# Catfish tournaments



## Bigcats22 (Jan 9, 2014)

*2014 Catfishing Tournaments*
_*Alum Creek & Delaware State Park*_

Hey everybody. A friend just told me about this forum today at work. If any of you are interested in catfish tournaments please feel free to join us this year!
I actually just got permits back today and we are good to go!
First one is March 22nd at alum creek (Howard rd) dock from 9am to 6pm. 

Find us on Facebook, search for "Catfish Tournaments"

Here is our schedule and rules/information for the comming 2014 year.

*2014 Catfishing Tournament Schedule/Rules
*March 22	Alum Creek	9am &#8211; 6pm
April 19	Delaware Lake	12 (noon) &#8211; 8pm
May 10	Delaware Lake	5pm &#8211; 1am
May 24	Alum Creek	6pm &#8211; 2am
June 14	Alum Creek	6pm &#8211; 2am
June 28	Delaware Lake	7pm &#8211; 3am
July 19	Delaware Lake	7pm &#8211; 3am
August 9	Alum Creek	7pm &#8211; 8am
August 23	Delaware Lake	8pm &#8211; 4am
September 13	Alum Creek	6pm &#8211; 2am
September 27	Delaware Lake	6pm &#8211; 2am
October 18	Delaware Lake	4pm &#8211; 12am
*NOTE:* _Delaware Launches from the first boat ramp on the right after entering the state park. Alum Creek launches from the Howard road boat ramp. 
_
*Rules/Information
* 
1) ENTRY FEE: $40 per boat for both 1 and 2 man teams. Optional $10 per boat to enter big fish pot. 
2) This is an OPEN tournament meaning anyone can show up and participate in any tournament they wish.
3) Anglers MUST arrive one half hour before the start of each tournament for sign-up. Teams must be present at the dock by the end of the tournament; a 5lb penalty will be assigned for each 5 minutes late. 
4) Teams of 1 or 2 will be allowed per boat.
5) Teams must comply with all State Laws of the water they are fishing. Any violation of any State Laws will be grounds for disqualification.
6) Only (2) two rods per person will be allowed to be used at any one time, (1) one additional rod per person is permitted in the boat for backup. 
7) Only Blue cats, Channel cats, and Flathead catfish will be weighed. A team limit of (6) six fish, ALIVE AND IN GOOD CONDITION, will be weighed-in. Teams are permitted to bring up to 8 fish to the dock in the event of a short or dead fish. Fish must be a minimum of 15 inches in length. Only (1) one fish over 28 inches PER PERSON.
8) All fish must be caught by ROD and REEL ONLY.
9) Teams must fish from a boat, at all times, during the tournament. (Boat tournament only). No team member shall leave the boat to better their teams catch.
10) Any legal commercial or natural bait will be allowed.
11) No alcoholic beverage of any kind will be allowed either in possession or consumed during the tournament.
12) All anglers must maintain a 75 yard distance from other boats during the tournament if possible. 
13) Unsportsmanlike conduct will be grounds for disqualification.
14) All teams participating are doing so at their own risk. Teams agree not to hold anyone operating or participating in the tournament liable for any damage or claims resulting from contestant&#8217;s participation in this tournament.
15) In case of a tie in a position, the tie will be settled by weight of the largest fish.
16) Casting nets will be allowed for the purpose of catching bait only.
17) Any team disqualified for violation of rules will forfeit any entry fees.
18) The decision of the tournament director WILL BE FINAL.
19) Live well checks will be performed before the start of each tournament.

*Payout Information - 100% Payouts!*
5 Boats or Less: Winner Take All Plus Big Fish Pot
6 or 7 Boats: 1st &#8211; 70%, 2nd &#8211; 30% Plus Big Fish Pot
8+ Boats: 1st &#8211; 50%, 2nd &#8211; 30%, 3rd &#8211; 20% Plus Big Fish Pot

*Contact Information
*Shawn Dauphin &#8211; Tournament Director
[email protected]
Nick Long &#8211; Assistant Director
[email protected]


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## BanksideBandit (Jan 22, 2010)

I'll definitely be at a few of these.


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## Bigcats22 (Jan 9, 2014)

Good to hear it. Hopefully ya enjoy it and make it to them all. Haha


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## Bigcats22 (Jan 9, 2014)

Just curious, who all would like to attend some of these tournaments this year?


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## Salmonid (Apr 14, 2004)

I would like to try to get to a few of these but it all depends on all the other tourneys and there schedules, SWOCC, Catmasters, Monsters, KingKat and hopefully at least 1 Big Cat Quest this year, gonna be a busy year...

BTW what is the series named so I can forward to some of the other guys. 

Salmonid


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## todd61 (Nov 22, 2009)

I might be interested in a few of these.


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## Bigcats22 (Jan 9, 2014)

Salmonid said:


> I would like to try to get to a few of these but it all depends on all the other tourneys and there schedules, SWOCC, Catmasters, Monsters, KingKat and hopefully at least 1 Big Cat Quest this year, gonna be a busy year...
> 
> BTW what is the series named so I can forward to some of the other guys.
> 
> Salmonid


Hey, we don't really have a name for our tournaments yet. Delaware and Alum Catfish Tournaments is all we call it lol.


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## Salmonid (Apr 14, 2004)

how about the DAT Cats...Deleware, Alum Tourneys or something similar, Central Ohio Lake cats maybe, but you need a name!! LOL

Salmonid


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## Bigcats22 (Jan 9, 2014)

Lol good idea. We started out as a local group of anglers quite a few years back and all knew one another. But last year we just started promoting. We want more teams to come other than our usual crowd. If that happens we would consider expanding our lakes. Just all depends on the numbers we get. We'd love to average 20 teams a tournament. Plus Delaware and alum is some of the best fishing around. Especially Delaware. Though many don't know it. Our last tournament last year every team had atleast 40 plus pounds with 6 fish limit from Delaware. As far as I'm concerned you can call our tournament whatever you feel like lol. We just wanna see people show up and have a good time and catch lots of quality fish. Hope you make a few.


