[dartag]

Fished the Grand BFL this weekend as a co-angler. Not much good to say about it. The start was delayed 40 minutes because of fog. Then we take off into very thick soup. Nothing like a high speed run with limited viability to get your heart pumping. Fished spring lake with many other boats. I think every dock was fished at least 5 times. The boat traffic on the lake made St-Clair look tame. Caught some short fish but no keepers. Lots of long faces and some RED ones at the weigh in. did not talk to a lot of happy anglers. not sure why they have it there, and why during the coast guard festival. But I guess if it was easy everyone would be doing it.

 

[Curado Kev]

You know what's funny...

My BFL coangler experience is the same as yours WORD FOR WORD

But I would like to add that Spring Lake was insane and I was riding in a 2003 Comanche with SRS Seats. Man, those smooth ride seats are NICE !!! WOW...

Oh well, back to Erie and big brown fish !!!

Ckev

 

[bassslayer]

Well not a good trip for me I drew number 14 but as a co-angler but paid as a boater, was not a happy camper. Towed boat for some 400 miles and did not get to even get it wet paid as a boater and got leftovers first time in the back of a boat as a co-angler. The boater was an alright guy he pre fished spring lake so he said we were on fish (last year) I was going to make the run out on the big water but instead got 12 under sized fish and a Dog fish. We asked to fish alone or with an observer never was offered a chance to cancel. The Grand I was told might not be next year to many un happy anglers, no fish no rooms bad ramp bad timing with the Coast Guard events.

 

[team houston]

Didn't you take your half the day in the front of the boat? I believe thats how it works when two boaters get paired together. As for me my co-angler day went just like the ones above except I got that one lucky keeper bite with about 5 minutes to go. Totally save my day and weekend. I had zeroed the last three times I was at the Grand. One fish gets me 31st place , Unbieliveable.

 

[bassslayer]

Yes I was offered the bow with 6 rods on the deck and the too of us got crowded. Don't get me wrong this guy was an all right guy I just didn't want to step on one of his poles. I here ya I zeroed the last three times myself, and this was going to get me ahead of the game Erie is my back yard. Oh well I guess I will have to go for the money.
Mike
ErieAngler

 

[deadstick]

I also got only one fish as co-angler and 31st place as well. I lost one fish that broke my line that felt good and another that must have had teeth - clean break. Had several short bites on top water and spinnerbaits. One top water bite and one spinnerbait fish would have easily kept (About 2#'s each) and would have moved me way up with three fish had they hooked up. Oh, well.

My boater must be a little upset seeing he was only one place out of the money.

It is really too bad about the last flight of guys trailering their boats and getting DQ'd. It wasn't clear to me whether you could or could not because it was never mentioned at the meeting and at the previous two, trailering was allowed. There were several people in the early flights that trailered their boats but did not get DQ'd because no one was paying attention. Though it is clearly in the rules, it should be enforced for all the flights and watched for throughout the weigh-in, not just the stragglers at the end. Again, Oh well!

Did anyone see were Leichty was fishing? We was paired with Rand and they got 1st and 3rd from the same boat! He is definitely hot this year!!!!

 

[MadWags]

There were 9 limits caught on the boater side and 5 on the non-boater side.
With 137 boats (I think), that makes 14 limits for 274 anglers. That should tell you how the Grand was fishing. I caught 9 fish all day and not one measured. All of the spots that were holding quality fish two weeks ago did not produce. I did every thing I could think of to get that one points fish. Alas it ws not to be. I zeroed and went from 29th in the points to 77th. Like a ton of bricks I fell to the bottom.
I will have to claw my way back at Erie.
I do not see them going to the Grand next year with numbers like that.
It really sucked!

 

[team houston]

I didn't know about the DQ's. I think that is just wrong. He did not say one way or the other at the meeting and that is his mistake not the anglers. If that was me I would be calling FLW outdoors and complaining. Even before that happened I already was of the opinion that our Tourny director sucks. Been fishing this organization for almost twenty years and he is the worst I have ever seen, by far.

 

[Curado Kev]

Also, didn't hear about the DQ's...From what you said, a lot of guys in the last flights got DQ'ed ?? Any idea how many ?? We were 137 of 137

but didn't trailer mainly because we launched down river a couple miles. That was the way to go , launching at 118th street.

I'm sure they will have it at the Grand again, because I know from friends who have fished in the past. These complaints and poor fishing always come up but it doesn't matter to them.

As far as the director, Team houston is right he should have said something. But when in doubt, ask somebody. Also, according to the guy I rode with, if we would have had the director from last couple of years. We would have launched at 7am like they did 2 years ago. That would have been UGLY !!!!!!

Ckev

 

[bassslayer]

I talked to this Director and he is just filling in and won't be here next year, and next year there might not be a Grand tournament they do not pick up enough anglers from that area, Erie and St Clair has the most to offer the fisherman. There has been discussions at the top about the Grand. Won't hurt my feelings to stay away from there.

 

[deadstick]

I saw at least 6 pairs get DQ'd and several other's going for bags then stopped after seeing the others DQ'd. The first boater that was informed of this rule had his limit and they let him weigh the fish but did not count them. I agree with everyone regarding the tournament director. Tournaments of this size should have everything covered. He was claiming that the two ladies in the check-in boat DID inform every boat that trailering was not allowed. He made this claim without even asking the two women. I know for sure they DID NOT mention that to us. We were just lucky.

