Bass masters elite series tournament on Mille Lacs

Walleyestudent Andy Cox wrote:

Keep in mind there was no other venue in the Mille Lacs area close enough that had anywhere the capacity to hold such an event.

Assuming the majority of these people are staying at Eddys, they could well have held the event out McQuoids. (of course, there would have needed to the will to do so and plenty of pre planning. ) Looks to me like they went with tribal option as an easy route. Granted, they probably had no clue what a bad decision it was to do so.

Too late in the game to make any changes. Hope they learned a lesson.

-J.

Maybe some people aren’t looking at this correctly. I heard from a resort owner that BASS asked for money and the only venue that forked out the money was the Casino. Now the Casino will be hosting the events, but isn’t the real economic impact the money spent on lodging, fuel, and food from the participants, spectators, and future guests? Those people will be scattered all over the lake spending their money. McQuoids has had fully wrapped bass boats in its parking lot every time I’ve driven by. I know the media crew covering the event are staying at Hunter’s Point. Ike was on the lake last week and I’m sure he filled up his boat atleast a few times.

My point is despite any distaste one may have for the casino, shouldn’t the business owners and us who support them be thankful to the casino for bringing the event to the area?

You did it now Fife – ” shouldn’t the business owners and us who support them be thankful to the casino for bringing the event to the area? ” Oh NO you Didn’t – Here comes the flood.
They are going to take away that Profile picture with you holding a Walleye now for sure !!!!

I’m 100% with Fife… The economic impacts from this tournament will be a positive for the entire area both with additional business during the tournament itself and also future business, regardless of where it is held. The increased attention that will be paid to Mille Lacs as a bass destination benefits all local businesses.

Jon Jordan wrote:

<div class=”d4p-bbt-quote-title”>walleyestudent wrote:</div>
Keep in mind there was no other venue in the Mille Lacs area close enough that had anywhere the capacity to hold such an event.

Assuming the majority of these people are staying at Eddys, they could well have held the event out McQuoids. (of course, there would have needed to the will to do so and plenty of pre planning. ) Looks to me like they went with tribal option as an easy route. Granted, they probably had no clue what a bad decision it was to do so.

Too late in the game to make any changes. Hope they learned a lesson.

-J.

Jon, I could be wrong but I would expect that the casino hotel (accommodations) will be filled for this event and traveling circus (media, TV crew and related PR folks, plus assorted groupies) with some spillover to Eddys and perhaps other places. Grand Casino is listed as the tournament headquarters and lodging on the BASS website. My guess is this is bigger than just Eddy’s or McQuoids could handle for accommodations, traffic, and a large area for the weigh-in and spectators. (Casino parking lot). That’s my guess…
Andy

Will Roseberg wrote:

I’m 100% with Fife… The economic impacts from this tournament will be a positive for the entire area both with additional business during the tournament itself and also future business, regardless of where it is held. The increased attention that will be paid to Mille Lacs as a <em class=”ido-tag-em”>bass destination benefits all local businesses.

But….but…..BUT….!!! It’s not walleye!!!!

Whens the tourny going to be? This coming weekend?

Bass_attack wrote:

Whens the tourny going to be? This coming weekend?

September 15-18

If the lake is never known as a walleye haven again then so-be-it.

It is still a Walleye haven…..4 trips and 3 100 fish days…

Great fishery and some great cabin deals right now with all the panic going on up there…

Maybe you guys could block traffic on the hiway leading to the weigh in. That form of protest always seems to make a positive impact.

PB2 wrote:

If the lake is never known as a <strong class=”ido-tag-strong”>walleye haven again then so-be-it.

It is still a <em class=”ido-tag-em”>Walleye haven…..4 trips and 3 100 fish days…

Great fishery and some great cabin deals right now with all the panic going on up there…

Shhhhhhhhhhhhhhh….

I have been seeing a ton of bass boats at eddies.

My question is how big is the field it seams like eddies doesn’t have that many slips for everybody to be docked.

