tournaments - News - The Coastal Star2024-03-29T09:10:20Zhttps://thecoastalstar.com/profiles/blogs/feed/tag/tournamentsSummer Fishing Tournamentshttps://thecoastalstar.com/profiles/blogs/summer-fishing-tournaments2022-04-28T16:00:32.000Z2022-04-28T16:00:32.000ZMary Kate Leminghttps://thecoastalstar.com/members/MaryKateLeming769<div><p><strong>Fishing Tournaments 2022</strong></p>
<p><br /> <strong>May 14: Lantana Fishing Derby.</strong> Captain’s meeting set for 6 p.m. May 12 at the Lantana Recreation Center, 418 S. Dixie Highway. The awards party is set for May 15 at the recreation center. Entry fee $200 per boat by May 1 or $250 thereafter. Register online at <a href="http://www.Lantanafishingderby.com">www.Lantanafishingderby.com</a>. For details, call the Greater Lantana Chamber of Commerce at 561-585-8664.</p>
<p><br /> <strong>May 14: Saltwater Shootout</strong> based in Pompano Beach. Captain’s meeting 6 p.m. May 12 at Pompano Beach Civic Center, 1801 NE Sixth St. Weigh-in at Alsdorf Park. Entry fee $401.25 by April 29 and $508.25 thereafter. Register online at <a href="http://www.bluewatermovements.com">www.bluewatermovements.com</a>.</p>
<p><br /> <strong>June 4: The Palm Beach County KDW Classic</strong> organized by the West Palm Beach Fishing Club and based at Riviera Beach Municipal Marina. Entry fee $225 per boat ($200 for fishing club members) by May 20 or $300 per boat after May 20. Captain’s meeting 6 p.m. June 3 at Riviera Beach marina, 200 E. 13th St. Riviera Beach. Register online at <a href="http://www.westpalmbeachfishingclub.org">www.westpalmbeachfishingclub.org</a>. For details, call 561-832-6780.</p>
<p><br /> <strong>June 11: Saltwater Slam</strong> based in Pompano Beach. Captain’s meeting 6 p.m. June 9 at Pompano Beach Civic Center, 1801 NE Sixth St. Entry fee $401.25 per boat by May 27 or $508.25 thereafter. Weigh-in at Sullivan Park in Deerfield Beach. Register online at <a href="http://www.bluewatermovements.com">www.bluewatermovements.com</a>.</p>
<p><br /> <strong>June 25: Big Dog, Fat Cat KDW Shootout</strong> based at Sailfish Marina in Palm Beach Shores. Kickoff party 7 p.m. June 7 at Sailfish Marina. Captain’s meeting 6 p.m. June 24 at Sailfish Marina. Weigh-in at Sailfish Marina. Early entry fee $150 per boat. Register online at <a href="http://www.bigdogfatcat.org">www.bigdogfatcat.org</a>.</p>
<p><br /> <strong>July 16: Lake Worth Fishing Tournament</strong> based at Palm Beach Yacht Center in Hypoluxo. Check the Tuppen’s Marine & Tackle website at <a href="http://www.tuppensmarine.com">www.tuppensmarine.com</a> for updates.</p>
<p><br /> <strong>Aug. 13: Mark Gerretson Memorial Fishing Tournament.</strong> Captain’s meeting Aug. 11 at Delray Beach Elks Lodge. Weigh-in at Palm Beach Yacht Center. Check <a href="http://www.mgmft.net">www.mgmft.net</a> for updates.</p></div>On the Water: It’s tournament time for saltwater anglershttps://thecoastalstar.com/profiles/blogs/on-the-water-it-s-tournament-time-for-saltwater-anglers2019-04-30T17:30:00.000Z2019-04-30T17:30:00.000ZMary Kate Leminghttps://thecoastalstar.com/members/MaryKateLeming769<div><p class="p1" style="text-align:center;"><b><a href="{{#staticFileLink}}7960863691,original{{/staticFileLink}}" target="_blank"><img src="{{#staticFileLink}}7960863691,original{{/staticFileLink}}" class="align-center" alt="7960863691?profile=original" /></a></b></p>
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<p class="p1" style="text-align:center;"><b><em>ABOVE:</em></b> <em>Capt. Carl Torresson of the Slob City fishing team holds aloft the 47.2-pound kingfish that won biggest fish</em><em><span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span> honors and $14,200 in the Boynton Beach event. Angler Chris Bradshaw of Kings Park, N.Y. (second from left) caught the big kingfish on live bait near St. Lucie Inlet. Photo provided</em></p>
