Today history was made for float tubers in California. After jumping through many hoops as President of the Sonoma County Belly Boat Bass Club I would like to personally let you all in on some breaking news.

For all the float tubers and kick boaters attending this weekends SCBBBC State Classic at Clear Lakes State Park. You might like to know that if you planned on running, I have some news for you. You will be doing it totally legally as we have the first ever permit for transporting live game fish while fishing the 2006 State Classic. You read it write. You can run this year if you have the following set-up. 1ST you must have no less then a 48 quart ice chest, ( Coleman / Igloo ) You must have a 500 Gallons Per Hour pump(GPH) circulating the water in your live-well at all times. You must have Rejuvenate Bassmeds in your water at all times. You must have ice if the weather permits it. The fish can not be left in your running live well while you are in your boat fishing. You will not be able to run with a plastic tote of any kind what so ever.

If you show up and do not have these specific requirements you will not be allowed to run.

For those who do not plan on running be sure your live wells are up to the standards listed in the SCBBBC rules. If your live wells are not up to our standards you will not be able to attend the event.

This is huge for our sport and just one on a few other hurdles I plan on jumping for all of us in the float tube world.
If you have any questions please call me.

Rich
707-494-4093

P.S. We will also have the release boat there for each day.

It is cool that we can be leagal, but I think the timing is bad. Apparently we can't use our live well, even the people that use an ice chest aren't 48 qt. So we need to buy and destroy a 50$ ice chest, a 40$ pump and construct a live well from them in the next three days? What about the people that are car pooling? They have to fit 2 kickboats 2 livewells and 2 transport wells and all the rest? Forgive me but this is a load of crap. I think we all appreciate your lobbies on our behalf, and I want live fish just as much as the next guy, but some of the requirements are too stringent, and the time frame is way way too close to the tournament. What about those people that don't come to this web site; they are going to find out there that the rules have changed? There are going to be some mighty unhappy folks STUCK in the park. I think I would rather do it illeagaly! Sorry I'm not trying to be a jerk I just think there should be a level playing field. This will only benefit those people that have extra time, extra money, and extra room which I don't have. Am I wrong???????

That is way cool! Wish I could be there!

Buzzfish

I have allot of questions since I'm very new to this. What do i need for an actual live well? Can I just use a large mesh bag and drag it? I have not constructed any sort of ice chest live well yet so am I going to be allowed to fish with just a mesh drag bag? What does it actually mean to run? If you don’t run what do you do?...stay in the launch? Can I drag my bag as I move spot to spot? Since I’m fishing from a kayak does anyone have any suggestions for me to be legal and allowed to fish? I know these questions are very jumbled I’m just unclear as to what I need to fish legally. Thank you in advance for all your help.

Justin
(408)892-2575

Thats awsome rich!! I know there have been numerous debates on this issue and I'm glad you guys got that on the permit.I know it must have been alot of your time and effort to get dfg to do this.
Thanks for the hard work and although I'm missing this one I think it's a big step for the sport.
Swampy

Thanks Rich for the phone call! I appreciate you taking time out of you day to call and answer my questions. I look forward to meeting you on Friday and fishing with both clubs this weekend.

Justin

I'll bring my extra live well for you to use, it's the same as gordon has on his yak, if you check out his pic the live well is right behind the seat. You will just need a bubbler to supply the oxegen for the fishes, Wallmart sells them.

DM

This may not be a popular opinion but I don't think is a step in the right direction for tournament kickboat fishing and I'm surprised DFG issued the permit. There will be guys who know how to handle fish and bring in 5 alive with no problems transporting them by vehicle. But there will also be guys who are newer to the sport and don't have the fish handling skills to successfully bring their fish in to the weigh in in a condition that ensures they will survive.

If there's a guy who has a hard time handling catches a bass, pins it with a bouy, drags it around in a mesh bag all day, pulls it out 6 or 8 hours later, puts it in a different livewell with no fresh water intake and drives it around in the back of a truck, this is a recipie for dead fish. I'm not questioning anyone's intentions, I believe everyone in both clubs wants to see all the fish released healthy at the end of the day, but I don't see this as a victory for tournament kickboat fishing.

-Rob

Can we still use our follow me livewell , coz if not I don't think I have time and money to make this new livewell thing, otherwise have fun guys, it took me whole day to make one to meet the criteria of my follow me livewell, I hope its still allowed.. Let me know please thank you..

The LightTackleMeister

Darius, yes you can still use a follow me bag! the 12 gallon livewell rule is for those that choose to leave the blast off area and drive in their trucks to another place on the same lake to fish! Most people will not run and just fish state park!

www.scbbbc.com

Its my understanding that the only livewell changes are in reference to the livewell used in the truck to get fish back to weigh in. It has nothing to do with the livewell on your kickboat.

>This may not be a popular opinion but I don't think is a step
>in the right direction for tournament kickboat fishing and I'm
>surprised DFG issued the permit. There will be guys who know
>how to handle fish and bring in 5 alive with no problems
>transporting them by vehicle. But there will also be guys who
>are newer to the sport and don't have the fish handling skills
>to successfully bring their fish in to the weigh in in a
>condition that ensures they will survive.

