2009 Fall Open Segment Champion Crowned

The pizza party at lunch today included the passing of the Fall Open Segment to the new champion Tim. Here's some photos of the event.

Yum - Pizza

This year's Fall Open champ Tim with next year's champ Steve on his right

Trophy Stealer Jim

The Handover from Tomski to Tim

The official signing ceremony

Congrats Tim

Upon Further Review: Tim Wins Fall Open

After careful study of the picture posted last week by a team of "experts", it appears that the photos was a clever forgery. So.... Tim is the winner of the 2009 Fall Open Segment. Pizza party details to be provided.

Congratulations Tim for winning both open segments of 2009. Combined they are almost as prestigious as the Team Tournament.

Tomski Repeats as Fall Open Segment Winner

In a stunning upset Tomski came from nowhere to win the 2009 Fall Open Segment for the second consecutive year to defend his trophy. Despite no fish throughout the entire segment, Tomski landed a 2 lb 6 oz largemouth bass (see below) with just 5 minutes left in his lunch hour on Friday.

Tom's win must be especially to the previous segment leader Tim who led wire to wire for the entire segment, only to choose golf over fishing on the last day of the segment. Tough break.

MI-31 At Lunch

Bridgett was once again the class of the field today at MI-30, landing two more fish to bring her total to four for the Fall Open Segment. Here's the creel report

Bridgett: 0 lb 14 oz and 1 lb 3 oz

Skunk List: Steve, Tomski, Tim and Chuck

Bridgett - 0 lb 14 oz largemouth bass

Bridgett - 1 lb 3 oz largemouth bass

Beautiful Weather But Bulrush A Bust

Despite first hand knowledge that Bulrush Pond contains at least 21 largemouth bass weighing at least 1 lb 6 oz, no one was able to land a bass. Tim did land a bullhead and a bluegill (tee hee)

Skunk List: Tim, Tomski, Steve, Chuck, Bridgett

Two days left......

Tim Strikes Back

As September started, Tim reminded everyone why he's in the lead for the Fall Open Segment by landing two fish, albeit smallish one. Here's the creel count:

Tim - 0 lb 7 oz and 0 lb 12 oz

Skunk List: Chuck, Tomski

"I-Fished-Before-Work" List: Bridgett

Tim - 0 lb 7 oz Largemouth Bass

Tim - 0 lb 12 oz Largemouth Bass

Full Time Angler

Consultants 2, Employees 0

With just five days left in the Fall Open, five anglers showed up at the south end of MI-60 at lunch on Monday. Unfortunately, only Bridgett managed to land not one, but two fish, while the remaining anglers just practiced their casting, One anonymous angler stated "I gave those guys a two month head start and I tried to respect their precious egos, but jeez, when you're a consultant you need to produce for a living instead being a layabout and a yes-man to your boss."

The day wasn't exactly wasted as Chuck managed to "instruct" a fellow employee on parking ettiquite and Tim replenished the bass stock in the pond

Here's the creel results:

Bridgett: 1 lb 10 oz largemouth bass, 2 lb 0 oz largemouth bass

Skunk list: Steve, Tomski, Tim, Chuck.

Bridgett - 1 lb 10 oz Largemouth Bass

Bridgett - 2 lb 0 oz Largemouth Bass

Rainy Weather Doesn't Stop Trout

Thursday's drenching rains cleared just long enough for Tim to get in a little fishing at lunch and he landed a respectable 1 lb 14 oz largemouth bass.

Tim - 1 lb 14 oz Largemouth Bass

Tuesday Results

Tom and Steve visited MI-65 and MI-60 at lunch on Tuesday. While there were several bites, only Steve managed to land a fish.

Steve: 1 lb 9 oz bass

Skunk List: Tomski

Steve - 1 lb 9 oz largemouth bass

Border Fishing

While the majority of anglers complain that "it's too hot" or "I forgot my gear" or "they took my cubicle partition" or "I'm peeing blood", one angler shows the way in dedication by traveling to the US-Canada border to take in a few hours on fishing on the Rainy River. Here's some pictures of Tim's results. Maybe he deserves that Fall Open trophy afterall..

Creel: Four (4) northern pike, One (1) rock bass and some Canadian deer

Competition Heats Up

Five anglers decided to take on Tim for the lead of the 2009 Fall Open Segment at lunch on Thursday. The crew visited MI-60 and despite lots of bits, managed to land three fish. Here's the results:

Tim: 2 lb 4 oz

Chuck: 2 lb oz

Steve: 1 lb 7 oz

Skunk List: Bridgett, Tomski

Tim - 2 lb 4 oz largemouth bass

Chuck - 2 lb 0 oz largemouth bass

Steve - 1 lb 7 oz largemouth bass

Shown below is an example of just one illegal fish weighing technique. The Tournament Competition Subcommittee is aware of such techniques and if discovered, the punishment will be severe including but not limited to removal of partitions around your cubicle so that it seems you are working in an wide aisle.

