12-23-2004, 09:47 PM
Saltwater tournament fishing gains popularity [url "http://www.flwoutdoors.com/photo.cfm?id=8733"][/url]
Kingfish pro Rick Smith, pictured captaining his Team Wal-Mart boat during a Southern Kingfish Association tournament, will fish the Wal-Mart FLW Kingfish Tour in 2005. (Photo by Andy Seeker)
By Brett Carlson - 21.Dec.2004
Casting to wary, elusive fish in crystal-clear water is the quintessential angling experience. For many anglers, there is nothing that compares to experiencing the rod-bending, drag-screaming excitement of bringing in giant saltwater fish. For these reasons, the popularity of saltwater fishing has grown rapidly and has become a year-round pursuit for anglers.
Kingfish, also known as king mackerel, have been an offshore fishing staple for generations, and when the large schools are in, they’re the focus of many saltwater fishing adventures. Their aggressive, speed-driven attacks and aerial assaults on baitfish take top billing among the angling sect, and when a kingfish makes a reel sing, it’s sure to grab the attention of everyone on board.
Kingfish can weigh up to 100 pounds and average between 10 and 50 pounds. Kingfish are typically found in large schools and produce high-quality meat when taken under 20 pounds.
Kingfish tournaments have been popular at the local level for years and are starting to increase in popularity, positioning king mackerel as one of the most sought-after saltwater species. Kingfish tours are popping up all over Florida, especially in the Jacksonville, St. Petersburg and Naples areas.
FLW Outdoors, already successful in the freshwater world, is one organization attempting to meet the increased demand. It is now ready to offer professional kingfish anglers nationwide the same opportunity as their bass and walleye counterparts.
[url "http://www.flwoutdoors.com/photo.cfm?id=12190"][/url]The Wal-Mart FLW Kingfish Tour, set to kick off in April 2005, will be the most lucrative kingfish tour in the world. In its inaugural season, the tour will offer a $1.7 million cash payout for five tournaments.
The FLW Kingfish Tour will make stops all along the Eastern Seaboard, including Florida, North Carolina, Louisiana and Mississippi. The tour’s four qualifying events offer a total of $1.2 million in cash awards, and the season will culminate with the no-entry-fee $500,000 Wal-Mart FLW Kingfish Tour Championship.
Rick Smith, an avid tournament kingfish angler from Brunswick, Ga., is looking forward to starting the inaugural FLW Kingfish Tour season.
[url "http://www.flwoutdoors.com/photo.cfm?id=12245"][/url]“With their reputation for success in freshwater tournament fishing, FLW Outdoors will only elevate the sport to a new level,” Smith said. “As anglers, we’re excited that there is new exposure for our rapidly growing sport. Catching a 40 or 50 pound kingfish is a thrill of a lifetime, something you dream of.”
Another saltwater species rapidly increasing in popularity is the redfish. They make great table fare and are strong fighters when hooked. Redfish are a bottom-feeding, schooling species common along the Gulf Coast. Typically located on flats, redfish can also be caught in reefs, bays and marshes. They typically live in shallow water and can be recognized by a dark spot on the tail.
The average redfish weighs from 6 to 12 pounds, but can weigh up to 50 pounds. The world-record redfish weighed 94 pounds, 2 ounces and was caught off the shores of North Carolina.
Already a popular sport fish in the United States, the redfish – or red drum – is gaining acclaim as a tournament species. Many local tours have surfaced in recent years, and tournaments are garnering national attention.
[url "http://www.flwoutdoors.com/photo.cfm?id=12191"][/url]In 2005 FLW Outdoors will launch the new Wal-Mart FLW Redfish Series that consists of eight scheduled tournaments, each drawing between 100 and 150 boats. The series will consist of two divisions – East and West. Each division will host four two-day team events with a $200,000 purse for each. The no-entry-fee $300,000 Wal-Mart FLW Redfish Series Championship will cap the season.
According to Irwin Jacobs, chairman of FLW Outdoors, “FLW Outdoors is surely proof of how popular professional angling has become, and we’re excited to continue to grow the sport through the launch of our two new saltwater circuits.”
In tandem with continued enforcement of regulations as well as aggressive hatchery and fish stocking programs, the rapid growth in saltwater tournament fishing is almost certain to continue.
