With the help of AT&T, Samsung, Lake Lanier Islands Resort, and others, the Lanier Striper Club will host the first-ever tournament where the results will be determined via a "virtual weigh-in". The Fun Fest includes a Friday evening Captains' party at the Resort; Saturday Tournament; and an award ceremony to be held at the Resort on Saturday afternoon which will include food and refreshments, prizes, phones, shirts for participants, etc. These family-oriented events will take place on September 11 and 12, 2009. Limited to fifty teams. To learn more and to register, visit lanierstriperclub.com.

I'm signed up! So are a few of my buddies. We can hardly wait. I also know that the captain of each team will recieve a Samsung Rugby Camera phone. That alone is worth the price of admission.
We will see you all there!

Flat Creek Bob

Bob, thanks for signing up and referring your friends. I guess our advertising efforts are paying off - two teams from Texas and one team from New Jersey have signed up. Also, in the past week, we landed three more sponsors - Sony, Motorola, and LG. Yeah, you're right - Samsung has agreed to give us fifty Rugby Camera Cellphones which we will give to the captains on Friday evening. We will also be giving each team two long-sleeve fishing shirts. Lake Lanier Islands will be providing the food and refreshments at the Captains' Party on Friday night as well as the meals for the Saturday award ceremony. The value of the phone, shirts, meals, and refreshments is almost $500 per team!!! And, each team has virtually a one in three chance to win some tournament money. Both events will be held at the Amphitheatre at the Islands and there is no gate fee. Team registration for the events and tournament is only $200. The dates to remember - September 11 and 12. Register at www lanier striper club.com.

I do want to participate, however I don't want to be a Captain in this event. If anyone is going it solo and needs a 1st mate, let me know. I will pay %50 of all the cost.

Want to go with me?

Are you kidding me man? It would be an honor. Let's do it!

Let me know if you want another to throw in the mix Jim.

Hey guys, I signed up for the forum. I think I found a few more interested teams for the fun fest.

Bring them on, but remember NOBODY CAN DEFEAT TEAM JIMPAL!!!!!

Wait a minute am I on the team or something?

Dan, you are a team. I'm gonna follow you around that day.

Bob Benson

Thats funny right there Big B
It looks as if I am not going to be hear. My wife's dads 87th birthday so looks like we must go to Oregon and fish for Salmon on the Rogue River bummer.

Nice consolation prize, Dan. Sorry you won't be here.

I heard tonight that there are already 34 teams signed up. This is awesome. This means that there are only 16 more spots available. You need to sign up quickly if your thinking about fishing. Just think you can always EBAY your spot last minute. LOL

Seriously, anyone who might be interested, can call me at 404-557-5559. I can direct you with any info or questions you may have. Especially guys in the Oakwood Club. Don't wait for the next meeting. Call me.

"Flat Creek" Bob Benson

Bob, thanks for the promo - you're looking for a commission, right? Yes, the rate of receiving the registrations has increased significantly. Our goal remains fifty boats and we will not exceed that number. For the folks completing the registration, please be sure to attach a check or indicate your credit card info. The Tourn. Comm. has decided that those registrations with a check or credit card info will be accepted before those registrations that lack funds. Register at www.lanier striper club.com.

THis is really going to be a great event....First class tournament based at Lanier Islands so there is more to enjoy than just the weigh in.....I really like the "virtual weigh in" with the cell phone/camera furnished by Samsung, and its a great gift to each boat's captain.....I am looking forward to joining some of you on September 12th .......Bring your best game on...Cj

Bob I'm in. I'll give you the money when I see you. Sign me up.

Thanks Bob. Sign me up. See you at the meeting Tuesday.

I'm signed up! Haven't been fishing in a while and sure I will end up in the "losers bracket" but it sounded like too much fun to pass up. Plus, if Tom Watson can come that close, who knows.....

Bigfish,

I am not putting you in the losers bracket! As a matter of fact, when you think about striper fishing on September 12 (on average), most stripers will be in a much smaller body of water and anybody with a little luck and some healthy herring will have an equal chance with the pros, guides, etc. My software records for mid-September indicate good catch results at Lake Markers One through Five, Saddle Dike, and Shoal Creek One and Two. That's not a whole lot of water to cover for a seven hour event. So, pull out that rabbit's foot on Sept 12 and be ready for the Bigfish.

Regarding the tournament, I have a list of 36 teams on a handwritten sheet from emails, call-ins, etc. On my formal tournament forms, I have recorded 30 teams and I have a stack to work on tomorrow. I received two registrations via the internet in the past two hours.

Outside of the prizes, shirts, cellphone, meals, and tournament winnings, there is one more thing I want everyone to think about - Networking. That's right, on Friday night and Saturday afternoon, you will have a chance to meet some of the best amateurs and guides on the lake. You will also meet many of the good folks on this website. So, work the crowd, connect with the Forum guys, and expand your network. The value of a good network is worth much more than $200.

That was well said Tom! And is absolutly the truth!!! Rarly pure and never simple.

Here is the thing guys if you work hard, and fish hard, and look hard, You are going to catch fish. Think about what Tom has said, many times we pick up the phone and call somebody that has just been. Well guess what, you now have somebody on the lake that has done just that already. So instead of trying to cover 12 spots to see if fish are there, all you have to do is go where they caught them and look for yourself.

You get the idea, but it is a great thing to network because it is like having 5 trips on the lake by just talking to 5 people.

Of course everyone doesn't fish the same as you would, but an example is if the fish have turned off at Midlake and they are hitting on the South end now your looking is much more concentrated and you don't have to wast the better part of the morning looking in the wrong place. I am now getting off my soapbox!!!

Preach on Brother Dan! Can i get an AMEN?