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## Salmonid (Apr 14, 2004)

how many teams were you averaging? 
Salmonid


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## whodeynati (Mar 12, 2012)

40 pound weigh ins. I need to give up on the Ohio River and fish these lakes.lol


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## Bigcats22 (Jan 9, 2014)

40 pound weigh ins are very common. Pretty much every tournament takes 35 to 45 pounds to win. And keep in mind there all channel cats. We average 10 teams before we started promoting and hanging flyers up and what not. We've done a lot of work to help it grow this year. So will see. 20 plus Is the goal


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## Bigcats22 (Jan 9, 2014)

Lol I've caught plenty 40 pound fish on the Ohio river lol. So I'm assuming you were being sarcastic? All channel cat in these 2 lakes


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## Salmonid (Apr 14, 2004)

Whodeynati, at EVERY St Marys Catmasters tourney over the last two years, 6 channels need to be right at 44-45 lbs to place in the top three, several times it was around 55 lbs, GLSM is one of the best channel lakes in the state and big fish is always in the 11-15 lb range. We average 45-50 teams at every event, had 72 teams at the first one we won!! ( IE great payout)

Delaware and Alum both have some really nice channels in them as do most lakes around Ohio, nobody fishes for them. Its why I pretty much gave up on the Ohio and SWOCC events since its all you can do to put 2-3 fish in the boat and typically 25-35 lbs will guarantee you a placing. 

Salmonid


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## Bigcats22 (Jan 9, 2014)

Just wanted to update everyone...
We are still planning on having our first tournament on March 22, 2014 at the alum creek howard road boat ramp. We are very hopeful the weather will be good and it seems like the ice will be melted by then!

Who is planning on attending?


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## Salmonid (Apr 14, 2004)

Good luck!! that's a big day for local tourneys, with SWOCC hosting there spring opener at Rocky Fork that day ( usually 20 teams) and Catmasters up at St Marys has there opener that same day with turnouts of 50+ teams so that may affect your turnout for your first one but Ill be looking for the results and a good write up on here. Possible that we can make it up to one in June, 1 in Sept possible this year, just waay too many tourneys this year. Send me your email and Ill send you a master schedule of the regions tourneys. 

Salmonid


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## Bigcats22 (Jan 9, 2014)

Yes please email me. I don't get on here as often as I should. But always access email. [email protected] thanks Shawn


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## Toad Man (Oct 8, 2013)

I would, but my boat is still under wraps and we are expecting another 8" today. Next week calling for below freezing again. It's going to be a messy start of the year for all. I'm thinking maybe mid April is a better time frame for this rig. Good luck and when the weather breaks we will be fishing a few.


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## timmyv (Apr 26, 2006)

Bigcats22 said:


> Lol good idea. We started out as a local group of anglers quite a few years back and all knew one another. But last year we just started promoting. We want more teams to come other than our usual crowd. If that happens we would consider expanding our lakes. Just all depends on the numbers we get. We'd love to average 20 teams a tournament. Plus Delaware and alum is some of the best fishing around. Especially Delaware. Though many don't know it. Our last tournament last year every team had atleast 40 plus pounds with 6 fish limit from Delaware. As far as I'm concerned you can call our tournament whatever you feel like lol. We just wanna see people show up and have a good time and catch lots of quality fish. Hope you make a few.


That's impressive weights considering you are only allowed 1 fish over 28 inches per person. I would be very interested if tourney's would be located at Hoover. My pontoon is docked there. Keep us updated on results and pics of tourney catches and such.


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## Salmonid (Apr 14, 2004)

Most tourneys allow 2 fish per team over 28". A 28 +" fish should be in the 9 lb range on average from what ive seen with ohio channels but have seen 12 lb under and 7 lbers that are long and skinny reaching that mark. You are correct that usually around 47-50 lb sack is about all you get with the current limits but exceptions do happen

Wont see many tourneys at Hoover because its a 9.9 lake and owned by city of Columbus so they have lots of weird rules on boat size and tournament rules. Until the blues are established all the serious cat guys have been staying away from there to protect them until after they get bigvenough to breed (ie around 15 lbs)

Salmonid




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## buckethead (Jul 27, 2009)

The Catmaster Classic on Grand lake St. Marys is having there first tournament on Mar 22. Hopefully the lake will be thawed out by then.


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## BanksideBandit (Jan 22, 2010)

How'd the 1st tourney go?

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## Bigcats22 (Jan 9, 2014)

BanksideBandit said:


> How'd the 1st tourney go?
> 
> Sent from my SCH-I545 using Ohub Campfire mobile app


Our tournament went well, we had 11 boats show up. 
The fishing wasn't all that great, we had 3 teams with the 6 fish limit. 1st place had 22 lbs. The cold weather and wind made the fishing tough for most of the people, including myself lol..


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## Salmonid (Apr 14, 2004)

Thanks Bigcats, we ended up at Rocky Fork, similar conditions, only 7 of the 18 teams weighed fish and top 3 teams found em and hammered them, 52 lbs to win! Hope to make it up for at least 1-2 of your events this year. 

Salmonid


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## BanksideBandit (Jan 22, 2010)

Wish I could have made it. Just need some consistent warm weather to do a few motor repairs and I'll be out.


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