No jigging allowed in the tournaments?

[byron_s]

I usually fish the Shaver tournament and noticed on this year's registration form that is says "no jigging allowed." I have never seen this rule before and have successfully jigged, my prefered method of fishing here, in the past at this tournament without any concern. Past winners have also used jigging as their method to win. Question #1 is: why is jigging, a legal method of fishing in CA, not allowed in the tournaments? Question #2: is casting a spoon out away from the boat, letting it fall to a certain depth and then reeling it in, in an erratic fashion, considered jigging? Question #3: what about mooching, a hook full of corn with 12" of mono tied to a non-hooked spoon/weight. Would this be considered jigging?

I just do not like that idea that everyone is being forced to only troll when other legal methods of taking kokanee are available.

Thanks
Byron

[Fishguy67]

This is in response to your question of no jigging. KP has not allowed jigging since the Shasta derby of 2009. This information was relayed to all particpants of the remainder of our derbys for 2009. In 2010 this information along with other rule changes has been printed on the back of all of KP derby entry blanks. You would need to participate in the KP derbys to keep abreast of the rule changes if you are not a member.If you need further information on this and other rules. call me and I will be happy to discuss things with you. Jake Flohr KP Fresno area Director.559-271-8908 of come to our August meeting on the 3rd at Carrows REst on Shaw ave.Meeting starts at 7pm.

[Al Millan]

Our derbies were originally designed to be trolling derbies. Most of our participants prefer to troll for kokanee, which is, at least in California, the more popular method of catching kokanee. When a situation arises in which you have several anglers trolling and several anglers jigging for kokanee which are concentrated in a particular area, problems can arise. Anglers who are jigging will attempt to maintain a fixed position over the concentrations of kokanee. Anglers who are trolling, will attempt to run their presentations through the concentrations of kokanee. With both in the mix, trollers will have a disadvantage trying to navigate through the anglers jigging and avoiding a collision. Such was the case at couple of our past derbies. Jigging is a productive and legal method of fishing for kokanee. However, it doesn’t mean we have to allow it during our derbies. Trolling is a productive and legal method of fishing also, but bass tournaments don’t allow it. So the argument can be reversed with regards to bass tournaments and bass derby officials can be questioned as to why trolling isn’t allowed during bass derbies. In the end, it comes down to maintaining a level playing field for participants practicing the more preferred method of fishing during the derby. If the day arrives when a majority of our participants prefer to jig for kokanee, then we will re-align our derby rules to accommodate the practice. But for now, the rules will be there to accommodate for trolling.

[byron_s]

Capt. Al,

Thanks for the response.

Since this is a club and has members, why not this fall/winter have the members at the membership meetings through out CA vote and decide on whether to allow jigging in the future tournaments? That way the voices of the members are being heard. I am sure most really don't care or have an opinion on this matter, would embrace the competition and would actually try jigging if it was more productive at a certain lake/time of year.

Right now, unless you have downriggers, you have no real chance of winning at most lakes, so why enter. I would think Kokanee Power would want to grow its membership with kokanee fishermen and not limit it with strictly kokanee trollers. As for the statement about boats running into one another, I have had more problems trolling with people cutting me off, running over my lines and tangling my lines then I have ever had jigging.