 |
Who's Online |
 |
|
There are currently, 7 guest(s) and 0 member(s) that are online.
You are Anonymous user. You can register for free by clicking here
|
|
|
 |
 |
Languages |
 |
|
Select Interface Language:
|
|
|
 |
|
|
Sports Radio |
|
|
|
To stop scroll place the mouse in the window! |
|
|
|
|
 |
Sports Ticker |
 |
|
| Sports Ticker |
|
|
Powered By:
Sportz
Network
|
|
|
 |
| |
Featured Product
|
|
 Wiggins-Tanner win wire-to-wire in Panama City
Posted by stardot on Sunday, May 04 @ 04:48:30 MDT (9 reads)
PANAMA CITY BEACH, Fla. – If the bigger one had just bit…If the wind had not changed that last day…If that one fish had not been just over 27 inches.
In professional redfishing winning weights are usually so close that the “what if’s” normally pour out on stage of the final day of a Redfish Series weigh-in as redfish teams miss the winning mark by ounces.
However, there were few “what if’s” muttered at the final weigh-in of the FLW Redfish Series in Panama City Beach this afternoon.
That’s because Blair Wiggins of Cocoa, Fla., and Travis Tanner of Titusville, Fla., dominated the event from start to finish. When the final-day weigh-in scales came to a close with Wiggins and Tanner’s fish, the team had amassed a three-day total of 45 pounds, 4 ounces to take a commanding win by 3 pounds, 14 ounces.
That now stands as the largest margin of victory in a Redfish Series Eastern Division event.
Despite the gloomy downpour that doused the weigh-in ceremonies, Wiggins and Tanner’s smiles could probably be seen beaming out into the Gulf of Mexico from the Wal-Mart parking lot in Panama City Beach.
“What an awesome week,” said a rain-soaked Wiggins. “I’ve had this same rush only twice in my life: once when I got to fly an F-15 jet for 45 minutes when I was in the Air Force, second when Tadd and I won the FLW Series Championship in 2006.”
All week long, Wiggins talked in disbelief about the size of the redfish school he and Tanner fished for the win.
And while it would be easy to say that the school alone gave the team victory, there were other teams that found the same school. Yet, each of the first two days, Wiggins and Tanner were able to pull the biggest slot fish from the school.
“We fished for the biggest fish in the school that we could see,” Wiggins explained. “It really boiled down to a game of keep away from the smaller fish. At times we would speed reel our D.O.A. Bait Buster over the top of the water to keep the little ones from eating it. But when a big one flashed up there to get it, we’d drop it down and let it eat.”
Wiggins also credits his dedication of time during practice for the win. He scouted the Panhandle coastline for two weeks prior to tournament time.
During that time he found several schools of reds but the biggest one was located some 60 miles to the east of Panama City. And even after he found the school, his work was not done.
“I spent several hours a day just watching this school,” Wiggins said. “As the tide came up the school would move in. But the best time to catch them was when the tide started to go out. That’s when the fish would fracture off into smaller packs and use certain gulleys and potholes to migrate back off the flat.”
Wiggins acknowledged that the fish were very aggressive. He did not have to resort to any finesse tactics and instead hunted them down with a D.O.A Bait Buster tied to 65-pound braid on his signature edition Wright and McGill rod, which is 8-feet in length.
For the win, the team took home $50,000 including contingencies.
Shaw-Vandemark runner-up
Finishing in the second place spot was Kevin Shaw of Corpus Christi, Texas and Tadd Vandemark of Key Largo, Fla., who is Wiggins’ former Redfish Series Partner.
Shaw and Vandemark ended up with a three-day total of 41 pounds, 6 ounces, worth $11,740.
The Florida-Texas duo ran nearly 80 miles to the east each day to catch their fish.
“We couldn’t see the schools as good today because of the clouds,” Vandemark said. “And we still had an awesome day of fishing – we probably caught 50 fish.”
Since they could not target specific sight-fish with soft plastics, the team relied on Sebile Flat Shads (a rattle trap style lure) tied to 10-pound test Power Pro braid and 30-pound test Seaguar fluorocarbon leader.
“We knew Blair was pretty much uncatchable so we were fighting for second place and that’s where we ended up,” Vandemark said. “It was an unbelievable week of fishing – like a dream. And my former teammate won so I can’t complain.”
Segraves-Edwards third
Terry Segraves of Kissimmee, Fla., and Bill Edwards of Pembroke, Ga., caught the biggest stringer of day three weighing 14 pounds, 9 ounces to move into third place with a three-day total of 41 pounds, 1 ounce worth $4,987.
Segraves and Edwards located a large school of reds in East Bay during practice and did not realize how many fish they were on until today when they caught all they could catch – an estimated 100 redfish.
“This has been the most incredible fishing day in my life,” Edwards said. “I bet we caught 100 reds. Terry and I doubled up 24 times in a row.”
Edwards fished the school all week but was extra cautious in catching only what he needed each day and then guarding the school for the next day.
“I figured it was a small school of just 20 or 30 fish and I was pretty worried about catching too many and running the school off,” he said. “We took it real easy on them for two days. Since today was the last day, we went in with guns blazing and caught them and caught them and caught them until our arms were cramping up. That school was a lot bigger than I had estimated. What an incredible fishery this is.”
As far as lures, Edwards said a ¾-ounce gold spoon was all that was needed to catch the schoolers.
Jackson-Espenlaub stay close for second
Frank Jackson of St. Petersburg, Fla., and Charles Espenlaub of Lutz, Fla., get the unofficial award for least number miles ran during the event to make the top 5.
Jackson and Espenlaub were fishing just 11 miles from the launch site and finished the event in fourth place with a three-day total of 38 pounds, 4 ounces worth $3,056.
“Frank and I love visual fishing,” Espenlaub said. “We came here, saw all this pretty, clear water and looked for a shoreline where we could stake down, keep quiet and let the fish come to us. It worked out all week. The clouds and wind hindered our sight-fishing today so we just had to blind-cast with the faith that the fish were there.”
Ochs-Crafton
John Ochs of Englewood, Fla., and Roger Crafton of Boca Grande, Fla., finished fifth with a three-day total of 37 pounds, 3 ounces worth $2,500.
Ochs and Crafton were sharing the same enormous school of fish that Wiggins and Tanner were on.