·[url "http://www.flwoutdoors.com/article.cfm?id=142345"]Registration for FLW Outdoors’ new saltwater circuits slated for February[/url]
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Kingfish pro Rick Smith, pictured captaining his Team Wal-Mart boat during a Southern Kingfish Association tournament, will fish the Wal-Mart FLW Kingfish Tour in 2005. (Photo by Andy Seeker)
By Brett Carlson - 21.Dec.2004
Casting to wary, elusive fish in crystal-clear water is the quintessential angling experience. For many anglers, there is nothing that compares to experiencing the rod-bending, drag-screaming excitement of bringing in giant saltwater fish. For these reasons, the popularity of saltwater fishing has grown rapidly and has become a year-round pursuit for anglers.
Kingfish, also known as king mackerel, have been an offshore fishing staple for generations, and when the large schools are in, they’re the focus of many saltwater fishing adventures. Their aggressive, speed-driven attacks and aerial assaults on baitfish take top billing among the angling sect, and when a kingfish makes a reel sing, it’s sure to grab the attention of everyone on board.
Kingfish can weigh up to 100 pounds and average between 10 and 50 pounds. Kingfish are typically found in large schools and produce high-quality meat when taken under 20 pounds.
Kingfish tournaments have been popular at the local level for years and are starting to increase in popularity, positioning king mackerel as one of the most sought-after saltwater species. Kingfish tours are popping up all over Florida, especially in the Jacksonville, St. Petersburg and Naples areas.
FLW Outdoors, already successful in the freshwater world, is one organization attempting to meet the increased demand. It is now ready to offer professional kingfish anglers nationwide the same opportunity as their bass and walleye counterparts.
[url "http://www.flwoutdoors.com/photo.cfm?id=12190"][/url]The Wal-Mart FLW Kingfish Tour, set to kick off in April 2005, will be the most lucrative kingfish tour in the world. In its inaugural season, the tour will offer a $1.7 million cash payout for five tournaments.
The FLW Kingfish Tour will make stops all along the Eastern Seaboard, including Florida, North Carolina, Louisiana and Mississippi. The tour’s four qualifying events offer a total of $1.2 million in cash awards, and the season will culminate with the no-entry-fee $500,000 Wal-Mart FLW Kingfish Tour Championship.
Rick Smith, an avid tournament kingfish angler from Brunswick, Ga., is looking forward to starting the inaugural FLW Kingfish Tour season.
[url "http://www.flwoutdoors.com/photo.cfm?id=12245"][/url]“With their reputation for success in freshwater tournament fishing, FLW Outdoors will only elevate the sport to a new level,” Smith said. “As anglers, we’re excited that there is new exposure for our rapidly growing sport. Catching a 40 or 50 pound kingfish is a thrill of a lifetime, something you dream of.”
Another saltwater species rapidly increasing in popularity is the redfish. They make great table fare and are strong fighters when hooked. Redfish are a bottom-feeding, schooling species common along the Gulf Coast. Typically located on flats, redfish can also be caught in reefs, bays and marshes. They typically live in shallow water and can be recognized by a dark spot on the tail.
The average redfish weighs from 6 to 12 pounds, but can weigh up to 50 pounds. The world-record redfish weighed 94 pounds, 2 ounces and was caught off the shores of North Carolina.
Already a popular sport fish in the United States, the redfish – or red drum – is gaining acclaim as a tournament species. Many local tours have surfaced in recent years, and tournaments are garnering national attention.
[url "http://www.flwoutdoors.com/photo.cfm?id=12191"][/url]In 2005 FLW Outdoors will launch the new Wal-Mart FLW Redfish Series that consists of eight scheduled tournaments, each drawing between 100 and 150 boats. The series will consist of two divisions – East and West. Each division will host four two-day team events with a $200,000 purse for each. The no-entry-fee $300,000 Wal-Mart FLW Redfish Series Championship will cap the season.
According to Irwin Jacobs, chairman of FLW Outdoors, “FLW Outdoors is surely proof of how popular professional angling has become, and we’re excited to continue to grow the sport through the launch of our two new saltwater circuits.”
In tandem with continued enforcement of regulations as well as aggressive hatchery and fish stocking programs, the rapid growth in saltwater tournament fishing is almost certain to continue.
·[url "http://www.flwoutdoors.com/article.cfm?id=142345"]Registration for FLW Outdoors’ new saltwater circuits slated for February[/url]
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