Future AOTY Suggestion: Total Species Points

Maybe you should require a video of the fish being caught, measured and released.   

tube.com/watch?v=EoKe7il6VUg#ws]www.youtube.com/watch?v=EoKe7il6VUg

LOL @ 12:58 "You gotta get oriented to the ocean then you gotta doc-u-men-tate!!!" 

Maybe you should require a video of the fish being caught, measured and released.   

tube.com/watch?v=EoKe7il6VUg#ws]www.youtube.com/watch?v=EoKe7il6VUg

LOL @ 12:58 "You gotta get oriented to the ocean then you gotta doc-u-men-tate!!!" 

That's ORIENTATED!!  ya oakie!   

I am just an outsider looking in here, as I don't participate in the AOTY.  To be honest I understand Roughsters revelation, that the AOTY doesn't seem like fun.  I say that because I have seen these threads pop up every year I have been on the sight, and besides the whole "pot-gate" thread the other day, they are often the most contentious and unfriendly threads on a board that is normally amazingly diplomatic.  I understand Pole's feelings as well, that you shouldn't have to create rules for the lowest common denominator.  Unfortunately everyday life has taught me that the world is full of jackasses.  It is for that reason that there are so many lawyers, and the law is so overly wordy.  This is just my opinion, and it really doesn't matter as I have no dog in this fight, but I think an outsiders perspective could be helpful.  Terms like "slightly ajar" mean different things to different people.  The guy who thinks it means "slightly" more "slightly ajar" if it gains him a competitive advantage is most likely one of the jackasses with which the world is full of.  If I was king of the world I would say: Must use sanctioned device... Mouth closed, gills closed, lip against device, fish straight against device, clear photographic evidence of measurement...  if any one of those criteria are not met, the entry is invalid.  Period, tough luck buttercup.  If you can't manage to take a good picture of the fish... tough crap.  If your camera sucks, you should have saved the $40 entry fee and applied it to purchasing new camera.  If it is too dark, learn to use your flash, or tough crap.  If your ethics regarding the fish's health prevent you from retaining the fish long enough to get a good picture then so be it... money and ethics usually fail to find common ground anyway.  The prize, is you get to feel good about your ethics.  Again none of this really matters to me, other than I hate to see otherwise good people treat eachother like crap over prizes.  The world is all about shades of grey... rules, on the other hand, cannot be afforded that luxury.  You can't bitch and moan if you fail to follow rules that are without question black and white.  Sorry if I have offended anyone... but this whole thing has become repetitive and kinda sad.

If I was king of the world I would say: Must use sanctioned device... Mouth closed, gills closed, lip against device, fish straight against device, clear photographic evidence of measurement...  if any one of those criteria are not met, the entry is invalid.  Period, tough luck buttercup.  If you can't manage to take a good picture of the fish... tough crap.  If your camera sucks, you should have saved the $40 entry fee and applied it to purchasing new camera.  If it is too dark, learn to use your flash, or tough crap.  If your ethics regarding the fish's health prevent you from retaining the fish long enough to get a good picture then so be it... money and ethics usually fail to find common ground anyway.  The prize, is you get to feel good about your ethics.  Again none of this really matters to me, other than I hate to see otherwise good people treat eachother like crap over prizes.  The world is all about shades of grey... rules, on the other hand, cannot be afforded that luxury.  You can't bitch and moan if you fail to follow rules that are without question black and white.

I agree whole-heartedly with your sentiments... & that's pretty much the rules for DOTY.
We don't have to worry about CPR fish, so the rules are straightforward - which makes things a lot easier.

CPR tends to complicate things.   

Why not an official NCKA hog trough available through the site that goes up to 48"?  All fish to be photographed on the official trough. 

I'm looking forward to entering AOTY next year for the added challenge of hunting specific fish. 

Why not an official NCKA hog trough available through the site that goes up to 48"?  All fish to be photographed on the official trough. 

I'm looking forward to entering AOTY next year for the added challenge of hunting specific fish. 

I was thinking something along these lines when I mentioned a sanctioned device.  It would be a onetime purchase for first timers, built into the entry price.  They could be purchased through one of the members shops as well... which would be a boon for them.

Why not an official NCKA hog trough available through the site that goes up to 48"?  All fish to be photographed on the official trough. 

I'm looking forward to entering AOTY next year for the added challenge of hunting specific fish.

If someone could source one... I'm sure a ton of NCKA'ers would be all over it. 

Plano makes a telescopic trough that goes from 18" - 36" and floats.  I have one, and it is pretty cool, and doesn't get in the way when it is collapsed.  Longer would be better I know... but the idea is perfect.

AOTY used to be more about "bragging right" but since the top prizes are getting "bigger" it seems to be one of the "root" causes here.  I wonder if we have "smaller" prizes would we have same problem?  For me, the main reason to join the AOTY is to support the site, if I happen to win a prize, that would be the icing on the cake 

Why not an official NCKA hog trough available through the site that goes up to 48"?

I think most guys use the Hawg Trough because they were given away as part of the free AOTY swag a few yrs ago. Maybe some guys are still usin their troughs from 2008. But I broke 2 of those things already...they're kinda flimsy. It w/b awesome if we could get some longer & more durable measuring devices for AOTY. I currently have a Hawg Trough & Rapala folding board. But I would totally buy an official NCKA trough...or pay an extra $5-10 bucks on top of my AOTY entry fee.

We call them "Hawg Troughs" and have been around and used here for AOTY since '08?
If you have fish longer than 31", then you'll need some type of extension.

If complaining about rules, that are very clear, is your thing, then by all means, don't enter next year.......plain&simple right? 

AOTY is also a good reason to get together with your brothers&sisters at the annual AOTY Celebration Ceremony for good times and good food.

Let me share a few more thoughts with you all.

I fully believe that the "rule complainers" far outweigh the "rule violators" and the complaining is the bigger issue.  There seems to be this perception that there is an issue.  I spent some time looking through the entries that we've DQ'd this year.  Almost all had nothing to do with the rules not being clear.  When brought to the attention of the contestant, the responses were often times along the lines of "I know it wasn't a great pic, I just entered it to see what you'd say because I didn't have any better ones.  Sorry about that".  It wasn't a matter of rule clarity.  It was a matter of contestants hoping their obviously bad pictures would somehow make the cut.

There are very few cases (none?) that a contestant has disputed the ruling in any way that has to do with the rules being unclear.

-Allen

A few complaints I've heard are from those who think that committee members should not be allowed to compete. Is there any consideration for that?

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A few complaints I've heard are from those who think that committee members should not be allowed to compete. Is there any consideration for that?

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Could you share any details on why?  And/or any examples?

If it's an issue, obviously we'd like to address it.

I'd like to propose a new rule - the members who complain the most about AOTY issues in 2012 are automatically assigned to the AOTY committee for 2013.