“It was a lot tougher in there today,” Crafton said. “It was much slower to get going. There was a lot of local boat traffic first thing, which always makes redfish a little more wary. But once things settled down there was a lull in the boat traffic about mid morning and that big school showed up and we caught them pretty good for about an hour and a half.”
Crafton said lure choice was irrelevant.
“We used spoons and Gulp, but the fish were so thick you could have probably thrown a bare jighead in there and caught them,” he added. “It’s truly been an incredible few days of fishing. I literally had a Charlie horse in my arm yesterday from reeling in so many.”
Coming up
The fourth and final Redfish Series event in the Eastern Division for 2008 will be held in Fernandina Beach Sept. 4-6.
(Read More... | 8780 bytes more | Score: 0)
|
|
Wiggins and Tanner Lead for 2nd Day at Panama City
Posted by stardot on Saturday, May 03 @ 05:49:18 MDT (9 reads)
PANAMA CITY BEACH, Fla. – For the second day in a row, the redfish team of Blair Wiggins of Cocoa, Fla., and Travis Tanner of Titusville, Fla., were the only team in FLW Redfish Series event to break the 15-pound mark.
Now their two-day total comes to 31 pounds, 7 ounces, which gives them a 3-1/2-pound lead going into day three.
“We’re pretty pumped,” said Wiggins, the popular television show host for Addictive Fishing. “We’re on a huge school of redfish. Yesterday, the school was all broken up; today the school came back together and it’s enormous. When they come up together, it turns the water red for half an acre.”
The Florida team is making a run of some 60 miles to the east, well outside of East and West bays.
With such a feeding frenzy going on, Wiggins said the fish will eat just about anything tossed into the school.
“I powered fished them today,” Wiggins said. “I went to a D.O.A. Bait Buster because it has a big strong hook in it. I tied it to 65-pound test Power pro on my signature series Wright and McGill rod. I can sail that bait buster out there on the wind and as soon as it hits the water one gets it.”
One trick Wiggins and Tanner are using to segregate the big fish is to skim the lure on the surface at a fast rate of speed until the “right size fish” starts chasing it.
“Five or six fish will chase that thing on the surface at one time,” he said. “Little ones will get up behind it and we try and keep it away from them until a big one humps up behind it, then we kill the bait and hope that bigger fish gets it.”
Despite his lead, Wiggins is still a bit apprehensive about naming himself as the winner.
“Believe me, in these tournaments anything can happen,” he said. “We were leading out in Port Lavaca, Texas a couple weeks ago and strong winds killed us the last day. We still have to make things happen tomorrow. I won’t feel comfortable until we get about 12 pounds in the boat.”
Jackson-Espenlaub hold onto second
While the leading team is making a long run in a big bay boat to their fish, the team Frank Jackson of St Petersburg, Fla., and Charles Espenlaub of Lutz, Fla., are fishing very close to the launch site in a tiny technical skiff to hold onto second place.
Jackson and Espenlaub now have a two-day total of 27 pounds, 15 ounces.
“It’s all about stealth for us,” said Jackson. “We’re staking down and waiting for the fish to come to us. We have to be ultra-quiet and reduce motion in the boat to avoid spooking the fish.”
“We’re just trying to become part of the environment out there,” Espenlaub added. “If you sit still and quiet for a long time, the fish will eventually get used to you being there and get back into their comfort zone.”
Including practice, the team has burnt only 13 gallons of gas this week.
“That’s the challenge for us,” Jackson added. “We like to stay within the waters of the venue and out-stealth the fish that live here. There are plenty of good fish right here in this bay where we’re putting in so we don’t feel like we need to run a hundred miles a day to catch fish.”
Shaw-Vandemark jump into third
Kevin Shaw of Corpus Christi, Texas and Tadd Vandemark of Key Largo, Fla., are in third place with 27 pounds, 7 ounces.
Shaw and Vandemark are making one of the longest runs of the event – some 80 miles – to the east.
“We’ve got two large schools located and we’re kind of bouncing back and forth between them,” Vandemark said. “We’re blind-casting Sebile Flatshads around the area and catching a few on that. When a school comes up, we cast D.O.A. CAL series (white with a chartreuse tail) at them and usually double up.”
Shaw and Vandemark have bettered their weight each day, weighing 13-06 and 14-01 respectively, and Vandemark thinks they can go higher tomorrow.
“I think the best we could possibly do out of our area is about 15 pounds,” he added. “If we can get the right bites, we can have that tomorrow.”
Ochs-Crafton fourth
John Ochs of Englewood, Fla., and Roger Crafton of Boca Grande, Fla., are in fourth place with 26-09.
Ochs and Crafton are fishing near the leading team of Wiggins-Tanner, which means they are making a lengthy run as well.
Crafton backs up Wiggins' assessment of the sheer size of the school the two teams are fishing.
“It’s clearly one of the most impressive schools I’ve ever seen,” said Crafton. “And I’ve seen some big ones in Mosquito Lagoon and Boca Grande. What’s so unbelievable to me about the school is how tightly packed the fish are together. When they come up, it’s not just a couple of flashes of bronze here and there, the water turns completely red. And there’s every size fish in there from 19 to 30 inches – it’s just incredible.”
Segraves-Edwards round out top 5
Terry Segraves of Kissimmee, Fla., and Bill Edwards of Pembroke, Fla., round out the top-5 teams who will be fishing Saturday’s final round with a two-day total of 26-08.
Day three of the FLW Redfish will begin Saturday morning at 6 a.m. at Bay Point Marina in Panama City.
(Read More... | Score: 0)
|
|
FISHING TOURNAMENT HELPS TO “CATCH THE CURE” FOR PEDIATRIC CANCER
Posted by stardot on Monday, April 28 @ 06:05:44 MDT (13 reads)
Anglers and fishing enthusiasts are coming together to help “reel in the cure” for pediatric cancer at the Seventh Annual Johnny Ferlita Memorial Fishing Tournament, May 9-10, 2008. The event will benefit The Pediatric Cancer Foundation while honoring the memory of “Tampa’s Speed King,” Johnny Ferlita.
