Redfish Series returns

Revamped Wal-Mart FLW Redfish Series off to foggy start in Florida

TIERRA VERDE, Fla. – Dense fog across Tampa Bay delayed the start of the first FLW Redfish Series Eastern Division event Thursday morning by three hours.

With nearly half of the fishing day lost to fog, anglers who were planning to make long runs south to Charlotte Harbor and north to Clearwater were having to assemble expedient backup plans.

“This is going to kill guys who were planning to make any kind of run,” said C.A. Richardson of nearby St. Petersburg, Fla. “Now it looks like there will be a lot of us fishing right here in Tampa Bay.”

The good news is that there are plenty of redfish to be caught in Tampa Bay. Some redfish pros even contend that there are keeper reds (18 to 27 inches) to be caught just a long cast from the launch site at Tierra Verde Marina.

“Compared to this time last year, when red tide had infiltrated so much of the west coast (of Florida), the fishing in Tampa Bay is great this year,” said Geoff Page of Sarasota, Fla. “A guy could literally win this tournament without even cranking his big engine. There are good schools of reds right here.”

Redfish pro Andrew Bostick of Marco Island, Fla., agreed.

“There are some good fish to be caught close by, but a lot of these guys know about those fish,” Bostick said. “And those fish are ultraspooky. You get two or three boats working those schools, and they’ll clam up and disperse in a hurry. It helps a bunch if you can have a group to yourself.”

Logistics

The FLW Redfish Series will feature a new format this year. Instead of two days of competition, there will be three days of competition. The entire field will compete Thursday and Friday and then the top five teams (based on cumulative weight) will advance to fish in the final round Saturday. This year’s events will also feature a final-day (Saturday) weigh-in at a local Wal-Mart, title sponsor of the Redfish Series.

Anglers will be allowed to weigh in a total of two redfish per day, and each fish must fall in the legal 18- to 27-inch slot. The winning team will be determined by the heaviest three-day cumulative weight total.

The winning team earns $25,000 cash, based on a full field. If a member of the winning team is the original owner of a Ranger, Champion, Wellcraft or Hydra-Sports boat that is used during the tournament, the team will also receive a $12,500 bonus. Additionally, if a member of the winning team is the original owner of a qualifying Yamaha outboard that is used during the tournament, the team receives a $12,500 bonus from Yamaha for total award of $50,000.

Every team that receives weight credit in a tournament earns points that determine team standings. One hundred and fifty points are awarded to the winners, 149 points for second, 148 points for third, and so on. The top 50 teams from each of the Wal-Mart FLW Redfish Series’ two divisions – Eastern and Western – will advance to the championship.

At this particular event, anglers will take off at 7 Eastern each morning from Tierra Verde Resort Marina located at 200 Madonna Blvd. in Tierra Verde. Weigh-ins on day one and day two will be held at the marina beginning at 3 p.m. Day three’s weigh-in will be held at the Wal-Mart store located at 3501 34th St. S. in St. Petersburg, Fla.

Thursday’s conditions

Sunrise: 7:01 a.m.

Temperature at takeoff: 72 degrees

Expected high temperature: 82 degrees

Water temperature: 70-75 degrees

Forecasted winds: NNW at 5-10 mph

Day’s outlook: warm and balmy