2017 AOTY Rule Suggestions - go for it

DO IT

I just accidentally voted for make sturgeon a required species and can't change it.  Either delete my vote and I'll try again, or make a note that there's one bad vote on there for making sturge required...  thx

I'd rather just swim with them.   

Gotta make a sturgeon a requirement! lol. I've been after them for 3 years and no bueno.  AOTY is for hardcore people. Nothing is more hardcore then freezing your Blls off to win. 

Thanks for setting up the poll Ben.  I think it'd be cool to add SUPs, as well as Nacimiento and Isabella.  The guys in "southern NorCal" are hampered by a lack of quality freshwater opportunities.

As cool as Pyramid Lake is, I don't think it should be added because 1) it's not in CA, and 2) there are so many 30+ inch trout in there that it'd make the scoring system lopsided, in which case Lahontans would need to be made into their own category so they don't make all the other trout in CA obsolete in terms of points.  Then if they were added as their own category, it'd throw off the current balance between fresh, salt, and anadromous species that currently exists.

Regarding sturgeon as a "necessary" catch: that would put anglers in the northern and southern extremes of NorCal at a severe disadvantage, and would heavily favor folks who live closer to the Bay/Delta area.  If we went that route, I'd suggest two additional species to be added to that "species required" list: Pacific halibut (for the northerners) and white seabass (for the southerners).  But do we really even want to do something like that?  I don't see how it would increase participation.  If anything, it'd just whittle down the competition to only those who live very close to sturgeon/Pac halibut/WSB fishing grounds who can put in the time and effort required to catch one of these fish.  IMO there shouldn't be any "required species" because it's basically saying that whoever is lucky enough to catch a slot-limit sized sturgeon is basically the winner for that year.  And how many sturgeon were recorded in AOTY these last few years?

Thanks for setting up the poll Ben.  I think it'd be cool to add SUPs, as well as Nacimiento and Isabella.  The guys in "southern NorCal" are hampered by a lack of quality freshwater opportunities.

As cool as Pyramid Lake is, I don't think it should be added because 1) it's not in CA, and 2) there are so many 30+ inch trout in there that it'd make the scoring system lopsided, in which case Lahontans would need to be made into their own category so they don't make all the other trout in CA obsolete in terms of points.  Then if they were added as their own category, it'd throw off the current balance between fresh, salt, and anadromous species that currently exists.

Regarding sturgeon as a "necessary" catch: that would put anglers in the northern and southern extremes of NorCal at a severe disadvantage, and would heavily favor folks who live closer to the Bay/Delta area.  If we went that route, I'd suggest two additional species to be added to that "species required" list: Pacific halibut (for the northerners) and white seabass (for the southerners).  But do we really even want to do something like that?  I don't see how it would increase participation.  If anything, it'd just whittle down the competition to only those who live very close to sturgeon/Pac halibut/WSB fishing grounds who can put in the time and effort required to catch one of these fish.  IMO there shouldn't be any "required species" because it's basically saying that whoever is lucky enough to catch a slot-limit sized sturgeon is basically the winner for that year.  And how many sturgeon were recorded in AOTY these last few years?

^^^This^^^

I like the current mix of fish.  Only want a couple lakes added for more opportunities to fish.  I won't be "competing" this year, but I will be participating

Josh

I noticed in the DOTY thread that the 20-species Pokemon "Gotta Catch em All" format was suggested for AOTY.  Can polls be edited to add something like this?  Or does a new poll need to be created?  I think it'd be great to hear some opinions on this, as it'd be a very dramatic change in format.

My own opinion on the Pokemon format: I'd have to give it more thought, but I'm kinda leaning towards 'no'.  It would be a different type of competition.  Instead of hunting for ten high-point-value (above 180) fish, someone could theoretically win with 17 "okay" sized fish, considering the rarity of sturgeon, Pac halibut, and WSB.  There'd be less incentive to track down those truly "big fish" in a given category, as you'd have to spend that big-fish hunting time chasing down "okay-sized" fish of other species.  Then if someone happened to nab one of those "rare" species (WSB, Pac hal, or sturgeon), then they've basically won unless the other competitors did the same.  Kinda wraps back around to that "sturgeon as a required catch" thing.

