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by Paul Smith, GSFT Committee Chairman
(from Jersey Coast Anglers Association November 2003 Newsletter)
View the Tournament Results.
Over 1,000 anglers registered to fish in the 12th
Annual Governor's Surf Fishing Tournament on Sunday, October 5 at Island Beach
State Park
in Ocean County, New Jersey.
715 anglers pre-registered by mail prior to the day of the tournament. Additional anglers entered on tournament day, starting at 5 AM. This tournament continues to be one of the most popular fishing events held in New Jersey
Governor Jim McGreevey presented the awards and prizes to the winners of the various categories.
The event was sponsored by the DEP's Division of
Fish & Wildlife and Division of Parks and Forestry, the New Jersey Federation of
Sportsmen's Clubs, Jersey Coast Anglers Association, and the New Jersey Beach
Buggy
Association.
Albacore, striped bass, blackfish, bluefish, red drum, kingfish, and weakfish were eligible for entry in the tournament. Overall length determined the grand prize winner as well as place winners for each of the species categories. There were children, teen, and adult angler categories, including sub-categories for male and female anglers.
The weather on tournament day was windy, but not too cold compared to some past GSFT events. Competitors found that the fish were not very cooperative, with a total of only 38 fish caught.
The winner of the prestigious Governor's Cup, Travis Laureigh of Bayville, NJ, caught a 35 ½" Striped Bass. He caught it on a plug, on his first cast of the day. Travis became the youngest winner of the Governor's Cup since the beginning of the event in 1992. Travis received a plaque along with several valuable prizes.
Additionally, his name will be engraved on the Governor's Cup, which is permanently displayed in the lobby of the Island Beach State Park administration building.
Surf rod and reel outfits were awarded as prizes to the winners in each category. Special thanks go to the following for donated prizes: Seeker Rod Co., New Dolphin Bait & Tackle, Sutton Systems, and New Jersey Angler Magazine.
Contributions by many other businesses and individuals made the success of this event possible again this year. We will try to list these folks in a future article about this tournament.
Along with the tournament prizes offered, the registration forms of pre-registrants and same-day entrants were placed into special drawings for additional prizes.
A final word of thanks goes to state employees and the many volunteers that made this year’s tournament so enjoyable. This annual effort runs smoothly because of the dedication of these people. The judges deserve a great amount of praise for not only donating their time, but also the use of their 4-wheel drive vehicles. Judging can be a boring or demanding job at different times, but it is a crucial element in the continued success of this tournament.
View the Tournament Results.