Become part of the growing interest to participate in a shark surf fishing tournament. It's the ultimate surf fishing tournament experience. Shark fishing from the surf is a team sport for the most adrenalin rush you'll ever get. This surf fishing sport is generating the interest of surf anglers all over.
In the past few years new shark fishing tournaments have been established to satisfy the enthusiasm expressed by avid surf anglers. The requirements to enter a shark fishing tournament are much the same as a regular fishing tournament with a few differences. This article will introduce you to how a shark surf fishing tournament is conducted.
First of all shark tournaments are a team involvement primarily because of the process to land, handle and release the sharks. Most shark tournaments are now conducted under the catch and release practice for good conservation measures.
Team Entries
Team entries are the norm, starting with a minimum of three members and up to five or six on a team. This is not the type of tournament for the inexperienced shark angler. Due to the dangers involved at least one member must be 18 years old. If you land a shark it's important to know how to safely handle and release it back to the surf. Team entries follow typical surf tournament conventions to participate in the event. Some tournament entry fees are based on a team fee and some have a fee for each individual member of the team.
Tournament Time Frames
Shark tournaments are usually conducted over several days and weeks. Generally they will start during the spring and summer months. Lots of tournaments will run for 30 days or more.
Tournament Fishing Boundaries
The interesting thing about shark surf fishing tournaments that you will find is that the tournament boundaries often take in an entire state. For example, if the tournament was organized in Pensacola, FL, you could fish out of Miami and submit your entry for that tournament. There are even tournaments that take in more than one state with the caveat that the anglers comply with all the local fishing regulations for their state.
Multiple Categories of Sharks
Shark tournaments will include categories for different shark species. Winning entries can be based on different things. It's pretty common to have a point system for different sharks landed with bonus points added if you can provide other criteria. There are a lot of opportunities to build your score for a winning entry. They make it easy to compete as long as you can land sharks. Even if you don't win with you're entry you'll still have bragging rights to your friends for the sharks you landed. That alone is worth a lot right there.
Prize Money Awarded
Prize money awarded for winning entries is significant. These tournaments take in a lot of money because they encompass such a large area to fish and have so many team entries. It's not unusual for a $50 per person entry fee or $400 per team. The entry fees collected add up quickly. Payouts are huge compared to other fishing tournaments an amateur angler can enter.
Tournament Rules
Tournament rules are very important. Be sure to read, understand and comply with all the tournament rules. Failure to follow the rules will easily get you disqualified. It would be a shame to have a winning entry and then be disqualified on a technicality. The rules aren't hard to follow. Just be sure you have a complete understanding of all the specifics.
Shark Surf Fishing Tournament Tips
If you plan on trying you're luck and want to improve your chances for a winning entry. Find a tournament you can enter where you can fish out of Ormond Beach Florida or New Smyrna Florida. These two locations have a reputation for high shark activity in the surf. Lots of sharks are caught from these two locations.
Before entering a shark fishing tournament do some reconnaissance at the beach during a tournament to gather techniques and ideas to improve your skills. You'll have a chance to see some sharks landed and how other anglers approach this sport. A small investment of your time will yield good results. It's pretty exciting just to see a shark landed.
When scouting out a shark tournament look for the most effective bait anglers are using. Find out what the bigger sharks are caught on. Bigger sharks score higher and get your rankings up quicker.
If you are gathering data to fish a tournament be sure to learn what part of the surf the sharks are being taken from. Sharks can be anywhere in the surf, though they seem to like the water that is 8' to 10' deep out past the sand bar.
The Internet has created a new surge of interest in surf fishing, shark fishing and the tournaments available for this type of fishing. Information and resources are easily accessed through this medium. Surf fishing in general has to be one of the most exciting experiences you will ever encounter. Don't forget that surf fishing is easy and inexpensive to get into. The equipment needed is affordable and you don't need a boat or expensive electronics to get started.
Randy Meyers is a surf angler who has been fishing the surf for over 30 years. He is the author of Surf Fishing - The quick Start Guide To This Exciting Sport. Randy owns and operates the surf fishing website Surf-Fishanybeach.com. Sign up at his site for the free surf fishing mini-course. Look for Randy's soon to be published new book "The Complete Guide to Shark Fishing From The Surf". The book will be available as a download from his site..
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Randy_Meyers
No comments:
Post a Comment