First, I would like to thank Joe for running a great tournament for our members. I enjoy participating in it and plan on donating half of whatever I might win to fishery related charities. I spoke to Joe and made a couple suggestions for next year’s tournament. Though he has already posted a tournament application for next year, only one member has signed up so far. Therefore, there is time to make some changes if those planning on participating wish to do so. Joe gave me approval to post this so that others might give their input as well. What I would like to see is a tournament with the same categories as we have now but have a $10. or $20. entry fee for each category. The way it is set up now all the prizes are split equally between the various categories, even though there is virtually no interest in winter flounder and very little interest in weakfish at this time. I think there would be a lot more entrants if members were able to join individual categories for the species they prefer to fish for. More specifically, I think there would be a lot of entrants in the fluke, total weight of 5 fluke and striped bass categories. That way the value of the prizes would be larger for the more desired species than the ones most of us rarely fish for. More valuable prizes would probably then generate even more interest.
However, the primary reason I would like to see more entrants is that I believe we should set aside a portion of the proceeds to a fishery related charity such as the reef fund.
I suggest having a 2/3 payout with 1/3 of the proceeds being donated to charity.
Lastly, I suggest that for any unfilled categories we donate the value of that particular prize to charity rather than having a drawing for it.
What do you think?

Paul Haertel

Paul,

When this tournament was originally conceived the idea was a fee per category, but that was shot down as being to costly. I would be for that set up since that was my original idea when I set up this tournament for larry.

As far as dedicating the money to a specific charity, I think that should be left up to the individual member. Each person has their own views as to which charity is "deserving"

Any money that isn't won should be drawn or put into our reef fund. That is a spot that benefits most of us. This site used to generate alot of money to help sink stuff off barnegat. The fund has slowed and needs some creative ways to rebuild it.

Thanke for responding Jeff. I thought there would be more input but I suppose it it mostly just the striper fishermen who are using the board at this point. I don't think having a separate fee for each category would be too costly. The Forked River Tuna Club runs several tournaments for individual anglers each year. Their entry fee for the most recent one was $40. for stripers and $40. for blues. A lot of people joined and I believe they made a nice profit.
The Barnegat Fishin' Hole currently has 8 categories and at $10. each that would obviously total $80. However, most would not enter all the categories and members could just enter one category at a cost of $10.. I feel strongly that we would end up with a lot more entrants and it would also show which species our members are most interested in fishing for. Regardless, I think winter flounder shoud be dropped due to lack of interest. I could say the same thing about weakfish but with all the small ones around this past year, I am hopefull that the fishery for them will soon recover.

Paul

Paul---I agree with c-witch and I would like to see winter flounder and weakfish removed from the tournament.Maybe a $30.00 a category buy in.

dick d.

I finally have to minute to respond, sorry for waiting so long. I have not fluke fished in years (not my thing) and I've never bottom fished in my life. That being said I am well aware that many members on this board have never fished for Tuna, Sharks, Mahi, Marlin, Swordfish, etc. I would guess that before this year there are also members that never caught a striped bass (maybe they never even tried).

I like the idea of individual categories. In my case, why would I want to anti up ten bucks or even a hundred bucks towards bottom fishing (fluke, seabass, etc)? By the same token, why would a surf fisherman or a kayak guy want to enter a tuna category?

As much as I hate to admit it, I only fished about twelve days this year (all but once on my boat). Some members on this board probably fish more than seventy days a year. Not sure guys like me have a chance of winning a year long tournament? I have won the bluefish category in the past, but that was before my son played baseball on four traveling teams (spring, summer and fall) and I coached my daughters softball team during the spring.

For 2012 I'm hoping to get more time on the water, no more softball coach and my son is now driving. More likely than not I'll join whatever tournament this site offers if it includes species I normally target.

One more thing we have to keep in mind is Joe. I’m not sure by having separate categories with different payouts for each will make his life much easier. My concern is it becomes too cumbersome for one working person to do in their spare time. I think this is something we need to take into consideration and find a format that both benefits individual fisherman as well as the ones running the tournament.

