ALS walleye tournament

[fishinfey8]

I looked up the website to find the price per boat and didn't seem to find anything. Anyone know what the price is this year??

[gunflint]

The entry is usually north of $375 with almost zero payout. It's a fund raiser so unless you get sponsorship or have that kind of money to donate, I'd fish the river that weekend.

[Bobby Bass]

This years list of prizes.

GRAND PRIZE! A brand new 2009 Toyota Tacoma

1st PLACE

4 Airline tickets to anywhere in the continental US

2nd PLACE

3 night fishing trip for four to Lac Seul Evergreen Lodge

3rd PLACE

2 Airlines tickets to anywhere in the continental US

4th PLACE

2 Lowrance fish finders

5th PLACE

2 Aqua-Vu cameras

6th PLACE

2 Shimano Stradic Reel/Gander Mountain Guide Rods

7th PLACE

2 Minn Kota trolling motors

8th PLACE

2 Official framed tournament invitations

9th PLACE

2 Hummingbird fish finders

10th PLACE

2 Garmin GPS units

11th PLACE

2 Gander Mountain sleeping bags

12th PLACE

2 Gander Mountain Guide Series rod and reel combinations

13th PLACE

2 Gander Mountain Guide Series tackle bags

14th PLACE

2 Binoculars

15th PLACE

2 Stearns life vests

25th PLACE

2 Airlines tickets to anywhere in the continental US

50th PLACE

2 Official tournament shirts

[Northlander]

Isnt the truck a 1 year lease?

Ill be running it again this year as far as I know.

Its a fun little deal and not a big competitive deal.

As stated if your in it to win big dont bother. If your in it to help raise money for ALS its a great deal.

I really enjoy the before and after parties. Lots of good food and fun. Last year I bid on 2 cases of sunflower seeds and dang if I didnt win them both. I think I lost like 10 layers of skin in my mouth after chewing them. I still have a case left that I just cant bring myself to chew.

Lets hope for good weather this year. Island Lake still puzzles me.

[fishinfey8]

Last year I volunteered and I swore that grand prize was 1 yr. lease...but the website says a truck! Anyways I just would like to know b/c me and a friend are thinking about entering and it would be nice to know the exact price...it is a great cause.

Island lake is puzzling and that's why I enjoy volunteering at the weigh-in station. you don't see many big bags of fish coming in, thats for sure!! especially with there being 300 boats or so...there is always some locals that bring in nice bags, but you'll never get a secret from a island lake local, and if you do keep it secret, keep it safe;)

Regardless, this tourney is really all put on for a great cause that may be worth participating in...

[Northlander]

Im shooting for 2nd, 4th or 6th. I need airline tickets like I need a hole in my boat.

[Steve Foss]

I need airline tickets like I need a hole in my boat.

What, you don't want to go after bonefish in the Florida Keys?

[Northlander]

Maybe take a plane to Rainy Lake?

[SKIPPERS KID]

Steve How about a $500.00 side bet who does better. This whould buy your guid trip where ever you go. "Good luck to all"

[cody]

Entry fee is $350.00 per boat!

[cody]

Drawing for truck for contestants is for the truck. You will own it, it's not a lease.

Raffle for contestants and anyone buying a raffle ticket for first place is $5000 and 2nd and 3rd win $2500 cash.

[Northlander]

Thanks for the info Cody.

[Northlander]

Steve How about a $500.00 side bet who does better. This whould buy your guid trip where ever you go. "Good luck to all"

In this economy Im lucky I can afford to pay my GS entry Tom. Are you fishing the ALS too? See ya there if so.

[fishinfey8]

Yeah thanks for the good info everyone! NL-what kind of boat will you be in? I'll be there for sure whether or not i'll be a volunteer or a participant will be a hard decision. Either way i'll have to keep an eye for ya. I have yet to meet one other fm'er besides one kid that I go to school with. It would be nice to start rubbing shoulders and maybe hooking up to fish a little sometime! Anyone else going to participate???

[Northlander]

I run a 17' Black Lund Explorer with a 115 Yamaha 4 stroke but I may be in a 20' Dark maroonish Ranger with a 225 Yamaha and T-8 on back this year. Ill more than likely have a red Lund Rain Suit on.

[gunflint]

It's a fun tournament run by great people for an excellent cause. I do stand by my original statement. The truck and the top money purses are won by drawing not by fishing. I think that if they moved some of those prizes around. I E the money and the truck for fish and the plane tickets for raffle/door prizes they would get a lot more fisherman. I know that I would scramble to come up with the entry money somehow for a truck or check.

I'm not putting the ALS tournament down in any way shape or form. My point is that I only have so much funds available for tournaments and I can't see fishing my heart out for 2 days after ponying up $350, for plane tickets. Then somebody who doesn't catch any fish walks away with a new truck or several grand. Now if I came up with a sponsor I'd fish it in a heart beat. But with 2 Grand Slams, the Hawg, Lincoln Park and maybe league there is only so much to go around. And I have to consider pay out vs pay off.

[fishinfey8]

Makes sense gunflint. I agree that more anglers would sign up if they just switched the raffle prizes with the contest prizes. Are all of those tourney's this summer? If so sounds like your booked, but i guess its a good kind of booked so it evens out!

[Northlander]

Gunflint the ALS is a 1 day deal by the way.

I do agree I would like to see the $ and truck be a prize for those who fished not someone who didnt pay the entry and just got lucky off a ticket.

[cranken21]

I disagree, I think the way they run this tournament, and the distribution of the prizes is just fine. This tournament is for a great cause. Its not about the prizes, its not about the truck. Its about the cause. The fight against ALS. I have fished this tournament many times in the past. The majority of the people fishing this tournament could careless if they catch any fish. If its prizes your looking for, thats fine. But if your looking for a great tournament, with loads of great people, fishing for a great cause, then fish the ALS.

[gunflint]

I don't think anyone disputes that it's a great cause and an all around positive and uplifting day. I believe that they could raise even more money and have bigger and better event by flopping the prizes. I know several people that don't participate because of the prize structure. I'm not complaining or criticizing just suggesting. I think that these types of fund raisers will be coming to an end soon as tax deductions for charities are eliminated but that's another post.

[ripstick]

The ALS is the best run in the area. Some people say what they want to say, but over all it is right. The big stuff is up for grabs. Like a they say this is a fund raiser and a darn good one.

[Northlander]

I agree its a very very well run tourney. I agree its for a very very good cause. I also agree that if you toss in lets just say a truck or $2000 for 1st place you will get more boats and a more competitive field. After all its a fishing tourney. I also know of many people who dont fish it because its a expensive deal and they really have no shot at getting their money back.

I know ALS probably doesnt care about the competitive side but I know they care about the making more $ to fight ALS side. I think a cash prize for 1st, or vehicle would surely get more people there and at the before and after parties wich would raise more $.

With that said I hope to be able to fish it again this year and I hope they double what they made last year and get another 50 boats entered.

www.alsmn.org is where you can find out more info about the tourney and fund raising for ALS.