Captain Mike Russell, with Erie Obsession, won the Big Fish Friday contest in the annual Western New York Walleye Tournament. Submitted photo

The annual fall walleye tournament for the Western New York Walleye Association kicked off last Friday with a bang, starting with the exhilarating Big Fish Friday.

The thrill of a live leaderboard instantly set the stage for an intense and exciting competition for all participants.

With his 27.75-inch walleye caught and submitted at 7:41 a.m., Captain Mike Russell with Erie Obsession won BFF. Russell edged out Dave Swoope, who caught an identical length fish at 8:19 a.m. for second place — when minutes and seconds matter.

The rules of first-in apply, so Russell took home the BFF crown and the $1,280 cash prize. Russell also caught another walleye of the same size later in the day (later time) for third place, Ed Golebiewski took fourth place just a quarter-inch back with his 27.5-inch fish and Mike Russell, again, caught a 27.25-inch fish for fifth place. Wow, Russell was working in an amazing school of large fish. Only the first-place winner is paid (80% of the total BFF registration fees). “There were 16 teams of two to five persons each registered for the BFF contest, and 28 teams for the main event,” said Captain Dennis Young.

Entry fee for this tourney was $250 for the main event (Saturday) and $100 for the optional Big Fish Friday competition.

In the regular competition the next day, the top three places took home cash. Tim Stone with Trolling Stones from Hamburg, finished first, with 81.75 inches for their three fish stringer — good for $2,800 — the biggest cash prize of the weekend. Ryan Smith with Back-in-Action from Collins, finished second with their 81.5-inch tally — just a quarter-inch off the top mark — and Jim Taggart with Fish Missile from Eldred, Pennsylvania, finished third with 80.50 inches.

Only the waters of Lake Erie and the upper Niagara River were allowed in this competition. Starting at 6 p.m., the tournament awards ceremony followed after the main event on Saturday at the Blasdell Fireman’s Park on Lake Avenue.

The Fish Donkey app, while it may seem controversial to some, is actually a beacon of fairness when competitors fully understand its rules. The app uses fish length in quarter-inch increments on a calibrated, standardized measurement board, rather than weight, ensuring a fair and transparent competition. Its performance at the Sunset Bay Shootout for the last two years is a testament to its reliability. Having been rigorously tested locally, it’s a logical choice for other local tournaments. Like any system, there are advantages and disadvantages, but the fairness it brings is undeniable.

What I like about Fish Donkey is that it is a fish-friendly and conservation-focused protocol. It encourages immediate catch-photo-video release, significantly reducing mortality and stress compared to traditional weigh-ins. The app was initially created for kayak anglers, but its benefits extend to all fishing tournaments. It eliminates the need to keep fish in live wells or transport them to a weigh station, a win for fish welfare and conservation. When fish are released right away into their habitat, it reduces delayed mortality.

The app incorporates advanced anti-cheating tools to authenticate the fish catch and ensure fairness by requiring photos and videos via the app — including specific requirements (one — closed mouth, two — correct measuring board setup, three — release video). You need all three of these; no deviations allowed.

The app provides transparency with real-time leaderboards, allowing participants to view their standings during the tournament, which can enhance excitement and engagement. At tournament headquarters, each entry is promptly verified by the tournament director. Lastly, cost: Using the app is free for organizers to host events. Revenue is generated from a small service fee charged to participants (approximately 2.95% of the tournament entry fee), which is streamlined through registrations, payments and participant communications via the app. The detailed features make the Fish Donkey app a valuable tool for fishing tournaments, enhancing the experience for both participants and organizers. The app’s digital livewell feature helps mitigate potential submission errors, and its real-time leaderboards add a new level of excitement to the tournament experience.

On the downside, there are some challenges for users of the Fish Donkey app. The app requires anglers to be familiar with smartphone technology and the app process. There are precise photo and video submission rules that include closed mouth, proper board and complete photo framing. Indeed, this can be tricky to get right, especially under the pressure of tournament moments. To be sure, using the app requires pre-fishing practice or instruction to avoid mistakes. There is the potential for submission errors without understanding the simple, but rigid, rules process. Submissions may be delayed, lost, or improperly uploaded, especially when there is a poor signal; however, the app’s digital livewell feature helps. However, it adds another layer of complexity. Mismeasured or misuploaded entries are typically disqualified or penalized. Those are the rules. Also, with the app, some say there is less weigh-in excitement. Some anglers might miss the energy of a traditional, in-person weigh-in crowd with reactions, ceremony, and drama. Does that make using the Fish Donkey app less thrilling? I don’t think so, but it is different. While anti-cheating features exist, remote submissions mean less oversight, and some worry that without physical presence, cheating becomes easier.

With the proceeds from this event, the club is making a significant impact on the local community. They plan to provide 100 turkeys, along with all the trimmings, for needy families at The Most Precious Blood Church in Angola during the Thanksgiving holiday. This successful initiative is a testament to the positive impact of our events on the local community and the importance of your support. It’s something WNY can all be proud of.

“We can’t thank our sponsors enough for their support, especially Doc’s Tackle,” said Ron Kucinski, club president. “At the awards picnic, we raffled off a Scotty Seeker valued at $1,500 in our traditional random draw. In addition, Doc’s Tackle also provided 15 to 20 individual items as part of the free, random raffle. Additionally, we will have products from Fine Tuned Welding LLC, St. Croix Rods, Yaleye Fish Lures, Okuma Fishing USA, Cisco Fishing Systems Ltd. and others that were given away at the awards picnic.”

Western New York Walleye will provide (free) their 2025 First Responders and Veterans Lake Erie Fishing Day on Saturday, Sept. 13, followed by a picnic at Blasdell Fireman’s Park starting at 3 p.m. The picnic will include a fish fry and prize giveaway. This event is a token of appreciation for the service of our first responders and veterans, and all eligible individuals are encouraged to participate. For those who qualify and wish to participate, contact Rick Malik at 716-548-8219 or Steve Haak at 716-225-0229.

Lastly, big news. Legal crossbow hunting in New York state starts this year. Get your archery stamp or hunter education course now. Thank you, Gov. Hochul, and all the 100s of people who fought for this for the last 30 years, especially the late Bill Hilts Sr.

Gotta love the outdoors.

CALENDAR

Aug. 30: Labor Day Shoot, Hanover Fish & Game, sporting and five-Stand, NSCA registered, 780 Overhiser Road, Forestville; 716-934-4028.

Aug. 31: Hanover Fish/Game, Invitation from the Fredonia Trap Team, clay shooting open house. Students from grades 7-12 are invited to learn about trap shooting. Cost is $10. Club is at 780 Overhiser Road, Forestville. Info: https://www.hanoverclays.com/.

Sept. 1: NYS squirrel season opens (gray, black and fox). No closed season for red squirrels.

Sept. 1-25: NYS Canada goose designated southern zone hunting season, 15 birds/day, ends Sept. 25.

Sept. 3: 3-D Archery, Evans Rod/Gun, 864 Cain Road, Angola; 4 p.m. to dark, 15-target course, kitchen open, Jerome Gorski, 716-398-3008.

Sept. 7: NYS Hunter Education, 8 a.m. to 4 p.m., no charge, West Falls Conservation, 55 Bridge St., West Falls; Visit: https://dec.ny.gov.