbies and Tournaments are allowed by MyFishFinder.com and Iceshanty.com as long as they have a theme of contributing a 100% charitable donation to a Pro-fishing or Pro-Hunting organization. Other charitable organizations such as a local fire department or ambulance corps for example are allowed as well. If there is any question if a organization qualifies as a charitable organization please contact the Admin or a State Moderator for which the event will be held. In accordance with the general principle of Iceshanty.com and Myfishfinder.com no member is required to participate or pay a monetary amount to enter a contest. No person hosting or participating in a event shall have any form or variation of the event to be for business advertisement unless otherwise they are a paid sponsor of Iceshanty.com and Myfishfinder.com or unless they have the express consent of the Admin of these sites. No person hosting in or participating in a event shall hold a for profit event monetarily or otherwise a product of that may be monetary.

Hence here lies the issue; for us to hold something like this other than the current online tourney and advertise it here we must follow these rules. I'm all for having one in an area that is accessible from Anchorage and Fairbanks with about the same travel distance. The one thing we need to due is get sponsors and figure out which and how many charities there are in Alaska that would fit into the hunting and fishing. Also I know of a ton of small fire departments that could always use the help in purchasing things for their communities; smoke and carbon monoxide detectors, fire extinguishers, fuel or gear or even cash to spend on sending someone to a training conference.

We could just split up the proceeds and say however many charities (let's say four max this year) we decide on supporting each one will get a percentage divided among less whatever expenditures we have for say logistics-sanicans, trash disposal etc. All the prizes and food and inconveniences we could probably get donated. Then the following year we pick different charities keeping with the theme and the next and so on until we get back to the top of the list. They didn't say in the policy that we couldn't sell food or other stuff to get money as long as any entry fees paid go towards the charities. Some cash left over could go into an account and be used for next years start up or given to other charities.

So if anyone wants to spear head this and ensure we maintain compliance with the rules set forward by this forum to which we all agreed......I say go for it and you better get started now if you plan on getting one going for this year or next.

Any ?'s I will help as much as I can but don't volunteer me for something unless you ask me first.

Brad

[JMH]

This is an awesome idea. How cool would it be to list on a thursday which lake a one day (saturday) tournement will be held. Targeting different species and keep a winter record of daily winners and a scoring system and have a season champion. Run it like the big bass tourney's down south.

I hope this takes off.

dont listen to this guy, i heard he likes to harpoon dall porpoises in the summer time.  bad news guys, bad news.

on the topic at hand, i think it is a great idea.  there are so many fishable lakes up here.

[AKFISHRIPPER]

I don't see it happening this year but next year with a lot of planning I'm in...

[Bryan19Alaska]

This is only a slight obsticle. I'm sure we can find a charitable organization to donate to. The problem will be finding sponsor's and endorsements. All though it will help find sponsors knowing all contributions will be going to a non-profit organization, because the money or items they do donate can be written of on their taxes when donating to non-profit.
Let's see what we can do for next winter. Even if we held a tourny for the members, no money or prizes, just good old fashioned bragging rights. It would be a good way for us to learn some secrets or tips when fishing for different species around the state. We could keep a excel spread sheet with eveyones names, we could come up with a point system based on total caught and biggest caught each day. This would be easy to do and I'm sure it would make us fish more (darn that sounds bad, haha). What do you guys think?

JMH is a big fat LIAR........... And he is dumb too........ HAHA take that JMH.

[AKFISHFOOL]

I think a good charity could be made.  I say this because the ice fishing jamboree here in Anchorage at Jewel Lake will disappear after this year, the guy running it has health problems and said he could no longer do it.  It would be easy enough to start a non-profit organization that would cover that and at the same time cover the tournament for an annual event.  its Win/Win.  I think that would cover the charitable contribution to a Pro-fishing organization.  that way all the money raised could be to benefit each following annual event.  As far as sponsors, I am sure that if enough of us got out there and beat the streets and made a lot of phone calls, we could pick up many sponsors.  The big ones, however, that would either make or break the event, I think, would be to get the Municipality of Anchorage and the Mat-su Borough involved.  I think not only the monetary contribution, but also the advertising aspect would be invaluable.  As far as advertising goes, supposing that we could not get either government for assistance, perhaps we get radio stations to air some spots since it is for a charitable organization.  Also we could put filers up in sporting goods stores around Anchorage and the valley.  I don't think that starting out we would have enough money to get T.V. spots, but in the future, with expanding sponsorship, perhaps.   These are just some thoughts that were running through my head. If any of you want to form a committee, that way we could split up the tasks into groups and tackle many things at once, you can PM me and we can get the ball rolling.

[Fishin Fireman]

We could have one down there and then hold another one up here a little later. I think a good charity to start with  would be to find out how we can support the "Take A Kid Fishing" program and go from there. 

Also we could do a meet and greet like I plan to this Spring and get sponsors and prizes for different categories. This would be for fun and at no cost to enter. Not sure if we could have one where the Interior and South would be able to get together at the same time but it will for sure, be in the future. I always thought about the Summit, Paxson and Tangle Lakes area or even Glennallen

But this is another topic to discuss.