Let a new guy chime in, if you don't mind. I'll be entering this years tournament for the first time, assuming my boating plans pan out, and feel it would be nice to target all the above mentioned species, at a flat rate (say $80.00) as was previously mentioned. I have fished in other areas for many years, and would like to challenge myself to hit a "grand slam" of multiple categories.

OK, I'll admit, this is the first year I'm retired, and hope to spend most of my time on the water

Fritz

Southern Charm - I would be williing to help Joe if he needed it. However, it is really not that difficult to keep separate lists of entrants for each category. I know from experience because I have been doing this for the Berekely Striper Club tournaments for many years.
Fritz - The current entrance fee is $35. for the tournament which includes 8 categories. With 1st, 2nd, and 3rd places for each category the prize money is minimal. Also, you end up with identical prizes for fluke and winter flounder. Hardly, any of us fish for winter flounder but there is a real lot of interest in fluke.

Paul

Here is my 2 cents worth. I would like to see separate catagory fees. I am sure that I would probably enter all the catagories because I did find it a challenge to try to catch all the species. As for the dropping the winter flounder and weakfish, I really did not get out for winter flounder, however did give it a good try on a couple of trips for weakies.

I would also be glad to help with the operations of the tourney if there is need for help.

Just my 2 cents.

I found that in 2011 there were 27 entrants and at $35. each that totals $945. which has to be divided up between 8 categories. I am not sure if there is a 100% payout but if there is and it is a 50% - 30% - 20% split for 1st, 2nd and 3rd that reults in a payout of $59 for 1st, $35.40 for 2nd and $23.60 for 3rd. The prestige of winning is nice but it makes me wonder if it is worth the effort of going to weigh in fish, fill out the application and mail it in. Again I think Joe has done a great job and he did add some monthly prizes as well. However, I would like to see more money invlolved not only for prizes but so that we could donate a portion of it to the reef fund or other worthy cause.

Paul

How bout getting our sponsors involved as well?? Cash donations, monthly prizes, or whatever to maybe make it more appealing to members to sign up for the year long tourney... Just a thought....

Paul,
I think that in the end, someone needs to set up and run all the tournaments. This should not be Joe. He has enough on his plate.

That person can talk to sponsors for donations, and do all of the running around that is needed to run a successful tourney. But in this economy who has the extra time to do it? In the end it becomes a part-time job that you are doing for free. And then there are the people who will complain about everything, even if they never got in the tournaments. Not a fun job.

What are your thoughts on having two tournamnets during the year with separate categories? It would require Capt. Meetings and banquets after words. This would allow for guys and gals to get to know one another and would only be for one day. I’m thinking a spring striper/bluefish and a summer bottom fish tournament.

What Applejack said would be nice but as C-witch said doing it that way would require more time and effort. Why not just keep it simple for 2012, $10. per category with a 2/3 or 3/4 of the money taken in going towards the prizes and the remainder going to our reef fund. For each category the prize money would be split 50% for 1st, 30% for 2nd and 20% for 3rd. I think we should give this a try and then in 2013 we could consider raising the entrance fee and/or trying so solictit some additioanl prizes. I would do so myself but I already solicit prizes for the Berkeley Striper Cuub Spring Tournament and the Jersey Coast Anglers Association Chinese auction.

Also if Sourthern Charm wants to run additional tournaments, I would probably enter them as well. However, it takes a number of dedicated people to plan for and hold captains meetings and awards ceremonies.

What percentage of the entrance fee ($35.00)is paid out as prize money now????

dick d.

Sorry Paul I was proposing the idea to do away with the yearlong tournament and have 2 tournaments during the year. I have been in the year long the past 2 years and really like it, but maybe we would get better participation the other way, again just suggesting it as an option. Either way I will enter and fish whatever the outcome is.

Seems like there are two distinct schools of thought: one would maintain the current minimal cost all species format, and the other where you pick and choose the categories you want to participate in. Why not both? Keep the current format to allow minimal cost participation for Barnegat Fishin' Hole bragging rights, but also offer species specific calcuttas for those so inclined to participate for bigger prizes.

