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2009
Spring Prize Categories-Winners
Listed Here 1st Week-1809 2008 Fall Mack Days 1st
Week-830 Total 10,108
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Sportsmanship Mack Days Fishing Events are growing with every event and it has become time to address issues that come with that growth. We all need to take the responsibility of being good sportsmen/women on the water when fishing. Whether we like it or not, sportsmanship when fishing is a reflection of our own ethics in real life. The image other people see is how they will see or think of you and the fishing event forever. Good sportsmanship is not just what you do or the way you act as an angler it is, hopefully, the way you conduct your life both on and off the water. Unsportsmanlike behavior-acts, that are unfair, dishonest, disrespectful, or against the rules,-are unsportsmanlike because they are unethical. If you are unethical in sports, can you be ethical in the other areas of your life-your business dealings, your treatment of others, your family?
We can sit back and blame pro sports and television for the decline in sportsmanship everywhere but we can also take the responsibility to help bring it back into the sport of fishing. It is time for everyone-all of us- to practice good sportsmanship.
Good Sportsmanship Rules
-show respect for others if you expect respect yourself. Don’t crowd other anglers who are catching fish. This is the issue we hear the most about. If someone is catching fish others come in and will try to get right on that same spot. It's a big lake out there give yourself and others space. Keep away from anchor lines and fishing lines. Some anglers will put out markers-leave the markers or other equipment where you find it unless you are sure it was accidently lost. The angler that put it out will be back to get it. They may be using the as a trolling marker or a marker to identify an area. Give other boats space. Pack your garbage off the water and dispose of it properly. Take care of the resources like they were your own. Trolling-when boats are in a trolling pattern watch and take the same pattern. Don't come in and start trolling across other boat patterns and going across their lines. Use common sense-ask questions if you don't know how to come in a pattern. Some anglers will drift over a hole and troll back over it. Don't move in and set your anchor in their hole. They have a pattern going and will be irritated to find that someone moved in while they were moving back into position. Jigging-Give each other space-if you are trolling don't come in too close. Remember the anchor line may be out there a long distance if it is rough water. Have respect for each other and be helpful and courteous. "This is a monumental, humongous fight we have on our hands, and the win-at-all costs mentality is the No. 1 obstacle that stands in our way. We need to restore an honorable place for second, third and even last. –Russell Gough, Author
-good sportsmanship depends on conforming to the intent of the rules and to not be looking for a loophole. You may enter only the lake trout you have caught. How fair is it for someone to enter fish that others have caught? Your count should be only the fish you yourself have caught. Fish entered daily are to be harvested on that day. When you take your lake trout home they will be clipped. Keep the fish on ice. They are going to be processed for the food pantries. We cannot accept fish that are not kept on ice.
4. Take responsibility for your actions. -don’t blame others for your mistakes or find excuses for poor behavior. Learn as much as you can about the rules, the lake trout and their behaviors. It will make you a better angler and others will look on you as someone who is an expert. Please be careful out there. No fish is worth the chance you may be taking by ignoring weather signs or warnings. Keep informed of weather conditions and know your limits. Have the proper safety equipment on board. Make sure someone knows when to expect you back.
-if someone needs help-lend a helping hand or offer useful advice. When going out or coming in-have things ready so you can get off and on the ramp quickly. Don't pull up to the ramp and then take the top off the boat and load yourequipment. Do that beforehand. Promote the sport-take a kid fishing. They are the future of the sport of fishing-teach them what you know.
6. Exhibit respect for officials. -we will be/are impartial arbitrators who will to the best of our ability make sure that everyone is being fair and following the rules.
7 Expect proper behavior from other anglers. -they may need to be reminded of the rules and proper fishing ethic by event officials.
We are being watched every time we go out and fish, play ball, etc. We may not realize it but someone possibly a young person is observing us and how we act. Your behavior may have an impact, positive or negative, on them. If we all perform to the best of our abilities within the concept of being good sportsmen, we should all have a great fishing event and possibly, just possibly, our lives may just be a little richer. "One man practicing good sportsmanship is far better than 50 others preaching it." -- Knute K. Rockne
Most waterways adjoin private lands or tribal homelands. Many shoreline and rock structure areas hold sacred significance to tribal members. Respect their privacy,customs, and ceremonies. Do not remove or disturb cloth prayer ties, offerings, or other items that have been placed in these areas. These are spiritual offerings, not souvenirs. Irreplaceable information about the past is lost if artifacts are removed or cultural resource sites damaged. Please report any pilfering or vandalism you may observe immediately to local authorities. -US Army Corps of Engineers
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