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 Collins wins third IGFA Inshore World Championship
Posted by stardot on Thursday, July 03 @ 04:04:06 MDT (4 reads)
Catches 13 fish among 5 species in prestigious tournament of champions
ISLAMORADA, In-the-Florida-Keys, U.S.A. – Fresh from a team win in the IGFA Offshore World Championship in Mexico, Robert Collins won the IGFA Inshore World Championship while defending his Grand Champion title accumulating the most points for five targeted species.
It was his third championship title in the eight years of the inshore tournament.
“Two world championships within two months, I’m speechless,” smiled Collins. “Today was a real nail biter right up to the end, just like in Cabo San Lucas.”
The International Game Fish Association’s celebrated catch-and-release tournament is dubbed the “super bowl of inshore fishing,” as 32 anglers from around the world stalked the Florida Bay waters for bonefish, tarpon, permit, snook and redfish.
Collins who has homes in Islamorada and Naples, was chasing Day 2 leader Joe “Pepe” Lopez, Coral Gables, Fla. in the final round hoping to catch two bonefish, a snook and a permit to complete two slams of fish to go with earlier catches of nine fish.
Lopez, who won the title in 2006, had completed one slam on Tuesday and needed just two fish -- a snook and a permit -- to collect his second slam in the three-day event. He fell short by catching only a snook early, but like all the anglers suffered with overcast skies searching for the permit.
“I was hoping to get the remaining species we need to pull together two slams,” said Collins, who was guided by Capt. Mark Gilman, Islamorada. Collins who first won the tournament in 2005 caught a snook early and then two bonefish and a redfish but was also a permit shy of his second slam. He scored 1250 points on his 13 fish using both bait and artificial along with circle hooks for added points
Lopez won both runner-up grand champion and the bait division title with his slam and four fish for 950 total points.
In the fly division Mark Cooper, Aurora, Colo., won on releases of a redfish, a tarpon and three snook. The former NFL lineman for the Denver Broncos and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers totaled 775 points while going scoreless the final day.
First day leader John Timura, Islamorada, bounced back in the final round to win the artificial division on catches of redfish, snook and permit over the three days. In May Collins and Timura were members of a five-man team winning the IGFA Offshore World Championship in Cabo San Lucas, Mexico, out fishing 63 teams from 27 countries.
Capt. Mike Hutchinson, Miami Springs, Fla. was named the top captain by scoring the most points in guiding Timura, Rich Gorden, Brooksville, Fla. and Johann Pettersson of Ornskoldsvik, Sweden in their rounds over the three days.
IN OTHER TOURNAMENT NOTES
Three anglers from the continents of Europe, Africa and Australia made good showing as first time invitees to the world-class tournament, and all said they hope to compete again next year subject to qualifying wins in their regions. Johann Pettersson of Ornskoldsvik, Sweden, who went scoreless the first two days rallied big with 625 total points on releases of redfish and snook using artificial and fly. He had won the Pike Challenge in his home country to advance to IWC. Close behind was Phillip Clark of Darwin, NT, Australia with 600 points on catches of redfish. Clark advanced after winning the NT Barramundi Classic “down under.” Gustaf Brew, Ekvik, Sweden the winner of the Murchison Falls tournament in Uganda, Africa had 100 points despite having just going through knee surgery.
Linda Denkert, Tavernier, Fla., gave anglers in the fly division a run on Wednesday by releasing three bonefish for 600 points to add to her earlier round redfish to finish second in the division with 725 points, 50 points behind Cooper. “We went zero for eight in chances to catch a tarpon,” she said.
Her Day 3 guide was Capt Kenny Knudsen, Islamorada. Cal Collier, Jr., Atlanta, Ga., was third in fly.
Making a late charge was Troy Pruitt, Naples, Fla., who ended the tournament with 1025 points scoring a slam while taking second in the bait division. Pruitt, guided Wednesday by Capt. Rusty Albury, Islamorada, released a bonefish, a snook and two redfish adding to his previous duo releases of tarpon and permit. Greg Zaepfel, Williamsville, New York, a suburb of Buffalo, who was “on fire” and in contention with 975 points on Tuesday with triples of snook, redfish and permit, failed to score anything on the final day as well as the opening round. He took third in the bait division.
Finishing behind Timura in the artificial division were Stephanie Parsons, Naples, Fla., with 900 points for second and Rich Gorden, Brooksville, Fla. in third with 750 points. Fishing and daily scorekeeping took place from the World Wide Sportsman marina.
