2015 AOTY/DOTY suggestions

But u dont say anything about adding oregon when thats not even Cal waters? Lol

If the idea is to bring more people into the competition by expanding the area covered, who gives a rat if its in "Cal waters"?  As pointed out, SLO is closer to Mexico than to Oregon, so its hardly "Nor Cal".  In addition, you are advocating a pretty broad expansion of species by going that far south.  Going north of the CA border for a whole 10 miles doesn't add any new species but it makes the field a bit more level by giving us far northern guys more than 5 months to fish for RCG without having to travel 4 hours+ each way.

All I'm suggesting is that if the southern guys are thrown a bone with lake nacimiento it would be fair to throw us one too since your RCG season is damn near twice as long as ours plus you have broad freshwater options that we do not have here and have to travel the 3.5 hours to clear lake or shasta anyway.

Its in the interest of fairness.

It takes me 4 hours to get to the coast, so how do I benefit from expansion? If everyone gets something they want it will get so complicated thg this whole thing will be a big fn mess leave it alone.

The more we talk about it the more I am leaning toward leaving it alone.

It's kinda fun watching the "new" AOTY committees come around. Like we haven't talked about this many times before.  And for every action there is a re-action.

Expand the boundaries and someone who lives near the old ones are made happy.  But then someone else is now included within the new boundaries, but they are then at the edge of the boundaries, and will want them expanded.  The lines are drawn for a reason, the rules we have are there for a reason.  They have evolved over a long time, and for the most part have settled on something that seems to more or less work.

-Allen

Gee. Lets open up Nevada too. Its real close to Tahoe.

Gee. Lets open up Nevada too. Its real close to Tahoe.

I like that idea my 33" Pyramid Cutt would be huge points  Really its not even in Nevada its on a reservation so at least allow it

Gee. Lets open up Nevada too. Its real close to Tahoe.

I like that idea my 33" Pyramid Cutt would be huge points  Really its not even in Nevada its on a reservation so at least allow it

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Just some thoughts from a past AOTY angler.
The boundaries were set to help establish an area fair to all as "Nor-Cal". Changing the boundaries would change the whole "Nor-Cal" ideal. Sure, adding more area would increase interest, but at what cost, and to what extent should it be changed?
Leave it as a "Nor-Cal" event and less will be displaced.
If you want to gain more participation within the established boundaries, consider rethinking the rules that may harm the fish we care about (endangered species targeted, over handling fish for a photo, etc.). Make it a more conscience event, and more may participate.
I know I'm no longer active with the AOTY, but these are some of the reasons I (and some others) have decided against participating.
;0)

Just some thoughts from a past AOTY angler.
The boundaries were set to help establish an area fair to all as "Nor-Cal". Changing the boundaries would change the whole "Nor-Cal" ideal. Sure, adding more area would increase interest, but at what cost, and to what extent should it be changed?
Leave it as a "Nor-Cal" event and less will be displaced.
If you want to gain more participation within the established boundaries, consider rethinking the rules that may harm the fish we care about (endangered species targeted, over handling fish for a photo, etc.). Make it a more conscience event, and more may participate.
I know I'm no longer active with the AOTY, but these are some of the reasons I (and some others) have decided against participating.
;0)

What endangered species are targeted as part of AOTY?  AOTY only allows entries of species that would be legal to keep.  Unjust statements like "endangered species targeted" is a slippery slope that only serves those that wish to shut competitions down.  I would not throw it around lightly.  The line that AOTY has drawn is to default to CDFG regulations in determining the legality of target species.  After that, all statements are purely subjective.  When in doubt, we've erred to our conservative interpretation of the intent of the laws.  If there is something specific we're missing with those interpretations, please let us know where with real examples instead of generalized statements.

-Allen

The irony is palpable.

The irony is palpable.

?

-Allen

One way to limit handling of a fish you want to release but want to measure per AOTY rules would be to use a fish cradle, similar to the ones used by musky anglers.  They can also be built with some PVC pipe, foam insulation, canvas, and a ruler (I used one for my senior project working with wild steelhead).  You can measure the fish while the fish remains in the water inside the cradle, and handling is very minimal.  When you're done, just tilt the cradle forward and the fish swims off.

A cradle could be a good option for those who are uncomfortable with putting fish on the usual measuring board.  But I don’t see how forcing such a rule upon everyone would increase participation.  Furthermore, how would those rules even be enforced?  The only pictures we see of fish are when they’re on a measuring board.  We never know how the fish was handled before it was put on the board.

The irony is palpable.

?

-Allen

Compare yakhopper's reaction to a sleight in a recent thread here:

http://www.norcalkayakanglers.com/index.php?topic=61166.msg686795#msg686795

To his casual accusation of NCKA and AOTY as a whole encouraging and engaging in the illegal targeting of endangered species in this thread a week later.

If he was in the right last week he's way way out of line today. That's the irony.

Wow,
Glad we are all adults here?
Lets be clear about things ...
I never said or implied that anyone was targeting illegal species, I only suggested that we rethink the rules ... the basis for this thread. I implied that some species targeted are endangered (or at least threatened)
http://www.nmfs.noaa.gov/pr/species/fish/chinooksalmon.htm
it amazes me that a question can be openly asked for input and if we answer with our opinion, we are frowned upon if our opinion is different. Why ask for opinions if they are not welcome?
Just because CDFW allows limited take, does not mean that the fish is indeed thriving.

Wow,
Glad we are all adults here?
Lets be clear about things ...
I never said or implied that anyone was targeting illegal species, I only suggested that we rethink the rules ... the basis for this thread. I implied that some species targeted are endangered (or at least threatened)
http://www.nmfs.noaa.gov/pr/species/fish/chinooksalmon.htm
it amazes me that a question can be openly asked for input and if we answer with our opinion, we are frowned upon if our opinion is different. Why ask for opinions if they are not welcome?
Just because CDFW allows limited take, does not mean that the fish is indeed thriving.

I didn't frown upon it.  I expressed a different opinion.

And you did state that people may be targeting endangered species (you did not say threatened), the targeting of which would be illegal.

Since you bring up Chinook, which ESU exactly are you inferring that NCKA participants are targeting.  I'll make the claim that no one is targeting the Sac Winter runs that are endangered.  So what other endangered ESU's do you believe people are targeting?

Let's move past the generalized statements here and move on to nuts and bolts.

-Allen

Why ask for opinions if they are not welcome?

BTW, I did not ask the question here, nor do I tell the AOTY guys what to do.  It's BigJim's show.  I'm just stating some perspective from years past, that established the foundation upon which current rules are based.

-Allen

Eric,

All opinions are welcome and considered.

The committee members and myself are reviewing this thread and then discussing and voting on ideas and possible changes for 2015.

We have a seperate forum set up to allow us to do this...see attached screenshots.

Thank you all for your input!!

 

Sincerely,

Jim

Regarding Junior AOTY, I realize that it could get very complicated but, I suspect some of our younger ones will not be fishing salt and are kids under 10 going head to head with the big kids? I don't suggest we need to wussyify it, I just want to have some idea of how old my kid might need to be to enjoy it