<p class="p1" style="text-align:center;"><b><em>BELOW:</em></b> <em>Sherri Beswick of Lake Worth won top lady angler in the April 6 Boynton Beach Firefighters Fishing Tournament with this 35.4-pound kingfish caught near The Breakers hotel while fishing on Spiced Rum III with Capt. Billy Wummer (holding fish) and teammates Mike Lomastro (second from left) and Christian Long. <b>Willie Howard/The Coastal Star</b></em></p>
<p class="p1" style="text-align:center;"><em> </em></p>
<p class="p1"><b><a href="{{#staticFileLink}}7960864080,original{{/staticFileLink}}" target="_blank"><img src="{{#staticFileLink}}7960864080,original{{/staticFileLink}}" class="align-center" alt="7960864080?profile=original" /></a></b></p>
<p class="p1"><strong>By Willie Howard</strong></p>
<p class="p1">Fishing tournament season officially begins in May with the arrival of longer days, warmer weather and schools of bait fish.</p>
<p class="p3">One of the first kingfish-dolphin-wahoo tournaments of the season — the 25th annual Lantana Fishing Derby — is set for May 4, with the weigh-in at the Old Key Lime House docks that afternoon. All boats must be at the docks by 3:30 p.m. to weigh fish. (Details at Lantanafishingderby.com.)</p>
<p class="p3">The following weekend, May 11, tournament anglers will target dolphin, kingfish, wahoo, blackfin tuna and cobia in the Saltwater Shootout, based in Pompano Beach. (Details at<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span> saltwatercircuit.com.)</p>
<p class="p3">Also scheduled for May 11: the 24th annual Grand Slam KDW tournament based in Jupiter. Teams will weigh their fish at Sailfish Marina in Palm Beach Shores and the Square Grouper Tiki Bar in Jupiter. (Details at fishgrandslamkdw.com.)</p>
<p class="p3">The Sail Inn KDW Charity Fishing Tournament, organized by the Sail Inn Tavern in Delray Beach, is set for June 1, with the weigh-in scheduled for 1 to 3:30 p.m. at Palm Beach Yacht Center in Hypoluxo. (For more details, call 703-1907.)</p>
<p class="p3">Also set for June 1: The Palm Beach County KDW Classic, organized by the West Palm Beach Fishing Club, which often attracts well over 200 boats. </p>
<p class="p3">The KDW Classic weigh-in is scheduled for noon to 4 p.m. at Riviera Beach Municipal Marina. (Details at kdwclassic.com.)</p>
<p class="p3">Another large summer tournament, the Big Dog Fat Cat KDW Shootout, is set for July 13 and based at Sailfish Marina in Palm Beach Shores. The weigh-in is scheduled for 1 to 4 p.m. at Sailfish Marina. (Details at bigdogfatcat.org.)</p>
<p class="p3">For those who prefer a longer, more flexible, less expensive tournament, there’s the Lake Worth Lagoon Fishing Challenge.</p>
<p class="p3">The fourth annual Fishing Challenge begins May 24 and runs through July 4. There’s no entry fee, and participating anglers can win prizes such as Mang T-shirts, Engel coolers and Penn rod-and-reel combinations.</p>
<p class="p3">Open to anglers ages 5 and older, the Fishing Challenge is a citizen science tournament that gives biologists information on the size, types and whereabouts of fish in the county’s largest estuary, which stretches 20 miles from North Palm Beach to Ocean Ridge.</p>
<p class="p3">During last year’s Fishing Challenge, 49 anglers caught 57 species of fish. Many were caught around areas that have been restored to improve habitat, such as the Snook Islands Natural Area and the man-made mangrove islands off Lake Worth’s Bryant Park (where three redfish and a permit were caught last year).</p>
<p class="p3">Anglers catch, photograph and submit their catches via cellphone using the iAngler Tournament app. Fish can be kept, if they’re in season and of legal size, or released.</p>