The 32 anglers gained entry winning one of over 55 fly and light tackle IGFA tournaments in 2007 held in eight countries around the world representing nearly 3,000 anglers on four continents, vying to be in the “tournament of champions.” Of the champions 15 were first time invitees including the anglers from Sweden, Uganda, Africa and Darwin, Australia.
The anglers fished with a different guide each of the three days based on a drawing.
The top anglers received Rolex timepieces in the prestige tournament. The four major award categories included: Grand Champion and first places in the fly, artificial lure and bait casting divisions. Trophies and merchandise went to the second and third place divisional winners as well as to the top three guides. The point value of the fish was determined by species and angler’s fishing preference.
Sponsors this year include Mercury Outboards, Bacardi, Costa Del Mar, G. Loomis, Hook and Tackle, Islamorada Fish Co., Islander Resort, King Sailfish Mounts, Rapala, Shimano, Stiffy Push Poles, 3M Scientific Anglers, Reel Life Art by Pasta, World Wide Sportsman, Zane Grey Lounge, KD & G Sea Life Masterpieces, Redbone Gallery, Image Graphics 2000, Momoi, Diamond Illusion and Daiichi.
Next year Sandy Moret of Florida Keys Outfitters located in Islamorada will form a partnership with the IGFA to take over the management of the celebrated tournament to begin its ninth year.
“I witnessed a pretty spectacular finish with eight or nine anglers very much in contention entering the final day,” said Moret. “With the foundation that the IGFA has put together over these eight years we can grow it even more with top fly and light tackle anglers worldwide.”
The Florida Keys Outfitters/IGFA Inshore World Championship is scheduled for July 7-9, 2009. For tournament qualifying or sponsorship information contact Moret at 305-664-5423 or via e-mail at flkeyout@bellsouth.net .
The International Game Fish Association is a not-for-profit organization committed to the conservation of game fish and the promotion of responsible, ethical angling practices through science, education, rule making and record keeping. It was founded in 1939 and has members in over 125 countries. The association welcomes visitors to their 60,000 square foot IGFA Fishing Hall of Fame & Museum in Dania Beach, Florida. The IGFA web site is igfa.org.
For further information, contact Ms. Hartman at the IGFA, 300 Gulf Stream Way, Dania Beach, Florida 33004; (954) 927-2628; Fax (954) 924-4299; Email: DHartman@igfa.org.
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Media: for further information, contact IGFA IWC tournament press relations at johnsoncom@aol.com or 480-951-3654.
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Mann, Barlow Strike Early, Often.
Posted by stardot on Sunday, June 29 @ 09:53:00 MDT (9 reads)
BY MATT BADOLATO
FOR FLORIDA TODAY NEWSPAPER
(Note*Content edited by RFC for accuracy)
While fishing the early morning redfish bite, Captains Mike Mann and Brandon Barlow were fortunate to have caught their winning fish early in the morning while the air over the Mosquito Lagoon was cool and the fish were feeding. Their two reds with a total weight of 14.42 pounds were the winning combination in the Titusville stop of the IFA Redfish Tour this Saturday. "The fishing was hard, and I mean hard," Mann, a Brevard resident, told a respectable crowd at Parrish Park in Titusville. "We only caught three fish all day and, thankfully, they were the right ones." Mann, a charter captain who operates Fat Fish Guide Service on the Mosquito Lagoon, revealed he and Barlow caught their fish on Berkley Gulps. For their victory, the two took home a new, fully-rigged Ranger Banshee flats skiff and Yamaha outboard valued at just over $20,000. The local guides definitely had the cards in their favor, as the husband and wife team of Troy and Christine Perez of Titusville swept up second place by only a matter of ounces with a pair of fish that weighed 14.06 pounds. They, too, caught their fish early in the morning before the schooling reds left the sun-drenched flats and headed for deeper, cooler water. Speaking of cold water, workers from the Audubon Aquarium of the Americas had to dump large bags of ice into their redfish release tank to keep the fish from overheating in Saturday's 90-degree plus temperature. The thousand-gallon mobile aquarium, complete with oxygen diffusing tanks and a filter system, kept 100 redfish alive so they could be safely released after the tournament. Workers from the New