50 anglers

PB2 wrote:

If the lake is never known as a <strong class=”ido-tag-strong”>walleye haven again then so-be-it.

It is still a <em class=”ido-tag-em”>Walleye haven…..4 trips and 3 100 fish days…

Great fishery and some great cabin deals right now with all the panic going on up there…

who is panicking??? talked to a resort owner yesterday and he is booking cabins for the event. these are spectators coming up to watch the pro’s fish and attend the weigh-ins. over the weekend there was a local bass tournament on the lake and I talked to some of the people that came by fishing my dock, they all had plans to be up for the week. I would bet that the motel in wahkon will be booked solid for the week also. there will be a BIG contingent of folks coming up from southern states to watch their fishing gods compete. BASS said that the tournament would put about $3,000,000 into the economy for the week, I was somewhat skeptical. after watching this tournament start to take shape I have changed my mind and that dollar figure could be obtained. one tournament does not bring the local economy out of the hole, but it a good shot in the arm. as far as where the tournament is headquartered at, the casino has the money to spend to put it on. yes, it costs money to host a event as big as this, this is just a touch bigger than mcquoids husband and wife walleye tournament. my nephew has talked to some of the anglers that are prefishing already. mille lacs is going to be in the national spotlight that week, I hope the area can make the most out of it

Dutchboy wrote:

It’s constant when I’m awake. I have friends and business associates on Mille Lacs and it’s not a laughing matter to myself or them.

GLIFWC is the target, I could care less about the BASS guys, in fact good for them. I hope they have fun and a successful tourney. I’m just disappointed in the host venue.

I’m far removed from the Mille Lacs drama, but I would think your friends and business associates would do all in their power to promote and make sure that this becomes a frequent stop for the tour seeing as how it will give a much needed boost to the local economy. Nobody is going to force you to spend money at the casino. But the Elite series is going to draw a huge crowd that will stay at resorts and spend money at restaurants and local stores. For all of the b****ing and moaning I hear coming from the business owners and locals in the area about how business has fallen off, I’d think they would be a bit more grateful that the Elite series is going provide a national spotlight to a fishery and economy that is in dire need of a pick up.

Just my $.02

As a one time event I think BM Elite is a great idea for a lake having tourism issues. I’m looking forward to watching it unfold from afar and am making plans to attend a beer tasting event that weekend and stay far away from the crazies at the cabin. Especially given the stories I’ve heard after an event on Vermilion a few years back.

I’ll be back up the following weekend after the dust settles. And after the dust settles can we please focus on returning ML to be the walleye factory of old. Bass should be a tertiary management priority, probably after pike and musky in my opinion. This from someone that doesn’t fish musky.

Any whooo….

I have been seeing a ton of bass boats out near bird poop island.

People should be thankful they ever came back to MN after the “no-cull rule” on the MN side of the river debacle that DQ’d Brandon Palaniuk a few years back after he was smoking everyone in the tournament on the river. Inconsistent rules from the MNDNR and an archaic rule when it comes to tournament bass fishing. We’ll see how this one goes…. guessing not well.

Alex W wrote:

People should be thankful they ever came back to MN after the “no-cull rule” on the MN side of the river debacle that DQ’d Brandon Palaniuk a few years back after he was smoking everyone in the tournament on the river. Inconsistent rules from the MNDNR and an archaic rule when it comes to tournament bass fishing. We’ll see how this one goes…. guessing not well.

what do you think will not go well??? rules have been changed for the tournament and culling is allowed for tournament anglers. I think that they are going to bring in some big weights because of the special tournament rules. this is the biggest series in the county and will be televised nationally, this one will go well.

A few weeks later, I’m starting to come around to seeing this play out. I thought it was great that this event is being hosted by ML and now I’m looking forward to seeing it.

Always amazes me how time changes perspective.

If they whack giant hog sacks the lake will get a ton of bass fishermen from out of town after the show airs on espn2. Mille lacs is now a better bass lake than it ever was a walleye lake. In this instance things have changed for the better. That being said still a great walleye lake.