Its crazy that there are not more fishing tournaments held in the Monroe area, considering it is located on one of the nation’s best walleye and perch fisheries. Last year Matthews Bait and Tackle had one, it was a great time, good food, nice cash prizes, but they went out of business.
This year there was one held by Jeff’s Bait and Tackle, and they plan on having a perch derby over the Labor Day weekend. If its conducted anyway like the walleye tourney was, I am sure it will be a good time for all who enter.
The point is, why are there not more being held? You go up to Saginaw Bay and there is a local tournament practically every weekend. The Marina has one, some auto repair shop has one..etc. Every bait shop should be having one down here. Good for business, free promotion in the paper and a whole more exciting than reading the softball beer league scores. Not that I have anything against softball or beer for that matter.
If every tackle store held a tourney, that would be four in our area right there. Throw in perhaps the new owners at Cook’s Sportland, and I know the name has changed, but I don’t know it yet, sorry. So there’s five, throw in two marinas in Brest Bay and Bolles Harbour, that’s seven. Start having them in May and by July when the eyes are normally getting scarce, its been a great season!
You learn a lot by talking with the anglers after the event is over. What worked for them, or on the other hand you might be able to shed some light and help them out too. Its not just about the competition, although that can be a good thing, they really are just fun events.
Hopefully someone steps up in 2010, and this thing can start having that snowball effect that is needed in this area.