Just to let ya'll know, the next two tournament weigh-in's will be held ON THE WATER ! Will fill ya'll in as the tournament date gets closer. We are excited about this and the possible opening of a new era of weigh-ins here on Amistad. Potential of no more driving up that dang hill with fish in your livewell. LOTS better fish care involved. No more traffic jams ! This is gonna be fun ! Tournament directors, ya'll stay tuned ! The South Texas Anglers Sportsman's Association is on the move ! Ya'll keep your fingers crossed ! I believe ya'll will see just how much easier weigh-in's will be. And this will be a trial run for another project that STASA is working on.

Sounds interesting and a great idea. Please keep us informed.

Great idea, Carl. You're on the right track!

I applaud your efforts. I hope the new system works.

This is basically how it's going to unfold. For my event, you still may trailer to any ramp you wish. However, you will be required to bring your fish to a dock at Diablo East BY WATER. As you idle into the area at Diablo East, your partner will bag your fish with water from your livewell. You will have plenty of time for this. Make sure there is plenty of water on your fish. I WILL NOT weigh fish that have NO WATER in the bag (yes, this was a problem). YOU MUST PROVIDE YOUR OWN BAG, as we do not have extra's. You will idle up to the dock designated for weigh-in AT REGISTRATION.. The boater will drop off the partner at the END of the dock with the bag of fish. There will be ample space for 3 boats unloading at a time. There will be personnel there to assist you so you don't run into the dock. The driver then proceeds back around to the main dock on the ramp at Diablo East to pick up the partner or put on trailer. If you are fishing by yourself, a space will be provided out of the main flow of traffic to accomplish bagging your fish. The partner will bring your bag of fish to me at the table in the center portion of the dock along with the chip with your team # on it received at registration. I weigh your fish, hand you a weigh slip with your weight on it and your bag and off you go. You proceed immediately off the dock , up the sidewalk, and either go get the truck or get back in your boat and go put on trailer wherever you launched. IF YOU LAUNCHED AT BOX CANYON or the PECOS Ramp, you will be required to either run to DIABLO EAST , or put on trailer at box or the pecos, then put back in at Diablo East which will cost you some time. NO BAGS WILL BE ACCEPTED WALKED IN. They must be brought in by boat on the water. with the livewells going. Weigh-in will open at 2pm like usual, and the last boat accepted at the dock will be at 4:30pm. NO EXCEPTIONS. That is plenty of time to bring your fish in and drop off your partner. Your boat shouldn't be at the dock any longer than to drop off your partner. We take care of the fish, you take care of your boat. Awards and prizes will be handed out immediately after weigh-in, which shouldn't take very long. The awards will be given out at the top of the hill by the restroom. This will give you around 30 minutes to put on trailer etc. , even if you weigh-in at 4:30. Food and drinks will be provided at the awards location as usual, which will be the picnic table right next to the restroom. No hassles, flared tempers, or congestion. Nice assembly line in both aspects. Everybody is happy. Now, as far as the STASA project is concerned, it is too early to elaborate due to meetings, approval, etc.etc.. but I will keep you informed as to it's progress and possible implementation in the future. If this were a larger tournament, we would have someone either in a boat or at the point by the ramp for you to call your # to and check-in, but until we get a larger field, I don't feel it is necessary at this point. Also if the field was larger, we would be having flights and using the boat slips as well. By using the boat slip method with a large field, you would have the potential for weighing in 15 possible boats at a time in a very short time period.

So at what MPH North wind is your breaking point of braving the Diablo East Dock? lol

There won't be as the area for weigh-in is protected as such. That's why we would be on the point checking in team #'s..or in a boat instead of the dock LOL. Of'course, that could always be Brendan's job. LMAO

Good Job for Crooked Hat! Earn that pay!

Stephen,
This dock is in a protected area out of the wind. It is not the ramp dock. Carl's trail is being used to test the feasability of constructing an on the water weigh-in facility in the future.

Ok gotcha, when i read the diablo east dock i just thought of the 2 ramp docks.

Are they going to allow you to use the " no boats" area that the border patrol uses and that dock, or are you talking about the dock behind forever resorts marina?

We have gained permission to use the "Park Service" dock in the "No Boats" area, which is the one behind the Border Patrol dock. Border Patrol dock is off-limits. Tournament boats come in, unload, and go right back out to the ramp side.

Other than the "specifics" of my tournament, what do ya'll think of the concept ? I believe it will work, but what do you guys think of the dock procedures ?

sounds good to me the only problem is someones fish might get away from them and go back in the water .I have never been a big fan of unloading fish from a livewell while my boat is on the water. Thats just me and I will give this a try.

Place your weigh in bag inside a net when transporting fish over water. I always do this when my boat is beached and we are off loading the fish.