It all begins on Friday, May 9 at 6:30 p.m. with the Captain’s Meeting and Dinner Party at The Bay Club at Westshore Yacht Club, 6001 Westshore Blvd. Guests will enjoy a tropical-themed dinner featuring paella and flan, with entertainment from The Cuban Social Club. A silent auction will also be held during the dinner party to kick off this annual event. Dr. Doug Letson from H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center and Research Institute will give a brief update on the efforts of The Sunshine Project and Dana Bertoch will share her experience battling childhood cancer and why it's important to advocate for continued research. Tickets to the Dinner Party are $35.
Anglers will drop their lines in the water on Saturday at 7:00 a.m. and fish for redfish, snook and trout during this one-day, catch-and-release tournament. Participants will return to The Bay Club by 3:00 p.m. for a cookout celebration and awards banquet provided by Catering by the Family.
Ferlita was a native-born Floridian who took full advantage of the waterways in Florida with his enthusiasm for boat racing and fishing. Aptly referred to as “Tampa’s Speed King of the Waterways,” Ferlita set the world record for the Florida Family Runabout five-mile competitive race at 39.6 miles per hour.
He became part of the U.S. Power Squadron in 1961 and was a member, instructor and past Commander of the Tampa Power Squadron. Prior to being appointed Chairman of the Board at the Central Bank of Tampa, he spent several years as the head of a family-owned beer distributorship.
A $200 entry fee for each angler includes two tickets to the Dinner Party and Awards Banquet as well as an angler’s gift bag upon registration. Guests who do not want to fish, but would like to participate in the fun of the Dinner Party, can purchase dinner tickets at $35 per person. To date, through the efforts of Johnny Ferlita's friends and family, the event has generated more than $240,000 for childhood cancer research.
For more information, contact Amanda Polson at 813-269-0955 or apolson@pcfusa.org; or log on to www.fastercure.org.
(Read More... | Score: 0)
|
|
Bostick and Sepe win Oh Boy! Oberto Redfish Cup event in Punta Gorda
Posted by stardot on Sunday, April 27 @ 18:24:34 MDT (21 reads)
By Nick Gebhardt
ESPNOutdoors.com
Andrew Bostick and Mark Sepe can only pose with day-winning redfish a few different ways.
So the Florida anglers decided to strike a different pose for their third-straight win on Sunday, as the 2007 Oh Boy! Oberto Redfish Cup champions wrapped up their wire-to-wire win in Punta Gorda with two fish weighing 13.15 pounds.
“Today was more like the first day,” Bostick said. “A few oversized fish in the morning and we stayed with them all day.”
Andrew Bostick and Mark Sepe with families
The first win at the first event of 2008 puts Bostick and Sepe in prime position for the Academy Team of the Year presented by Crocs points race at the start of the season. They won $50,000 and captured the $500 Lake and Bay Big Bag prize.
Redfish Cup rookies Heath Seckel and Brian Ulch, who took second-place with their 13.00-pound stringer, also helped their cause in both the Team of the Year and Rookie of the Year races. Taking third place overall, Craig Johnson and John Ochs turned in 11.47 pounds of redfish after landing a third top five finish in Punta Gorda in as many years. Jon Loring, Jr. and Ray Malone made all Texas and Louisiana anglers proud, taking the fourth spot with a 10.88-pound day. And rounding out the fifth slot for the tournament, Bo Johnson and Mike Del Duca turned in a 7.96-pound final day stringer.
Finding the right bite in lonely waters off the coast of Sarasota, Bostick and Sepe pulled in 14.57 pounds on Day One and 14.39 pounds on Day Two. With the grand prize on the line, the tournament was theirs to lose, so they returned to the same spot and the same school where they had found consistently hefty bags after tossing topwater lures.
“We just trickled them across the surface and it would push a little wake,” Bostick said. “They’d come up and hammer it but a lot of them would miss it, too.”
“We were trying to keep that line out of the water completely,” Sepe said, explaining how the visible line might spook the cautious fish.
Fishing sandbars for three straight days, newcomers Seckel and Ulch found success slow-rolling gold spoons through the grass.
“We saw they were eating crabs, and they look a lot like them,” Ulch said about the technique.
Johnson and Ochs followed the same school over three days and caught three keepers with 11 other bites on Day Three.
“We followed them with the trolling motor and waited until they’d settle down,” Johnson said. The anglers threw soft plastics on a jighead throughout the tournament.
Loring and Malone got to their cove on Day Three only to find their fish had left. Slow fishing, but not dead-sticking soft plastics, the team couldn’t muster enough to take the win.
“We wouldn’t have changed a thing today,” Malone said. “We were pitching root beer colored bait again, but the fish were just not there.”
The fish didn’t come to the party for Johnson and Del Duca, either. Instead of making a risky third run to Tampa, the anglers decided at dinner the night before Day Three to stay close.
“Mike gambles and I don’t,” Johnson said about the decision. “So we both played the odds.”
(Read More... | 38234 bytes more | Score: 0)
|
|
Owens and Aldridge Find The Right Two Bites at IFA Jax Event
Posted by stardot on Friday, April 18 @ 06:10:18 MDT (18 reads)
Jacksonville continues to be a well accepted hot spot along Florida’s East coast by the IFA
anglers. This year was no different and the anglers took full advantage of the same fishing areas the
IFA has visited for the last couple of years.
However, it was the weather that seemed to bring in
change and the Redfish Tour team of Scott Owens from Brunswick, GA and Rob Aldridge, from
Jacksonville, had to adjust.
Owens and Aldridge
Even though the 20-25 mph winds forced Scott and Rob to make a change, it did not
throw them off or hinder them in any shape or form. This Florida East Coast division team
brought in their two fish limit weighing a total of 14.16 pounds and for this they took home the
first place prize of a fully-rigged Ranger Banshee, valued at approximately $20,000 as equipped
with a 40 HP, 4-stroke Yamaha outboard, Loadmaster trailer, Power Pole shallow water anchor,
Minn Kota trolling motor and Humminbird electronics.
“We had two good bites all day and they were the right ones,” said Scott Owens. “I
would like to thank Chris Whitman for giving me a handful of the new Fish Bite baits, without
these baits we wouldn’t be here. If was a pleasure fishing this tournament with the other IFA
anglers here, I know everyone fished real hard.” Scott continued by saying, “We will keep trying
for a Team of the Year win and this is a good start. We have been practicing in Titusville and
Rob is originally from St. Augustine.”