<p class="p3">Find details on the Lake Worth Lagoon Fishing Challenge at <a href="http://www.lwli.org">www.lwli.org</a> or call 233-2448.</p>
<p class="p3">Another long-running tournament is CCA/Florida’s STAR tournament, which runs from May 25 to Labor Day.</p>
<p class="p3">Registered anglers who catch a STAR-tagged redfish could win a new boat or pickup truck.</p>
<p class="p3">CCA/Florida also will release 20 tagged dolphin (mahi mahi). The first registered angler to report catching a tagged dolphin wins $10,000.</p>
<p class="p3">Catches can be reported using the CCA/Florida STAR tournament smartphone app.</p>
<p class="p3">The STAR entry fee is $40 for CCA members ($75 including a one-year CCA membership).</p>
<p class="p3">For details, go to ccaflstar.com or call 352-665-4868.</p>
<p class="p3">Wahoo anyone? Anglers who enjoy fishing for the striped ocean speedsters can enter one or more of the West Palm Beach Fishing Club’s Full Moon Wahoo tournaments.</p>
<p class="p3">These are relaxed, low-entry-fee tournaments held on the Saturdays closest to the full moons of June, July and August.</p>
<p class="p3">This year’s dates are June 15, July 20 and Aug. 17. The entry fee is $60 per tournament or $150 for all three.</p>
<p class="p3">At least one member of the fishing team must be a West Palm Beach Fishing Club member in good standing to register. For details, call 832-6780 or visit westpalmbeachfishingclub.org.</p>
<p class="p1"><a href="{{#staticFileLink}}7960864301,original{{/staticFileLink}}" target="_blank"><img src="{{#staticFileLink}}7960864301,original{{/staticFileLink}}" class="align-center" alt="7960864301?profile=original" /></a></p>
<p class="p1" style="text-align:center;"><em>Ed Ducar of Lakeland holds a blackfin tuna he caught on a live pilchard near Boynton Inlet in May 2017. The Florida Fish & Wildlife Conservation Commission is holding workshops to discuss management options for largely unregulated blackfins. <b>Willie Howard/The Coastal Star</b></em></p>
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<p class="p5"><span class="s1"><b>FWC seeks public</b></span> <span class="s1"><b>input on blackfin tuna</b></span></p>
<p class="p3">The Florida Fish & Wildlife Conservation Commission will gather public input on the management of blackfin tuna.</p>
<p class="p3">Blackfin tuna are regulated in state waters only by the state’s default recreational bag limit of 100 pounds. </p>
<p class="p3">There are no regulations on blackfin tuna in federal waters (more than 3 miles off Florida’s east coast).</p>
<p class="p3">A meeting to discuss management options for blackfin tuna is set for 6 p.m. May 6 at Keiser University, Room 402-B, 1500 NW 49th St., Fort Lauderdale.</p>
<p class="p3">To view the blackfin tuna presentation online and submit comments to the FWC, visit myfwc.com/SaltwaterComments.</p>
<p class="p4"><span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></p>
<p class="p5"><span class="s1"><b>Coming events</b></span></p>
<p class="p3"><b>May 1</b>: Grouper fishing season opens and remains open through Dec. 31 in state waters of the Atlantic. Minimum sizes: 20 inches for red grouper, 24 inches for black and gag grouper. Three-fish aggregate daily grouper bag limit can include only one black and one gag grouper. For details, go to myfwc.com and look under saltwater fishing regulations.</p>
<p class="p3"><b>May 4</b>: Basic boating safety class offered by Coast Guard Auxiliary, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. in the headquarters building at Spanish River Park, 3939 N. Ocean Blvd., Boca Raton. Fee $35 ($5 for youths ages 12-19). Register at the door. Bring lunch. Call 391-3600.</p>
<p class="p3"><b>May 7</b>: Boynton Beach Fishing Club meets, 7 p.m. in the clubhouse by the boat ramps, Harvey E. Oyer Jr. Park, 2010 N. Federal Highway, Boynton Beach. bifc.org.</p>