As long as the newer people are educated on how to handle the fish and they have the right equipment there should be no problems,it`s really not difficult.
>
>If there's a guy who has a hard time handling catches a bass,
>pins it with a bouy, drags it around in a mesh bag all day,
>pulls it out 6 or 8 hours later, puts it in a different
>livewell with no fresh water intake and drives it around in
>the back of a truck, this is a recipie for dead fish.

What exactly is a hard time handling a bass to you?It`s pretty cut and dry,weigh-it,pin it,put it in the livewell just like you would if you were in a boat.Very few runners use mesh bags these days they are mostly out of the water livewells with recirculating systems.Speaking of recirculating systems that is the requirement for the transportation livewell.This as you know oxygenates the water,along with bass meds the fish will get to the weigh-in and be able to wait out the weighing process with the fish healthy and ready for the waiting release boat.


I'm not
>questioning anyone's intentions, I believe everyone in both
>clubs wants to see all the fish released healthy at the end of
>the day, but I don't see this as a victory for tournament
>kickboat fishing.

Dude this is a huge victory whether you want to admidt it or not.There`ll be no more dead fish then usual,as a matter of fact with the requirements that have been implemented it should bring down the fish fatalities.We`ve done everything in our power to insure the fish are released unharmed,people will have to be responsible from this point on.
Bill

http://www.bassanglerprofiles.com/billsweatt.htm

I just don't understand why you guys would go out of your way to make something legal that in my mind is bad for the fish. As tournament fishermen I believe that the well being of the fish should be a very important concern in any tournament and this rule signals to me that you guys care more about the competition than you do about the fish.

If you want to debate about whether running is bad for the fish or not we can talk about the tournaments that I have been to personally over the past 7 years where I saw fish brought by truck to the weigh ins and saw very clearly that these fish were more stressed, more injured, and in many cases just outright dead. If you want to turn a blind eye to the red tails and red fins, the scratched and whitened eyeballs, and the fish that "swim" away afterward with certainty of death, so be it.

I just can't justify tournament fishing when it starts to come at the expense of the fish. I just don't care that much about the money.

>I just don't understand why you guys would go out of your way
>to make something legal that in my mind is bad for the
>fish. As tournament fishermen I believe that the well being
>of the fish should be a very important concern in any
>tournament and this rule signals to me that you guys care more
>about the competition than you do about the fish.
>
>If you want to debate about whether running is bad for the
>fish or not we can talk about the tournaments that I have been
>to personally over the past 7 years where I saw fish brought
>by truck to the weigh ins and saw very clearly that these fish
>were more stressed, more injured, and in many cases just
>outright dead. If you want to turn a blind eye to the red
>tails and red fins, the scratched and whitened eyeballs, and
>the fish that "swim" away afterward with certainty of death,
>so be it.
>
>I just can't justify tournament fishing when it starts to come
>at the expense of the fish. I just don't care that much about
>the money.

So now it goes from the novice fish handler to we`re to competitive,lol.JEEZ dude your reaching for the negative aspect of things as usual and quite frankly your not doing a very good job.Like I said before there`s regulations on running now where there wasnt before this alone will make a big difference.I fish tournaments as well btw,and these fish will be taken care of as good if not better.I dont know how many times I`ve come to a boat weigh-in and seen all 5 fish dead because they forgot to put there running switch on or had there livewell drains open.Some of these anglers that I`ve seen this happen to are very reputable as well.I know they care about the fish not only for the health of the fish but they also get penalized for the dead fish as well,just like if it were to happen to ANY of us.And also keep in mind these fish were transporting are kept in bigger livewells in most cases,and there not dealing with the pounding of the water against the hull of a boat at 60mph so the stress factor your implying is no different than in a boat tourney.What else ya got dude?Not quite sure why your always busting our balls but I guess there`s always going to be people like that no matter what you do in life.Have a nice day
:7

http://www.bassanglerprofiles.com/billsweatt.htm

Ahh Rob's not being too negative and generally doesn't have that point of view anyway. He's just stating his opinion on the issue. Come on, I'm the one that is the negativeb individual, usually ;)

Since I'll be at the California state federation classic I won't be attending so I'll save my questions for later, which at this moment would be deemed, I guess negatively.

one question though for guys that choose to run, does it have to be rejuvanate or can one use please release me, cause I do fish with you guys a few events a year and I use please release me for all my fish doping needs.