Extra Extra Read All About It

Those of you who are close followers of the Piscatorial Promulgations might recall that last week three intrepid anglers visited the waters of Rainy Lake in pursuit of angling excellence. That trip and the results made the International Falls Daily Journal, a prestigious tome read far and wide by those in the know. As you can see in the images below and the link to the official Rainy Lake Sportfishing Club Catch & Release Program website, Steve and Tim were among the elite anglers identified in the paper for walleye angling excellence. A shy Tomski choose to include a non de plume and is listed as "Thomas Lackauski" of Naperville, IL.

Somewhat suspiciously, a local angler once again won the weekly prize.

Congrats to all the anglers and see you at the ponds.

Fall Open - Minnesota Edition

Three anglers took the Fall Open to new heights yesterday after work and fished Rainy Lake for walleye. Here's the results:

Tomski - 21 inch walleye

Tomski - 18 inch walleye

Tim - Very rare yellow marker fish

Tim - walleye

Tim - 20 inch walleye

Steve - 19 inch walleye

Steve - 18 inch walleye

There is some discussion whether these fish count towards the Fall Open, but we'll leave that up the the benevolent Tournament Office

Fishing Report Follow Up

For the sake of accuracy, it should be noted that Bridgett fished for an hour during lunch the week of July 13th (no fish) and Chuck and Tim fished during lunch on July 27th (no fish)

Finally - Someone's on the Board

24 days after the start of the Fall Open Segment, a lone angler stepped up at lunch on Friday and landed three fish and put himself on the top of the leader board and is poised to take the traveling trophy from Tomski.

Here's the results:

Tim: 2 lb 4 oz, 0 lb 12 oz and one unweighed fish (let's say 0 lbs 4 oz)

Tim - 2 lb 4 oz largemouth bass (segment leader)

Tim - 0 lb 4 oz largemouth bass (hint - look at the plastic - Thanks Tim, we'll use dark colors)

Tim - 0 lb 12 oz largemouth bass

Fall Open Starts Today

Just a reminder that the 2009 Fall Open Segment started today. Here's the summary from the earlier post. Contrary to popular belief, the Spring and Fall Open segments are not a consolation event so other anglers can feel good about their skills in light of The Carp Pros domination (six time champions) of the real fishing event. So please, come out and fish, you might have a chance.

Fall Open Segment

The fall open segment is schedule to begin July 1st and run until September 4th at any pond on site. This is an individual fishing event ad the standings will be set by the weight of the single biggest fish caught during the angling period. The ponds will be available from sunrise to sunset during normal working hours. A picture of each fish along with the angler should be provided along with a photo verification of the weight of the fish. The 2008 "pass around" trophy will be awarded at a pizza party held in September. No entry fee is required for the Fall Open Segment since we already have a trophy. Click here to see the trophy

Award Ceremony Photos

Here's the pictures from the Awards Ceremony for the Spring Open and 2009 Team Invitational Segments of the 2009 Fishing Tournament

Tim - Spring Open Segment Champion

and Second Place Bass Assassins for Team Invitational

Tomski - Third Place Bass Poles for Team Invitational

Merle and Steve - Your Six Time champions for the Team Invitational Segment

Thanks to Martha for organizing the award ceremony pizza and pop refreshments

Video Highlights - 2009 Team Invitational

Video Highlights - 2009 Lake Michigan Trip

Video Highlights - 2009 Spring Open

Invitational Photos: Carp Pros

Merle - Largemouth Bass - 0 lb 7 oz

Merle - Largemouth Bass - 0 lb 8 oz

Merle - Largemouth Bass - 1 lb 6 oz

Merle - Largemouth Bass - 2 lb 9 oz

Steve with Merle's Fish - Largemouth Bass - 1 lb 10 oz

Steve with Merle's Fish - Largemouth Bass - 0 lb 7 oz

Steve - Largemouth Bass - 1 lb 6 oz

Steve - Largemouth Bass - 1 lb 8 oz

Steve - Largemouth Bass - 1 lb 13 oz

Steve - Largemouth Bass - 1 lb 15 oz

Steve - Largemouth Bass - 2 lb 14 oz

Steve - Largemouth Bass - 2 lb 8 oz

Steve - Largemouth Bass - 1 lb 11 oz

Steve - Largemouth Bass - 1 lb 8 oz

Steve - Largemouth Bass - 1 lb 7 oz