Also finishing in the top five for the tournament were: second place – Jeff Pope and
Dwayne Black with 13.34 pounds; third place – Chris Chapman and Dan McGatlin with 13.12
pounds; fourth place – Fred Rounsaville and Christian Davis with 13.11 pounds; and fifth place –
Stephen Szczepank and Jeremy Schillo with 12.87 pounds.
The third place team of Chapman and McGatlin pocketed the $750 Ranger Cup Powered
by Yamaha check by owning and fishing from a Ranger Boat powered by a Yamaha outboard.
(for Ranger Cup and Yamaha incentive program details, visit www.rangerboats.com).
The big fish of the tournament was a 7.44-pounder caught by the 12th place team of
Chuck Dehlinger and Brian Clark. They were awarded a $500 check for the accomplishment.
The Jacksonville tournament was the first tournament of the (IFA) Redfish Tour FL East
Coast Division. The two remaining events in this division will be in Titusville, FL on June 28th
and St. Augustine, FL on September, 20th.
Other divisions include Texas, Atlantic, Florida West Coast, Gulf Coast and Louisiana.
All are one-day events with three tournaments in each division. Teams that fish in any three
events qualify to compete in the two-day, no-entry-fee IFA Redfish Tour Championship
scheduled for November 7-8, 2008, where the first grand prize will be a Ranger 173 Ghost with a
115 HP, 4-stroke Yamaha outboard, Power Pole shallow water anchor, Minn Kota trolling
motor, and Humminbird electronics valued at approximately $34,000.
IFA Redfish Tour sponsors include Cabela’s, Ranger Boats, Yamaha, Minn Kota,
Humminbird, Loadmaster, Sebile, JaxWraps, Power Pole, Solar Bat, Pioneer Beef Jerky, Sperry
Topsider Shoes, DriGrip, CW Crab and Charter Lakes Marine Insurance.
For more information about the IFA Redfish Tour tournaments, visit
www.redfishtour.com, call (478) 836-4266 or email info@palmerconrad.com.
(Read More... | Score: 0)
|
|
Redfish Cup To Visit Punta Gorda
Posted by stardot on Friday, April 18 @ 05:52:00 MDT (14 reads)
ESPN’s Oh Boy! Oberto Redfish Cup stops at Laishley Park April 25-27
Punta Gorda, Fla. (April 17, 2007) – The sun is out, the waters are warm and the fish are biting. That can mean only one thing – the return of the Oh Boy! Oberto Redfish Cup to Laishley Park in Charlotte Harbor. The nation’s premier saltwater fishing championship is docking in the Gulf waters April 25-27 and promises to deliver bigger thrills than ever. The three-day fishing frenzy officially begins at 7 a.m. on Friday, April 25 with the morning launch and ends with the dramatic final day weigh-in at 3 p.m. on Sunday, April 27 when one teams walks away with the $50,000 grand prize.
But the best saltwater anglers in the world won’t be the only attraction. The Redfish Cup is part of the Charlotte Harbor Redfish Festival, a three-day extravaganza featuring fun for the whole family. The crowd-pleasing Splash Dogs competition is back, as is the tragic comedy of the cardboard boat races. Saturday night features a performance by the band Low Rent, and festival goers all weekend long will have a chance to catch the Relatively Redfish Art Exhibit.
“Our Redfish Cup anglers look forward to the Punta Gorda stop every year because of the community support, the amazing festival atmosphere and of course the world-class fishing,” said David Healy, senior director of sales and sponsorship for Career Sports & Entertainment, the agency that owns the Redfish Cup. “This year we’ve got the best field we’ve ever had, more prize money than ever before and tons of family-friendly activities. We’re poised to make the 2008 season the best on record for our fans and anglers.”
“Charlotte Harbor couldn’t be happier to welcome the Oh Boy! Oberto Redfish Cup back to our community,” said Becky Bovell, director of the Charlotte County Visitor’s Bureau. “The fact that ESPN and the Redfish Cup have chosen to make us their only permanent stop on the tour is a testament to the area as a world-class fishing destination with something fun for everyone.”
The new season of the Redfish Cup also marks a new community outreach initiative called Net Gains. The program allows local youth the opportunity to attend a free fishing and conservation clinic taught by the Redfish Cup pros on Thursday, April 24 from 4:30 to 6 p.m. at Laishley Park. Ages eight and up are welcome and all attendees will receive a Redfish Cup goodie bag and a photo with their favorite angler upon completion.
Now in its sixth season, the Oh Boy! Oberto Redfish Cup has become the nation’s premier saltwater fishing championship. The event will visit five venues across the Southeast in 2008 and give away more than $1 million in prize and contingency monies.
Punta Gorda is the first stop of the 2008 season, followed by three additional stops throughout the Southeast before the season-ending championship Oct. 10-12 in a yet to be announced location. Each event features a $50,000 grand prize and $180,000 in total payout.
Oh Boy! Oberto Redfish Cup and Festival, April 25-27
When: 7:00 a.m. to 3 p.m.
(Friday and Sunday)
7:00 a.m. to 9 p.m. (Saturday with concert)
Where: Laishley Park
100 East Retta Esplanade
Punta Gorda, Fla. 33950
For more information, live weigh-ins and up-to-the-minute news, visit www.RedfishCup.com.
About the Oh Boy! Oberto Redfish Cup
In its sixth year, the Oh Boy! Oberto Redfish Cup is the nation’s premier inshore saltwater fishing championship. The nation’s top competitive teams compete at all events, creating the sport’s first true professional tour. The 2008 schedule consists of five events culminating with the Oh Boy! Oberto Redfish Cup Championship in October. Full 2008 tournament coverage can be seen every Saturday at 8:30 a.m. ET on ESPN2 beginning in July.
Sponsors of the 2008 Oh Boy! Oberto Redfish Cup includes Oh Boy! Oberto Beef Jerky, Lake & Bay Boats, Crocs, Tabasco, Under Armour, Mercury Marine, Lowrance Electronics, Academy Sports + Outdoors, Falcon Rods, Motorguide and ARC Dehooker.