I thought perhaps Joe would have answered Dick's question. I just read the flyer on the 2011 tournament and based on 100 entrants, there would have been payouts of $175. for first, $75. for second and $50. for third. With 8 categories that comes out to a payout total of $2400., though Joe also added some monthly merchandise prizes. Had there been 100 entrants, $3500. would have been taken in and $2400. paid out which translates into a 68.57% payout. I believe the rest goes to our reef fund but I am not certain. Since we only had 27 entrants, if my math is correct the 2011 payouts for each category will be
1st - $47.25
2nd - $20.25
3rd. - $13.75
Perhaps Joe can confirm all of this.

I think C-Witch pretty much nailed it in his post. I love to fish and have no time to keep up with reading on this site let alone wet a line (been 2 years now) since the rods have even been out of the cobwebs Good Luck to all that do have the time these days. I'd like to see the "ends meet" sometime in the next year or so, bad economy and never enough steady work.

Jeff, you nailed it... I ran the tourneys at the shop for a couple of years and it is nothing but a pain in the :xxx:... You can never make everyone happy. Definitely NOT fun... I no longer fish any tournaments, this way when I am fishing it is purely for the enjoyment...John

I know better than most that running a tournament is a lot of work as I have been running the BSC Spring Tournament for the last 8 years. Sometimes it is very agravating and I don't even feel like participating. However, sometimes it is very rewarding especially if you are raising money for a good cause. I think Joe can decide for himself if he wants to run the tournament and a couple of his did volunteer to help him.

Alot of good points, I know Paul loves everything about fishing and will gladly help Joe if he wants it. I like the tournament seperate prizes would be nice, my only problem with it is there arent any weigh stations up north. If I fish out of belmar or Pt Pleasant and catch a fish that I should weight in for the tournament I half to drive at least a half hour south to weigh in the fish and then drive back north to go home so it just doent pay for me to do it,
Even when I catch a fish out of barnegat by the time I get in and clean the boat the weigh in stations are closed or are far away and it becomes a hassle to weigh in the fish so I end up just cutting the fish and not weighing it. At least if there were more places to weigh it up north I could weigh it in the next day on the way home it would just give me alot more options.
I dont think anyone fishes the tournament for the money, its more of a fun support the site kind of tournament but if it made it easier to weigh in fish up north maybe we could get more interest especially from the guys fishing out of other ports besides the barnegat area guys.
Just my thoughts,
Doug

ToggyTime a good option might be to stop at Barnegat Bay Bait and Tackle to weigh in. it is just past the MUA ramp in Barnegat and has good water all the way to the dock.

Toggy Time Doug catches too many big fish so we probalby should not have any weigh-in stations up north. Kidding aside, I know that Joe only allows sponsors to be weigh-in stations. However, the rates are very reasonable. I am sure that if anyone can find a store willing to be a sponsor, they can be a weigh-in station as well.

When do you pay out for the 2011 tournament?

Prizes will be going out this week.

Thank you very much for everyone's feedback and suggestions. We have decided to implement the following changes:

• Removed winter flounder and weakfish categories
• Changed rules so any unfilled positions will now be donated to the BFH Reef Fund
• Added optional High Stakes Entries for five categories (striped bass, sea bass, blackfish, summer flounder and bluefish)

We will also be actively pursuing additional weigh stations. If there is not a weigh station near you and there is a particular bait and tackle shop you would like to see as a weigh station please email us at tournaments@barnegatfishinhole.com and we will do our best to get them on board.

Joe I like the changes and it should be another FUN!! tournament for the upcoming year looking forward to it!! and as always Thanks for all you do!!

I just mailed in a check for $100. for our reef fund which is about half of my winnings from the 2011 tournament. I appreciate the fact that Joe listened to our input and took the time to make some improvements for the 2012 tournament. I look forward to particiapating again.

Paul Haertel
Angler III
30' 6" Grady CC