I hear ya too. I always check the forum the night before and if I have time that AM. I sometimes call a good friend (you know who you are) to get a couple of tips or starting point. I feel like I may be asking too much, but it helps me get started. Then I usually find some on my own (blind hog) I can share back. Maybe not an even trade but I garontee I'll do what I can. Big D

I think all of you who participate in this forum already know the benefit of sharing striper fishing info.....As Ray Crok said " None of us is as good as all of us'....I read the fishing posts from you guys every day, since I am not able to get out and fish every day.....It really help me learn about striper fishing patterns in a way that i cannot get from any other source.......I want to say thanks to Clay for successfully setting up the Forum, and thanks to all of you guys who make it worthwhile.......I hope to have more posts for you this winter when the fish are back up on my end of the lake above Gainesville Marina.....I encourage any of you who call me on radio channel 72 that I'll be glad to share info with you " real time" on the lake.......Umbrella Man

This is a brief update on the Fun Fest Tournament to be held on Sept 11 & 12. First, forty teams have signed up leaving ten openings. As many of you know, your registration and "lock" for participation is based on receipt of the entry fee; so, if you have not made full payment, please do so now. To clarify an item in our brochure, each of the fifty teams will receive the Samsung Rugby cellphone/camera. AT&T recently added two items to the list of "give-away" stuff - a lanyard and a "Captain's Bag". Each team will receive the phone, shirts, Rapala measuring board, lanyard, captain's bag and some other items on Friday night. On that same night, several presentations will be made regarding the use of the phone, a review of the Tournament Rules, and a fishing report from a top-shelf Lanier guide. This week our focus will be on whether we will make an effort to generate some publicity for the event through media such as TV, radio, etc. We have also hired a photographer to take pictures of the participants while fishing the tournament; so, be sure to look your best. LOL. Most important - thank you for all of the support!

tom

Tom, We are playing this friday at Good Ol' Days in Cumming. Send some pamplets and I'll give them out at the gig. You could come out and sit in maybe sang something like "My Baby Done Left Me For a Striper Guide With a 225 Four Stoke" something like that. Hey I had a blast Saturday, thanks for all your work. It definately paid off. I lost count after 10 or 12 then the 14lber. You need to get a retriever/bird dog point clicker, put it on your lanyard with your remote. gotta love it!! Big DD

Not to repeat Tom, but we are running out of time. There are only a handfull of spots open to fish the Funfest Tournament. We do have numerous applications without payment. Unfortunately, only paid applications will be counted. For those of you that have expressed an interest to fish and have mailed or faxed an applicatin in, it is of utmost importance to get a payment in, to lock your spot. According to Tom, he has been receiving new applications with payments everyday. So the non paying applications are not going to be counting. Send your money NOW!!!
Be a part of something BIG. You too will be amongst the who's who of Striper Fisherman.

How does the tournament work on Saturday? Do all of the boats start from one place or is everybody just out on the lake and ready to start fishing at the 7:00am start?

I'll be coming from the south side of Atlanta so trying to figure out my game plan.

Thanks,
Bfish

Good news for you and other participants. You can launch anywhere. The thing to remember is - no lines in the water till 7:00.

Tom ( or Tax Man ) .....How are we looking on the roster for the tournament? ...Is it full yet? ....Are you going to post some of the " winners pictures" on the forum after the tournament? .....I'm really looking forward to meeting all of these guys from the forum that are fishing this event with us.......Thanks for letting me fish it with you........Umbrella man

We have three positions available; several teams withdrew due to scheduling conflicts. We upgraded our shirts to the Columbia Bonehead Long-Sleeve fishing shirt. All shirts will be monogramed. In the past ten days, a significant number of sponsors have signed up including Driftmaster, Lowrance, Checkitstik, Navionics, Hammonds, Outdoor Enterprises (Mack Farr), Upstate Trophies, the Striped Bass Conservation Coalition, Big Fish On Guide Service, Minn Kota and others. As you know, the first fifteen finishers receive $8,000; in our most recent meeting, we agreed to give these teams another award/prize! Many thanks to the folks who have signed up - we're looking forward to meeting all of you.

Tom Blackburn

Good morning guys,

I have registered 49 teams for the Sept 12 Tournament.

If you want to participate, please go to our website www.lanierstriprclub.com to register and pay the entry fee today.

In the event you would like to be on our waiting list, let me know. I am not going to require any form of payment to be on the waiting list. I anticipate having a list of five teams on the waiting list.

Many thanks to the local fishing community for your support.

tom

The Fun Fest Tournament is sold out. If you would like to be on the waiting list, please send your registration information which can be obtained from our website. www.lanierstriperclub.com.

tom

After weeks of negotiations, LG announced yesterday that they are going to give us a "pick your prize certificate".

If you own this certificate, you will be able to go to a retail store, choose any LG product such as a large flat panel TV, and pay for it with the certificate! Rumor has it that the certificate value is $5,000! So, you will be able to purchase any LG product up to $5,000 with the certificate. I think you will be limited to one item - not to exceed $5,000.

The club intends to raffle the certificate so bring a few extra bucks and a lot of luck to the events.

By the way, we have a lot of stuff to raffle including an HD unit from Lowrance, a bait tank, guided fishing trip, boat detailing, etc.

With regard to the tournament, we have decided to give each of the top fifteen teams a special award which is in addition to the prize money they will earn. Bill Linse from Upstate Trophies has made some good looking stuff for these teams.

Tom

Sounds great Tom. Look foward to it.

Gets better every day. Thanks Tom. See you Friday.

I have some good news for any team that would like to fish the tournament. One of our participating teams just called and cancelled.

If anyone is interested, please contact me by email as soon as possible.

thblackburn@gmail.com