Club rules V.S. IMTT Rules

As tournament director of the LSMC, Our up coming tournament the 20th of Sept, has a new rule, that during this tournament any team may use a third line in the prop wash while trolling. I tend to wonder if this rule could be excepted by the IMTT, in there events as well. Should tournament fishing for muskies be controlled by rules that take away , from the tactics that do well for some anglers? Recently, the LSMC , had Walter Krause, speak at our September meeting, in which he had spoke on how hard it was to catch muskies at Shelbyville, do to all the different elements, water levels, and visability, temperatures....one could go on and on!!!
So why restrict the angler, if its is so hard to catch them here in Illinois. We should allow any and every tactic....Planner boards, live bait, casting Trolling, jigging, Carolina rigs, dragging. What do you ,the angler, feel about this subject? Should we be allow to fish any way we can to catch muskies?

kevin McGill

You CAN catch muskie any way you want!! If you choose to troll, you and your partner may put your line wherever you like (two lines), in the prop wash or otherwise. If you cast, you and your partner can cast wherever you want (two lines). Why should trollers be allowed an extra line? Trollers already have the advantage of covering more water than casters. To this point, the IMTT has limited the fishermen in their tournaments to ONE LINE per fisherman.... even though the state allows more lines. So?? Whether catching fish is "easy" or "hard", it should be an equal opportuity for all fisherman in the tournament, no matter the method of fishing they choose.
Excpet for the number of lines, and no live bait, what is it you cannot do now?? We could drag a giant net behind us I guess....

And........For the sake of the muskie we seek, I do not believe live bait should be allowed under any circumstances.

Roy; Whether a teams trolls or cast, in an 9 hour period, the whole concept is to catch them. Why should the LSMC, follow the rules of the IMTT. when it was the small clubs and their tournaments that helped build the foundation of trail. The IMTT does not need the small clubs anymore, they have there own venue now. They have created their own club of strong competitors, who show up year to year, in effort to support the state fisheries, which is a great cause. Are you asking the small clubs to do the same. Are we too, just jump on the band wagon of the IMTT, and let them control, the rules and regulation in our own Tournaments. I changed that rules, with the authority from from the President, hoping that would draw more anglers to our tournaments. Has it worked, we will see.... As for trying to make any tournament fair, when it comes to fishing, everyone struggles, to find that school of shad, or that bank of long laydowns, or deepwater drops and structure. In my own personal opinion, its MAN vs MUSKIE.......not MAN vs MAN


Hows that for your Tackle Box

Kevin, Kevin..... You might be remember I was present at the meeting, so I know your reasoning, and some of your feelings. Like our new president, I did not vote against it, and said "give it a try!" I don't happen to think people will come rushing to sign up because they can drag a third line if they troll. But, I hope they DO!! I hope WE get 50 boats!! The question, as I understood it, was not a club, vs. IMTT issue..... or so I thought? The question was what we thought about fishing methods during TOURNAMENTS, where fishermen do compete with fishermen, by the very nature of the event. So I stated my case about what I felt kept things fair for us ( if I qualify as a "fisherman"?) AND the fish..... I repeat, no one said "can't"...

I do not need a "pen pal", so will not continue this thread. If you want to discuss this further, you have my phone number and personal email.

My tackle box is pretty full thanks.
Roy Schodtler
Proud member of both the LSMC and the IMTT.

kevin if I was a betting man I would say the tournament will be won by someone casting. Just curious, how many fish have you caught trolling in the prop wash. tony c

I have never caught a muskie in the prop wash, but I have been with other members , when it has happened. I look at this way - No one in his right mind would troll in and around standing timber,one would cast. so the third line offers you a better chance, if you were to troll. Now if I were to allow dead sticking or dragging while you are casting -Would that be Fair. Some feel that, that would hurt the muskie, that the fish might swallow, the bait, and cause it to die. Although most good muskie hunters carry the right tools if that were to happen, casting or trolling