# What drives you to fish a Comp?



## grinner (May 15, 2008)

my HI-LUX


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## Davey G (Jan 15, 2006)

I've only fished in one (ABT Sydney Feb this year) and did it purely for the novelty factor.

I'm not a competitive fisho at all, generally have crappy preperation and don't tend to 'target' any particular species when I do go out. Most of my fishing is done on the "I'll tow a line around while I get some exercise' mentality. My wife believes that I don't even go fishing at all, as she rarely sees any evidence of it... :lol:

The novelty for me was to spend 6 hours targeting one species in an unfamiliar area, and also trying to not only catch them but keep them alive for the weigh in. As it was cast and retrieve only for me (trolling was banned for paddlers) I was at an immediate disadvantage but I found that by trying a few different techniques I did actually catch fish and had fun. Over the course of the day I caught maybe a dozen bream and a monster flathead.

Unfortunately my PPP (piss poor preperation) also saw me without a reliable measuring device on the day (I don't normally consider keeping 25cm long bream so don't have a measuring stick that short!). My bag of 2 fish was deemed 'just undersize' so my claim to fame from my comp experience is that I'm the first ever ABT kayak competitor who'se had to make the 'walk of shame' (ie:- those fish are undersize - take them directly back to the water and release them immediately :? :shock: :shock: ).

Overall it was a good fun day, but for the $150 that it cost me to enter I'm not sure if I'll do it again.


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## RedPhoenix (Jun 13, 2006)

Unfortunately, due to the change in ownership of this web site and the lack of response by the owners to my requests to remove my email address from all administrative-level notifications and functionality, I have decided to remove my posts on AKFF. Thank you for the great times, the fantastic learning experiences and the many many fish. If you are desperate for the old content of this particular post, it is available below base64 encoded and bzip2 compressed.

Red.

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## dunebuggy (Dec 21, 2008)

I picked number 3 but keep the beer and I'll have a bundy a cola stubbie thanks. lol. Another reason for fishing in comps is that it is something relatively new to me. I fished rounds 2 and 3 of the Hobie/ABT, learned a lot, and enjoyed it very much apart from the early start. I am NOT a morning person. lol. I am definately a night owl. I am looking forward to the KFT this weekend as it's nice and close to home. Even rounds 2 and 3 are not far away. If I am lucky, I may even catch something. Another reason for entering a comp is the very slender thread of hope of actually winning a prize of some sort. haha.
I look forward to seeing some of you at the KFT this Sunday. I will be the one who is asleep standing up!


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## Ranger (May 31, 2008)

I voted "Fish hard-happy to share with others"

Instead of fishing leasurely, a competition gives me the chance to pit my own skills against competent fellow anglers, whilst fishing against the clock, in whatever conditions, weather and tides get thrown at us on the day, which is a lot different to, and a lot harder, than a normal day out of actually choosing your day, your conditions, taking it easy and enjoying the serenity!

It gives me a chance to pick up tips and techniques from experienced anglers, and see what new tackle is currently doing the damage (lures, etc).

It gives me the chance to socialise with my peers.

It steepens my own learning curve and makes me a better angler.

It gives me a "chance" of winning cash or prizes whilst enjoying my sport, and sends me home disappointed time and time again!  :lol: :lol: :lol:

I really don't understand why the words "etiquette" and "rules" worry everyone so much, or make everyone think it's not social, and I was really surprised by some of the comments I read in the "etiquette " thread.

It's a sporting competition, and all competitions have to have rules.

At the moment for most of us, fishing is just a "hobby". Once we enter tournaments though, it stops being a hobby and becomes a "sport". Once you enter a sport you are competing, and all sports have rules you have to follow if you want to compete. The competitors are still social though, still help each other out, are still mates, and still enjoy a few beers together afterwards. I've met some great guys competing in tournaments. I've even lent my boat to a couple of anglers unknown to me, who I'd never met before, who were visiting my state from Sydney and Singapore for an ABT event (it's called helping each other out, and ya don't get more sociable and friendly than that).

As a competitive (maybe that should read "uncompetitive") angler fishing tournaments, I've lent out my $30k+ boat to other competitors. I've lent equipment to other competitors, I've helped out with boat repairs for other competitors, I've offered tips and techniques to other competitors, I've shared local knowledge with visiting competitors, I've lent tackle to other competitors, I've offered accomodation to other visiting competitors, I've offered the use of my 4WD to other competitors to tow a boat. Does this sound at all antisocial or unwelcoming?

In any sport you'll find some more dedicated, more experienced or more serious than others, and some who do not wish to socialise. They would be the exception though , and that certainly doesn't stop everyone else from getting together and having a good time.

Rules are only enforced in any sport because at some point there has been a problem which has needed to be overcome, so a rule has had to be instituted to cover that issue.

Please don't take this the wrong way, but if you believe competition rules and/or etiquette on the field of play are too bothersome, or that they destroy the sense of comeraderie, then at the end of the day, maybe competition isn't really the thing for you at all, and sticking to it as a hobby instead would be something you find more pleasurable, because in a "sport" when that whistle blows in the morning it's every man for himself, and at the end of the day, may the best man win! Then we'll share a few beers, discuss the days events and be mates again sharing tips, techniques and tackle, but during the competition I'm not there to help you catch fish, and I certainly wouldn't expect you to be helping me, because just like in any other sport, we have both paid a lot of money to compete ($150ish just to enter, plus expenses, travel and accomodation), and we are both vying for that prize at the end of the day!

That doesn't mean I wont lend you a fishing outfit or a kayak so that you can get out there and fish. It doesn't mean that I wont offer you accomodation or hospitality. It doesn't mean that I wont help you if you have a problem. It doesn't mean that I wont have a beer or a laugh with you. It doesn't mean that I wont say gidday or ask how you are going if I see you out on the water. It just means that I'm not gonna tell you my tactics planned for the day, the exact area where I'm intending to find fish, or the lure I'm intending to throw at the fish. Surely you can respect that from an opposing competitor in a sporting competition.

Then if you want comeraderie from me, we can have a social fish the following day, in fact ANY DAY, we can call each other and discuss fishing, we can exchange ideas on fishing websites, we can have barbeques or p*ss-ups, but I CAN'T be your comrade when I'm competing against you on tournament day, otherwise it wouldn't be a competition, it'd just be another social day.


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