I do want to give Rich a good job on advocating for tubers with the DFG to treat us as they do other tourney orgs, but I think rob does also make good points about fish mortality issues and shouldn't be written off as just being negative with no basis for his posts.

cz

>Ahh Rob's not being too negative and generally doesn't have
>that point of view anyway. He's just stating his opinion on
>the issue. Come on, I'm the one that is the negativeb
>individual, usually ;)
>
>Since I'll be at the California state federation classic I
>won't be attending so I'll save my questions for later, which
>at this moment would be deemed, I guess negatively.
>
>one question though for guys that choose to run, does it have
>to be rejuvanate or can one use please release me, cause I do
>fish with you guys a few events a year and I use please
>release me for all my fish doping needs.
>
>I do want to give Rich a good job on advocating for tubers
>with the DFG to treat us as they do other tourney orgs, but I
>think rob does also make good points about fish mortality
>issues and shouldn't be written off as just being negative
>with no basis for his posts.

There you are you negative bass turd,lol! Please release me is fine any bass meds will be acceptable.Robs concerns are valid I agree.I think to say that this isnt a breakthough to the sport of kickboat fishing is invalid though.We all have our opinions and that is cool this is a good place to get them in the open.We can probably debate the mortality issue forever but the bottom line is if everybody acts responsibly all the fish will be released unharmed.I respect Robs opinions he`s a very knowledgable guy but in this particular case I thought it was worthy of a discussion.:7 Good luck this weekend Chris are ya coming to the raffle?

http://www.bassanglerprofiles.com/billsweatt.htm

I may try and swing by, I don't know if there is anything saturday evening for our event as well, but who wouldn't want a trip with Jimmy reese that is a cool raffle prize. good luck out there and don't get in a tissy fellas when you see my big ass over by state park if I can talk my boater into hitting up a few favorite spots for this time of year :+

cz

Wow, great points to all. Rob, thanks for all the great info. I will do every thing I can to educate and protect these fish as I have since I started this club. I understand where your coming from and respect it 100%. I wish I could make every one happy, but it just doesn't work that way. I do know now that we are not breaking any laws now and it makes me feel great. Now we will be taking the next steps and that is to educate every float tuber that fish's these tournament. We will always need your input to help us become the best clubs around. This has always been a learning process for me and our members. Next year you will see new rules for all live wells. Not just the traveling wells. Only anglers without the use of Oars will be alowed to have any kind of follow-me bags. Next year all live-wells will have to meet the same requirments as the traveling live-well. We won't be alow just bubblers next season. We are totally focused and commited on the wellbeing of these little green dudes, you have my word on it Rob.
Thanks
Rich

It was brought to my attention that I was a little harsh in my last post. Again, Rich, your hard work on our behalf is awesome, and in the long run these new restictions are going to be bennificial to the fish by forcing fishermen to have addequate livewells/transportation. Rob has a vallid point, but I think he needs to consider that regulating the livewells is probably the only way to improve fish mortality, and now it is leagal.

Yoe Jeremy
I am sorry about the short notice with these requirements. I have no choice but to have this go down as it is. I wish I too could have more notice on all of this. This came straight out from left feild this past Friday evening. All I knew this past weekend was that this weekends tournament was going to be canceled. This all changed Monday morning as I started the phone calls. Many many phone calls and long conversations with the write people at Fish & Game. I laid all my cards on the table and this is the hand the was delt to us. Jeremy, I had to take it and run. I did all I possably can to notify every one. I have to deal with the few to make it great for all of us in the long run. Once again, sorry for the short notice.
Rich

P.S. Only one limit in each live-well.

hey Rich,

I agree with you, education is very important. I should re-emphasize that I don't think that anyone in either club has bad intentions when it comes to the well being of the fish. My point, and its a hard one to make here in writing, is that I feel like letting people run creates a situation that is likely to have a negative outcome for the fish. Its not because the people in the tournament want to kill fish but in the heat of the competition, this rule (in my opinion) creates situations where the health of the fish may become secondary to the desire to bring in the biggest bag of fish by driving to one or more spots during the day to fish.

I think kickboat fishing has a bright future but I also know that with the added growth and participation in the sport, more eyeballs will be trained our way. I can guarantee you that big name west coast fishermen read this forum on a regular basis and use it as an information source because they can get good reports and information on major tournament venues like Clear Lake and the Delta. We should all be aware of that. I also know that we all want to be respected for our fishing skills, regardless of our fishing platform, but as kickboaters and tubers we just have to accept the reality that we have to hold ourselves to a higher standard than bass boat tournament fishermen.

In any case, I feel like I've given my opinion and will be happy to let the issue rest. I wish everyone good luck at the Invitational coming up and I think that even if this thread got a little heated, perhaps the outcome will be a positive one at the tournament just for the fact that we are bringing awareness to the fish handling issue.

-Rob

WOW very impressive Rich. I know I battled this for a couple years and had a tough time. Good job man. On another note, Jeremy has some very good points about the amount of time that is left before Clear Lake to get a new runners livewell made.

Hey Rich,

Question: This implies that a person can run to one spot, fish it all day, and drive back to weigh in. So most of the time the fish are in whatever live well is on their tube/kickboat/kayak and aren't put into the cooler until the end of the day. Is this correct?

Buzzfish

P.S. I'm just looking for clarification. I'm not fishing the Open this year but it's a good time to start planning for next year.