(Read More... | Score: 0)
|
|
Ritter and Billiot Win FLW Port Lavaca
Posted by stardot on Saturday, April 12 @ 19:41:52 MDT (18 reads)
Story Courtesy of FLW Outdoors
PORT LAVACA, Texas – Scott Ritter of Dauphin Island, Ala., and Chad Billiot of Raceland, La., caught a three-day total of six redfish weighing 39 pounds, 10 ounces to win the Wal-Mart FLW Redfish Series Western Division event in Port Lavaca, Texas. Their top prize of $50,000 included a $15,000 Ranger bonus and a $15,000 Yamaha bonus.
“We were a little disappointed after the first day,” said Ritter, who, along with Billiot, stood in 20th place after the first day of competition. “We’d never fished Port Lavaca before, and so we thought it was great to be in 20th place. Then we caught the fish that we thought we could catch on the second day and we moved into fifth place. Today we thought we would have to come in big, but with such tough conditions, we caught two good fish and other people just couldn’t make it happen. We kind of back-doored our way into it. And it’s been a long time coming.”
“It feels really good,” said Billiot, whose team ultimately weighed in a three-day catch of 39 pounds, 10 ounnces. “I was sweating it out the whole time. But we earned this trophy today. We worked really hard for three days for this. We went from 20th place to fifth to first. I really wanted this win. It’s the best win of my career.”
However, their victory was far from easy. With windy conditions wreaking havoc on the entire field, many teams were forced to go with a series of improvised backup plans thoughout today’s competition. And the team of Ritter and Billiot were no exception.
“The ride was just brutal this morning,” said Ritter. “Then when we finally got to our spot, we had low water and the water we did have was all muddied up. Eventually we found one little pocket of clean water and my partner saw a good fish in it. I’m still not even sure how he saw it but he managed to get it in the boat.”
Ritter and Billiot opened the tournament with two fish weighing 13-5 Thursday. They added another two fishing weighing 15-00 Friday and capped off the win with two more fish weighing 11-5 Saturday.
Ritter’s winning fish came from open bays along the shore near Compano Bay. Ritter said the team targeted areas where the muddy water met clean water, and they fished Berkley Gulp! Shrimp under a popping cork.
“We made a 75- to 80-mile run, and when we got to our spot, the water had really dropped and it was real muddy,” Ritter said. “We were lucky to find one clean pocket and caught a nice fish on that and then we worked around for a while but kept running aground and we decided to run to a spot we found a few miles away during prefishing that we hadn’t fished during the tournament. It was clearer water, and we got two keepers out of that spot and those were the two winning fish. It was a good move to move to the clear water, and it worked out well for us.”
Rounding out the top five teams are Blair Wiggins of Cocoa, Fla., and Travis Tanner of Titusville, Fla. (six redfish, 38 pounds, 15 ounces, $15,802); “It was definitely hairy out there. It felt like someone was spraying a power washer in your face all day,” said Wiggins. “Basically, we totally had to change our gameplan because of the wind. We decided to go to a spot where I had pre-fished and we wound up catching two small fish pretty quickly. Then we decided to go to the Intercoastal and we caught a bunch of fish in the 22-inch range. Then, in the last 20 minutes, we’re able to upgrade before we had to come back in. It was rough out there but we never gave up.”
Despite the harsh conditions, Wiggins said the team caught approximately 45 to 50 fish using a combination “of about 30 different baits” but relying primarily on DOA Cal baits.
“We caught more fish in Texas this week than I ever have before,” said Wiggins. “It was a great fishing day. But we just could never get the right bites we needed to win.”
Wiggins’ partner said he was proud of his team’s effort, regardless of the final result.
“We knew going into today that our first gameplan was shot,” said Tanner. “But you just have to go out there and fish. Good anglers adapt and that’s what we did. We just came up a little bit short in the end.”
Dwayne Eschete of Mandeville, La., and Blake Pizzolato of Montgomery, Texas (six redfish, 35 pounds, 15 ounces, $7,140); “We decided to change our gameplan today because we didn’t think had enough fish in our (previous) spot to win. And we really wanted to win this,” said Pizzolato. “We went about 20 miles to the jetties and then we decided to turn around because it was too rough. Finally, we found a little cove out of the wind and caught a couple of keepers there. In the end, we probably shouldn’t have tried to do what we did today but we’re going for the win. Sometimes you get the chicken and sometimes you get the feathers. Today, we mostly got feathers.”
Pizzolato’s partner said that despite the rough outing, the team was pleased with their performance.
“The conditions were really bad for us today and our bodies got abused,” said Eschete, whose team ultimately recorded a three-day catch of 35 pounds, 15 ounces. “But we caught two good fish and we’re happy with what we had today.”
Judd Johnson of Houston and Recie Tisdale of Dickenson, Texas (four redfish, 31 pounds, 4 ounces, $4,420); “We actually ran all the way to Corpus Christi and the trip back was just a nightmare. We came back with a broker Power Pole, a broken jack plate, a broken GPS unit and a cracked boat stringer. Honest to God, the only thing that’s still working is my Yamaha motor. I guess we probably shouldn’t have tried to make that run in the first place.”
The fishing was just as brutal.
“The trip took 2 ½ hours to get there and 3 ½ hours to get back,” said Tisdale. “We wound up fishing for an hour but the bite wasn’t very good at all. With the front moving in, the north wind really shut down our bite. We should have adapted and we didn’t. Our thinking was that this was the spot that got us into the finals so you go with what got you there. But we probably should have known better. In the end, the front got us.”
Finishing 5th was Tadd Vandemark of Key Largo, Fla., and Kevin Shaw of Corpus Christie, Texas (four redfish, 28 pounds, 10 ounces, $4,390).
“Punishment-wise, our bodies are finished,” said VanDemark. “The abuse we took during the first two days of this tournament was a little more than our bodies could handle. We thought if we could catch 14 to 15 pounds today we could win this. But the way the wind was blowing, it was going to take us three hours each way to get to our spot. We tried to make a good run today but after we hit that first wave we said, ‘No way.’”
In an effort to make every last attempt at the win, the team limped back across the bay to fish some shoreline areas.
“We caught five reds this morning but nothing really that large,” said VanDemark. “We might have moved a couple of hundred yards today but that was about it. Keving was really hurting and I just wanted to make sure I took care of my partner because we have some more tournaments coming up. But overall, it was great to make the top five. The people of Port Lavaca have been great as well. And no matter where we finished today, we’re still very proud of the fact that we’ve now fished five Redfish Series Western Division events and have never done worse than seventh place.”
