Annual tournament

Jared LeBlue · May 19, 2004, 09:08:32 AM

I know we discussed this before but I would like to revisit the idea of having a tournament for all the clubs on this board. We could make it an annual event where each club would have a chance to host the tournament. I think it would be awesome to meet everybody here and put some faces with the names. Let me know what yall think and if we have a good response I'll start putting somethings together.

Mike Cork · May 19, 2004, 09:59:30 AM

Rattle,

We have discussed it a little on the board and alot in person with the folks from the north lousiana area. Everyone thinks it would be a great idea and would love to do it. The problem is going to be setting a date especially with summer here. For some summer makes it easier and others have vacations and the such planned. But if we pick a date and go for it I think we will have a great time.

What does your club think about it?

Who will hold the first one?

Get the Net it's a Hawg
Mike Cork

Jared LeBlue · May 19, 2004, 01:27:52 PM

Mike,

I have discussed it with a few of our members and they like the idea. We have a meeting tonight and I will bring it up there and see what everyone else thinks. We had a long span between tournaments and meetings this past go around so I haven't been able to talk with everyone. Once I speak with everyone we can go from there and see who will host the first tournament. Dates, times, and who will host is something all the clubs can discuss on the board . Hopefully we can get something going soon. As you know this is not something we can throw together over night, but I'm confident that if we all get involved we can make this into something we will all look forward to every year.

BIG PAPA · May 19, 2004, 07:39:31 PM

I am with you guys I have kicked around an idea similar and really think it would be fun. In fact I am all for it being a two day event

papa

Jared LeBlue · May 19, 2004, 09:15:16 PM

Ok, I brought up the idea at the meeting tonight and everybody was pump up about it. So lets get this thing rolling. Ideas and suggestions are welcome.

Mike Cork · May 20, 2004, 07:39:49 AM

Well I guess the first couple things that come to mind with me is lodging and quantity fish.

Lodging, depending on where we fish there will have to be plenty of decent lodging close by. It would be awsome if there was an area that had several cabins close by or even on the water.

Quantity, granted when I fish a tournament I will fish for 5 quality bites over 100 quantity bites. But this will be a fun tournament for braggin rights or something of the like, so I would much prefer to catch Quantity. Which leads me to think that if we are going to do it before this summer is over that we should head to your neck of the woods Rattle, but if it looks like it will be fall before we get a solid date set then we have some good quantity water up here.

Now with that said we have a lake about 1.5 hours south of here called Grand bayou in Cashatta (I'm sure I spelled that wrong) and it can be alot of fun in the summer time but it is a slot lake. It has cabins right on the water that are really nice, they go for 85 bucks a night but they also sleep like 8 people comfortably so divided out it is a good deal. Just a thought.

I'm with Papa I think it should be a two day event that ends early on Sunday. No matter where we have the tournament it will be a drive of one of the clubs so my thoughts are if I get to go somewhere exciting and far away I would like to fish for two days. Take off Friday and get there and visit and get a decent nights sleep then fish and visit more then fish and head home kinda deal.

Just my ideas to get things started

Get the Net it's a dream trip
Mike Cork

Jared LeBlue · May 20, 2004, 08:41:07 PM

Mike,

I agree with you. The summer bite can be tough down here too. What is Grand Bayou? I have seen the post here on this site about the place but I've never seen that body of water. If it's a river type system you probably are hitting the nail on the head for a summer bite. The river systems down here are what we fish in the summer unless of course we are night fishing then we hit the lakes. The Calcasieu river system is a good fishery in the summer but the quality of fish is poor. You will catch a bunch but most of them will be small. Cabins are available but they are tough to come by in the summer. Not to mention it would be a long drive for yall. I like the sound of Grand Bayou, how tough is it to get cabins up there. If there is a camp ground some of us can pull our campers.

captain hook · May 20, 2004, 11:29:44 PM

How `bout a day/nite tourney ? Sat. , normal launch/weigh-in. Sat. night launch 12 or 2, weigh-in 10 or 12. Gives everyone sun. P.m....to recover!!

Mike Cork · May 22, 2004, 10:17:43 AM

Rattle Grand Bayou is a smaller lake (plenty big enough for this get together) that has a slot limit on it 14-17. Normally during the summer months you can find schooling fish that will keep you busy all day but most of them will be slot fish. The lake to me is like a little toledo bend when it comes to the style of fishing lots of grass stick up flats, points, and creek channels. It can be an awsome night lake too. I am not sure how long it would take you all to get to it though?

A 4 hour drive doesn't bother me for a weekend trip but it might some others we will just have to get a feel for it.

I like the idea of the day / night tournament that could be alot of fun.

Jared LeBlue · May 22, 2004, 07:45:26 PM

It sounds good to me. We just need to work on how we are going to fish it ( rules and all ) and can we reserve camping spots or cabins there. Then of course we need to decide on a weekend that this will take place.

Mike Cork · May 23, 2004, 09:46:52 AM

Jared tell you what I will check on Grand Bayou, they have plenty of camping but the cabins are probaby booked until labor day. You should check for lodging and availability at the Calcasieu river system. In talking to my club members they all are for it, but to be honest they just don't want to end up on toledo bend, everyone says if we are going to have a get together and obviously have to drive to have then they want to go somewhere new.