<p class="p3"><b>May 18</b>: “Suddenly in Command” three-hour boating safety course offered by Coast Guard Auxiliary, 9 a.m. in the classroom building next to the boat ramps, Harvey E. Oyer Jr. Park, 2010 N. Federal Highway, Boynton Beach. Free. 331-2429.</p>
<p class="p3"><b>May 25</b>: Basic boating safety class offered by Coast Guard Auxiliary, 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. in the classroom building next to the boat ramps, Harvey E. Oyer Jr. Park, 2010 N. Federal Highway, Boynton Beach. Fee $20. Register at the door. 331-2429.</p>
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<p class="p5"><span class="s1"><b>Tip of the month</b></span></p>
<p class="p3">Planning to take your boat to the Bahamas this summer?</p>
<p class="p3">Consider cruising over in a group boating “fling” led by the Bahamas Tourist Office. This year’s fling schedule begins June 12-16 with a trip to Grand Bahama Island, followed by trips to Bimini June 19-23 and June 26-30. An extended fling to the Exuma islands is set for July 10-21.</p>
<p class="p3">Trips leave from Bahia Mar Yachting Center in Fort Lauderdale. The registration fee is $75. Go to Bahamas.com or call 954-236-9212.</p>
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<p class="p6"><i>Willie Howard is a freelance writer and licensed boat captain. Reach him at tiowillie@bellsouth.net.</i></p></div>On the Water: 57.1-pound wahoo sets all-time record for LW tournamenthttps://thecoastalstar.com/profiles/blogs/on-the-water-57-1-pound-wahoo-sets-all-time-record-for-lw-tournam2015-07-29T04:10:13.000Z2015-07-29T04:10:13.000ZMary Kate Leminghttps://thecoastalstar.com/members/MaryKateLeming769<div><p style="text-align:center;"><em><a href="{{#staticFileLink}}7960585496,original{{/staticFileLink}}"><img class="align-center" src="{{#staticFileLink}}7960585496,original{{/staticFileLink}}" width="480" alt="7960585496?profile=original" /></a>Brett Lang and Doug Konz hold the 57.1-pound wahoo they caught June 27 while trolling in 150 feet north of Boynton Inlet. Their wahoo not only won largest fish in this year’s Lake Worth Fishing Tournament, but also set a record for the heaviest fish in the eight-year history of the event. Photo courtesy of Brett Lan</em></p>
<p><strong>By Willie Howard</strong></p>
<p>Brett Lang and his fishing team on Crew’s Nest weren’t expecting anything special as they headed out Boynton Inlet on June 27 to begin their day of fishing in the Lake Worth Fishing Tournament.<br /> But just after 7 a.m., about half an hour after “lines in,” the split-tailed mullet they were trolling below the surface in 150 feet of water was slammed by a powerful fish.<br /> Crew’s Nest team member Carolyn Seal kept the boat moving forward while Lang fought the fish. When the trolling weight hit the rod tip, team member Doug Konz took over, pulling in the shock leader hand over hand until the fish was close enough for Lang to gaff.<br /> The result: A 57.1-pound wahoo that won $2,000 as the largest overall fish in the 54-boat Lake Worth tournament and set a record as the heaviest fish in the eight-year history of the event. <br /> The Crew’s Nest wahoo beat George McNally’s previous all-time record for the Lake Worth tournament: a 55-pound ’hoo caught aboard Right Hook in 2013.<br /> “It was nice to get it as the first fish of the day,” said Lang, general manager of Smyth Air Conditioning in Lake Worth.<br /><br /><strong>Five-O Fishing Team</strong><br /><strong>wins Big Dog, Fat Cat event</strong><br /> The Five-O Fishing Team won biggest overall fish in the July 11 Big Dog & Fat Cat KDW Shootout with a 41.5-pound kingfish.<br /> Led by Mike O’Connor of West Palm Beach, the Five-O team ran north to the waters off Stuart to catch the chunky kingfish that put them ahead of 192 other boats and won $5,000 in cash and a Raymarine product valued at $5,000 in the tournament, based at Sailfish Marina on Singer Island.