Teams caught six redfish Saturday weighing 26 pounds, 11 ounces.
The $1.9 million FLW Redfish Series consists of two divisions – Eastern and Western – and the $318,500 Redfish Open. Each division is comprised of four $170,000 qualifying tournaments. The top 50 teams from each division based on Land O’Lakes Team of the Year standings will advance to the no-entry-fee $300,000 Wal-Mart FLW Redfish Series Championship to be held Oct. 30-Nov. 1 in Biloxi, Miss. The championship winner will take home as much as $100,000.
Tournament pros aren’t the only ones winning big this season. With the introduction of FLW Fantasy Fishing™, FLW Outdoors® offers anyone the opportunity to enter for their chance to land the catch of a lifetime with the opportunity to win $7.3 million in cash and prizes. Players can become a virtual pro angler by signing up for Player’s Advantage, providing them with exclusive insider information that could guide them to a $100,000 victory at every Wal-Mart FLW Tour® stop and the Forrest Wood Cup. Player’s Advantage will give them an edge over the competition and increase their shot for a $1 million cash grand prize that will be awarded to the FLW Fantasy Fishing cumulative points winner. Those who visit FantasyFishing.com today can sign up for Player’s Advantage and FLW Outdoors will include a $15 Wal-Mart gift card.
Coverage of the FLW Redfish Series stop in Port Lavaca will be broadcast to 81 million FSN (Fox Sports Net) subscribers in the United States as part of the “FLW Outdoors” television program airing May 25. “FLW Outdoors” is also broadcast in Canada on WFN (World Fishing Network) and to more than 429 million households in the United Kingdom, Europe, Russia, Australia, Africa, Asia, and the Middle East through a distribution agreement with Matchroom Sport, making it the most widely distributed fishing program in the world. The program airs Sunday mornings at 11 Eastern time in most markets. Check local listings for times in your area.
FLW Outdoors, named after Forrest L. Wood, the legendary founder of Ranger Boats, is the largest fishing tournament organization in the world. In 2008 alone the organization is offering more than 90,000 anglers the chance to win over $40 million through 230 tournaments in 10 circuits targeting bass, walleye, redfish, kingfish and striped bass. FLW Outdoors is also taking fishing mainstream with the largest cash awards in the history of fantasy sports, $7.3 million.
For more information about FLW Outdoors and its tournaments, call (270) 252-1000. For more information about FLW Fantasy Fishing and Player’s Advantage, visit FantasyFishing.com.
Awards are based on a full field of 125 boats in every tournament.
(Read More... | Score: 0)
|
|
Johnson and Tisdale Lead Charge on Final Day at Port Lavaca
Posted by stardot on Saturday, April 12 @ 10:42:22 MDT (16 reads)
PORT LAVACA, Texas – Judd Johnson of Houston and Recie Tisdale of Dickenson, Texas, landed two redfish weighing 16 pounds, 11 ounces Friday to lead the Wal-Mart FLW Redfish Series Western Division event in Port Lavaca, Texas, with a two-day total of four redfish weighing 31-4. Teams are competing in the tournament for as much as $50,000 cash.
“The wind really picked up today,” said Tisdale, who is fishing his second season of Redfish Series competition together with Johnson. “We were actually back at the ramp by 2 p.m. today. We didn’t want anything to go wrong. We had almost 17 pounds today and we wanted to get back early.”
Tisdale said he and Johnson ran to the same spot they fished on the opening day of the tournament, about 100 miles south to the Corpus Christie, Texas, area, to fish and caught a total of three fish on the second day of competition. Tisdale said the team caught their fish on gold spoons in 2 to 3 feet of water in sand pockets and grass. Tisdale said the water was still dingy after rains earlier in the week, but was clearing up somewhat.
“After we caught the first two big fish, we decided to go ahead and come back, because they were pretty good-sized fish,” Tisdale said. “We wanted to live to fight another day.
“We feel pretty good about going into tomorrow,” Tisdale continued. “On Day 1, we caught six fish there and they’re all averaging between 5 and 8 pounds. Today we had one that was about 9 ½ pounds and it took us from tied for sixth place to first place. That 9 1/2-pound fish was just a gigantic fish. That was the first fish we caught this morning.”
Rounding out the top five teams who will advance to the final round are Blair Wiggins of Cocoa, Fla., and Travis Tanner of Titusville, Fla. (four redfish, 30 pounds, 8 ounces); Dwayne Eschete of Mandeville, La., and Blake Pizzolato of Montgomery, Texas (four redfish, 29 pounds, 0 ounces); Tadd Vandemark of Key Largo, Fla., and Kevin Shaw of Corpus Christie (four redfish, 28 pounds, 10 ounces); and Scott Ritter of Dauphin Island, Ala., and Chad Billiot of Raceland, La. (four redfish, 28 pounds, 5 ounces).
Teams caught 86 redfish Friday weighing 1,642 pounds, 7 ounces.
Qualifying tournaments in the $1.9 million Wal-Mart FLW Redfish Series – the most lucrative redfish tournament trail in the world – are three-day events. The winning team will be determined Saturday based on the heaviest three-day accumulated weight.
Boats will launch from Lighthouse Beach Saturday morning at 7 a.m. The final weigh-in will be held Saturday at the Wal-Mart store located at 400 Tiney Browning Blvd. in Port Lavaca beginning at 4 p.m.
The FLW Redfish Series consists of two divisions – Eastern and Western – and the $318,500 Redfish Open. Each division is comprised of four $170,000 qualifying tournaments. The top 50 teams from each division based on Land O’Lakes Team of the Year standings will advance to the no-entry-fee $300,000 Wal-Mart FLW Redfish Series Championship to be held Oct. 30-Nov. 1 in Biloxi, Miss. The championship winner will take home as much as $100,000.
