I use to fish the PMTT but since it has become the professional trollers tournament I quit . I live by Eagle River and when they opened the Eagle River tournament up for trolling to me it seems this has taken away from the sport of Musky fishing. Many of the top area musky angles and guildes no longer do the PMTT in Eagle River. The PMTT truely has become the professional musky trolling tournament. I know for me and other locals chamber members like myself wish they would go back and make the Eagle River Torunament casting only as this past year on Sunday approximately 70 % of the field trolled and there were many conflicts on the chain with the recreational boaters other fisherman. I watch a cottage for people on the chain and they said they will not come up or have any of there friends use the cottage that weekend cause of the tournament and the foul actions of the people trolling the tournament. The other problem I have is the last two years there has been self registration for fish and the following week after the torunament there has been multiple dead muskies found. Figure about a 4 % dead release ratio this is totally unacceptable. Please let me knnow what you think about the PMTT
Musky Fishing
PMTT
I would hardly say the guy is an amature. From what I've heard the more successful guys were in open water and using more walleye sized baits. I guess if it was that easy I'd feel pretty stupid if I paid that big entry fee and didn't use the techniques that were catching the most fish!
Sounds like sour grapes Brookie1957. The top 7 places didn’t all troll, there were fish caught casting in the top 7 places. And 70% of the field trolling? Do you just make numbers up to suit your argument? I don’t have the FACTS but 70% of the tourney was not trolling. Maybe you felt like it was that many since going from 0% trolling a few years prior. What if all the fish were caught jigging, you complain about that too? Or fly fishing? Trolling is just another technique man, and every technique has its time and place. And as mentioned already, trollers cannot access many of the shallow, tight to shore or structure or thick weed related fish on the chain that casters can. Trolling is allowed on many of the PMTT tour lakes over the years and it’s always a mix of casters and trollers.
...and there'd still be plenty of room out there. Again, 1 boat per 27 acres (average) is a tiny amount of taken up space. What about casters over open water? Or trollers on the breaklines? Or 50 boats coming to the chain on a non tournament weekend?
I get it, there's potential bad apples in every bunch, but what you're posting is all hearsay. In my experience on the water throughout the State, and a bunch of time on the Chain, it is rarely the fishermen you have to look out for.
Here's some more examples. First with a hypothetical 10 boxes with 10 trollers on Eagle and real-life 27 acre scenarios with 8 boats (fast & slow (Trollers?)) on Lake Geneva and with 6 boats on Catfish.
Since trolling is new to the northern part of the state, are you against trolling just in the tournament, or trolling in general overall?
Now take your square multiple it by 15 squares in the 10 feet or better water and see what you have Casting takes us much of the slop in which trollers can not go. We will have to wait and see what happens this year I know I will have the weekebnd off as I will not have to worry about having my friends cottage ready for people to come up and enjoy the chain.
A boat trolling takes up the exact same amount of space as a boat casting, it's just moving faster. Even at your 1 boat for 27 acres, that's a tiny amount of space taken up.
edit: Updated with graphical representation! Attached pics are of Eagle Lake, with a 27 acre box, with one boat in it.
Looking back at last years results 7 of the top 10 boats caught their fish on Bucktails and Rubber. 1st place was won fishing bucktails. I understand both of these can be effectively trolled, but traditionally guys pound the shallow slop with these baits on Eagle River like the guy earlier in the post stated. From my understanding there were a bunch of fish caught by open water trolling. I'm on the fence on this one. I personally do way more casting than trolling, but not being a tournament guy I try to fish prime windows where the fish are more likely to be set up on stucture to feed. If I were fishing a tournament scenario I wouldn't hesitate to pull some cranks to find some bait and possible feeding fish, not to mention a break from casting. I guess I would think that if there is trolling allowed on the lake, it should be allowed in the tournament. At least people are not running huge spreads with the 1 line rule. As far as recreation I can see where that would cause an issue, but as long as the recreational traffic is staying the proper distance the fisherman can't complain. On the flip side from my experience a huge percentage of the recreational boaters/skiers/tubers don't know any better, don't care to know any better or just plain refuse to know better. I've had numerous times where I've been fishing a weed bed and had people drive right in front of me over the top and basically laugh in my face. Most of the people out ripping around are drunk idiots and if the sherriff wanted they could probably hand out quite a few OWI's. Either way both parties have the right to be out there and respect should be shown both ways. My 2 cents.
The last year was won by trollers in fact last year the top 7 places were trollers. I know some guys that fish it , they are pounders casters that started trolling last year to just compete. The PMTT has changed a lot . I think you will see trollers wining the pmtt as many of the top fisherman in the area do not fish it any more. Just look at the lakle size of the chan three lakes being under 108 acres, three lake being under 267 on lake Eagle at 572 , two larger lakes Cranberry being 956 and catfish at 1012. Total acreage 3456 acres at least 30% is not really trolling waters. That leaves 2419 acres for trolling and this does not count the neck down areas. Divide that by the a field of 70% trolling you are looking at a troller for every 27 acres not much room for the recreational boater for sking pontooning , and pulling the kids in tubes.
Agree with the headwaters. What a great chapter. Mr. Bill is a great president.
No way will 70% of the field troll. Eagle River has historically been won by pounding shallow weeds. Ripping plastics has been one of the more productive tactics and the field knows this. Just my 2 cents.
I do agree about Key's and it does bring a benefit into the community. It will be interesting this year on the number that will be trolling I will say it will be up as high as 70% of the field. The other thing is the amount of money the chamber spends on this event to a private for profit event. The Headwaters Chapter of Muskies Inc spring classic bring in as many if not more anglers and approximately 75 % are located over 75 miles away. They also bring in a huge amount of dollars to the community and get little recognition. I hope this year the PMTT strongly stresses the fish release as come Monday and Tues night do not want to hear about floating and dead muskies.
I have fished 2 PMTT tournaments at Eagle River. Never had any problems. Regardless of the tournament Eagle River is busy. We didn't have any problems avoiding people. Now if you wanted to fish the neck down on catfish or in front of the bridge going into voyager your gonna encounter tons of traffic. I'm sure there are other areas that are bad for traffic as well. The trolling doesn't bother me. They are not forcing you to troll. I have mixed feeling regarding the PMTT. #1 would be Key's involvement with the tournament on the filming side and then being able to fish it also. You hook a fish, they come rushing over to film it, see where you were at, lures possibly using. Seems like they could get a competitive advantage. I have heard others complain regarding this as well. But regardless of what anyone thinks having this tournament in Eagle River benefits all the local business. Lodging, tackle shops, restaurants, gas stations, & many others.
