All right hear is what I heard. The Game Warden at the Skeeter Tournament would not allow the pro's to use the new Skeeter boats due to the boats not having Tx numbers. Skeeter wanted to use the boats so that all the pros and the contestents could be equal with the same equipment on them. I heard some one was contacted and was given consent to use the boats, then the one game warden went above that persons head and got conformation that Skeeter could not use the boats. I was not there and I did not hear the conversations, but if any of this is true then it could have big reprocutions on Lake Fork hosting another Skeeter Tournament.

When we made it to the weigh-in Saturday evening I was wondering why all the boats were beached behind the boat stalls. I did notice that they had TX #'s but all the #'s were the same. I was wondering why they were there and what boats the pros were using.

that has to do with a law that was passed not too long ago. cant remember exactly what it states- but has to do with : boats must have a TX number. They were just doing thier job. Sometimes you would think they could bend a little- but once they do it for one, then others expect it.

From what I've heard, this could cause some problems in Texas with the pro-staff boats. You can no longer run them a year on a dealer tag, and them sale them warrantied as "new". I've wondered if someone had found a solution to the problem or if it was going to fly as-is.

I'll be interested to know if any of the pro-staffers have heard otherwise.

KD

Skeeter Ronnie,

I am aware that the law is written in black and white, How ever also in law the thing you are after is voluntary compliance. I don't belive it was going to hurt anything for the Pro's and their partners to fish two hours in an unregistred boat. The people who hold this tournament are insured and the boats and the personal are well aware of thier responsibility. If I was a buisness owner in the area I would be concerned that if Skeeter decided to move the tournamnet what impact it is going to have in the area.

I cant see them moving the tournament because of this. After all it is a state issue not Lake Fork. I have been to several other lakes in Texas where the Game Wardens are just as picky or worse.

Maybe they will move it out of state

Darn those Game Wardens for trying to enforce the law. Apparently this Warden did not receive the memo about the Skeeter Tournament fisherman being above the law.

But seriously, I don't understand this statement:

"Skeeter wanted to use the boats so that all the pros and the contestents could be equal with the same equipment on them."

I heard there were 900 boats entered in the "Open" tournament. Are you saying that Skeeter brought 900 boats all the same for the entrants to use?

If I understood it right, the pro-staffer's would team up with the hourly winners for a "fish off" of sorts. They only had about 10 boats for that. Those are the boats they are talking about.

Stop and think how many tourneys are held in Texas each year. As someone said previously, do it for one do it for all. The average fisherman has to display TX numbers and the "pros" shouldn't even ask for any exemption.

This is a hard one. But if the boats are registered as they should be, then these boats cannot be sold as new. Not that Skeeter would do this. I fished those tournaments for five years and always thought inviting their pro staff to fish it was not right. It is billed as a Skeeter owner tournament and should be limited to the buying public. As for the numbers on the boat, yes, they should have then , just as I would have to have them in any tournament. Oh and by the way, I own a Skeeter Boat, and Love it.

Sidewinder-

I think the pros are only invited to fish with the winners of the hourly weigh-ins not the whole tourney. Part of the prize for winning one of the hours.

The boats that they use are typically Skeeter's demo boats that they use all over the country. They are not the the pro's boats.

DD I know they are demo's. But as for the pro's fishing the tournament, they do. The second year I fished it Skeeter paid for a guy from Japan to come and fish the tourney, and he is a pro.

Hey guys I deal with those game wardens a litte more than I would like.
They are probably the rudest in Texas that I've dealt with.
And unfortanatly I've dealt with more than my fair share.

Guys lets not forget how much money that the owners tourn brings to Lake Fork.
I think it would be alright to turn your head.