What is the spirit of AOTY?

keep the entry fee, take out all the prizes....

Then it will just be about angling.

 

I agree with Steve except keep the prizes and just raffle them off to all that pay $50, you would raise a lot more $$$
AOTY has been litered with controversy from the first year and with more people it will just get worse. If you think there is nothing shady going on in AOTY then you are living in a Dream World

keep the entry fee, take out all the prizes....

Then it will just be about angling.

 

I agree with Steve except keep the prizes and just raffle them off to all that pay $50, you would raise a lot more $$$
AOTY has been litered with controversy from the first year and with more people it will just get worse. If you think there is nothing shady going on in AOTY then you are living in a Dream World

I have joined AOTY for a few years now, and if I believed the last statement for even a second I would not only quit AOTY, but also have to leave NCKA for ever.
This is about respect and honor of yourself and your fellow anglers. For crying out loud, the picture was not acceptable (Sorry ATD) But they figured with a reputable witness it was worth a shot. I'm sure the committee will make their difficult decision and either way I will be happy with it, and I would expect that decision to be made not only on the photo, but also on the honor of those involved (Bad photo / Respectable anglers = Tough decision )
If you honestly don't trust those you compete against than maybe this is not for you. As for having a public discussion lasting several pages ... Bad Form 
I for one would be happy if the mods locked this, and let those who need to be involved hash out any issues.

Eric maybe my words were a little strong and I think Adams fish is what he said but he knew it didn't meet the rules that's why he posted this up and I commend him for doing so, but you really think no one has ever fudged a measurement or bent/broke a rule?

I honestly believe that if we look for the bad you can find it everywhere.
I'm sure some rules have been broken, but not with intent.
As I stated, a compitition is about having respect for the compitition and honoring the victorious.
If we loose this than we have nothing.
ATD's picture is not acceptable ... it does not show a true measurement ....
But he has credible wittnesses that will vouch for it.
I will accept it either way and I respect the decision that will be made.
Again, this is a matter for the mods and the anglers involved to hash out, not ours.

Way to moderate a thread Mike!   

Come on Jim.  Mods have opinions too, and they certainly are free to express them.

-Allen

keep the entry fee, take out all the prizes....

Then it will just be about angling.

 

I agree with Steve except keep the prizes and just raffle them off to all that pay $50, you would raise a lot more $$$
AOTY has been litered with controversy from the first year and with more people it will just get worse. If you think there is nothing shady going on in AOTY then you are living in a Dream World

If the 'prizes' for 1st thru 10th were ragged pieces of plywood with the numerals hand painted on there would still be people fishing and having fun trying to best their NCKA buddies. People occasionally, or once only, taking less than perfect pictures are not assumed to be 'shady'. Imperfect pics are going to happen prizes or not. But I guess it's just too easy for people that are not involved with AOTY in any way to make disparaging remarks about those of us that are.

I don't think Joel, Chuck, Sean, Patrick, Allen/02B, or John are or have done anything 'shady'. I don't think Allen/PP, Sonny, or myself are 'shady'. And I don't think any of the people that have signed up to play this or any year are 'shady'.
 
I strongly disagree with & resent the above statement regarding AOTY or the people that join being 'shady' in any way, shape, or form. And I bet I'm not the only one who doesn't appreciate the nonconstructive slander. If you give an inflammatory opinion you should expect to be questioned for it. jim

There's been only one obviously shady fish in the history of AOTY, and that was also a sturgeon.  But we all know that guy is notorious for trying to skirt the system and cheat!  Good thing that he doesn't seem to compete in the tourney anymore, otherwise we'd probably get these type of posts every other week about the crazy shit he's trying to pull off to get some sort of 4th place tote bag or something.

One note to Adam - nice fish buddy!  Ignore the h8ers.

