Catch-and-release tournament coming soon
Charles Walsh, Correspondent
Published: 12:46 a.m., Sunday, September 26, 2010
The second annual Saugatuck Cup, Connecticut's only catch-and-release fishing tournament for bluefish, striped bass, and false albacore, will take place Oct. 9.
Many of Connecticut's top fly casters and spin fishers are expected to compete for an impressive list of prizes offered in the tournament that benefits The 9th Floor Foundation, an organization that funds research into neurofibromatosis (NF) and other pediatric cancers.
The tournament arose out of a 2009 conversation between Eric Johnson and Matt Spengler, whose son has had neurofibromatosis since he was a toddler. He is now 5.
"When Matt, who is a longtime customer and friend, told me about the disease and what his family and son had gone through with it, I asked him what we could do to help support the foundation," Johnson said. "After talking for a while, we hit on the idea of a catch-and-release tournament in the fall and the Saugatuck Cup was born."
Johnson said last year's initial tournament was a success, but he is hoping for even more participation this time.
"It's a great cause and we have a lot of fun with the fishing and the catered after-party," Johnson said. We have great food and a big raffle with some terrific prizes, including products by Echo, Rio and Quantum."
Applications for the tournament will be accepted until Friday, Oct. 8, but a maximum of 40 boats will be allowed to compete.
Established in 2009, The 9th Floor Foundation develops initiatives that engage in educational outreach and public awareness of pediatric cancer. Through its charitable efforts and events, the foundation works to support scientific research and the development of programs to support the courageous families who battle these childhood diseases every day of their lives. The 9th Floor Foundation is a not-for-profit foundation.
The tournament will be held regardless of the weather. The fishing starts at 8 a.m. Lines must be out of the water at 3:30 p.m.
The entry fee is $200 per person ($75 for non-fishers wishing to attend the after-party). Participants must fill out and submit an entry form available at www.saugatuckcup.com and mail it with check payable to The 9th Floor Foundation to Westport Outfitters, 609 Riverside Ave., Westport, CT. A tax deductible receipt will be provided.
All fish entered in the tournament must come from Long Island Sound and be caught in compliance with Connecticut Department of Environmental Protection regulations. Boats may be launched anywhere along the Connecticut side of Long Island Sound.
The tournament is catch and release only using an honor system. Fishermen must provide at least one photo of their catch that shows the whole fish and the fish against a measuring tape.
Only artificial lures are allowed. No live, fresh, dead or frozen bait is allowed. All fish must be caught by legal means using a rod, reel and line.
The tournament will be based on a point system. Awards will be provided for first, second and third in both spin and fly divisions. Blues are worth one point, bass two and false albacore four points. Awards will also be presented for the largest fish. In the event of a tie, the fisherman with the most inches of fish wins.
Address all questions to Tournament Director Matt Spengler at matt@saugatuckcup.com or Eric Johnson at Westport Outfitters, (203) 341-9490.
SHORT CASTS ANGLER LOGBOOK -- Here is an idea that the Connecticut DEP should steal, I mean borrow, as soon a possible. The Massachusetts Division of Marine Fisheries in conjunction with the Atlantic Coastal Cooperative Statistics Program has developed an electronic angler logbook for recreational anglers who are willing to provide data useful for management of marine fishes. The eLogbook is a web database designed for recreational anglers to enter daily trip information on general location, gear used and sizes of fish species that are harvested or released. Participating anglers can access and summarize their fishing data in tabular or graphical forms at any time, which is useful for tracking fishing successes. Residents or non-residents who fish Massachusetts and adjacent federal marine waters can use the program
. -- CHARLES WALSH
Charles Walsh, Correspondent
Published: 12:46 a.m., Sunday, September 26, 2010
The second annual Saugatuck Cup, Connecticut's only catch-and-release fishing tournament for bluefish, striped bass, and false albacore, will take place Oct. 9.
Many of Connecticut's top fly casters and spin fishers are expected to compete for an impressive list of prizes offered in the tournament that benefits The 9th Floor Foundation, an organization that funds research into neurofibromatosis (NF) and other pediatric cancers.
The tournament arose out of a 2009 conversation between Eric Johnson and Matt Spengler, whose son has had neurofibromatosis since he was a toddler. He is now 5.
"When Matt, who is a longtime customer and friend, told me about the disease and what his family and son had gone through with it, I asked him what we could do to help support the foundation," Johnson said. "After talking for a while, we hit on the idea of a catch-and-release tournament in the fall and the Saugatuck Cup was born."
Johnson said last year's initial tournament was a success, but he is hoping for even more participation this time.
"It's a great cause and we have a lot of fun with the fishing and the catered after-party," Johnson said. We have great food and a big raffle with some terrific prizes, including products by Echo, Rio and Quantum."
Applications for the tournament will be accepted until Friday, Oct. 8, but a maximum of 40 boats will be allowed to compete.
Established in 2009, The 9th Floor Foundation develops initiatives that engage in educational outreach and public awareness of pediatric cancer. Through its charitable efforts and events, the foundation works to support scientific research and the development of programs to support the courageous families who battle these childhood diseases every day of their lives. The 9th Floor Foundation is a not-for-profit foundation.
The tournament will be held regardless of the weather. The fishing starts at 8 a.m. Lines must be out of the water at 3:30 p.m.
The entry fee is $200 per person ($75 for non-fishers wishing to attend the after-party). Participants must fill out and submit an entry form available at www.saugatuckcup.com and mail it with check payable to The 9th Floor Foundation to Westport Outfitters, 609 Riverside Ave., Westport, CT. A tax deductible receipt will be provided.
All fish entered in the tournament must come from Long Island Sound and be caught in compliance with Connecticut Department of Environmental Protection regulations. Boats may be launched anywhere along the Connecticut side of Long Island Sound.
The tournament is catch and release only using an honor system. Fishermen must provide at least one photo of their catch that shows the whole fish and the fish against a measuring tape.
Only artificial lures are allowed. No live, fresh, dead or frozen bait is allowed. All fish must be caught by legal means using a rod, reel and line.
The tournament will be based on a point system. Awards will be provided for first, second and third in both spin and fly divisions. Blues are worth one point, bass two and false albacore four points. Awards will also be presented for the largest fish. In the event of a tie, the fisherman with the most inches of fish wins.
Address all questions to Tournament Director Matt Spengler at matt@saugatuckcup.com or Eric Johnson at Westport Outfitters, (203) 341-9490.
SHORT CASTS ANGLER LOGBOOK -- Here is an idea that the Connecticut DEP should steal, I mean borrow, as soon a possible. The Massachusetts Division of Marine Fisheries in conjunction with the Atlantic Coastal Cooperative Statistics Program has developed an electronic angler logbook for recreational anglers who are willing to provide data useful for management of marine fishes. The eLogbook is a web database designed for recreational anglers to enter daily trip information on general location, gear used and sizes of fish species that are harvested or released. Participating anglers can access and summarize their fishing data in tabular or graphical forms at any time, which is useful for tracking fishing successes. Residents or non-residents who fish Massachusetts and adjacent federal marine waters can use the program
. -- CHARLES WALSH