Big Rock Tournament

wildcat3

Twelve Pointer
Contributor
I saw that Widespread didnt make it back to the landing until 10:30. We're they fighting the fish that long or just out that far ? Running the ocean and inlets at night aint for a novice, but I'm sure no captain in the big rock is.
 

ncscrubmaster

Twelve Pointer
Contributor
The word I got was they fought it for hours and had like a five hour boat ride back. Im with you jumping those shoals at night would be tricky. Even the most experienced can get it trouble quick out there.
 

Ho ace

Ten Pointer
Contributor
Great BR win right there!! Dad said they would be back with one for his 3rd son. All 3 sons have brought a fish to the BR scales. Captain put em on emā€¦ congrats!!
 

JJWise

Twelve Pointer
Itā€™s over now and Iā€™m kinda sad about it. Why? Donā€™t know. Itā€™ll be nice not having to compete with 250+ sportfishers in the inlet for a while I guessā€¦ I do wish I couldā€™ve convinced my wife to stay at Jackā€™s late enough last night to watch that fish come in though :ROFLMAO:
 

ABBD

Ten Pointer
Contributor
Anyone know what happened to Rick Cowell? He called the tournament for awhile at the docks in the past.
 
Last edited:

JJWise

Twelve Pointer
Anyone know what happened to Rick Cowell? He called the tournament for awhile at the docks in the past.
He was doing the ā€œoffshore liveā€ video podcasts each night after the weigh-ins at Off The Hook.
 

Roanoke

Eight Pointer
The fishing was not that good this year. They may have said on the website that the bite was hot but not when you have over 250 boats fishing. Electronics have changed the game for many of these tournaments. The omni 360 degree sonars cost around $180,000 and many of the private boats have them now.
These sonars allow them to actually see the fish almost 1000 yards even off the side of the boat. There is a very good article about NC's own Charles Perry in this months issue of Marlin Magazine. He has some interesting comments about modern electronics.
 

oldest school

Old Mossy Horns
Here is a Perry interview I found; He's a treasure for sure:


and here is a brief article on the use of the 360 degree sonar. It answers my main question- Do you use it to target fish at the expense of endless trolling.

 

JONOV

Twelve Pointer
After entry frees for all levels entered were reimbursed, fuel, tackle, bait, lodging, dock fees with theyre from out of town, each member of the team will pocket $7.42
That's actually a question that I have.

How is the prize money distributed/shared among captain/mate/fishermen?
 

Roanoke

Eight Pointer
Every boat is different. We were 15% for boat, 15% for mate and rest went to paying clients.

Some charter boats do 40/60 and some do 30/70 but you have to charter them the entire 6 days even though you lay two. There can also be a $1,000 upcharge for tackle. For all categories and to charter a boat for six days you are looking around $40,000.00. Add another four if you are going to do the ladies tournament.
I can promise you that there were many people that had buyers remorse when they left the beach yesterday. Another good article to read is in the current issue of In The Bite about tournaments.
 
Last edited:

Roanoke

Eight Pointer
I do not think that the Kids Big Rock cost should cost so much to enter. Was much cheaper when it was the Barta and you could write check out to Boys and Girls Club.
 

oldest school

Old Mossy Horns
Why i generally donā€™t gamble,,,, all losers have ā€œbuyers remorse ā€œ,,, and most contests are gambles
Many losers cannot wait to play again.
It's the gambler's curse.
Some golfers and tournament fishermen dont care to play or fish unless money is involved.
The gamble is the attraction of the sport.
and you can not convince them otherwise, they can be some easy money though. :)
 

agsnchunt

Old Mossy Horns
Many losers cannot wait to play again.
It's the gambler's curse.
Some golfers and tournament fishermen dont care to play or fish unless money is involved.
The gamble is the attraction of the sport.
and you can not convince them otherwise, they can be some easy money though. :)

I grew up a golfer, one of four boys - a natural foursome. We played almost every weekday in the summers and would bet all sorts of things except money, do my chores, swim across the lake, wear your clothes into the pool, etc.

As I got older I was always shocked at the adult, new golfers who would want to play for $. The majority of them were what you'd expect, loud, somewhat athletically gifted (but never made anything of it), and recently significantly increased their income. Typically, on the gulf coast that meant oil or timber.

I never realized it until I'd gotten much older, but I'm very competitive. I don't let it own me and you would never know it if we competed in anything, but I want to win - a lot. I don't like loudmouths either, so you put those two things together and...well, you are correct that most of them were easy money.

