Fishing Tournaments

[vharrison]

The World Sailfish Tournament is happening in Key West today and ends up on Saturday. The first day of fishing, there were 235 sailfish caught and released. By 10 this morning, 89 have been caught and released.

http://results.wsc.myfishingtournament.com/Day2.aspx

The guy I am fishing with on the Main Attraction for the Mother's Day Dolphin Tournament is fishing the Sailfish Tourny, he released 3 yesterday. He has not had any luck so far today, but the day is young. The guy that won the Mother's Day tourny last year is also fishing the Sailfish, he has had some luck today! :) The entry fee to fish the Sailfish is 7,500$ smackaroos, but First place pays 100,000$.

[OTGBOSTON]

So THATS what the other half does for fun.....:lol:

[vharrison]

My guy Marty has released 5 today!!

[MasterBlaster]

Go for the gold!!! :rockon:

[fishhuntcutwood]

Nice!

[vharrison]

Lines are out of the water till Saturday, tomorrow is a lay day. They released 224 today! Wow!

[fishhuntcutwood]

These are all sails? Or is there bycatch?

What are they averaging size-wise?

[Hobby Climber]

Sounds like your having a "REEL" good time!!! HC

[matty f]

they had a trout masters tournament wich i believe is one of the biggest fly fishing comps in the uk on my local lake today and I could only fish when they had finished but had a 4lb trout and another 2lb fish in an hours fishing ,wish i had entered and done the day!

[vharrison]

These are all sails? Or is there bycatch?

What are they averaging size-wise?

They are targeting only sails. I know my friend that runs the Main Attraction "sight fishes" and only throws the bait when he sights a fish. He is up on the tower and alerting the mates below where to throw the bait. It is absolutely amazing to fish with them. I am not sure of the sizes they are catching, I don't think that factors into the equation of winning, it is more about how many and at what time you caught it.
If you click on the link, you can see there was one boat with 4 sails within seconds of one another. Imagine the excitement on that boat!

[Greenhorn]

Guy on my boat had a sailfish the same time this marlin was wearing me out - those sailfish are fast but tire out way faster than the marlins.

[stehansen]

I thought sailfish and marlins were the same thing.

[GASoline71]

They are quite different Steve...

Top pic = Marlin

Bottom pic = Sailfish

Gary

[MasterBlaster]

I wonder why that sail evolved like that, what's the function?

Cool fish.

[Frans]

I wonder why that sail evolved like that, what's the function?

Cool fish.


Making itself attractive to the opposite Sex?

[Skwerl]

More likely making itself unattractive to potential predators. The sail can add illusion of size, making itself appear too large to be a meal for other large predators.

[MasterBlaster]

Making itself attractive to the opposite Sex?

That's usually what that stuff is for, attracting a mate for reproduction.

Unless the females have fins, too?

[Frans]

I am glad humans don't do this to attract mates:

[MasterBlaster]

A heart shaped glove!

[Al Smith]

I am glad humans don't do this to attract mates: Now that really is as red as a baboon's ass .:|:

[vharrison]

Well, my guy finished 11th...he probably was not happy, but out of over 100 boats, not to shabby.

[squisher]

Not to shabby at all I'd say. Congrats to your guy.

And hope you're feeling better.:)

[vharrison]

Thanks, Squish... I am feeling so much better.

[MasterBlaster]

Almost time to stop eating ice cream, eh? :D

[vharrison]

I am very excited...Fishing in the 2nd annual Habitat for Humanity Mother's Day Dolphin Tournament! Captains Meeting is tonight, one day of fishing on Saturday. We are fishing on The Main Attraction with 4 other people. $13,000.00 up for grabs and we want it all!

[OTGBOSTON]

Good luck Gigi! I'm going on a fishing trip this weekend too, though I suspect the conditions will be much different than where you will be fishing. Oh yeah, no $13,000 prize either.

