cell phone use
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during tournaments cell phones are to be used for emergencies only,.....or to call for help, etc..etc....They are NOT to be used to call your buddies and see if they're on fish or to tell someone that they're biting where you are, etc..etc...
It's the "honor system" in the truest form.......hard to enforce, but if you need a phone and you have one,..then by all means USE IT!!! Just don't use it to gather info or give yourself an advantage......that's my opinion anyway!!
Mac
It's the "honor system" in the truest form.......hard to enforce, but if you need a phone and you have one,..then by all means USE IT!!! Just don't use it to gather info or give yourself an advantage......that's my opinion anyway!!
Mac
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16,364 Posts
Both radios and phones are not to be used in most rules to aid in finding or catching fish. Another rule that is tough to enforce, because some peoples livelyhood depends on them being accessible via phone for work.
Mini
Mini
Before I post, let me state clearly I have not broken any tournament rules in the past. Now, I don't see the big hang up with cell phones for any use. How can you have a rule regarding cell phones, but there is NO hard fast rule enforced on guys pulling up on you when they see you are on fish. I'm almost to the point in my life were less rules would be better for enforcement, crying, and other general BS. Seems very strange that a call to a buddy would get you DQd, but pull up on another competitor or follow someone and nothing gets accomplished. I personally think tournament fishing has reached it's point (actually surpassed) of diminished returns. It's more cut throat than ever, there are more whinners than ever, more fish are killed at weigh ins because more tournaments are taking place and the general perception of bass boaters is negative....like it or not.
I (GNT) allow cell phones to be used for business, checking on the family or many other things. I do not allow them to use them to locate fish. Anyone who has asked has been given this thought. This is a difficult one to enforce but we do our best to let them know how I wrote (Intrepret) the rule.
Every trail is different. Read the tournament rules and if you have a question ask it as everyone has a different intent when they write them.
Don't even go to the pulling in on someone! It turns my stomach! In the old days we had professional courtesy. Now we have in the great words of Dan Kimmel, Ben Trodder looking for fish. Bent Rodder, get it? Look for the bent rod so you don't have to look for the fish!
Tournament rules have gotten so complicated over the past 15 years. It seems that it's only a few that ruin it fo all. One manipulates a rule to his or her benifit and they need to add a new rule to keep a so called unfair advantage to happen.
Let's just go fishin, you know like the good old days. When we walked uphill to school, barefooted in snow to our chest.
Doug
Every trail is different. Read the tournament rules and if you have a question ask it as everyone has a different intent when they write them.
Don't even go to the pulling in on someone! It turns my stomach! In the old days we had professional courtesy. Now we have in the great words of Dan Kimmel, Ben Trodder looking for fish. Bent Rodder, get it? Look for the bent rod so you don't have to look for the fish!
Tournament rules have gotten so complicated over the past 15 years. It seems that it's only a few that ruin it fo all. One manipulates a rule to his or her benifit and they need to add a new rule to keep a so called unfair advantage to happen.
Let's just go fishin, you know like the good old days. When we walked uphill to school, barefooted in snow to our chest.
Doug
Just my interpution.
You can not and will not use a cell phone to better your position in any why. Example it is 1:00 pm your motor won't start weight in is at 3:00 pm you call your buddy down the lake to come and get you, if you weight those fish you are a cheater. If you flag down a freind and you get in on time so what.
You can not and will not use a cell phone to better your position in any why. Example it is 1:00 pm your motor won't start weight in is at 3:00 pm you call your buddy down the lake to come and get you, if you weight those fish you are a cheater. If you flag down a freind and you get in on time so what.
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295 Posts
The use of the word cheater is over used.
It may a rule violation in some tournament trails.
If the responding boat gives a tow is that cheating?
If the responding boat gives a jump is that cheating.
The intend of the rule is that no anglers should get info that
might help via phone radio or any communication device that
would help either boat locate fish.
