2016 will be an exciting summer for anglers as they could be just one cast away from nearly $500,000 in prizes and college scholarships offered by the first annual CCA Florida STAR Tournament Presented by Yamaha. If you fish anywhere in the coastal waters of Florida this summer you will have ways to win prizes that are almost too numerous to count and there is only one small catch. You must be a CCA member and registered for STAR.
The signature division of STAR is tagged redfish which offers amazing prizes for the capture of the first tagged redfish such as $25,000 scholarships, a GMC Pick-up truck or boat, motor and trailer packages. On the west coast of Florida these tagged redfish are hatchery reared, tagged and released. For the east coast, CCA Florida will need the help of recreational anglers to gather wild redfish which will be held in captivity at Harbor Branch Research Institute of Florida Atlantic University, tagged and release prior to the start of STAR on May 28, Memorial Day Weekend.
Join The City of Palm Bay and fellow anglers on April 1st and 2nd at Academy Sports in West Melbourne to become a CCA Florida Redfish Wrangler. Participation in the Roundup will allow Wranglers to take part in the capture of redfish needed for tagging and release on the east coast for the STAR tournament. Wranglers will depart and capture redfish anywhere on the east coast of Florida with the exception of Mosquito Lagoon. Each Wrangler will be provided a possession permit issued by Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission which will allow the Wrangler to catch and keep alive in their live wells up to three redfish between 16 and 28 inches. (During the STAR tournament, harvest of a STAR tagged redfish is not required therefore size of the redfish for tagging and release does not need to be slot size.) The fish for tagging will be brought to check-in in the live wells of Wranglers boats while on the trailer to the Academy Sports check-in location between 9am and 4pm for submission in the Roundup. Each live redfish submitted in the Roundup will provide the Wrangler with an entry into the Redfish Roundup. Winners will be determined by a random drawing of the submission entries. The community is encouraged to come and observe the check-in; most of the fish will be brought in between 3:00 and 4:00PM.
Entry into the Roundup is only $25.00 with the first 125 anglers receiving a STAR Redfish Wrangler T-shirt. The Roundup will offer more than $2,000 in guaranteed prizes with first place winning either an 8 foot Power Pole Shallow Water Anchor, Humminbird Helix 7si or a MinnKota 112 RT ipilot. Second place will win 2 CCA Rod & reel combos, LIVETARGET prize package, Lunasea Cush-it and CCA Engel Cooler Dry Box with Rod Holders. Third place will win an Engel 165 quart Cooler.
“The Redfish Roundup and STAR provides an opportunity for the general public to learn more about Coastal Conservation Association and our efforts to conserve and protect our marine resources. Through their participation in capturing redfish for tagging, recreation anglers become a valuable tool to help in providing data on redfish population and movements on the east coast” said Leiza Fitzgerald, STAR Tournament Director. “In addition, these tournaments are some of the only tournaments that involve “citizen biologists” with a focus on gathering data regarding hatchery reared and now wild redfish.”
Don’t miss the opportunity to become a Redfish Wrangler. Join us Friday, April 1st from 4:00-6:30 pm for registration; anglers may also pre-register by visiting the STAR website. The Captain’s meeting is from 7:00 to 8:00 pm with food and drinks served. Saturday, April 2nd tournament hours are 6:30am to 3:00pm and check-in is 9:00am to 4:00pm. Prizes will be awarded at 4:30, Saturday. For more details on CCA Florida Redfish Roundup, registration or information and registration in STAR please visit www.CCAFLSTAR.com or call 844-387-7827.
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