Orleans-based aquarium made the drive to provide their release tank service. Christa Lobue, a fisheries biologist with the Audubon Aquarium, worked hard with her two fellow biologists to ensure the fishes' survival. "We add a solution to the water called Voodoo Dust which lowers the fishes' stress and increases their ability to take in oxygen," said Lobue of New Orleans. "From working with the aquarium we've learned a lot about taking care of all kinds of marine life, from sea horses to sand tiger sharks and everything in between." Kids and adults alike glued their eyes to the see-through sides of the giant tank to watch the redfish from an angle many of them had never seen. The IFA, or Inshore Fishing Association, promotes catch-and-release, and requires all participants' boats be equipped with a livewell able to hold at least 18 gallons of water. Penalties are given to anglers who bring in dead fish to the weigh in station. Mike Lott, Webmaster and Photographer of the IFA Redfish Tour, was impressed at the turnout of anglers and the number of fish brought in despite the difficult fishing. "We had 131 two-man teams enter and had 64 of them come back here with fish," said Lott. "This year we had a $31,000+ total cash payout to twenty places, plus a $20,000.00 boat package." Also placing in the tournament was the host of "Addictive Fishing," Blair Wiggins, with his partner and son, Drayden. Wiggins said a large school of redfish surrounding his skiff would not touch a lure. Similar to a golf tournament, even the 20th-place finisher took home a check for $722, enough to cover the entry fee and most expenses. The $500.00 big fish prize of the day went to Will Perry and Mike Knight with their 7.7- pound, 26-inch red. All fish weighed in must be within the slot limit of 18 and 27 inches, making a solid top tournament fish anything over seven pounds. Other leaders were the Kelly/Matthews team with a total of 12.73 pounds for third place, Richardson/Austin with 12.53 for fourth, and Marks/Dreston with a stringer of 12.24 pounds, earning fifth. Members of the IFA Redfish Tour fish individual tournaments to earn points for a shot at the Divisional Championships held every year, often in Louisiana, another redfish haven in the southeast. All anglers fishing three events in a single Division will qualify for a no-fee entry Championship to be held in 2008 in Panama City, FLorida. The Championship payout will be over $77,000.00
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IFA to Visit Titusville
Posted by stardot on Wednesday, June 25 @ 10:22:25 MDT (16 reads)
Long one of the top venues on the IFA Redfish Tour, the 2008 event scheduled for June 28th at Titusville's Parrish Park near Sand Point will kick off with a number of activities sponsored by Mosquito lagoon Outfitters and others.
Wednesday night's activities, sponsored by Mosquito lagoon Outfitters and The Old Florida Grill and Oyster House will take place from 3:00 to 6:00 pm at The Old Florida Grill and Oyster House in Port St. John. Located 1/2 mile South of the Port St. John Boat Ramp onUS 1, or come by water. (just west of Marker 59 on the Indian River)
This is Brevard County's newest waterfront restaurant. There will be FREE food and drinks, and lots of giveaways. A number of Pro Staff anglers will be there for autograph sessions, and meet-and-greet for kids!
Then, there will be Mosquito Lagoon Outfitters Pro Night on Thursday, June 26th 3:00 to 6:00 pm at Mosquito Lagoon Outfitters.
Their invitation to all is:
Come enjoy hot dogs, cokes, free seminars, raffle prizes, autographs for the kids and special prices on any deposit paid on a RANGER BOAT!
On Friday Night the Captain's Meeting will be held at 7:00 PM at Mosquito Lagoon Outfitters,
21 N. Washington Ave.
Titusville, FL 32796
(321)267-1200
More details include:
Host Launch Site Name:Parrish Park
Boat Check and Launch Time: Launch at Safe Light
Check-In Time:TBA at Captain's Meeting PM
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HOTELS
Official Hotel:
Best Western
3455 Cheney Highway Route 50
Titusville, FL 32780
Ph# 321-269-9100
IFA Rate: $62
Ramada Inn Suites
3500 Cheney Highway
Titusville, FL 32780
Ph# 321-269-5510
IFA Rate: $59
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Long run pays big for Eschete and Pizzolato at Venice
Posted by stardot on Sunday, June 15 @ 06:50:37 MDT (24 reads)
Story Courtesy of FLW Outdoors by David A. Brown
VENICE, La. – They knew they wouldn’t have long to fish, but Dwayne Eschete of Mandeville, La. and Blake Pizzolato of Montgomery, Texas clearly made the right call by running over 100 miles to Cocodrie, La. and bagging a spectacular catch that earned them the Wal-Mart FLW Series Western Division win and a $50,000 payday.
Eschete said he caught eight fish over 8 pounds in the Cocodrie marsh during practice. More 8-pounders showed their hungry sides on the final day, as he and Pizzolato caught a 17-pound, 4-ounce limit that pushed their tournament total to 48-11 and allowed them to squeak past day two leaders and local titans Todd Dufour and Alden Bourgeois by a mere 5 ounces.
