# Indian lake catfish tournament.....



## icetester (Feb 16, 2015)

Whos in, whos out?

Did they ever change the rules up regarding the flathead vs channel cats?

I tried sitting down with the director and we talked well over 30 minutes regarding the population of flatheads.
Even tried to tell him to move the tournament during the flathead spawn which would be mid June to mid July.
Didnt attend last year and saw the top 20 or so was all flatheads.

Is there any other catfish tournaments in Ohio with this type of format.
Thinking of starting a new yearly event at another lake with the same format but having two seperate divisions.


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## Salmonid (Apr 14, 2004)

Most of the serious tourney guys avoid this one since its become a overnight flathead game which is fine but its not my cup of tea.


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## saugmon (Jun 14, 2006)

Last year,one of the top 3 flatties were turned in 1 hr after the tournament started. Something a little fishy going on!

I didn't land as many this year but those flatties are thriving. Had a triple in a 15-20 min span this season but only lucky enough to get 1 in the net..


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## icetester (Feb 16, 2015)

Well thanks for the couple replies that have been shared. The chances of catching a flathead at just after noon, getting it into the boat, driving back to the ramp, loading up and driving to the weigh site within an hour is comical . 
Glad it wasn't the first place fish. I always thought a split tournament would be best for everyone involved. More money for the main cause or wherever the money is donated. The thought of more opportunities to collect a check, at least in a channel cat only division, is a plus for everyone. When a 25# flathead is caught day1, its almost time to go home since channel cats are pointless. 

Id like to take my vacation and enter again, but just enjoy the time away from work. If you get a lucky bite its just a bonus. It's just too bad changes have never been made. I dont see a negative in a split up tournament, enter both and still have a shot till the end catching channels. I guess if i decide to go, I wont pass the weigh in during tournament hrs, and have ears buds jammin tunes when around the locals. I dont want to know whats leading until I bring in my lunker cat! Lol


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## ducky152000 (Jul 20, 2005)

or you could always target flathead at that tournment. Just a thought.


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## icetester (Feb 16, 2015)

Ducky, of course! There is no other plan. Ive actually won this event before with a flattie. It's just my opinion that (doesnt mean squat), it just seems like this tournament is set up for the novice angler, and channel cats allow bank fisherman a better shot at a check.


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## Salmonid (Apr 14, 2004)

Ducky that may work for most guys but Im a daylight guy and a channel cat guiy, so it doesn't help me plus with 200 boats on the water Fri and Sat night, finding a place to fish near any structure is tougher then you think...LOL several of the high placers the last few years all hold down spots 24/3 days straight, they work in shifts only leaving when the next shift comes, weve tried waiting spots out and its frustrating, I know several of those guys, they work as a team and split all the winnings, they use 3 teams, each one gets a night and the others cover the day shifts until the next shift arrives, pretty slick as they hold down an entire stump bed for the whole tourney.

Good luck to all who fish it!!
Salmonid


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## icetester (Feb 16, 2015)

Sounds like an awful lot of work for a few dollars after they split the cut. Must suck when they don't win, not a lot of money after first place. And even 2500 is not much for 1000 entries. Sounds like a hillbilly hoedown. Im thinking of finding the party and throwing anchor next to them. They can't be too hard to find on the NE end of the lake. This actually adds an interesting twist.


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## AkronCATS (Nov 5, 2008)

My wife and I will be going this year. The rules are the rules. If I need a flatty to win, I'll try to get a flatty. Surely there are more than a couple spots to find a flathead on that huge lake.


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## ducky152000 (Jul 20, 2005)

The whole team thing is a slick idea. as long as its not illegal, it shows the dedication they have. Sounds like a group of duckhunters. We sometimes camp out on a spot to to make sure we have it in the morning during duck season. I can see if your only a channel guy being bummed about the flathead, but Its a tournment for both. so fish it or dont. like salmnoid he chooses not too, proably due to the easy cheating that most likely goes on. I personaly do not attend these types of tournments due to that very reason. If i ever do get into catfish tournments i would like to get into daylight and boat only tournments. with livewell checks before tournment. Trusting people is a hard thing to do these days.