Funny thing about most of those guys is they all wanted strokes, they all wanted mulligans or to improve their lie, etc. They typically had little confidence in themselves, but wanted to put money on it.

Weird.
 

sky hawk

Old Mossy Horns
Contributor
Many losers cannot wait to play again.
It's the gambler's curse.
Some golfers and tournament fishermen dont care to play or fish unless money is involved.
The gamble is the attraction of the sport.
and you can not convince them otherwise, they can be some easy money though. :)

I never played golf for money because I don't gamble, but I hated playing with or behind anyone playing for money. All of those guys out there playing skins, sandies, greenies... grinding out every 5-foot putt can make a round last a lot longer than it should. It's like waiting behind a lottery ticket guy in the convenience store while he scratches every card, and cashes his winnings to buy more tickets. Where I grew up, it wasn't the rising young guns with money doing it, it was the retired guys playing for pocket change, but acting like it was going to make the mortgage.

I always figured if you didn't play/fish for the love of doing it, you should find something else to do.
 

oldest school

Old Mossy Horns
I never played golf for money because I don't gamble, but I hated playing with or behind anyone playing for money. All of those guys out there playing skins, sandies, greenies... grinding out every 5-foot putt can make a round last a lot longer than it should. It's like waiting behind a lottery ticket guy in the convenience store while he scratches every card, and cashes his winnings to buy more tickets. Where I grew up, it wasn't the rising young guns with money doing it, it was the retired guys playing for pocket change, but acting like it was going to make the mortgage.

I always figured if you didn't play/fish for the love of doing it, you should find something else to do.
but just think then there might not be a US open or big rock.
The money/gamble is the lure to some. and others just enjoy the show.
 

sky hawk

Old Mossy Horns
Contributor
but just think then there might not be a US open or big rock.
The money/gamble is the lure to some. and others just enjoy the show.

I have no problem with tournaments. I enjoy following them. I enjoy playing in charity tournaments. What I find annoying is when someone can no longer play a round of golf or go fishing without money being on the line. A fishing trip or a round of golf between friends isn't a tournament, and it shouldn't have to be.

And as you said, for a certain segment, if there's no money involved, they aren't having fun. Bragging rights always seemed to me to be the ultimate prize. Different strokes...
 

agsnchunt

Old Mossy Horns
I have no problem with tournaments. I enjoy following them. I enjoy playing in charity tournaments. What I find annoying is when someone can no longer play a round of golf or go fishing without money being on the line. A fishing trip or a round of golf between friends isn't a tournament, and it shouldn't have to be.

And as you said, for a certain segment, if there's no money involved, they aren't having fun. Bragging rights always seemed to me to be the ultimate prize. Different strokes...

my fishing buddy and I compete for push ups. 20 push ups each for first fish, largest fish, most fish, most species.

A torn labrum can get me focused pretty quickly.
 

nccatfisher

Old Mossy Horns
Contributor
I always figured if you didn't play/fish for the love of doing it, you should find something else to do.
There is nobody that loves to flathead fish more than I did. I used to be on the water every spare minute I could. I got pretty good at it and a buddy and I decided to start chasing the tournaments over 20 years ago when they first started getting popular.

I can attest the best way to make something you love get to be a grind and turn it into something you detest mix it with money. We were pretty successful, but you get to the point when you HAVE to fish rain/shine, hot/cold or if you are sick or not. Setting there in a boat looking at the bottom of the boat with it storming so bad you are watching if filling up with the bilge pumps running it gets old fast.

After about 4 years of that I quit and didn't hit the water for over two years. It almost ruined me.
 

Hunting Nut

Old Mossy Horns
I agree with all that has been said. Best way to ruin something great is to make it a competition or bet/gamble money on it.
That's why I just hunt/fish for my own enjoyment and satisfaction. Never wanted to compete with anyone else.
 

Roanoke

Eight Pointer
I love competitive fishing and NC has some of the best big game tournaments in the country. You guys do not agree with Bass Masters or all of the amateur bass tournaments? I like football but quit playing after High School because there was no longer any way for me to compete. Tournaments drive me to learn more and become a better fisherman. They make me step up my game to keep tackle, gear and boat in constant order. I like fun fishing as well but tournament fishing is much more exciting. Nothing like backing into Big Rock with a potential winning fish. Big Rock has been going on longer than most of us have been alive. It is a great tradition and event for North Carolina.
 
Top