Fishing 3-inch white Berkley Gulp! Shrimp, the anglers targeted broken marsh and put a 7 3/4- and an 8 3/4-pound redfish in their live well around 9 a.m. About an hour and a half later, Blake stuck a fish that went 8-plus. That hookup would give the team a competitive limit, but a tough fight in hot, shallow water left the fish tired and the anglers worried.
Pizzolato stopped fishing and went to work reviving the fish and making sure it remained healthy, while Eschete used the trolling motor to ease the boat out of the area. That’s when the team got their early Christmas present.
“Blake kept tending to the fish and I got on the trolling motor to ease us out of that spot. The pond went back into a little pocket and once we caught that fish, the rest of them started pulling out. At that point, we were more concerned about the fish we had in the boat than trying to catch another one because we wanted to make sure this fish stayed alive.
“We figured we had 16 pounds, so we were feeling good about it. I started easing us out of there, but looking. I looked down and saw another 8-pounder coming right at me, so I dropped my bait in front of him, he ate and we left at 10:30.”
Now, the thing about good fortune is that it often whets one’s appetite for achievement and begs the question: “Is there something even better?” That temptation crossed the minds of the soon-to-be-victorious anglers, but they made a wise call and decided to go home with what they had.
“Our biggest concerns were that we still had to go get gas, we were in a pond where the day before we got stuck, it’s getting late. But then you start thinking ‘Can we do better?’
“I knew there were some 9-pounders in that pond – I’ve caught 9-pounders there. But I didn’t want to risk sacrificing what we had.”
In the bigger picture, the winners decided to make the long run to Cocodrie not only because of its promise of big fish, but also for catch maintenance reasons. Unlike the brackish habitat spanning most of the Mississippi Delta, Cocodrie’s marsh comprises purely saltwater in which stressed redfish typically fare best.
“I practiced in Delacroix (northeast of Venice), where probably 50 percent of the field fished during the tournament,” Eschete said. “The problem I had was that I had trouble keeping fish alive. That’s one of the reasons we fished in Cocodrie.”
On the weigh-in stage, Eschete brought a hush to the crowd and dampened many eyes when he explained the significance of the win. “Blake’s dad passed away in November and he told me he wanted to win a tournament and dedicate it to his dad. So here we are – I’m proud to be part of it, Blake’s happy. It just means a lot to us.”
Later, Pizzolato said: “I wanted to win one for my dad. Tomorrow’s Father’s Day, so I’m going to see him and he’s going to get a trophy.”
Dufour and Bourgeois slip to second
Todd Dufour and Alden Bourgeois led the field into day three with the momentum of two 16-pound days. Weighing 16-09 on day one and 16-08 on day two, the veteran guides from Marrero, La. and Barataria, La. were the only duo to catch two 8-pounders during both qualifying rounds. However, their run ended prematurely and their final-round weight of 15-05 yielded a second place total of 48-06.
“We didn’t get enough bites from the big fish – it’s as simple as that,” Dufour said. “We saw plenty of fish. We caught some that were a little too big; we caught some that were a little too small.
“My hat’s off to (Eschete and Pizzolato). When you pull off something like that, they deserve (the win). I don’t feel bad because that’s just a phenomenal weight.”
Dufour and Bourgeois stuck with the same basic game plan they followed on days one and two – fishing the channels and drains of shallow duck ponds in Lafitte. They threw spinnerbaits and scented soft plastic shad tails on ¼-ounce jigheads.
Reupke and Duxstad take third
Steve Reupke and Frank Duxstad, both of Port Aransas, Texas spent the entire tournament in the Delacroix Marsh. Sight fishing in about a foot of water, they threw Exude Shrimp in clear and red patterns. Their day-three catch of 14 pounds, 14 ounces boosted their tournament total to a third-place 46-03.
Duxstad said the fish weren’t as cooperative as they had been in previous visits. “We finally had to get up and chase a few schools because the fish we found, we just couldn’t get them to bite. They would hear the trolling motor and run from us.
“We were the only ones fishing in this area and we weren’t running them too hard. I think it was the weather conditions. When it gets real calm and the water gets that sheen on it, they just get really spooky. They knew we were there and they didn’t like it.”
Duxstad said that one of his team’s weight fish came early around, 9 a.m. and the other about 30 minutes before they had to return home.
Fontana and Grose finish fourth
Sal Fontana of Metaire, La. and Tony Grose of New Orleans, La. fished duck ponds in the Port Sulfur area on the west side of the Mississippi River. In this shallow, grassy environment, the anglers caught a limit weighing 13 pounds, 11 ounces and tallied a fourth place total of 45-10.