<br /> Team member Bob Piantoni of Palm City fought the winning kingfish, which hit a live blue runner on a flat (unweighted) line in 75 feet of water around 8 a.m.<br /> “We just happened to be in the right place at the right time,” O’Connor said, noting that his team decided to fish north of Jupiter after hearing reports of sharks in the waters off Palm Beach County.<br /><br /><strong>Bahamian government proposes permit, guide requirements for flats fishing</strong><br /> Shallow water anglers and bonefish lodges are questioning draft regulations by the Bahamian government that would require visitors to buy a $20-a-day permit and hire a guide to fish by boat for bonefish and other shallow-water fish.<br /> The permit and guide requirements would apply to non-Bahamians who want to fish the “flats,” defined as any water less than 6 feet deep.<br /> According to the proposed regulations, boat owners who are not Bahamian would have to employ at least one Bahamas-certified fishing guide to fish the flats and would have to hire one guide for every two anglers fishing the flats by boat.<br /> The West Palm Beach Fishing Club’s response to Bahamian officials said, in part, that the proposed regulations are “far too vague, administratively cumbersome and if implemented would result in unintended consequences that would have negative impacts on tourism, fishing lodges, marinas and local guides.”<br /> The response by The Delphi Club, a bonefish lodge in the Abacos, included this: “One fears people are losing sight of why people come on vacation to the Bahamas, which is mainly to chill out. And we in the Bahamas would do well to remember that there are plenty of other places to do that.”<br /> Comments on the proposed flats fishing regulations can be sent by email to: Fisheries@bahamas.gov.bs or Tourism@bahamas.com.<br /><br /><strong>FWC proposes</strong><br /><strong>more restrictive</strong><br /><strong>barracuda regulations</strong><br /> State fisheries regulators are proposing slot-size and bag limits for great barracuda caught in the waters off South Florida.<br /> If approved by the Florida Fish & Wildlife Conservation Commission at its early September meeting, the barracuda rules would apply in state and federal waters off Martin, Palm Beach, Broward, Miami-Dade, Monroe and Collier counties.<br /> The proposed barracuda rules include: <br /> • A slot-size limit of 15 to 36 inches for barracuda taken by commercial or recreational anglers. (The slot means barracuda would have to be at least 15 inches long but not more than 36 inches to be legal to keep.)<br /> • A two-fish daily bag limit for recreational anglers.<br /> • A daily commercial trip limit of 20 fish per boat. <br /> The FWC says the proposed rules address concerns about declining numbers of barracuda expressed by South Florida divers and anglers.<br /><br /><strong>Minimum size increases for triggerfish</strong><br /> Gray triggerfish must be 14 inches to the fork of the tail to be legal based on a 2-inch increase in the minimum size that took effect July 9.<br /> The FWC increased the minimum size for triggerfish taken in state waters to match new federal regulations that apply more than three miles offshore on Florida’s east coast. <br /><br /><strong>Coming events</strong><br /> Aug. 6: Regular spiny lobster season opens and remains open through March 31. A lobster’s head section must measure at least 3 inches to be legal to keep. No egg-bearing lobster may be taken. A saltwater fishing license and lobster permit are required (unless exempt). Details: <a href="http://www.myfwc.com/lobster">www.myfwc.com/lobster</a>.