Wow... this thread is still rolling?! I looked at the picture and Know both Adam and Rob to be competitive. They also have always called it strait as far as I know. I don't think for one minute Rob or Adam would cheat... (or allow one or the other to do so) I like to watch the pictures as they are posted and marvel at the beautiful, Large, fish we have in Nor cal. Just like a football pool, it is great reward added to an already good excuse to fish. I've looked at many of the pictures posted, a lot of them are cheats... Mouth open 1/4 to 1/2 inch stretch of measure. If it comes down to inches in the competition the participants/moderators can compare and decide. If we truly want to catch photo and release, Stressing the fish just to get a picture, should be avoided. Remove the species from AOTY rather than kill a 10 to 100 yr old fish. Just for a clear picture... Their measurement is ok by me and I trust them both. I'm not a Moderator or a current competitor so take my rant at face value as it is just another opinion....
 

There's been only one obviously shady fish in the history of AOTY, and that was also a sturgeon.  But we all know that guy is notorious for trying to skirt the system and cheat!  Good thing that he doesn't seem to compete in the tourney anymore, otherwise we'd probably get these type of posts every other week about the crazy shit he's trying to pull off to get some sort of 4th place tote bag or something.

One note to Adam - nice fish buddy!  Ignore the h8ers.

lolersk8ts

I used to enter, just to donate to the site-could never get my act together enough to actually take photos. I don't anymore...mostly because I see this thing as a competition now, and not as a way to support the site.
That makes me profoundly sad.

Salty you echoed what I was trying to point out: "if the 'prizes' for 1st thru 10th were ragged pieces of plywood with the numerals hand painted on there would still be people fishing and having fun trying to best their NCKA buddies."

I totally agree. And i think there would be a very different "spitit".  Try it next year, raffle off all the prizes, and give ragged plywood to the winners....you will almost certainly get an entirely different set of competitors.

I'm really late in this, and don't really feel qualified to weigh in, but, to the original question, I joined the AOTY last year to actually win something.  I am a young, poor fisherman with not much to my name and I would really enjoy a new kayak.  Ive fished my whole life and will continue to do so until I can no longer walk.  AOTY offers me motivation to explore new places and fish for new species of fish and that's enough for me.  I don't know many people on ncka yet, but I trust people to do the right thing and be honest.  If not, it'll make it that much better when I beat em. Lol. Just kidding.  I look at it kind of like golf, I'm just trying to beat the course (the water) and lower my handicap (catch new personal bests)

I'm really late in this, and don't really feel qualified to weigh in, but...

Based on what you said, i'd say you're qualified - and wise enough -to weigh in...
After joining AOTY, I've caught FIVE (5) new aoty species, am motivated to learn new fishing methods and am trying to be a well-rounded angler.  Btw, I love the golf comparison.  While my goals are personal, I enjoy the the competition and who wouldn't like to win a Hobie! I want a Revo to complement my Sport and Adventure.  Fish on gents, b/c that's who we are.

Peace 2 U

Please stop the "nonconstructive" posts and restrain saying things that we'll regret later.

Seriously brothers. The thing that makes this site AWESOmE is that this site doesn't have a bunch of bickering.

You all are better than that.
And thanks for being cool.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

I used to enter, just to donate to the site-could never get my act together enough to actually take photos. I don't anymore...mostly because I see this thing as a competition now, and not as a way to support the site.
That makes me profoundly sad.

Salty you echoed what I was trying to point out: "if the 'prizes' for 1st thru 10th were ragged pieces of plywood with the numerals hand painted on there would still be people fishing and having fun trying to best their NCKA buddies."

I totally agree. And i think there would be a very different "spitit".  Try it next year, raffle off all the prizes, and give ragged plywood to the winners....you will almost certainly get an entirely different set of competitors.

Steve, I would rather have people sign up to fish and have fun competing then have AOTY turn into a big raffle.  AOTY is about the fishing and a year long journey to see who catches the biggest fish in each species, who makes the top ten, and who goes on to become the Angler Of The Year. And of course the $ pays for the servers etc. And from the beginning it has been a competition. All those things are more important to those of us that sign up every year. If the promise of a 'raffle prize' is the only thing that will get some of the ten individuals that chimed in on this thread, but won't sign up for AOTY, to join then maybe AOTY is better off without those that either don't understand or don't really care about it. Maybe NCKA should allow those individuals that don't care for AOTY but want to support NCKA to do so without having their names added to AOTY? Maybe then people that don't like & join AOTY will stop commenting on and offering their advice on how to change it to suit them. Apparently AOTY isn't for everybody. jim