Tournament pros aren’t the only ones winning big this season. With the introduction of FLW Fantasy Fishing™, FLW Outdoors® offers anyone the opportunity to enter for their chance to land the catch of a lifetime with the opportunity to win $7.3 million in cash and prizes. Players can become a virtual pro angler by signing up for Player’s Advantage, providing them with exclusive insider information that could guide them to a $100,000 victory at every Wal-Mart FLW Tour® stop and the Forrest Wood Cup. Player’s Advantage will give them an edge over the competition and increase their shot for a $1 million cash grand prize that will be awarded to the FLW Fantasy Fishing cumulative points winner. Those who visit FantasyFishing.com today can sign up for Player’s Advantage and FLW Outdoors will include a $15 Wal-Mart gift card.
FLW Outdoors, named after Forrest L. Wood, the legendary founder of Ranger Boats, is the largest fishing tournament organization in the world. In 2008 alone the organization is offering more than 90,000 anglers the chance to win over $40 million through 230 tournaments in 10 circuits targeting bass, walleye, redfish, kingfish and striped bass. FLW Outdoors is also taking fishing mainstream with the largest cash awards in the history of fantasy sports, $7.3 million.
For more information about FLW Outdoors and its tournaments, call (270) 252-1000. For more information about FLW Fantasy Fishing and Player’s Advantage, visit FantasyFishing.com.
Awards are based on a full field of 125 boats in every tournament.
(Read More... | Score: 0)
|
|
Wiggins and Tanner Grab Lead At Port Lavaca
Posted by stardot on Thursday, April 10 @ 18:51:39 MDT (16 reads)
PORT LAVACA, Texas – Blair Wiggins of Cocoa, Fla., and Travis Tanner of Titusville, Fla., caught a two-redfish limit weighing 16 pounds, 6 ounces to lead day one of the Wal-Mart FLW Redfish Series Western Division event in Port Lavaca, Texas, where teams are competing for as much as $50,000.
“We were wondering what was going to happen with the weather, and our worst fears happened,” said Wiggins, who is fishing in his third year of competition in the FLW Redfish Series. “It was blowing like crazy and we had some 3- to 4-foot waves to put up with. We had about an 80-mile one-way run and basically used some Louisiana strategy. We’re pitching plastic shrimp under popping corks.”
Wiggins said he had been sight fishing before the tournament began, but wind and rain muddied the water and he turned to the popping cork and shrimp setup Wednesday. The theory behind Wiggins’ setup is the sound of the popping cork attracts the redfish, and the shrimp entices the fish to bite. Wiggins said he and Tanner caught 20 fish during the first day of competition even though they didn’t hit their prime spot until 11:30 a.m. Wiggins said he spent 45 minutes at that spot, caught their two weigh-in fish and began the 80-mile journey north back to Port Lavaca.
“We’ve got the same plan for tomorrow,” Wiggins said. “We didn’t want to beat the fish up today because there’s not many fish there. But the fish that are there are pretty good pigs.”
Rounding out the top five teams are Dwayne Eschete of Mandeville, La., and Blake Pizzolato of Montgomery, Texas (two redfish, 15 pounds, 10 ounces); Steve Reupke and Frank Duxstad, both of Port Aransas, Texas (two redfish, 15 pounds, 5 ounces); Billy Nicholas of San Marcos, Texas, and Andy Mnichowski of Marrero, La. (two redfish, 15 pounds, 1 ounce); and Jerry Hensley of El Campo, Texas, and Sonny Heabert of Victoria, Texas (two redfish, 15 pounds, 00 ounces).
Teams caught 81 redfish Thursday weighing 861 pounds, 5 ounces.
Qualifying tournaments in the $1.9 million Wal-Mart FLW Redfish Series – the most lucrative redfish tournament trail in the world – are three-day events. The full field will continue competition Friday, and the top five teams based on the heaviest combined weights from Thursday and Friday will advance to Saturday’s final round. The winning team will be determined Saturday based on the heaviest three-day accumulated weight.
Boats will launch from Lighthouse Beach each morning at 7 a.m. Friday’s weigh-in will be held at Lighthouse Beach beginning at 3 p.m. The final weigh-in will be held Saturday at the Wal-Mart store located at 400 Tiney Browning Blvd. in Port Lavaca beginning at 4 p.m.
The FLW Redfish Series consists of two divisions – Eastern and Western – and the $318,500 Redfish Open. Each division is comprised of four $170,000 qualifying tournaments. The top 50 teams from each division based on Land O’Lakes Team of the Year standings will advance to the no-entry-fee $300,000 Wal-Mart FLW Redfish Series Championship to be held Oct. 30-Nov. 1 in Biloxi, Miss. The championship winner will take home as much as $100,000.
Tournament pros aren’t the only ones winning big this season. With the introduction of FLW Fantasy Fishing™, FLW Outdoors® offers anyone the opportunity to enter for their chance to land the catch of a lifetime with the opportunity to win $7.3 million in cash and prizes. Players can become a virtual pro angler by signing up for Player’s Advantage, providing them with exclusive insider information that could guide them to a $100,000 victory at every Wal-Mart FLW Tour® stop and the Forrest Wood Cup. Player’s Advantage will give them an edge over the competition and increase their shot for a $1 million cash grand prize that will be awarded to the FLW Fantasy Fishing cumulative points winner. Those who visit FantasyFishing.com today can sign up for Player’s Advantage and FLW Outdoors will include a $15 Wal-Mart gift card.
Coverage of the FLW Redfish Series stop in Port Lavaca will be broadcast to 81 million FSN (Fox Sports Net) subscribers in the United States as part of the “FLW Outdoors” television program airing May 25. “FLW Outdoors” is also broadcast in Canada on WFN (World Fishing Network) and to more than 429 million households in the United Kingdom, Europe, Russia, Australia, Africa, Asia, and the Middle East through a distribution agreement with Matchroom Sport, making it the most widely distributed fishing program in the world. The program airs Sunday mornings at 11 Eastern time in most markets. Check local listings for times in your area.
FLW Outdoors, named after Forrest L. Wood, the legendary founder of Ranger Boats, is the largest fishing tournament organization in the world. In 2008 alone the organization is offering more than 90,000 anglers the chance to win over $40 million through 230 tournaments in 10 circuits targeting bass, walleye, redfish, kingfish and striped bass. FLW Outdoors is also taking fishing mainstream with the largest cash awards in the history of fantasy sports, $7.3 million.
For more information about FLW Outdoors and its tournaments, call (270) 252-1000. For more information about FLW Fantasy Fishing and Player’s Advantage, visit FantasyFishing.com.