“We tried to find the cleanest water that we could, but the water in our main ponds was dirty – it was like chocolate milk," Fontana said. "So we decided to run to some secondary ponds that we hadn’t fished (during the tournament). We pulled in and the fish were there.”
Berkley Gulp! Shrimp in new penny color rigged weedless on worm hooks with small weights proved most effective. “We would get a lead on them, throw it out, reel it in and drop the baits in front of them and wait for them to decide to eat."
Snopek and Hallmark settle into fifth
Fishing the popular Delacroix Marsh area, day-one leaders Steve Snopek of New Braunfels, Texas and Trey Hallmark of San Antonio, Texas threw gold and copper spoons and caught two fish weighing 10 pounds, 13 ounces on day three for a 42-01 total.
For two days, they caught their best fish by aggressively working the edges of dense hydrilla patches. However, by day three, fishing pressure had increased to point of pushing the bigger fish deep into the cover and out of casting range.
Hallmark said a heavier day-three load – cameraman and gear – prevented the team from poking into the shallow sweet spots. “We could see the fish, but we just couldn’t get to them.”
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Net Ban Under Attack Agin in Florida
Posted by stardot on Tuesday, June 10 @ 06:03:33 MDT (39 reads)
There will be a meeting in Dania Florida on the 11th and 12 of June, and one of the agenda items is considering whether to allow commercial fishermen to use mesh nets larger than 2" size. This would be a gillnet, and would be banned under the current laws. The FWC "might" have the power to do such a change of law, and "might" not. Please read this article reprinted from Florida Sportsman, and contact FWC in response to ask them "Do not allow the mesh sizes to increase beyond 2 inches." Act quickly, before we all start back asking "where have all the fish gone?" the way we used to 15 years ago.
Please attend the meeting if you can!
In 1994, a majority of Florida voters said “yes” to the constitutional amendment limiting “marine net fishing.” The amendment prohibited the use of gill nets in state waters. It was a monumental victory for inshore fish species in many Florida fisheries, and became known simply as “the net ban.” The direct resurgence of many inshore fish species, such as the redfish, can directly be attributed to this law.
Now, a group of commercial netters is trying to circumvent the law by pushing for larger net mesh in seine nets. But the law is not on their side. There are already rulings in place for this specific maneuver to get around the net restrictions. After the 1995 implementation of the net ban, a regulation was added to differentiate legal seine nets and illegal gill nets. The regulation restricted seine nets to a mesh size of no larger than two inches. Seine nets are meant to surround fish and trap them, rather than “gill” the fish in the net meshing.
The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) has this issue on the agenda at their Thursday, June 12 meeting at the International Game Fish Association in Dania Beach. The meeting begins at 8:30 a.m. It’s up to concerned recreational fishermen to show up in force and tell FWC commissioners that, in 1994, voters mandated there be no gill nets in Florida waters. A gill net is a gill net, no matter what it is called.
Since that 1994 ruling, Coastal Conservation Association Florida has counted numerous attempts by commercial interests to bring back gill nets, mostly under different names. Each time, Florida courts and state agencies have upheld the Article X, Section 16 of the Florida Constitution that reads, “no gill or entangling nets shall be used in any Florida waters."
If you can not attend the FWC meeting, write your FWC commissioners at Commissioners@MyFWC.com. See Karl Wickstrom’s Openers column and On the Conservation Front in the June Florida Sportsman issue, and an upcoming segment on Florida Sportsman TV for complete details.
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Police and Firefighters Event In Englewood
Posted by stardot on Monday, June 02 @ 19:42:38 MDT (19 reads)
2008 FLORIDA POLICE & FIRE GAMES REDFISH TOURNAMENT
Host: Sarasota County Sheriff’s Office
Tournament Director: John Jernigan (941) 915.8447
Location: Registration/Take Off: Hotel Info: Buchans Landing Resort
Indian Mounds Park Boat Ramp 599 W. Dearborn *wet slips avail*
210 Winson Ave Englewood, Fl
Englewood Fl 941-474-5100
www.buchans.com
Weigh in/Stage Location:
Royal Palm Marina Veranda Inn
779 Wentworth 2073 S. Mccall Rd
Englewood Fl Englewood, Fl
Overnight slips available (941) 475-6533
Date & Time: June 14 & 15, 2008 Take-off will begin at safe light. Check-in will be at 3:00PM each day.
Rules: See attached rules. A copy of the tournament rules will be mailed to all registrants upon receipt of
application and check for participation. This tournament will allow live or artificial bait.