[AKFISHFOOL]

I really like the idea of starting a non-profit organization and going along with what fireman suggested, paying out entry fees to a charity and keeping the rest to pay for expenses and having an account of funds to kick off the next year.  I have some experience running a non-profit, I was before and am now nominated and about to be re-elected as the President of the First National Bank Employees Club.  I really enjoy doing something for the community and keeping the members happy.  With just about 350 employees in the club, making everyone happy is not an option, however, doing the greatest good for the greatest number and living with the decisions you make is what you have to do to be a success.  I also like the idea of a take a kid fishing charity.  I am going to research that and start making some phone calls.  Thank you everyone for the support and your ideas, which have all been great by the way.  I have wanted to do this for some time and the enthusiasm you all have shown has made me finally get off my duff and do something.  thanks again.

PS:  if anyone is serious about helping out with this pm me and we can get started.

[AKFISHRIPPER]

Well???

[fishermanjake]

trustworthy hardware in soldotna does a big event durring the month of february each year and it is a huge success to drum up business for them.  It's only for the Kenai through and judging by numbers.  If it works down there it should work up here.  They run theirs for a month through.  If you did a day tourny where people keep fish it should be done on a stocked lake.  you could probably get fish and game to let go some brood stock char there as well to make things more interesting.  I have a connection with the Richardson hacthcery and if the non-profit was started, i would gladly make a call to try and get some extra catchable stocked into a lake.  Probably would need quite a bit of notice though.

[AKFISHRIPPER]

trustworthy hardware in soldotna does a big event durring the month of february each year and it is a huge success to drum up business for them.  It's only for the Kenai through and judging by numbers.  If it works down there it should work up here.  They run theirs for a month through.  If you did a day tourny where people keep fish it should be done on a stocked lake.  you could probably get fish and game to let go some brood stock char there as well to make things more interesting.  I have a connection with the Richardson hacthcery and if the non-profit was started, i would gladly make a call to try and get some extra catchable stocked into a lake.  Probably would need quite a bit of notice though.

Beer can lake has a lot of smaller fish and a few hundred 24in+ char, that would make it a good meet and greet/tournament kickoff location?    I also think it would be better to do the tournament for 2-3 months and select a different lake every 2 weeks. 

[fishermanjake]

Fairbanks is easy... chena lakes would be the best spot.

Anchorage/mat-su lake selection would probably be more up in the air.

you would need a spot with lots of parking or access to drive on the lake.  good stocks of fish.  large lake.   etc.

finger lake, mirror lake maybe, lake lucille come to mind

[AKFISHRIPPER]

I'd say big lake and finger lake for sure, maybe long lake(glen), nancy lake, bradley.    We would probably have to split the tournament up into two seperate districts, like a Fairbanks(North) and Anchorage(south) because it would be too much to have people driving all the way to Fairbanks from Anchorage.  At the end of the tournament we could have a final at a lake half way between Anchorage and Fairbanks?  Just some Ideas.

[AKFISHRIPPER]

Still tryin o get this going, but I need some help??

[akdube]

I spoke with the manager at sportsmans warehouse in wasilla and if we had a proposal and estimated participation they would review it and possibly sponsor the whole dang thing..

[AKFISHRIPPER]

Cool, well I guess some of us that are serous need to get together and plan this out?

[jkw]

 where could you hold it at? would it be limited to one lake, or many lakes, to what species of fish and what would the angling rules be?

[jkw]

i say, it should include all species of trout and char, with different categories for different species of fish.....with maybe door prizes for the kids...should be couple day prizes given out for biggest fish of the day....

[Drifter_016]

i say, it should include all species of trout and char, with different categories for different species of fish.....with maybe door prizes for the kids...should be couple day prizes given out for biggest fish of the day....

Don't forget Whitefish, Burbot and Snot Rockets!!!!   

[Fishin Fireman]

Cool, well I guess some of us that are serous need to get together and plan this out?

I am coming down that way on the 8th through the 10th or 11th of January to a conference at VBC at 95 mile Glenn and then one day in ANC for a Third Day concert. When I come into Wasilla or Anchorage we could meet and hash it out for an hour or so.

does anyone know if there is any good spots to fish in the area of 95 mile Glenn so I can bring my gear!

[darkhousefisher]

does anyone know if there is any good spots to fish in the area of 95 mile Glenn so I can bring my gear!

You could try Long Lake at mile 85.3:
http://www.sf.adfg.state.ak.us/statewide/lakedata/index.cfm/FA/main.lakeDetail/LakeID/429
There are some nice Lakers, Char, and Burbot there from what I've been told.

Or Weiner Lake at mile 87.5
http://www.sf.adfg.state.ak.us/statewide/lakedata/index.cfm/FA/main.lakeDetail/LakeID/68

[fishermanjake]

I am coming down that way on the 8th through the 10th or 11th of January to a conference at VBC at 95 mile Glenn and then one day in ANC for a Third Day concert. When I come into Wasilla or Anchorage we could meet and hash it out for an hour or so.

does anyone know if there is any good spots to fish in the area of 95 mile Glenn so I can bring my gear!

I'm the cook here at VBC!  You'll see me here!  I'll lend you a key to my shack if i can't take you out on long lake myself. 8)   I saw Third day in concert up in fairbanks and they were awesome... a little to be desired for their opening band though.