THANK YOU! THANK YOU! THANK YOU!

[theangler]

[size 2]Hello Everyone,
I want to apologize in advance for how long I know this post will be.

WOW! What a great time me and my son had being part of the 4th Annual Willard Wiper Tournament! It was so great to meet and talk with all of you that I had the pleasure to. I am only sorry I didn't get a chance to meet all of you! In dropping by the Utah forums over the years I always thought you were a great bunch of people but WOW, who would have thought you could be a better bunch of folks in person!! THANK YOU ALL FOR YOUR WARM RECEPTION AND MAKING THIS EVENT A GREAT TIME!

As many of you may have noticed at the event, speaking to crowds is not one of my strong points and on my long drive home I had time to think of all of the things I should have mentioned and that escaped me when I was speaking so I figured this would be as good a place as any to convey some of thoughts that escaped me in the moment.

There are so many thanks to give to see event go as smoothly as this did and although I promised not to make a big fuss at the event (because the modesty of the folks involved) about the folks that made this really go off so smooth I want to take the time now.

Mike Brady (MGB)- The winner of last years event who inherited the job of planning and pulling off this years Tournament. Expecting to coordinate a 15 team event like last year, he really stepped up huge when things graduated to what ended up being a 59 team event! Mike handled the coordination with the Utah State and Park officials and always kept the focus on making sure the tourney would not go too big too fast and would remain FUN first and a tournament second! Mike Thank you soo much for everything you did!!!!

Rich Jones (BearLakeMack)- As most if not all of you know, Rich has always stepped up to do anything that ads to the resource that you all have created here at BFT Utah Forums and this tournament was no exception. Working with Mike Brady, all the judges, Rich had his eye on all the details that made this tournament expand seamlessly! Rich thank you a ton for making sure every "I" got dotted and every "T" got crossed!

Our Fishing Judges Jason Burnett (Petty4Life), Chad (BEARCLAW), Ray Lee (gshorthair), fish4fun05, and one of sponsors Jeremy Adams (Sportsman's Warehouse)- What an amazing Job you all did! I really think you all deserve a special "THANK YOU" for volunteering to help everyone and not fish this event yourselves so that everything would run smoothly!!! The event would most definitely have not gone the way it did had you all not worked so hard!

Our Food Judges and cooks Pam Pratt, Vicki Jones, Christi Liston, RipNlips, One Eyed Jack, RILEYFISH, old cresliner, and chefwhofishes- What an amazing job you did! Not only was the Banquet full of wonderful food you really had everything ready to go after the raffle! Our grillers deserve a special thanks for bearing the heat of those grills to make sure everyone got fed! You guys did an awesome job grilling up those goodies!! Although it was called the Willard Bay Wiper Tournament, maybe it should be called the Willard Bay Wiper Tournament and Banquet! The dinner was every bit as fun an event as the fishing!!! Thank you all!!!

The Sponsors- This group of people is another one you can never thank enough!!! Wow, they sure made our raffles fun for all! Please drop by their sites and stores and send a quick note thanking them for their participation and support, they really were a huge part the success of this event! With all going on at the event it is hard to really thank them propionate to how much they contribute so please remember their companies when it comes time to purchase the items they supply!!! Our thanks and patronage of their businesses is a great way to give back the fun they provided!!!!
Sportsman's Warehouse- [/size][url "http://www.sportsmanswarehouse.com/"][#0000ff][size 2]http://www.sportsmanswarehouse.com/[/size][/#0000ff][/url][size 2]
TrollDaddy- [/size][url "http://www.trolldaddy.com/"][#0000ff][size 2]http://www.trolldaddy.com/[/size][/#0000ff][/url][size 2]
Camp Chef- [/size][url "http://www.campchef.com/"][#0000ff][size 2]http://www.campchef.com/[/size][/#0000ff][/url][size 2]
Kip Slaugh and Associates, Inc. Concrete Construction
Lee's Marine Service and Supply- [/size][url "http://www.leesmarinesvc.com/"][#0000ff][size 2]http://www.leesmarinesvc.com/[/size][/#0000ff][/url][size 2]
Boats.Net- [/size][url "http://www.boats.net/"][#0000ff][size 2]http://www.boats.net/[/size][/#0000ff][/url][size 2]
Randy McGovern- [/size][url "http://www.mcgovernwildlife.com/"][#0000ff][size 2]http://www.mcgovernwildlife.com/[/size][/#0000ff][/url][size 2]
Maniac Custom Lures- [/size][url "http://www.maniaccustomlures.com/"][#0000ff][size 2]http://www.maniaccustomlures.com/[/size][/#0000ff][/url][size 2]
JLV Lures- [/size][url "http://www.jlvlures.com/"][#0000ff][size 2]http://www.jlvlures.com/[/size][/#0000ff][/url][size 2]
BaitBall- [/size][url "http://www.baitball.com/"][#0000ff][size 2]http://www.baitball.com/[/size][/#0000ff][/url][size 2] [/size]
[size 2]Chipper Beef Jerky

