Tourneyresults

Get Hooked On Hampton Rockfish Tournament and Oyster Bash 2003

(CLICK HERE for pictures)

Winners

1st place adult
Jim Freeman \45 inches\29.5 pounds
PRIZE: $1200.00 case + $1200.00 BPS gift certificate + $200.00 Boaters World gift certificate + one new Suzuki four hp four stroke engine. Over $4000.00 in cash and prizes. Jim and his crew will be featured on the DEC. issue of the Sportsman's Mag.

2nd place
Mike Miller \39 inches\23.6 pounds
PRIZE: $400.00 cash + $500.00 BPS gift certificate + $150.00 Boaters World gift certificate.

3d place
Harry Johnson \37 inches\18.9 pounds
PRIZE: $150 cash + $300.00 BPS gift certificate
4th place
Jim Pitsillides \36 inches \15.1 pounds

5th place
Steve Anderson \37 inches\15 pounds
PRIZE: $200 BPS gift certificate

YOUTH DIVISION
1st place
Captain Ken Freeman (charter) 33.1\2 inches \11.7 pounds
PRZE: $75.00 Cash + $250.00 BPS + fishing rod

2nd place
Michael Diggs \23inches \4.9 pounds
PRIZE: $40.00 cash + $100BPS gift certificate + fishing rod

3d place
Taylor Blackwell \20 inches\2 pounds
PRIZE: $50BPS gift certificate + fishing rod

First Fish Weighed In Prize
Robert Atkin \25 1.4 inches \5.3pounds. Weighed in a 7:25am
PRIZE: $350.00 Boaters World gift certificate.

All winners received a trophy and a Hampton gift basket from the Hampton CVB. All entrants were also given two tickets for the Oyster Bash party Saturday night.

50 boats and over 230 anglers fished both the Hampton Roads area and the Chesapeake Bay in search of Rockfish. Big fish came from the Hampton Roads Bridge Tunnel and the third island of the Chesapeake Bay Bridge Tunnel. The wind was heavy with a N to NE wind blowing 15 to 20 knots. The Bay was rough however the cool front and the wind brought the Rockfish in the Bay biting hard. This event truley kicked off the season with a bang. There were other tournaments held the same day and also produced big fish. November and December still prove to be the best time to fish the Chesapeake for big Rockfish.

Some interesting facts about this years event.

* The winner of this years tourney also placed in the 2002 Get Hooked On Hampton Rockfish Tournament. The Boaters World certificate they won in the 2002 event they used to purchase some Stretch 25's. The lure that was purchased with last years winning certificate was the lure that the 29.5 winning fish hit on for this 2003 Rockfish tournament and won the event.

* Both the first and second place winners were Custom House Marina Boats. The actual third largest Rockfish caught was a 19 pounder caught on the Sagres. Had the Sagres not weighed in their previous 10 pound catch, the Sagres would have placed third and Custom House Marina vessels would have taken the top three placements.

* While fishing near the Chesapeake Bay Bridge Tunnel, one boat caught a five foot Conger Eel. Now that would be a big Rockfish bait.

* There were no Oysters left at the end of the tournament party. The few bags that were left went for 20 bucks with 250 Oysters in each bag. Now that is a lot of shucking.

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Get Hooked On Hampton Spring Open 2003

WINNERS

* Flounder, five pounds four ounces. Cash prize $700.00. Capt. Frank Belton

* Rockfish, twelve pounds four and one quarter ounces. Cash Prize $250.00 Capt. Jim Wharton

* Croaker, two pounds six ounces. Cash Prize $250.00 Capt. Kathy Odom

* Trout, six pounds five ounces. Cash Prize $200.00. Capt David Wylie

* Oyster Toad, two pounds one half ounce. Cash Prize $50.00. Capt Paul Anderson

LARGEST OVERALL FISH

Rockfish, 12 pounds 4 1\4 ounce, Capt. Jim Wharton

Once again the strong South West winds blew 20 to 25 knots with heavy thunderstorms developing by late afternoon. Six foot seas were reported by anglers who fished the east side of the Bay. Although the wind blew, the fish did turn on and the bite was strong. Several Trout were weighed in the four to five pound class and several boats limited out on Rockfish at the CBBT. All in all a good turn out with some brave and sea worthy captains at the helm. The 2004 Spring Open will be held later in June to hopefully take advantage of better weather.

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Get Hooked On Hampton Rockfish Tournament 2002

WINNERS

1st place, $1000.00cash & $250 Boaters World gift certificate
Matt Hardison
Hamden-Sydney Virginia
Winning Weight 5.8 1\2 pounds

2d place $200.00cash $ $150.00 Boaters World gift certificate
Bill Tice
Hampton VA
Winning Weight 5.6 1\2 pounds

3d Place $100.00cash & $75.00 Boaters World gift certificate
Jim Freeman
Hampton VA
Winning Weight 5.4 1\2 pounds

4th place Abu Garci Fishing Reel
Mike Miller
Hampton VA
Winning Weight 5.3 pounds

5th place Abu Garcia Fishing Reel
Leonard Gandy
Hampton VA
Winning Weight 4.8 1\2

YOUTH Division
1st place $150.00cash & $150.00 Boaters World gift certificate
Chris Hall
Hampton VA
Winning Weight 5.4 pounds

2nd place $100.00cash & $75.00 Boaters World gift certificate
Tiera Belton
Hampton VA
Winning Weight 2.8 pounds

3d Place $75.00cash & $25.00 Boaters World gift certificate
Isah Belton
Hampton VA
Winning Weight 1 pound

Longest Fish, 26 inches, $200.00 Cash

Chris Hall

All total there were 107 anglers, 20% of which were 16 years of age or younger. Over 40 fish were caught, most of which were schooling fish. Several larger fish in the 30 to 35 inch class were caught, however lost during attempting to land the fish.

The weather was not with us during this event, the wind blew a steady 20 knots, with three to even four foot seas in the Hampton Roads area. A lot of boats called it a day by noon, due to rough water conditions.

The Youth division had a good showing for this first year event, with over 20% of the anglers competing for the Youth Division.

There were many entrants from outside the Hampton VA area. Participants came from area's such as Richmond, Midlothian, Yorktown, Paqosen, Newport News, Powattan, Va Beach, and Chesterfield. However all the Placement winners were from the Hampton VA area.

Jim Baugh Outdoors will feature this event in one of it's new programs for the 2003 season. The program will also be posted on the Jim Baugh Outdoors web site to view all year long.

MANY thanks to Hampton CVB and all the participating sponsors who helped make this first tournament such a success!!