<br /> Aug. 8: 21st annual Mark Gerretson Memorial Fishing Tournament based at Deck 84 restaurant, 840 E. Atlantic Ave., Delray Beach. Captain’s meeting 6 p.m. Aug. 6 at Deck 84. Weigh-in the afternoon of Aug. 8 at Deck 84. Entry fee $200. Benefits children’s causes in Delray Beach and Boynton Beach. Call 251-1945 or visit <a href="http://www.mgmft.net">www.mgmft.net</a>.<br /> Aug. 11-15: 73rd annual Goode Water Ski National Championships at Okeeheelee Park, Forest Hill Boulevard west of Jog Road, Greenacres. Slalom and trick events begin at 8 a.m. daily; jumping begins at 9 a.m. Free parking and admission. Details: <a href="http://www.usawaterski.org">www.usawaterski.org</a>.<br />Aug. 15: Palm Beach County Lionfish Derby based at Sailfish Marina on Singer Island. Captain’s meeting and final registration Aug. 14 at the marina. Entry fee $120 for four-diver team. Cash prizes. Details: (305) 852-0030 or <a href="http://www.reef.org/lionfish/derbies">www.reef.org/lionfish/derbies</a>.<br /> Aug. 22: Basic boating safety class taught by Coast Guard Auxiliary Flotilla 54, 8 a.m., Coast Guard building (next to boat ramps), Harvey E. Oyer Jr. Park, Boynton Beach. Fee: $40. Call Ron Cuneo, 389-1850.<br /> Sept. 1: Snook season opens and remains open through Dec. 14. A Florida saltwater fishing license and a snook permit are required (unless exempt). Daily bag limit: one snook. To be legal to keep, snook must measure between 28 and 32 inches in total length. Different rules apply to snook taken on the state’s west coast and the Florida Keys. Details: <a href="http://www.myfwc.com/fishing/saltwater/recreational">www.myfwc.com/fishing/saltwater/recreational</a>.<br /> Sept. 19: X Generation 440 Challenge fishing tournament for kingfish, dolphin and wahoo. Includes $500 prize for heaviest cobia, mutton or yellowtail snapper and bonito or blackfin tuna. Based at Palm Beach Yacht Center in Hypoluxo. Captain’s meeting 5-8 p.m. Sept. 18. Details: 502-7022 or <a href="http://www.xgeneration440.com">www.xgeneration440.com</a>.<br /><br /><strong>Tip of the month</strong><br /> Walk the beach early for snook. When small bait fish (usually pilchards) are schooling in the surf, it’s a good time to fish early for snook. <br /> Start fishing around 5:30 a.m. and fish until just after sunrise using a medium-action spinning rod fitted with braided line (20-pound braid is a good bet) and 20- to 30-pound leader. (I prefer fluorocarbon leader, but monofilament will do.) Match the hatch by tying on a lure about the size of the bait fish. <br /> Cast roughly parallel to the shoreline, and make a few casts out deeper to find the snook. <br /> Try soft-plastic baits such as a D.O.A. CAL Jerk Bait (colors I like for snook on the beach include night glow, silver glitter and glow/holo flake) on an eighth- or quarter-ounce jig head. Work soft plastics slowly so they move along the bottom, rise up and drop back down. (This requires calm surf conditions typical of summer months.) <br />Alternative lures include the MirrOlure Catch 2000 and MirrOdine suspending lures, which imitate small bait fish. <br /> Remember, all snook must be released through Aug. 31. (The fall snook season opens Sept. 1 and continues through Dec. 14.) Anglers with saltwater licenses and snook permits (required unless exempt) can keep the bag limit of one snook per day (if they’re between 28 and 32 inches in total length) after the season opens. All other snook must be released.<br /> Bring pliers to remove hooks from snook, and consider flattening hook barbs to facilitate the release of snook. If you’re planning to keep a snook after the season opens, bring a measuring tape. Don’t forget your camera or cellphone (in a plastic bag to keep it dry).<br /><br /><em>Willie Howard is a freelance writer and licensed boat caption. Reach him at tiowillie@bellsouth.net.</em></p></div>