# F.C.A.T.S. Flathead Catfish Anglers Tournament Series 2012



## catfish_hunter (May 31, 2005)

FCATS is a new Catfish tournament series starting this year. I am starting this trail to get more people to competitively fish for Flathead. Here is a list of the dates and times of the tournaments for the 2012 season. Below the tournament dates will be a list of rules. All tournaments are 2 man teams, and will be $30 per team.

5/19 FCATS Tuscarawas River Tuscarawas Boat Ramp Tusky, OH 3pm-11pm 

6/2 FCATS OPEN Fish any public water in the state. Sign up and Weigh Ins at Tusky Boat Ramp Tusky, OH 3pm-11pm

7/28 FCATS Muskingum River Coshocton boat ramp Coshocton, OH 6pm-2am 

8/25 FCATS Clendening Lake 799 boat ramp Deersville, OH 6pm-2am 

9/22 FCATS Tappan Lake Dennison, OH 6pm-2am 

10/6 FCATS "Classic Tournament" 3pm-1am OPEN Tournament Fish anywhere in the State Of Ohio. Sign up and Weigh Ins will be held at Tusky Boat Ramp. Tusky, OH

FCATS Rules: 

1. All tournaments are open to Boats and Bank fisherman.

2. Registration will start 1/2 hour before tournament start time.

3. You must be in the weigh in line no later than 5 minutes after the posted end time. Example: tournaments ending at 2am, all entrants must be in line by 2:05AM. Anyone more than 5 minutes late will be disqualified! 

4. Entry fees will be $30 per team. ($15 Flathead, $10 Channel, $5 Classic Pot/Prizes) 

5. Each team will weigh in only 2 Flathead, and 2 Channel Cats. There will be a separate pot for Flathead and channel cats.

6. Any fish that is taken to the scales must be at least 15inches. NO DEAD FISH WILL BE WEIGHED!!! 

7. In accordance with Ohio state law each angler is only allowed 2 rods. 

8. All tournaments will be ROD AND REEL ONLY! NO TROTLINES, JUGLINES, LIMB LINES, ETC. If you are caught using anything other than Rod and Reel to catch fish you will be disqualified. And asked to no return!

9. All tournament anglers must fish the body of water that the tournament is being held on ONLY!! Open tournaments will allow anglers to fish any PUBLIC body of water in the state of Ohio.

10. Accusations of cheating will not be tolerated. If you have PROOF that someone is cheating it needs to be brought to the tournament directors attention BEFORE weigh ins begin! 

11. There WILL be cooler/live well/bait tank etc. checks at RANDOM! 

12. There will be $5 of each Teams entry fee from all regular season tournaments going into the FCATS Classic pot/prizes. The Classic pot has the potential to be very large. There is also potential to have some great prizes for the FCATS Classic! The more entries in regular tournaments the bigger the classic pot will be and the more/nicer prizes we will have.

2012 FCATS Sponsors Include: (More to Come)
Discount Sinkers
Black Horse Custom Rods-Big Flathead @ FCATS Classic


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## BanksideBandit (Jan 22, 2010)

I've never fished the Tusky River before...I have a 14' fiberglass boat with a 10hp motor on it...Will I be able to navigate the river well with this setup? And do the tournaments on the Tusky River and Muskingum River have boundaries? I know the Muskingum has the locks and dams but does the Tuscarawas? Will it be restricted from dam to dam in the pool where the ramp is?


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## catfish_hunter (May 31, 2005)

You cant go super far on the tusc. There arent actual pools on the tusc. There is only the one dam at Dover. There are several good fishing spots not far from the ramp that we are having the tournament sign ups at. The open tournaments you just have to sign in and weigh in there, you can actually fish any where in the state of ohio. 

As far as boundries go, you must fish the body of water the tournament is being held on ONLY!! Tusc river tournaments you can fish from Massillon to Coshocton. You can fish the mouths of feeder creeks. But NO OXBOW lakes off the river.

Hope this helps...Any other questions just ask!


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## hhca (Feb 20, 2012)

I was just wondering what the payout scale is going to be. What percentage is being paid in cash, prizes, etc. And also how many places are you planning on paying? thanks in advance!!


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## catfish_hunter (May 31, 2005)

If there are less than 10 teams there will be 2 places paid...

10-15 teams 3 places paid...

15-20 teams 4 places paid...

more than 20 teams 5 places paid...

There will be $5 from each entry that will be with held and split 3/2 for classic pot/classic prizes...So basically all moneys will be paid back to the anglers either by cash, or prizes...I wont be making anything off these tournaments...