Helping a boat in distress shows sportmanship and chartacter
NOT CHEATING!
Where is common sense?
Paul Sacks
It may a rule violation in some tournament trails.
If the responding boat gives a tow is that cheating?
If the responding boat gives a jump is that cheating.
The intend of the rule is that no anglers should get info that
might help via phone radio or any communication device that
would help either boat locate fish.
Helping a boat in distress shows sportmanship and chartacter
NOT CHEATING!
Where is common sense?
Paul Sacks
I think one danger with using a phone whether it is for business or just so your kids can get a hold of you is you can very easily get helpful information that you weren't intending to get.
Here is an example:
Ring, Ring
Angler: Hello
Client: Hi Marcus it's John from accounting, hey are you by your computer right now, I need you to verify something for me.
Angler: Sorry John, but I'm actually in a bass tournament on lake St. Clair right now, I'll be done in a few hours.
Client: Aw man I'm jealous, I fished with a buddy out there last week. We caught a ton on the south shore just before that storm hit the lake. I can't wait to get out again.
Angler: Maybe we'll get out some time, I'll call you later today, see ya!
Client: by
This may seem like a joke to some of you but I know in my experiences that often times when people call me on my cell phone, and I tell them I'm fishing, they immediately tell you about the last time they fished. I do the same thing with my fishing buddies when I call them. Perhaps this is something that is considered when making a rule such as this. The fact that there is money involved makes it necessary to take great measures to ensure that all participants are competing fairly. I still have not given this subject enough thought to know how I would write this rule best, I just thought I would present a situation that some of you might not have thought of.
Marcus
Here is an example:
Ring, Ring
Angler: Hello
Client: Hi Marcus it's John from accounting, hey are you by your computer right now, I need you to verify something for me.
Angler: Sorry John, but I'm actually in a bass tournament on lake St. Clair right now, I'll be done in a few hours.
Client: Aw man I'm jealous, I fished with a buddy out there last week. We caught a ton on the south shore just before that storm hit the lake. I can't wait to get out again.
Angler: Maybe we'll get out some time, I'll call you later today, see ya!
Client: by
This may seem like a joke to some of you but I know in my experiences that often times when people call me on my cell phone, and I tell them I'm fishing, they immediately tell you about the last time they fished. I do the same thing with my fishing buddies when I call them. Perhaps this is something that is considered when making a rule such as this. The fact that there is money involved makes it necessary to take great measures to ensure that all participants are competing fairly. I still have not given this subject enough thought to know how I would write this rule best, I just thought I would present a situation that some of you might not have thought of.
Marcus
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1,976 Posts
C'mon guys. I asked earlier if anyone has heard of any circuit that dq's people just for using the phone or radio? I'm not personally familiar with that practice.
I would like to know to from Dennis when did the interpretation become "using to better your position" that I heard several of you mention at the State Championship. I have never heard this before in 20 years of tournaments. I rewrote the Federation rules the last time. I was involved in the protest that partially caused the rewriting pertaining to using phones.
The protest was made because someone overheard one of the parties talking about fishing spots to another competitor. I have always heard cell phones and radios can not be used to locate or assist in catching more bass. I have NEVER heard this thing about bettering your position. Where did this come from? And why don't we know about it before hand, not after the fact? I think there is a HUGE difference in hailing assistance and talking about fishing spots.
How many circuits and what ones dq someone just for calling for assistance? It would be helpful to know if this is common practice or unique to the Federation.
My understanding is some major circuits allow you to be brought in by another competitor together and still have your fish counted. I'm not familiar that they dictate how you get that assistance. If you can only hail passersby, it would be helpful for myself and others to know.
I always have and always will believe circuits that make things simpler for anglers while still enforcing fairness evenly for everyone will be the ones that draw the most anglers. It seems to hold true.