YOU- Thank you all for making the transition between 15 to 59 teams feel like you were fishing and eating with a couple hundred friends instead of just a tournament and Banquet!!!!!! Absolutely none of this is possible without such a wonderful group of people. BFT is truly blessed to have such a great group of people calling it "one of their online spots"!!!! THANK YOU!!!!

I could really go on and on but don't want to ramble to much. As many folks as were involved in this years Wiper Tournament and as fast as it seems like it comes and goes sometimes special folks and moments can get overlooked and I am sure we didn't list everyone we are truly grateful too, so I just want to say THANK YOU ALL!!!!!!!!

SPECIAL NOTE: I must say, I really didn't think I would be on a winning team (even though I had a great partner) so I didn't really plan for how to handle that scenario. When they announced our team as a winner I was trying to think about how to best handle it but got caught up in meeting so many of you. After racking my brain a while on the ride home I came to what I hope everyone will agree is a good solution and will keep us on the path to improving on something great every year. Here it is: Next year the first place Prize money won by me this year will roll over. So before anyone even registers next year, places 1, 2, and 3 will have a prize amount of $169.41 each.

THANK YOU ALL AGAIN FOR A TRULY REWARDING AND MEMORABLE EXPERIENCE!!!


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[PACKFAN]

ANGLER,

I for one feel you should keep the Prize money you won , you earned it fair and square. It costs money now days to travel and fish these events, you were a great person to talk to and we hope to see you back again next year. Spend the prize money on you and your family. Brenda (PACLADY) and I will just have to try harder to beat you guys next year. Thanks again for everything we had a great time, and thanks for all the kind words towards us UTAHNS. Other than our driving skills (or lack of) We have some great people in this state. []
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[idratherbefishn]

packfan... I absolutely agree that Mike should keep the winnings from the tournament.

Mike,
You organized the tournament, drove from Denver, fished with us and put up with my smart a** comments and were in my opinion a very pleasant person, I would feel terrible if you chose to roll over your winnings. And I will say that if you do then I will ... hahahaha (oh carpola, I won the kewl picture in the raffle)

Thank you for the effort you put into the tourney and I look forward to seeing you online and at next year’s event.

Sign me up now (I still want to be first @ something)

Mike Moore
(3 for 3 in the raffle)
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[theangler]

Hello PACKFAN,
It was great to talk with you both also!

Congratulations on pulling out 2nd! You and your wife sure brought in a great stringer, your a great team!

I look forward to next year and I am happy to get the prizes started for next year. We (BFT) benefit in creating value for the advertisers and sponsors who support the site when events like this are a success and that really is payment enough for me. In the long term we all win if the tournament keeps growing and getting more fun every year.

I look forward to seeing and talking with you again!
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[Kent]

Mike, thanks for all of the kind words. I second the idea that you keep the money. You won it and should not feel badly for keeping it and spending it on your family (or yourself if that is your desires).
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[theangler]

Hello Mike,
Glad you had a great time! It was great to meet you, and thanks for the laughs, I look forward to seeing you next year!

I wish we could take credit for organizing the tourney but really it was the local folks that made it all happen again this year (4th annual).
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[theangler]

Hello PackFan,
I was reading some of the other posts and saw your post on how you got on the fish at the event and it said you didn't finish in the money. I you with the couple that placed second, sorry about that[], I met so many great couples I am still trying to process it all!
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[MGB]

Mike, it was good to meet you and I thank you for all of your effort.