[MasterBlaster]

Good Luck Virginia! Don't forget the bait!!! :P

[Hobby Climber]

So V.,

When are you guys gonna invite the Housers down for the fish fry? ...Ya can't say you don't have enough fish! :P

Just kidding, congrats to you & yours in 11th place!:)

HC

[vharrison]

HC, We will be frying up some Grouper Saturday night, you are welcome to come!

[squisher]

Good luck!!8)

[vharrison]

Thanks! Captains meeting in 3 hours for a little fun!

[vharrison]

Great News! Not only did we take 1st place,we also took 4th. 5000$ for 1st, 1500$ for 4th, and 3000$ in the Calcuta. The calcuta is a side bet that we took, cost us 250$ to get in. John took 1st with a 46.8lb Bull Dolphin!
We fished 10 hours and spent 1000$ on fuel :O When he caught the Bull, we were 40 miles off shore. :\:

HECK OF A DAY FISHING!

Pictures to come, but we have an awards ceremony to get to!! HA!!! I am so excited!

[MasterBlaster]

Wow, all that money is yours???

[sawinredneck]

Congrats!!! Sounds like a fun day!

[sotc]

sounds like you covered expenses!!

[Paul B]

Wow, way cool! getting paid to catch fishies!!

[vharrison]

Wow, all that money is yours???

Nah, we fished it as a team. The first thing that happens is the Captain takes half after we cover our entry fee. We hate that rule :lol:, but it is his boat and he puts us on the fish. Then, we as the six anglers on the boat cover our expenses like the charter and the fuel, the tip for the mate and the captain. So, when it was all said and done last night, each angler got $ 500.00 bucks. That is why it is important to get in on the Calcuta side bet, because in the end, that is what we split.

[Skwerl]

So basically the boat captain is the one that wins, and the people who come along for the ride and hold the fishing poles get a tiny piece of the action?

[vharrison]

We started the day catching some live ballyhoo on the reef for bait. Then the captain ran a LONG way, all the while looking for fish...then he spotted one. We ended up weighing 4 fish which 2 ended up in the top 5.

[vharrison]

Here are a few more.

[vharrison]

So basically the boat captain is the one that wins, and the people who come along for the ride and hold the fishing poles get a tiny piece of the action?

Well, I can tell you this: Without that captain, we would not have won the tournament. Part of us not winning mo money was the cost of the fuel, we spent $1000.00 on fuel, but again, without running like we did, we would not have won. We did not go out and find a weed line and troll with hopes of catching fish. We found weed lines, sighted the fish and threw to it. Then we ran until we found more weedlines or some type of structure.
It was funny as heck, we were on some schoolly dolphin and the mate looked at me (and I was having fun catching them up) and said "we got to get out of here, these fish don't mean shit to us" :lol: So, we fished the tournament with a plan, and the plan worked.

[MasterBlaster]

Those fish are some ugly suckers!!!

[vharrison]

So basically the boat captain is the one that wins, and the people who come along for the ride and hold the fishing poles get a tiny piece of the action?


Brian, here is another way to look at it. John and I got to fish all day on a 46' Sportfish, win a tournament, take home loads of fish to share, all expenses paid and then at the end of the day...we did not have to clean the boat or clean the fish and we walked with $ 1000.00. That is better than a tiny piece of the action, I think.:what: It was a heck of a day!

[vharrison]

Those fish are some ugly suckers!!!

I am surprised you say that, they are beautiful fish. Look at the colors on them when they are alive.

[Hobby Climber]

I am surprised you say that, they are beautiful fish. Look at the colors on them when they are alive.

----------------

Maybe this is what Butch was talking about...

[vharrison]

Now that is an ugly fish!

[vharrison]

http://www.keynoter.com/articles/2008/05/14/fishing/fish01.txt

John made the local paper! How fun is that?

[MasterBlaster]

He's famous!!! :D

Here's your new desktop, Gigi!

[OTGBOSTON]

Good stuff Gigi!

Do you think you can get Habitat for Humanity to build me a house in the Keys???;)

[vharrison]

There is an open application period every couple of years.

Now, for you viewing pleasure

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=468dyqeY8-8

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[Skwerl]

Congrats John! Nice fish! :D