As for the fishing, I don't see a problem with fishing the Grand. It is tough, but fishing isn't always going to be easy. Erie and St. Clair can spoil us fisherman. Not many lakes can put out the number of limits that those do.

 

[bassslayer]

---My reply back-----------------------------------------------------------------------------

Mike,

Thanks for informing us of your experience at the last BFL event in Grand Rivers. I am also sorry to hear it was not a good one.

I have talked to the Tournament Director (Mike ) about your complaint. I understand the problem and will give you a very good yet respectable answer to the situation.

As you know we follow the rules to the "letter". Our rules allow for priority entries that insure the boater and non-boaters are all given a chance to enter and fish the event as they themselves so choose. The signing up with a non-boater is the only way you are not to be paired with another boater. The rules are very plain in describing how it works.

You must both enter the event on the priority date to make this happen. If there are fewer non-boaters than boaters, then boat on boat pairings will occur. The boaters who sign up with a non-boater are always paired with a non-boater.

Again I am sorry for this bad experience. I hope your next event will be more enjoyable. Please call me at for more information.

FLW Tour Tournament Director

Director of Operations

 

[team houston]

The two ladies checking in boats did not tell us it was a trailered weigh in either. We got lucky because we talked about pulling out but found a spot on the bank. We were in the last flight 112.

 

[RK4BASSIN]

I pre-fished the Grand and was lucky to draw a boater who went to Lk.Michigan. As it turned out I took BIG BASS on the non-boater side and to my surprise 4th place also,WOW I was shocked !!!.
As for the weight-in ,If I`m not mistaken It states that weight-ins will be " beached" unless otherwised stated at the pre-meeting.I will look back to see where I read it at.
The "Grand" has not lived up to it`s name in years passed. I heard that next year all tournaments will be out of Elizabeth Park,anyone hearing the same?
I hope they re-consider,5 tournaments from the same launch would be a little boaring.......Maybe Traverse City?
There was one angler,who`s outboard blew up and he was leaking oil into the river system, SO he made his way back to the launch to pull his boat out,NOT to endanger the water system any more,and was DQ`d.
I`ve been fishing these for a bit of time and it does seem that there has been MORE ISSUES this year compaired to the past,anyone else see it? NOT pointing fingers,just listening to the fishermen as they come in,and hearing about ISSUES after the weight-in?

See ya all at the River
RK

 

[team houston]

Great results RK. Did you catch that smallie actually in Lake Michigan or one of the rivermouths leading to one of the other lakes.(Mona,White,Macatawa etc.)

 

[RK4BASSIN]

I caught the big one on Lk.Mich. we were on a break line that had some grass.

 

[JCOOPER]

The angler that had his motor blew up, was in one of my boats. I am the one that told him to remove his boat from the water- he did have a substantial amount of oil leaking into the water. I explained this to Mike Hale( director). He let him weight his fish but said the call we have to be his bosses. I asked him to inspect the motor for himself and he said he believed me but to email pics to him to show his boss. I called Mike sunday morning and he said that his boss said that the DQ has to stand. Mike said that he was going to talk to Charlie Evans about the matter. This morning Mike told me that Charlie agrees with the ruling. I explained to him that there are emergency exceptions to all rules. I have a call into Charlie to see if this truly was his call. It is championship week so I doubt this will ever go anywhere! I hope they truly understand that they lost and angler and a Ranger boat sale!

 

[DWC]

My Grand River experience was not very grand.

Fished one of the river bayous first thing in the morning and picked up one decent fish. On the way to plan 'B' (fishing laydowns in the river upstream from Riverside Park) I ran into a submerged log doing about 50mph.

This happened upstream from the ramp and islands, past the navigation bouys, middle of the river, in 4ft. of water. Hit hard enough to destroy the cylinder in my tilt and trim unit, but left the lower unit and prop in tact. Cowling survived impact with the back deck, but caused some good stress cracks. Have wood impacted in the holes in the nosecone on the lower unit. Brand new '04 Triton X Series, and 225 Opti....ouch!! Got on the trolling motor and made it back to the ramp o.k. Could have been alot worse I guess. Dumped my fish in the river, figuring I'm done for the season now. Yippee.

Josh....look for me on Monday. I'll be bringing it over to get the work started on it.

Doug

 

[bbass]

Yea I was confused about trailering fish I got DQ'd because there was now where to park on the bank after the two first flights came in and I also seen other people weight in trailered fish. I would have came in 7-th on the coangler and my partner would have placed ih the money on the boater side.The director should be replaced this is the second tournament that has had some confusion the first was with an extra fifteen minutes for weight in. Also at the Grand what difference would it make to offlimit an area on another body of water which he did,I really got pissed when I saw someone weight-in some trailered fish right after I got DQ'd andI protested to him (Mike Hale) I seen the guy say something to Mike right before he weight in. I will not be fishing the last two in the Mich. Div.. Director Mike Hale is the PITs!!!!!!! Bring back Ronnie Brinegar FLW or somebody who can give out good info intead of someone who asks for symphony for being a hillbilly from Kentucky!!!!!!!!!

 

[MadWags]

Hey!
How do you compliment a girl from Kentucky?
"Nice Tooth."