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## TomC (Aug 14, 2007)

there is a few select sports to try that don't get hit during the tourney. I have stumbled across a couple small remote stump fields that don't get touched, along with some cover accidently placed lol. year after year since the guys put flatheads in the lake the main numbers of them come from the area of lakeview up to oldfield beach over blackhawk to pew island and back towards lakeview. 

The guys anchor up near Blackhawk and around oldfield beach and pew due to lots of wood in those areas. If you pay attention to where the boats sit non stop during the tourney you can pretty much figure it out. Of course there are some that are caught out in the main lake area but the main guys just sit in the same spot for 3 days straight. 

Eventually they may change it and make it two diff classes channels n flats but until then, I wont mess with the tourney anymore and just enjoy my trips up fishing for channels. 

Also be careful at night, a lot of the fools anchor and sit with their lights off!


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## Salmonid (Apr 14, 2004)

Tom hit a big one with the comment about guys sitting with no lights on, everyone does it up there and we troll all through the dark, don't know how many times guys start yelling at us then hit there light and were already in there lines since they like to cast out 80 yards from the boats, pretty annoying and illegal but they all do it up there. Then I keep hearing of the folks who feed off there docks all summer just to invite all there buddies over on tourney weekend and hammer hundreds of fish looking for 1-2 good ones to weigh in. another rule that should be put in place about " No fishing Baited holes" which most tourneys have but not up there.


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## AkronCATS (Nov 5, 2008)

ducky152000 said:


> The whole team thing is a slick idea. as long as its not illegal, it shows the dedication they have. Sounds like a group of duckhunters. We sometimes camp out on a spot to to make sure we have it in the morning during duck season. I can see if your only a channel guy being bummed about the flathead, but Its a tournment for both. so fish it or dont. like salmnoid he chooses not too, proably due to the easy cheating that most likely goes on. I personaly do not attend these types of tournments due to that very reason. If i ever do get into catfish tournments i would like to get into daylight and boat only tournments. with livewell checks before tournment. Trusting people is a hard thing to do these days.


I know a guy who won a few years ago and the first thing they did was a polygraph to make sure he didn't cheat


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## Salmonid (Apr 14, 2004)

rumor has it from other winners from last several years is they have not ever had to polygraph, but when you sign up you agree to one if they deem it necessary, Last year they handed winner the check in front of everyone, No poly from what I was told by folks there. Just saying, running tally is about 225-250$ to pay someone to administer one, Ive taken 4 I think and my partner has taken 3, ( his turn next time) for other tourneys,(Cabela s, Outdoorsman, etc)


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## Doctor (Apr 5, 2004)

I really enjoy this tournament mainly because I take 5 of my grandkids I have been fishing it for 15 years now have never done well except when the grandkids are on board for the last three years they have won or placed in there age division, they keep me real busy as a guide during this time as mainly it is fish after fish and they are trying to beat each other so we have some great competition going on we spend the whole day on the water breaking for lunch and going to a local restaurant on the water I don't like fishing here at night because we have had too many close calls from boats anchored with no lights on, we about nailed a guy one night and would have if he hadn't dropped the flashlight in the bottom of the boat I heard it and pulled back on the throttle as he was waving it frantically at us and screaming never had a clue he was even there just a small boat with no lights, you would think water patrol would get these guys so I elect not to fish at night now, so I spend two days up on the lake with the grandkids going thru a ton of bait, I'll start next week gathering it for this tournament as I haven't had much luck over the years of getting it up there, I take three girls on Friday and the twins and there Dad on Saturday, last year when the twins were with us we blew a tire on the truck and it took us several hours to get the spare on glad Brian was with me that day


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## Salmonid (Apr 14, 2004)

Good luck Doc, I may be able to help on the bait, let me know early that week and Ill see what I can do for ya. I would agree its a good tourney for the kids!!


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## icetester (Feb 16, 2015)

Thx the reply Doc, thats what its all about. Good Luck.


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