Entry Fee: $200.00 per team. This is a two-person team event. Make checks payable to: “FPFG” and forward to
address below. Awards: $150.00 from each team is paid back to those who place. Tournament payout is
one place per five teams, and big fish each day. Medals will be awarded to the top three finishers. $125.00
from each entry goes to the payout purse and $25.00 from each entry goes to the Big Fish Winners. Based on
50 teams, a sample payout would be: 1st place $1,400.00, 2nd place $ 1,000.00, 3rd place $800.00, 4th place
$700.00, 5th place $550.00, 6th place $500.00, 7th place $400.00, 8th 350.00, 9th 300.00, 10th 250.00 Big Fish
payout for each day would be $625.00. The more teams that participate, the higher the payout. Flight
position is determined by postmark on the application.
Deadline: Team registration payable by check prior to May 31st. Cash will be accepted at the ramp the day of event.
Mail to: Florida Police & Fire Games P.O. Box 10529 Jacksonville, FL 32247
GENERAL INFORMATION
At least one member on each team must be an active or retired law enforcement or firefighter member. Participants are not
permitted to hire a licensed guide/captain to fish with. Teams may register at the tournament until 5 a.m., June 14th. Teams that
sign up on tournament day must pay cash. Upon receipt of application, a detailed information packet will be mailed to team
participants. See official rules for further details.
Click Here for full details
http://lawgames.org/PDF%20Files/2008%20Redfish%20Tournament.pdf
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IFA Redfish Tour Rolling Into Surf City, N.C.
Posted by stardot on Monday, June 02 @ 10:33:08 MDT (17 reads)
The IFA Redfish Tour will visit Surf City, North Carolina for the 2nd stop in it's 2008 Atlantic Division.
The event, scheduled for June 7th, will be held at Beach House Marina & Yacht Club,
111 North New River Drive,
Surf City, NC 28445. The phone there is (910) 328-2628.
Located on Topsail Island, so named for the legend that sea merchants in the 1700s believed that pirates would lie in wait, looking for the telltale sign of the "topsails" of treasure-laden ships peering from behind the dunes.
Today, Topsail Island consists of three towns: North Topsail Beach, Surf City and Topsail Beach. The two mainland towns of Sneads Ferry and Holly Ridge complete the Greater Topsail Area.
Topsail Island has the good fortune to be graced by the company of the endangered loggerhead turtle. Every summer, the rare loggerhead turtles come to the island to breed and lay their eggs.
The Captain's Meeting will be held at the same location on Friday evening at 7:00 PM. Registration will be from 5:00 to 7:00 PM.
Under a special arrangement anglers signing up by calling the IFA Office this week before the close of business on Wednesday, June 4th, will not be required to pay a late fee.
Official Host Hotel will be Holiday Inn Express (Topsail / Sneads Ferry NC) Phone : 910-327-8282.
In addition to the Atlantic division, there are also Florida East Coast, Florida West Coast, Gulf Coast, Louisiana and Texas IFA Divisions. All are one-day events with three tournaments in each. Teams that fish in all three events qualify to compete in the two-day, no-entry-fee IFA Redfish Tour Championship at the end of the season.
IFA Redfish Tour sponsors include Cabela’s, Ranger Boats, Yamaha Outboards, Minn Kota, Humminbird, Loadmaster, Sebile Lures, Jax Wraps, Power Pole, Solar Bat, Pioneer Beef Jerky, Sperry Topsider Shoes, DriGrip Sunscreen, CW Crab, Charter Lakes Marine Insurance and Audubon Nature Institute.
For more information about the IFA Redfish Tour tournaments, visit www.redfishtour.com or call (478) 436-4266.
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FLW Outdoors Heads To venice Next Week
Posted by stardot on Monday, June 02 @ 10:05:05 MDT (20 reads)
VENICE, La. — The Wal-Mart FLW Redfish Series Western Division will make its second $170,000 regular-season stop June 12-14 in Venice, La. The lucrative tournament will feature as many as 125 redfish teams casting for a top award of $50,000.
“You’re going to have to work and work and work to get your fish,” said pro Chad Billiot of Raceland, La., who teamed with Scott Ritter of Dauphin Island, Ala., to win the 2008 Redfish Series Western Division tournament in Port Lavaca, Texas. “You won’t have it handed to you—you’re going to have to earn it. It should take about 16 pounds to win.”
With high water making it difficult to locate fish, Billiot said he was keying on a lot of ponds away from the river and looking for sight-fishing waters.
“If we get enough wind, it will force the water out of there and into the Gulf, where it’s away from us,” Billiot said. “That will give us back our normal tidal situation. I’m finding a lot of dirty water in what would normally be clear water.”