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## hhca (Feb 20, 2012)

Do we qualify for classic or is it open to anyone


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## catfish_hunter (May 31, 2005)

Anyone wishing to fish the classic MUST fish at least 2 of the regular season tournaments! Other than that anyone can fish it as long as they fish 2 of the regular season tournaments.


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## AkronCATS (Nov 5, 2008)

Looks like a good series!! Some of the events are a little far away for me with gas being $4 per gallon. I'll definitely try to make a couple of em.


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## catfish_hunter (May 31, 2005)

I definately hope to see you and several of the other guys on here at these tournaments...


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## crappiecat (Sep 7, 2010)

hhca said:


> I was just wondering what the payout scale is going to be. What percentage is being paid in cash, prizes, etc. And also how many places are you planning on paying? thanks in advance!!


The payout is broken down.

15 of ea entry go to flats......so on 10 entries....150 in the flathead pot.
10 of ea to channels.......so on 10 entries......100 in channel pot. 
Gonna be hard to make the money you invest back unless there are a bunch of teams.......so let's try to get as many people we can to enter!



I wouldn't suggest taking a fiberglass boat on the Tusc. The Muskingum at Cochocton is just as dangerous as the Tusc unless the water is up. With the rivers it's all about waitin to see what the water is doing at tourney time.


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## JimmyMac (Feb 18, 2011)

Wish this wasn't so far away sounds awesome, especially being open to bank fisherman.


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## catfish_hunter (May 31, 2005)

Like Crappiecat said...The more entries the better the payouts will be...As with any tournament its hard to get a good return on your investment if there isnt a good amount of anglers in the tourneys...So lets get some good turnouts at these tournaments! 

Some of the prizes that will be awarded at these tournaments are:

20/25lb spools of Berkley Big Game Solar.

various sizes and styles of sinkers

various sizes of Circle Hooks from M&R Tackle Supply

XXX Blood Attractant from Amaysing Fishing

A custom Flathead Rod from Blackhorse Custom Rods.

and several other misc prizes!!!


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## riverpirate2499 (Apr 10, 2012)

This sounds like fun but I haven't caught many flatties in the Tusc and I fish it religously. I catch channels all day and night. What are some popular baits for those bad boys?


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## crappiecat (Sep 7, 2010)

riverpirate2499 said:


> This sounds like fun but I haven't caught many flatties in the Tusc and I fish it religously. I catch channels all day and night. What are some popular baits for those bad boys?


Most of the year I use live gills on the Tusc. I catch more channels on live gills than flats, but it's what I mostly use since they are easy to keep alive in my bait tank. I do use goldfish at times, but gills are my first choice. the last couple years have been bad for flattin in the Tusc, but there are a lot of them.......with more than you'd think hitting 30 plus. 

You don't have to aim only for flats for these tourney's. Use live bait on at least one rod on the Tusc tourney's and you'll still have a good shot at gettin flats


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## riverpirate2499 (Apr 10, 2012)

Thanks for the advice. Ive used blue gill alot but not live. Ill have to give it a shot. Maybe i can land a few and try out a few of these tourneys. Have you guys had any luck so far this year?

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## catfish_hunter (May 31, 2005)

Im going out on the river tomorrow Ill post how I do...


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## crappiecat (Sep 7, 2010)

I've caught some channels this year, but haven't fished it much for cats yet. Went tonight and between 3 people, 5 rods.....not one bite. used liver and shad


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## riverpirate2499 (Apr 10, 2012)

Well I took a 4 hour trip this morning down the Tusc. Stopped at a couple holes I usually do decent at and got nothing. I had 1 good run on blue gill and thats it. Anyone else do any good?


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## catfish_hunter (May 31, 2005)

I went yesterday from about 4-730...And fished in some really good holes...Nothing at all! The river is still really hit or miss right now


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## jaydye0308 (Jun 19, 2006)

Do you have to go to every event?


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## catfish_hunter (May 31, 2005)

You must fish 2 of the regular events to be eligible for the Classic tournament.


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## catfish_hunter (May 31, 2005)

Bump...Who all plans to fish the first tournament? Just a couple weeks away, and the flathead are starting to bite!!!


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## catfish_hunter (May 31, 2005)

Dont forget our first tournament is this coming saturday may 19th from 3-11pm. 

Have had quite a bit of interest!

http://www.facebook.com/Flatheadcatfishanglerstournamentseries


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