I should of started earlier reserving the pavillion and getting all of the permits needed to have the contest then we would of had a better selection of dates to hold the contest instead of being locked into May 20th.

I thought the tourney would be too big but everything went so smooth we could of handled a few more teams. Out on the water during the tourney I thought it would be a battle for position but everyone where real sportsmans out there, it didn't seem like there where 59 teams out there competing. I think Rich could handle a 100 team event next year.

Thanks again for everything.
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[theangler]

Hello Mike,
It was great to finally meet you in person and I think the date worked out great. Also it was better to be safe then sorry with capping registration to a number that was comfortable and now we know without any problems at the event that we can go bigger next year!

P.S. I tried to track down the person responsible for the BFT Wiper Tournament Cake to say Thank you but couldn't find them! THANK YOU, IT TURNED OUT GREAT!!
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[Theekillerbee]

Mike, I was really glad you could make it up for the tournament. You guys did a fantastic job, and I think everyone there had a great time. I think you ought to keep your prize money, you won it fair and square. At the very least it will do is cover your gas money for the trip. Was great to meet you, and I hope to see you again at another get together.
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[theangler]

Thank you TKB,
I really had a great time, and it was pleasure meeting you as well!!

I may try to get up for the derby I heard about in Nov., if so, I hope to see you there.
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[fish1on]

Mike,

Kind words, Thank you, but you really need to use your winnings for you and your family. You deserve it! Take the whole bunch of ya out to dinner and talk about the fun times you had. Us Utah folks are all about enjoying life and our family and friends.
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[fishnpro40]

Mike is was Great to finally meet you in person. this was the first year I was able to fish the tounement, it was a great time even though I couldn't come through at crunch time, must have worn out my luck prefishing. next year you'll have to camp a few day's and relax a little. I never did get that shirt I wanted, I'll place an order after the Memorial weekend.
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[RILEYFISH]

[cool] Mike,

I also enjoyed meeting you and your son. I was glad to see that you brought his along so that he could share the great times with his dad. I am sure he will remember this past weekend for a long time to come.

DUDE, Keep the money! its yours and you deserve it. I am sure that all of us would keep it to. I would. You had expenses to come over here. You know darn well Rich is gonna keep his. So take it and enjoy it.

I also have to say that I was a little aprehensive about how this tournament was going to go off. I have to say that what a great group of people. Nobody got bent out of shape about anything from getting out of the marina to fishing to close or judgeing. Everyone deserves a hand for that.

Thanks for all that you did Mike and I am looking forward to doing it again next year. I had a blast.
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[theangler]

Hello Rileyfish,
Thank you, it was a blast, and I enjoyed meeting you as well.

On th issue of the money guys, I really want to do it. Don't forget I am an employee of BFT not a volunteer and actually I didn't have to pay my expences to get to the tourney BFT did. I apprecaite all your comments but really my situation is different because all the moderators, judges and folks that helped with the tourney all volunteered thier time but I was being paid, it is really the least I could do and am happy to do it.

I agree everyone does deserve a hand, it really went super smooth and was a lot of fun!! I am really looking forward to next year!
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[BearLakeMack]

[font "Comic Sans MS"][black][size 3]You can do what you want with your share but you better believe I'm keeping mine! I put in a lot of time and money trying to figure those fish out! LOL![/size][/black][/font]
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[theangler]

LOL! You would be crazy to do anything else!!!

Don't forget I was kinda on the bft "clock" when I fished the tourney.
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[wiperhunter2]

That is the kind of job I want, to be on the clock and doing something you like to do.[] Sorry I missed the chance to meet you in person. Maybe next year, if your going to be there?
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[theangler]

Hello wh2,
You're not kidding, I feel pretty blessed to have the job I do. Not mention I get to meet great folks like all the members at the event.

I'll look forward to seeing you next year as well (if not sooner).
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[road]

Mike it was nice to finely meet after all this time. You really are a class act. Hope you stay with BFT for a long long time. It was a great event and all involved should be proud of the job they did and the results it brought! Looking forward to next years event.
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