Anglers will take off at 6 a.m. Thursday, Friday and Saturday mornings from Venice Marina located at 237 Sports Marina Road in Venice. Weigh-ins will also be held at Venice Marina beginning at 3 p.m. Thursday and Friday and 4 p.m. Saturday at the Wal-Mart Supercenter located at 1501 Manhattan Blvd. in Harvey. Takeoffs and weigh-ins are free, and the community is invited to attend the festivities.
The Venice FLW Redfish Series event is hosted by the Venice Marina.
The top award of $50,000 includes $20,000 cash plus a $15,000 cash bonus from Ranger Boats and a $15,000 cash bonus from Yamaha or Evinrude if contingency guidelines are met.
The top 50 teams in each division of the 2008 FLW Redfish Series, based on Land O’Lakes Team of the Year points standings at the end of the season, will advance to the $300,000 Wal-Mart FLW Redfish Series Championship Oct. 30-Nov. 1 in Biloxi, Miss. The winning team at the championship will earn 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.
In FLW Redfish Series competition, 125 points are awarded to the winner, 124 for second, 123 for third, and so on. All teams that receive weight credit will receive points that determine Land O’Lakes Team of the Year standings. All FLW Redfish Series events are three-day tournaments (Thursday, Friday and Saturday). The full field competes during the first two days, and the top five teams based on accumulated weight advance to day three. Final standings are determined by the total weight from all three days.
Coverage of the FLW Redfish Series stop in Venice will be broadcast to 81 million FSN (Fox Sports Net) subscribers in the United States as part of the “FLW Outdoors” television program airing Aug. 3. “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, browse FLWOutdoors.com or 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.
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Paul Jueckstock and Manny Perez Capture Port Arthur Cup Title
Posted by stardot on Sunday, June 01 @ 19:39:22 MDT (31 reads)
By Nick Gebhardt
Sunday, June 01, 2008
PORT ARTHUR, Texas— During the final weigh-in of the Oh Boy Oberto Redfish Cup, Team Under Armour's Paul Jueckstock and Manny Perez reached to place their two winning redfish on the scales — but emotion had paralyzed the two anglers. Even without an official measure, the Florida anglers knew their 16.92-pound bag would give them the title in Port Arthur 
Paul Jueckstock and Manny Perez
Jueckstock tried to explain how grateful he was for the help of fellow anglers throughout the week before finally freezing up and edging away from emcee Keith Alan's microphone.
"Just show the fish ... and then we'll talk," said partner Perez to Alan, the angler's voice also trembling noticeably.
Following Team Under Armour, Kevin and "Cajun" Phil Broussard finished in second place after catching 16.67 pounds. In third, Kris Walter and Randy Hendrick weighed a 15.85-pound bag while Roland Martin and Steve Loyd posted a 15.37-pound weight for fourth place. Falling to the last spot with 11.53 pounds of redfish were Chris Wittman and Tom Winrow of Team Hooters.
The win in Port Arthur is the first for Jueckstock and Perez as a team. Although Jueckstock won the Redfish Cup tournament in 2003 at Punta Gorda, Perez had yet to claim a title .
"Six years and I finally get my first victory," Perez said, after a lengthy celebration with his partner on the stage.
Jueckstock and Perez returned to the Sabine jetties again on Day Three, joining three other teams fishing in the top five. The bite proved slower overall after the wind changed directions and a stalled tide failed to move the water.
"We didn't catch as many as yesterday, but we didn't lose as many, either," Jueckstock said about the day throwing crankbaits and jigheads. Mechanical trouble also threatened the Under Armour team on Sunday, leaving the anglers terrified they wouldn't be able to make it to the weigh-in.
"I'd like to thank Mike Frenette, because I don't know what would have happened if he hadn't been around to change our battery and get our motor back up," Jueckstock said.
Team Frenette had hung around Port Arthur to participate in the Frito Lay Pro-Am.
With disappointing boat trouble earlier in the week, coupled with a threat of not being able to make it to the final weigh-in, the joy of knowing their bag was the winner proved overwhelming.
But Jueckstock's explanation for his emotions came naturally: "These are tears of joy," the bald-headed angler said with a smirk.
"I finally have enough money to get my hair extensions now."
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Working the Jetties Pays Off for Chris Wittman and Tom Winrow
Posted by stardot on Sunday, June 01 @ 05:54:03 MDT (25 reads)
PORT ARTHUR, Texas -- Like a sprinkler after a Texas barbecue, someone has turned on the bite at the jetties during the Oh Boy! Oberto Redfish Cup in Port Arthur.After Day Two's early-summer party had ended, Chris Wittman and Tom Winrow presented two redfish weighing 17.56 pounds to lead the tournament before weights are zeroed for the top five teams fishing Sunday.
