Fishing tournaments are not destructive

I recently read an Oct. 17 guest column about bass fishing tournaments by Timothy Mason (“Tournament crowd violates rules”). To say the least, it was full of half truths and some outright lies.

He starts out telling about the fellas in their row boats. That is a half truth. I grew up on the Mississippi River and most of those fellas had the old 10-horse Johnsons on their boats. Another half truth told by Mason is the “running and gunning.” I have fished tournaments and have run fast in back waters, but if I see another boat, I slow down and idle by. If there is at least 200 feet between myself and that boat, I legally don't have to slow down. If someone gets a ticket in a tournament (for anything), they are disqualified. If a competitor witnesses a rule being broken, they file a protest with the director and rule breaker can be disqualified.

Mason also said he has seen tournament fisherman throw monofilament fishing line, etc., to the wind. The No. 1 enemy of that expensive trolling motor on the bass boat is monofilament line.

Mason painted this pretty picture of times past, and how bass tournaments have destroyed that. Times have indeed changed. Cars, planes and bass boats all go faster. I find it really frustrating that this type of thing is printed on one person's opinion.

Pat Campbell

Cedar Falls