Awards are based on a full field of 125 boats in every tournament.
(Read More... | Score: 0)
|
|
CCA Redfish Challenge This Weekend!
Posted by stardot on Tuesday, April 01 @ 05:35:55 MDT (41 reads)
144 teams participating in last spring’s historical event. The CCA Louisiana Redfish Challenge is back. Are you ready to make history again?
This year’s tournament will be held Saturday, April 5th at Rigolets Bait and Seafood in Slidell, with the festivities kicking off with a mandatory Captain’s Meeting on Friday night, April 4th.
Registration is $300 and all participants must be members in good standing with CCA. Early registration lasts from now until March 21st. Late registration is $400 and last from March 22nd to the beginning of the Captain’s Meeting. One member of your team must attend the meeting to participate in the tournament.
Click here to get to CCA's Web site and download an entry form and a complete list of rules. Simply download the pdf, print it and fax your completed entry form to CCA Louisiana at 225-952-9204, to reserve your spot!
(Read More... | Score: 0)
|
|
| |
 |
Next 5 Events |
 |
|
|
|
Login |
|
|
|
Don't have an account yet? You can create one. As a registered user you have some advantages like theme manager, comments configuration and post comments with your name.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Big Story of Today |
|
|
|
There isn't a Biggest Story for Today, yet.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Old Articles |
|
|
| Tuesday, April 01 | | · | How I Won The Inaugural FLW Redfish Pro-Am |
| Monday, March 31 | | · | Dufrene wins Wal-Mart FLW Redfish Open in New Orleans |
| Saturday, March 29 | | · | Dufour and Dufrene Share Lead In New Orleans |
| · | Day Two Feels Good To Todd DuFour |
| Friday, March 28 | | · | Dufrene leads Wal-Mart FLW Redfish Open in New Orleans |
| Tuesday, March 25 | | · | Redfish Open In New Orleans Set For This Week |
| · | Oh Boy! Oberto Redfish Cup Hires Steve Levi as General Manager |
| · | PORT LAVACA TO HOST WAL-MART FLW REDFISH SERIES EVENT |
| · | 2008 Redfish Survivor Series |
| Monday, March 17 | | · | Punta Gorda Brings Struggles to the IFA FL. West Season Opener |
| Saturday, March 15 | | · | Mark Sepe Jumps in To Help Page and Brantley Win Sarasota FLW. |
| · | Wiggins-Tanner vault into FLW Redfish Series lead |
| Friday, March 14 | | · | Frabill Nets Signs On To Net Cash For FLW Anglers |
| Thursday, March 13 | | · | VanDemark and Shaw Lead Day 1 in Sarasota |
| Saturday, March 08 | | · | IFA Postpones Punta Gorda Event until Sunday |
| Friday, March 07 | | · | AIRDATES FOR 2008 REDFISH CUP SEASON ANNOUNCED |
| · | Mercury Marine Announces 2008 Contingency Programs |
| Monday, March 03 | | · | IFA Set To Announce New Sponsors AT Punta Gorda Event |
| Sunday, February 24 | | · | GIRLE AND HARRIS WIN WAL-MART FLW REDFISH SERIES EVENT IN PUNTA GORDA |
| Saturday, February 23 | | · | CRAFTON AND OCHS LEAD WAL-MART FLW REDFISH SERIES EVENT IN PUNTA GORDA |
| Friday, February 22 | | · | Day 1 Results From Punta Gorda |
| Thursday, February 21 | | · | Weather Changes a Big Factor in FLW Punta Gorda Kick-Off |
| Tuesday, February 19 | | · | Nobles and Hartley Win Tourney and Claim Series Championship |
| Tuesday, February 12 | | · | FLA event This Weekend |
| Saturday, February 09 | | · | PUNTA GORDA TO HOST WAL-MART FLW REDFISH SERIES EVENT |
| Thursday, February 07 | | · | FLW Open Pro-Am Offers Big Payout |
| Wednesday, February 06 | | · | Fishing For Family Charity Redfish Event |
| Saturday, February 02 | | · | The 2008 CCA Louisiana Redfish Challenge |
| Wednesday, January 30 | | · | PRO REDFISH TEAM SIGNS NEW PRO STAFF DEAL WITH RENEGADE MARINE BOATS |
| · | Tackle Company Signs Alex Suescun To Spearhead New Sal*****er Marketing Campaign |
| · | 2008 O-Boy Oberto Venues Announced |
| Monday, January 28 | | · | 2008 Flatsmasters Series Details |
| Sunday, January 20 | | · | Florida Charter Captains Would Face Tax Changes Under new Rules |
| Saturday, January 19 | | · | Fernandina Duo Claim IFA/FLA Redfish Series #1 |
| Tuesday, January 08 | | · | Florida FWC Inflatable Life Jacket Issue |
| Friday, December 28 | | · | Governor Perdue Announces Sites for Go Fish Georgia facilities |
| Saturday, December 15 | | · | 80 Lb. Line Class Redfish Record Attempt Submitted to IGFA |
| Wednesday, December 12 | | · | The Texas Redfish Series Announces Schedule For 2008 |
| Saturday, December 01 | | · | The 3rd Annual Redspot ''Count The Spots'' Tournament |
| Tuesday, November 27 | | · | 2008 KayakSlam Series Announced |
| Wednesday, November 21 | | · | IFA creates new Gulf Coast Division for 2008 |
| Friday, November 16 | | · | 11 Spots the Right Number in St. Pete |
| Monday, November 12 | | · | SHELLI SAUNDERS WINS MERCURY GRAND SLAM |
| Tuesday, November 06 | | · | REDSPOT |
| Sunday, November 04 | | · | Team Power Pole Wins IFA Championship |
| Saturday, November 03 | | · | IFA Championship Teams Find Low Water and Wind Toughend Fishing |
| Saturday, October 27 | | · | C.A.S.T FOR KIDS |
| Tuesday, October 23 | | · | 202 Anglers Show Up To Fish The Hunt For Reds in Texas |
| Saturday, October 20 | | · | Hatten and Macik Win FLW Championship |
| · | Hatten-Macik take Day Two Lead at Orange Beach |
Older Articles
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Redfish Country Radio |
|
|
|
To stop scroll place the mouse in the window! |
|
|
|
|
|
|