I will check on Grand Bayou and if it is not all booked up I will post what is open. I think Grand would be a great place for the first one. There is talk among our group that heading east to one of the several lakes over there would be fun. Do you know of any water that way and how far would it be for you?

Anyhow give me a couple days to get some info. Big Question is do we want to have this tourney before the summer is out or wait till fall with the bite might be better or have two

Jared LeBlue · May 23, 2004, 01:11:09 PM

Mike, I know the cabins on the Calcasieu can be hard to get , and that's probably the case anywhere. The first thing we need to decide on is a date so we can look into reserving the cabins wherevere we end up. As far as lakes on the east side of the state, I know a couple of them but most of them are small. Caney Lake would be nice but I don't know what kind of summer bite they have there, at least not in the day. I have night fished there several times and did well. As for dates I would say early July like on the weekend of 10th or the 17th. Of course that just a suggestion, if you have any dates in mind let me know. We can start putting things together and refining them as we need.

Mike Noble · May 23, 2004, 04:42:28 PM

I think cabins are going to be difficult everywhere unless we book way ahead. If all of us are traveling, a lot of rooms will be needed. On the east side of the state are Concordia, St. John, Bruin, and Larto. Larto would be the most difficult to get enough rooms. I don't know what availability there would be on any of them.

Down your way, what kind of hotel availability is there. I know cabins would be the best, but hotels close to the lake/river would always be a possibility.

Jared LeBlue · May 23, 2004, 05:02:42 PM

There are plenty hotels in this area but hopefully we won't have to use them. I would rather stay right on the lake or river but If we need to go with hotels we will.

Jared LeBlue · May 24, 2004, 12:17:55 PM

I just checked with the park on the Calcasieu River and cabins will be hard to come by. They have two available on the weekend of July the 9th but outside of that nothing. The cabins sleep 6 max and they are $60 a night.

Mike, let me know if you find some available at the Grand and what dates they would be available.

If we can't find any I can line us up with some rooms in one of the hotels down here.

dave the dope man · May 24, 2004, 10:14:42 PM

Noble and Rattle, Grand is going to be almost impossible that time of year (barring a mid-summer miracle). My wife and I as well as some people we work with have two cabins reserved for the last part of June. We had to reserve them back in feburary. at that time they told us that july thru late august was packed. Maybe this will help. Have you considered the Pearl or Red rivers mid-state? Thanks fella's keep up the good work on the plans................Dave the gimped up Dope Man......

Jared LeBlue · May 24, 2004, 10:20:26 PM

Dave, I think at this point it's going to be hard to book any cabins anywhere. We may have to resort to hotels this year and book cabins early for next year. I'm still working on some things so hopefully something will come together soon.

BIG PAPA · May 25, 2004, 09:10:42 AM

Day/night tourny! Hmmmm!
Let's see
get up at 4:00 sat. get breakfast drive to lake, fish from 5:30 to 3:00 have weigh in, shoot the bull hour or so, drive back to motel, cleanup and have Dinner(supper) about 7:00 eat and shoot the bull some more till 8:30 or so. of course batteries have to be charged and lights readied and tackle sorted for night tourny if we can find place to plug in battery chargers. now it is 10:00 and I am getting tired, oh wait I can't rest I have 8-10 more hours to fish, no problem I can always catch some rest tomorrow and I will have only been up about 30 hours.
uh oh!!! Now I have a 4 hour drive home, Hmmm; I know I will just stay another night in the hotel. cause I sure as shit could not drive home.
Where is Mike Thomas when I need him?
papa

Mike Cork · May 25, 2004, 09:52:50 AM

Papa, you are definately right, I think it would be fun but a traveler would have to take monday off and sleep Sunday night not question. I think it would be best to just plan on a two "DAY" event. Fish normal Saturday and then half a day Sunday or something of that nature....

So far I haven't been able to find anything as far as lodging

How many of the northern folks have tents and would be willing to use them? I know some of us are old but the hard ground can be good for a back

Mike Noble · May 25, 2004, 07:35:28 PM

Papa....I agree with you....who needs sleep!!!! And this is from the guy that goes to bed at 9 every night.

The ground may be good for you back Mr. Cork...I don't think that is what the doctor ordered for mine.

What are all these people doing going to the lakes on weekends? That is just not right. Maybe the fall would be a better time to look at.

Jared LeBlue · May 28, 2004, 12:15:38 AM

We may have to make this a fall tournament. I think cabins will be a lot easier to come by.

By the way what are we going call this event?

BIG PAPA · May 28, 2004, 11:11:13 PM

NORTH SOUTH CLUB CHALLENGE!
OR THE ANNUAL CLUB FREE FOR ALL

PAPA

BIG PAPA · May 28, 2004, 11:14:20 PM

Daniel and I will be styling thursday night, Dan bought a BASSMASTERS CLASSIC TRITON today. we may or may not catch any fish but we are going to look good.

papa

BIG PAPA · May 28, 2004, 11:24:56 PM

Fall would be a great time for the tourny with the good weather the easier accommodations and usually good fishing.

papa

Jared LeBlue · May 29, 2004, 10:18:17 AM

Yep, I believe it's going to have to be a fall tournament. Now it's back to the drawing board, where and when.