WON Seabass Tourney Now Open to 'Yakkers!

[PAL]

WON Catalina Seabass tournament scuttled by weather
Kayak Division added; rescheduled for June 4-5
FISH WHERE YOU LIKE, NO BOUNDARIES
Check in and weigh in at Dana Pt or Two Harbors
Single largest yellowtail, white seabass or halibut

Here's your chance to get in on $60,000 in cash and prizes. If you've got the confidence and the scratch to go after the lucrative optional jackpots, the door's open. It could be the biggest cash payout ever to a kayak angler.

Since it's a level playing field, the entry price is the same as a power boater pays. So are the captain's bags, the two hats, the t-shirt, lunch on Sunday and the chance of a tasty raffle prize.

The overall kayak cash prize will be determined by the number of entrants - that's the only difference, boaters are fishing against boaters and kayakers against kayakers. The big money's in the optional jackpots anyway.

Sign in at Dana Pt or Two Harbors between 9:30 and noon on Saturday, then split to fish wherever you like: at Dana or Catalina, La Jolla, Malibu, some secret spot where you're keyed into the bite. Then come on back with your trophy catch between 10 am and noon on Sunday. The awards ceremony will start at 1 pm. I hope to see you on the podium!

Kayaks: Added to this event is a kayak division, at $100 a person, with 33 percent of the proceeds to go to the first, second, and third place teams. You can weigh in white seabass, halibut and yellowtail. The heaviest single fish wins. At this early stage of planning, it is cash only prizes due to the time frame and addition of the division now that the event is a coastal tourney and weigh-in. Just like the boaters, kayakers can sign in and weigh in at either Dana Point or Two Harbors. Fish where you like - again, just like for boaters, there are no boundaries. All kayakers will be eligible for drawings, goodie bags, hats, Pfleger Institute event shirts, and lunch at awards at Dana Point. Kayakers can also enter any jackpots. Paul Lebowitz will be the official weighmaster and director of that portion of the event.

Here's the entire announcement: http://bit.ly/kx9sAi

[PAL]

Update: The optionals - where the money's at - are 9 separate jackpots. Last year, a 10-lb halibut cashed a check for $3,500!

For those asking why the "basic" tournament has separate divisions for kayaks and powerboats, here's the reason. Kayakers are fishing 1-man teams, $100 entry. Power boaters are fishing in teams of 2 people or more, each kicking in $100. That money isn't the same, so they have to fish in separate divisions.

The door's open - if you're tracking a hot bite on halibut, white seabass, or yellowtail anywhere on the coast, ante up. You could win big.

[Phatford]

I need to make an appointment with either the DarkHorse or Jim S. for that day in LaJolla... Seems like it might help my odds if the day is available in their schedule. ha ha

Actually I wish I could fish this tournament, I am racing that weekend in Mexico! Damn the good luck, ha ha

GOOD LUCK TO EVERYONE THAT DOES THIS!

[PAL]

Hey hey, one more reminder - you could win big bucks this weekend at the WON Seabass Derby. For the first time ever the Optional$ are open to 'yakkers. If you're tracking a bite, give it a shot!

[Chuck D]

Why not have the kayakers pay $50 per yak and let them join the overall fun? Just wondering. It seems like a cool tournament but where's the fun for yaks if we cant be included in the overall jackpot?

[PAL]

^I think you're missing the significance of the optional jackpots. That's wide open - to everyone - and a source of bigger dollars. I also pushed for kayakers to have the freedom to roam, to drive to a chosen launch site. Once a boater motors away, they're just as out of sight. We got that.

Also, if we'd done as you suggest, a team would have required two kayakers to fish together, each kicking in $100 (not $50). We felt that would be more of a hindrance than a benefit.

WON took a risk in inviting kayak anglers. If a big money tournament isn't attractive, so be it, at least the invite is there for this one. Any one of you who is confident of tagging a WSB, yellowtail or big halibut should go for it. It may not come again for a while.

[deepdvr]

Do you have the actual jackpot payout figures from last year?

[Regor]

Originally Posted by deepdvr

Do you have the actual jackpot payout figures from last year?

You gonna go find the brother to your April submittal of a 63lb WSB?

Sounds like there is no way to know what the payout would be for yakers, since this is the first year. @ $100 per Yak, with 33 percent of the proceeds to go to the first, second, and third place teams, all dependent on number of Yaks. And I don't think there is any pre-entry, to get any idea how many yaks will be there.

I have read where last year, IF you payed into the extra $100 WSB optional - the largest WSB won $2,000 in cash, four Titanium Reactor watches, $4,680, a Global Fish mount certificate, and a $2,000 Lowrance HD7S fish finder unit, plus a custom cigar humidor and plaques for a total value of $11,680. Of course - your competing against the entire field for this, not just Yaks.

[PAL]

Here's an excerpt of last year's tourney coverage:

Fifth place was taken by a former Catalina champion, Team GW, for its 37.9 white seabass from West Cove at 8:30 a.m. hooked by Moulden. Anglers looking for another title were Rick Thompson of Mission Viejo, Paul Bunkers of Santa Ana, John O’Hanion of Orange, and Wayne Moulden of Anaheim Hills. They didn’t win the crown again as champions, but they scored $400 cash for fifth place and won the $200 and $300 white seabass optionals for $6,660. It pays to enter all the jackpots.

That is a fact. Consider that Team Pilot Light finished eighth with a 31.3-pound yellowtail. Anglers were Billy Webb of Alta Loma, Steve Wenzel of Redlands, Burt Van of Oxnard, Art Zimmerman of Colton, and Scott Butler. True they finished eighth, but won the $100 yellowtail optional for $3,510.

Although the event is a white seabass event, yellowtail and halibut count the same, and thus they have their own optionals. Team Two Timer scored a 21.3-pound halibut. Anglers were Tim Husband and wife Cori Husband of San Juan Capistrano, Rob Perry of Placentia, and Duane Curtis of Aliso Viejo. They went home a lot happier and richer than many teams, as they won the $100 halibut optional for $4,050.

And then there was a seven-man team that lived up to its boat name, Options, as they caught a 17.4-pound halibut. Stew Suenaga of Los Angeles, Bob Elliott of Huntington Beach, Steven Koehler of Lakewood, Wes Flesch of Huntington Beach, Bill Waddle of Cypress, Dylan Everett of Seal Beach, Bobby Lienau of Big Fish Tackle in Seal Beach scored a cool $2,970 for winning the $200 and $300 halibut optionals.

Source: http://www.wonews.com/t-EventsUpdate...na_060810.aspx