I would like to know to from Dennis when did the interpretation become "using to better your position" that I heard several of you mention at the State Championship. I have never heard this before in 20 years of tournaments. I rewrote the Federation rules the last time. I was involved in the protest that partially caused the rewriting pertaining to using phones.
The protest was made because someone overheard one of the parties talking about fishing spots to another competitor. I have always heard cell phones and radios can not be used to locate or assist in catching more bass. I have NEVER heard this thing about bettering your position. Where did this come from? And why don't we know about it before hand, not after the fact? I think there is a HUGE difference in hailing assistance and talking about fishing spots.
How many circuits and what ones dq someone just for calling for assistance? It would be helpful to know if this is common practice or unique to the Federation.
My understanding is some major circuits allow you to be brought in by another competitor together and still have your fish counted. I'm not familiar that they dictate how you get that assistance. If you can only hail passersby, it would be helpful for myself and others to know.
I always have and always will believe circuits that make things simpler for anglers while still enforcing fairness evenly for everyone will be the ones that draw the most anglers. It seems to hold true.
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16,364 Posts
I was wondering the same thing. I never remeber seeing anything about "bettering your position"....
Mini
Mini
I'm not sure if BASS or FLW allow cell phones to call for a ride to weigh in. I do know that most pros on the tours have another competitor or two that they run with. They often communicate what area they will be in and meet up or look for each other at a specified time--especially if they're making long runs.
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1,976 Posts
I've done the 'watch for me at this place and time before' myself. That can work, but what do you do if the person's not there?
I have to say several guys where really nice to me a few years ago on the Mississippi in Iowa when I had an odd motor problem after a good first day. They not only said they'd watch for me at the locks, but gave me cell phone numbers and said they'd come get me if I called them to take me the long run back to the weigh-in. Scott Dobson and Ted Angers were two of them. That was great, but in that maze, I'd have had to call them and lead them in.
In practice, a friend got stuck on a clay bar in a backwater and it took me almost an hour to find him with cell phones.
Anyone out there ever hear a circuit that dq's your for using a cell phone to call for help in a non-emergency, but disabled boat situation (as long as you brought fish in either in your own towed boat or in another competitor's boat where allowed)?
I have to say several guys where really nice to me a few years ago on the Mississippi in Iowa when I had an odd motor problem after a good first day. They not only said they'd watch for me at the locks, but gave me cell phone numbers and said they'd come get me if I called them to take me the long run back to the weigh-in. Scott Dobson and Ted Angers were two of them. That was great, but in that maze, I'd have had to call them and lead them in.
In practice, a friend got stuck on a clay bar in a backwater and it took me almost an hour to find him with cell phones.
Anyone out there ever hear a circuit that dq's your for using a cell phone to call for help in a non-emergency, but disabled boat situation (as long as you brought fish in either in your own towed boat or in another competitor's boat where allowed)?
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I have the same thoughts on this issue as Dan. Cell phones and radios can be used for any purpose other than to locate fish. It is that simple.
Now someone saying to you in a passing business conversation, that they caught fish on the south shore last time they were out, is not locating fish. I would venture to say that there are thousands of fish on any shore at any givin time.
Giving specific coordinates, lure types and colors, techniques, times, etc etc is the information that most tournament rules apply to.
Some rules give a cut off date or time as to when this type of information exchange must stop.
I always have my cell phone with me but rarely use it when in the tournament, unless the call is from home.
But if I need it for an emergency or to call a tow boat it is there for me.
Now someone saying to you in a passing business conversation, that they caught fish on the south shore last time they were out, is not locating fish. I would venture to say that there are thousands of fish on any shore at any givin time.
Giving specific coordinates, lure types and colors, techniques, times, etc etc is the information that most tournament rules apply to.
Some rules give a cut off date or time as to when this type of information exchange must stop.
I always have my cell phone with me but rarely use it when in the tournament, unless the call is from home.
But if I need it for an emergency or to call a tow boat it is there for me.
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