Quote Originally Posted by chad_wentzell View Post
Getting more pro's isn't the issue. If the open can not draw more non boaters simcoe will be a flop as well. Personally I feel the Canadian open should be run as a team event like B1 and BPS. Non boaters paying 200 less then the pro and fishing for donated prizes just isn't cutting it every year its the same story.. 10-20 pros wanting to fish and no non boaters. Sarnia was a perfect example as well. I don't think adding green fish to the mix is the answer but maybe changing the format is. just my 2 cents
Chad
Last year there were too many AM's by tournament time. I hope we are not going to have the same problem next year in Kingston. As for Simcoe I believe finding 80 or 100 amateurs will be no problem. It is a two day event, the cost is lower and it is much closer to a larger population. As I understand these events are building towards a series with a new one added in 2015.

As for changing the format, I can't think of a single thing that could make these tournaments better after last year. The pro and am are a team so there is no competing against the guy in the front or back of the boat. It adds a level of excitement and in my experience most of the NB's add a level of skill. Three of my "team partners" turned me into a net man and I was happy for it. Most of them have become good friends.

The venue for this type of tournament has to have all of the facilities and water that can't be pressured and preferably no cottagers association to deal with. The Great Lakes smallmouth population is booming and smallmouth growth rates are such that a lot of teams can produce big weights and it won't harm the fishery. There are very few teams that didn't catch a lot of fish in Kingston and that makes for a much better day on the water. The community has to be able to add to the prize table and be large enough to benefit from the exposure.

I agree it would be great to have a venue where more could participate. The B.A.S.S. and FLW tournaments held out of Clayton were both won in the river where the size of boat is less relevant. There are some huge largemouth in the St. Lawrance and a combination bag could easily win. So as deep water centric as it may seem there is something for everyone.

Considering the above criteria, where would be the perfect venue for everyone that wanted to fish one event of the series?