I noticed in the DOTY thread that the 20-species Pokemon "Gotta Catch em All" format was suggested for AOTY.  Can polls be edited to add something like this?  Or does a new poll need to be created?  I think it'd be great to hear some opinions on this, as it'd be a very dramatic change in format.

My own opinion on the Pokemon format: I'd have to give it more thought, but I'm kinda leaning towards 'no'.  It would be a different type of competition.  Instead of hunting for ten high-point-value (above 180) fish, someone could theoretically win with 17 "okay" sized fish, considering the rarity of sturgeon, Pac halibut, and WSB.  There'd be less incentive to track down those truly "big fish" in a given category, as you'd have to spend that big-fish hunting time chasing down "okay-sized" fish of other species.  Then if someone happened to nab one of those "rare" species (WSB, Pac hal, or sturgeon), then they've basically won unless the other competitors did the same.  Kinda wraps back around to that "sturgeon as a required catch" thing.

I think it would be fun though, maybe make it a second prize.  Like how ORC 2015 changed it up a bit and had 1st place go to single heaviest fish as usual, but 2nd place went to heaviest rockfish+lingcod+cabezon bag.  Think of it as a combination of rules where simply fishing rules=1st and albion rules=2nd.

IMO there shouldn't be any "required species" because it's basically saying that whoever is lucky enough to catch a slot-limit sized sturgeon is basically the winner for that year.  And how many sturgeon were recorded in AOTY these last few years?

We were really just doing that one for lip service.  with the vote the way it is, its pretty clear it won't happen.  the only ones that really still have a shot are adding Naci/Isabella and the SUP rule.  I think the SUP one is sort of a no-brainer personally.

If you throw the southern guys a bone with the extra lakes how about throwing us northern guys a bone and adding brookings harbor?  My preference would be neither, but if you give the lakes then how about brookings?

Please make rule suggestions for 2017. If you wanted to make a rule suggestion for 2016 then you should have done it before the beginning of 2016, dummie.

I think we all can agree that it is not a good thing to change the rules of the game after the game has started. If you disagree with the previous statement, then you can stick it in  your stupid poll. 


Sincerely,
Oligarch Marx

Please make rule suggestions for 2017. If you wanted to make a rule suggestion for 2016 then you should have done it before the beginning of 2016, dummie.

I think we all can agree that it is not a good thing to change the rules of the game after the game has started. If you disagree with the previous statement, then you can stick it in  your stupid poll. 


Sincerely,
Oligarch Marx

because everyone is running to get out on their SUP's right now

Brace yourself...

Please make rule suggestions for 2017. If you wanted to make a rule suggestion for 2016 then you should have done it before the beginning of 2016, dummie.

I think we all can agree that it is not a good thing to change the rules of the game after the game has started. If you disagree with the previous statement, then you can stick it in  your stupid poll. 


Sincerely,
Oligarch Marx

 

 

Please make rule suggestions for 2017. If you wanted to make a rule suggestion for 2016 then you should have done it before the beginning of 2016, dummie.

I think we all can agree that it is not a good thing to change the rules of the game after the game has started. If you disagree with the previous statement, then you can stick it in  your stupid poll. 


Sincerely,
Oligarch Marx

I agree with ATD.
Some people already paid & started so for lets discuss as 2017...

Good luck everyone!

Please make rule suggestions for 2017. If you wanted to make a rule suggestion for 2016 then you should have done it before the beginning of 2016, dummie.

I think we all can agree that it is not a good thing to change the rules of the game after the game has started. If you disagree with the previous statement, then you can stick it in  your stupid poll. 


Sincerely,
Oligarch Marx

I agree with ATD.
Some people already paid & started so for lets discuss as 2017...

Good luck everyone!

True, true.  But I don't see how adding SUPs is going to change anything to the detriment of those who have already started fishing. None of the other things should happen, but SUPs seem fine.  Am I missing something?