Chris Wittman and Tom Winrow
"The whole week of pre-fishing, we caught only one fish over 8 pounds," said Wittman. "The rest were all just 4's and 5's."
Team Hooter's 34.25-pound total moved the Florida anglers to the top of the leaderboard, just 2 ounces ahead of Louisiana's Kevin and "Cajun" Phil Broussard.
The Broussard boys finished Day Two with a 15.92-pound stringer, slipping after a dominating first day. In third place heading into Sunday, Paul Jueckstock and Manny Perez made the cut with 15.75 pounds. Kris Walter and Randy Hendrick climbed from seventh place into the fourth after catching a 16.69-pound stringer. Taking the last position in the top five, Roland Martin and Steve Loyd nabbed 16.37 pounds of redfish for a 32.02-pound total.
Wittman and Winrow repeated the same strategy implemented on Day One again during Saturday's action.
"Today, we went to get our 10, 11 pounds - and then went out front to upgrade," Wittman said.
"Out front" means the 4 miles of jetties leading out into the Gulf, approximately 12 miles south of the venue. During the afternoon of Day Two, the anglers targeting the deeper water took notice once the bigger, slot-sized fish started appearing.
"Once that tide turns around in the afternoon, they're anywhere from 6 to 20 feet off the rocks out there," said Perez of Team Under Armour.
As for catching fish on the jetties, most anglers have yet to reveal which baits work best, since a number of different approaches seem to be doing the trick on the structure.
But Roland Martin, the highly-recognized former BASS pro, didn't have a problem offering up his team's successful technique: "It's the ABC's of bass fishing," he said, "You crankbait and you have your bait coming down bumping right against the rocks."
Testing new technique along the way, Walter and Hendrick, in fourth place, had abandoned their pre-tournament plans on Day One, instead choosing to focus on the jetties. After a solid first day, the duo returned to the same places on Day Two to find a bigger stringer.
"We're just two shallow water, sight-fishermen from Florida," Walter said. "We threw everything out of the boat here and now are catching fish in ways we never have."
The Broussards represented the only angler pairing not joining other anglers out in the open water. The Louisiana marsh specialists stuck to marshes on Day Two, despite two other tournament boats and a handful of local anglers in their once-isolated hole.
Left wondering about what Sunday's final will hold, "Cajun" Phil compared Day One and Day Two's results.
"Yesterday, he'd (Kevin) throw at the bait and they moved towards it," he said. "Today, he'd throw and they'd slide away from it. They were spooked. Will they (the weekend anglers) be back tomorrow? And will those fish settle down?
Whether the Broussards choose to join their colleagues on the jetties or not, there's no question there will be a battle on the jetties come Sunday.
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| Friday, May 30 | | · | BROUSSARDS COME UP BIG ON DAY ONE AT PORT ARTHUR |
| Monday, May 26 | | · | IFA Florida West Division Going Strong |
| Thursday, May 15 | | · | Third Annual Junior Flatsmasters Tournament |
| Monday, May 12 | | · | Eschete and Myers Load Up On Prizes At IFA Gulf Coast Division Opener |
| Sunday, May 04 | | · | Wiggins-Tanner win wire-to-wire in Panama City |
| Saturday, May 03 | | · | Wiggins and Tanner Lead for 2nd Day at Panama City |
| Monday, April 28 | | · | FISHING TOURNAMENT HELPS TO “CATCH THE CURE” FOR PEDIATRIC CANCER |
| Sunday, April 27 | | · | Bostick and Sepe win Oh Boy! Oberto Redfish Cup event in Punta Gorda |
| Friday, April 18 | | · | Owens and Aldridge Find The Right Two Bites at IFA Jax Event |
| · | Redfish Cup To Visit Punta Gorda |
| Saturday, April 12 | | · | Ritter and Billiot Win FLW Port Lavaca |
| · | Johnson and Tisdale Lead Charge on Final Day at Port Lavaca |
| Thursday, April 10 | | · | Wiggins and Tanner Grab Lead At Port Lavaca |
| Tuesday, April 01 | | · | CCA Redfish Challenge This Weekend! |
| · | 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 |
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| 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 |
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| Monday, January 28 | | · | 2008 Flatsmasters Series Details |
| Sunday, January 20 | | · | Florida Charter Captains Would Face Tax Changes Under new Rules |
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