02-01-2017, 07:16 AM
I posted about the tourney on a response to another starvation post. We fished the tourney and prefished Friday. Your right, the catching was brutal- everywhere we tried. Although the format was not what I was used to, I thought they pulled it off really well for an event that size. It was the most organized derby I've ever done, from traffic control, check in, instructions, warming huts, fish check in and prizes. I think they did a phenomenal job. I believe their intent was to level the playing field by eliminating the possibility of cheating along with making it a family friendly thing (I saw two people on crutches). If anyone thought it wouldn't be a zoo, or the catching would be fast then they didn't research it. There was over 800 in the previous derby they did at Chattfield in Colorado.
We had myself, my 9 year old son and a buddy entered. We all caught a fish. I actually had no idea they paid out that many places or that the prizes were as legit as they were. My fish was 2.18 pounds and finished at 7th place for $500. My buddy took 14th and won an aqua-vu and boot drier valued at $350. My son won a really nice boot drier and a hard rod case for around $200. Overall we won over $1,000 in gear and cash. We probably just got lucky, but I think prefishing helped us- even if it was terrible.
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We had myself, my 9 year old son and a buddy entered. We all caught a fish. I actually had no idea they paid out that many places or that the prizes were as legit as they were. My fish was 2.18 pounds and finished at 7th place for $500. My buddy took 14th and won an aqua-vu and boot drier valued at $350. My son won a really nice boot drier and a hard rod case for around $200. Overall we won over $1,000 in gear and cash. We probably just got lucky, but I think prefishing helped us- even if it was terrible.
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