Fish For Tomorrow Flounder Tournament News
Inaugural Tournament Brings in Eggs for the Hatchery and Finances for Artificial Reefs
Wilmington, NC The Inaugural Fish For Tomorrow Flounder Tournament was a great boost for the Southern Flounder Hatchery and the Artificial Reef Program of the Coastal Environmental Enhancement & Development organization (Fish For Tomorrow).
This first-of-its-kind tournament was the brainchild Fish For Tomorrow founder Tim Barefoot. "We wanted to hold a very unusual type tournament. One that would raise public awareness for the hatchery process and allow us to get eggs from females [and milt from males] for next year’s fingerlings.” Barefoot expects to be able to provide the state with young flounder that will to be released into the wild in about 12 months.
The event was unusual for a flounder tournament as it was a live weigh-in ONLY. This was important as the hatchery needs live fish only. Several dozen keeper-sized flounder we caught and they are now living comfortably in a temporary quarantine tank at UNC Wilmington's hatchery facility in Wrightsville Beach. The official weigh-master at the tournament was UNCW graduate student Chris Woolrich. Woolrich estimates that upwards of 2 million eggs will be extracted from the flounder that were turned in. “I think it's a great idea to have a tournament like this, where the end result is the brood stock that we really need”, said Woolrich.
The tournament prize money for this event was entirely donated by a group of concerned individuals and businesses. According to sponsor Barry Beys, “I was happy to support an effort that is an obvious win-win for all involved.”
In addition, all of the entry fees paid by the participants will be used to purchase artificial reefs known as reef balls. These reefs will be placed in the well-protected Carolina Beach Yacht Basin under the direction of Department of Marine Fisheries (DMF) officials. The placing of artificial reefs is a united effort between Fish For Tomorrow, the general public, fishing clubs, businesses, and DMF.
After the tournament, Jim Franscisconi from the DMF Artificial Reef Division met with Fish For Tomorrow officers, Got-Em-On Live Bait Club officers and Carolina Beach Mayor Bill Clark to plan the number of and location of the reef balls in the yacht basin. Fish For Tomorrow Board Member Mike Ward said, “We are happy to work with DMF in any way possible to create spawning and growth habitat for the flounder that migrate in and out of North Carolina inlets.” These structures are the first wave of artificial reef materials that will be purchased thru the proceeds of the tournament and other efforts. Fish For Tomorrow is currently seeking additional sponsor companies and individuals to purchase reef balls for placement in other waters in the near future.
Fish For Tomorrow is not planning any distant offshore reefs. They plan to focus on placing artificial reefs within 1-3 miles of the inlet, and to improve and enhance the structure inside the inlets. Fish For Tomorrow is placing the reefs in areas that anglers and families with even the smallest of boats will have safe access to. The near-shore locations will provide families with slightly larger boats additional fishing grounds.
“There are other non-profit organizations that provide offshore artificial reefs for fish populations like King Mackerel and Grouper. However if you have interest in near-shore/in-shore reefs, and the fish that live on them, check out www.ceednc.com and get involved in forthcoming Fish For Tomorrow efforts and events”, said Barefoot.
Final Tournament Standings:
Place/Size Name Boat Home Port
1st 5.8oz. Bruce Field Flat Dawg Wilmington
2nd 5.1oz. Travis Koontz Money Hole Carolina Beach
3rd 5.1oz. Shannon Idol Squid Wilmington
4th 3.2oz. John Hargett Team Barefoot Wilmington
5th 2.12oz. Fred Davis Turn it up Wilmington
6th 2.7oz. Jamie Denison Ranger Kernersville
7th 1.14oz. Millard Haley Haley Wilmington
8th 1.7oz. Sam Hodges Blue Water Wilmington
9th 1.5oz. Sam Daughtry Rusty Wilmington
10th 1.4oz. Gary Hurley Fisherman's Post Wilmington
Stand Out Individuals:
Chip Jackson (safety assistance/buddy boat) and Cub Scout Pack 225,
Tiger Den weighed-in a 3 lb. 8 oz. and a 1 lb. 8 oz. flounder and released four other fish that did not exceed the required 14 inches. Stephen Marks, Brandon Anderson and Austin Waddell were the anglers for the Den.
Shannon Idol took 3rd place and promptly donated his $658 check back to Fish For Tomorrow for purchasing more reef balls. [Thanks Shannon!]
Taylor Barefoot caught and weighed-in the first official fish of the tournament after angling near the weigh-in site at the Dockside Marina.
Thanks to all of you who made this inaugural tournament a rousing success!
