4th Annual Fishermanâ€âÃ

4^th Annual Fisherman’s Post Newspaper Spring Inshore Challenge

 

The 4^th annual Fisherman’s Post Newspaper Spring Inshore Challenge is expecting over 100 boats to participate this year in search of prize-winning flounder and trout, but the big winner at the tournament’s end may be the health of the local fishery.

 

The tournament offers big payouts to its participants, but anglers are also encouraged through cash prize incentives to weigh their flounder and trout in alive. The Spring Inshore Challenge donates a portion of the live flounder to one of the area’s three flounder hatcheries, and the remaining live flounder and live trout are released.

 

At the hatcheries, the live flounder will be used to raise millions of fingerlings, and these fingerlings will ultimately be released back into local waters.

 

The handling and transportation of the live flounder are conducted by volunteers from the UNCW Center for Marine Science. The cash prize incentives are donated by a number of local businesses.

 

Last year the tournament released approximately 90% of the fish brought to the weigh-in.

 

“We are very proud of last year’s 90% release,” says Gary Hurley, Tournament Director and Publisher of Fisherman’s Post Newspaper. “This high release rate proves what we already know is true—our tournament anglers care about the future of our local fishery.”

 

This year’s tournament will be held May 18-19, 2007. Registration and the Captains Meetings will be Friday, May 18, at Wrightsville Beach Marina.  Saturday, May 19, is the one day of fishing, with the weigh-in also at Wrightsville Beach Marina.

 

The awards dinner and ceremony will be Saturday evening at Wild Wing Café.

 

Participants in the Spring Inshore Challenge will be going after two types of popular local fish—flounder and speckled trout.  Last year the winning flounder weighed 7.36 pounds, and the winning trout tipped the scales at 6.02 pounds. 

 

“The tournament will be paying out over $15,000 in cash and prizes,” says Eddie Hardgrove, Assistant Tournament Director.  “We also want this to be a family event, so we offer special junior angler, lady angler, and senior angler prizes.”  In addition, winners of the tournament are guaranteed a photo appearance on the cover of Fisherman’s Post Newspaper.

 

Tournament Director Gary Hurley says, “The goal of the Spring Inshore Challenge is to promote fishing in the Cape Fear Region, and the goal of our ‘catch and release’ emphasis is to reward the types of behaviors and attitudes that will sustain our local fishery for years to come.”

 

The tournament is also a fundraiser for the Cape Fear Community College Sea Devil Club.  The Sea Devil Club is the backbone of support for CFCC athletics, which includes well over 100 student-athletes that compete in six intercollegiate sports.

 

“We like being involved with the community,” says Robbie McGee, Athletic Director at CFCC, “and this tournament is a great way to connect with the local fishing community, a big segment of this part of North Carolina.”

 

Anglers interested in the tournament can register on Friday, May 19, at Wrightsville Beach Marina.  The entry fee is $165 per boat.

 

For more information on the tournament, you can call (910) 452-6378 or visit www.FishermansPost.com and then click on the Inshore Challenge link.

4^th Annual Fisherman’s Post Newspaper Spring Inshore Challenge

 

The 4^th annual Fisherman’s Post Newspaper Spring Inshore Challenge is expecting over 100 boats to participate this year in search of prize-winning flounder and trout, but the big winner at the tournament’s end may be the health of the local fishery.

 

The tournament offers big payouts to its participants, but anglers are also encouraged through cash prize incentives to weigh their flounder and trout in alive. The Spring Inshore Challenge donates a portion of the live flounder to one of the area’s three flounder hatcheries, and the remaining live flounder and live trout are released.

 

At the hatcheries, the live flounder will be used to raise millions of fingerlings, and these fingerlings will ultimately be released back into local waters.

 

The handling and transportation of the live flounder are conducted by volunteers from the UNCW Center for Marine Science. The cash prize incentives are donated by a number of local businesses.

 

Last year the tournament released approximately 90% of the fish brought to the weigh-in.

 

“We are very proud of last year’s 90% release,” says Gary Hurley, Tournament Director and Publisher of Fisherman’s Post Newspaper. “This high release rate proves what we already know is true—our tournament anglers care about the future of our local fishery.”

 

This year’s tournament will be held May 18-19, 2007. Registration and the Captains Meetings will be Friday, May 18, at Wrightsville Beach Marina.  Saturday, May 19, is the one day of fishing, with the weigh-in also at Wrightsville Beach Marina.

 

The awards dinner and ceremony will be Saturday evening at Wild Wing Café.

 

Participants in the Spring Inshore Challenge will be going after two types of popular local fish—flounder and speckled trout.  Last year the winning flounder weighed 7.36 pounds, and the winning trout tipped the scales at 6.02 pounds. 

 

“The tournament will be paying out over $15,000 in cash and prizes,” says Eddie Hardgrove, Assistant Tournament Director.  “We also want this to be a family event, so we offer special junior angler, lady angler, and senior angler prizes.”  In addition, winners of the tournament are guaranteed a photo appearance on the cover of Fisherman’s Post Newspaper.

 

Tournament Director Gary Hurley says, “The goal of the Spring Inshore Challenge is to promote fishing in the Cape Fear Region, and the goal of our ‘catch and release’ emphasis is to reward the types of behaviors and attitudes that will sustain our local fishery for years to come.”

 

The tournament is also a fundraiser for the Cape Fear Community College Sea Devil Club.  The Sea Devil Club is the backbone of support for CFCC athletics, which includes well over 100 student-athletes that compete in six intercollegiate sports.

 

“We like being involved with the community,” says Robbie McGee, Athletic Director at CFCC, “and this tournament is a great way to connect with the local fishing community, a big segment of this part of North Carolina.”

 

Anglers interested in the tournament can register on Friday, May 19, at Wrightsville Beach Marina.  The entry fee is $165 per boat.

 

For more information on the tournament, you can call (910) 452-6378 or visit www.FishermansPost.com and then click on the Inshore Challenge link.