Largest Surf Fishing Tournament in NJ

Governor’s Surf Fishing Tournament

(from Jersey Coast Anglers Association (November 1999 Newsletter)

The following is a press release from NJ Division of Fish, Game & Wildlife – October 4,1999

More than 1,200 participants took part in the Governor’s 8th Annual Surf Fishing Tournament on Sunday, October 3 at Island Beach State Park in Ocean County. Sunshine and unseasonably warm temperatures allowed participants to take advantage of a beautiful autumn day outdoors with family and friends.

"I would like to thank the many sponsors, prize donators and participants who have helped make the surf tournament a success for the past eight years," said Division Director Bob McDowell. "Their cumulative efforts have helped raise more than $50,000 for a variety of conservation projects such as the construction of a beach access ramp, two mobile fishing education carts and specialized wheelchairs for the disabled and elderly."

The event was sponsored by the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection’s Division of Fish, Game and 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.

Approximately 750 participants pre-registered through the mail and almost 425 registered on the morning of the tournament. Many of the entrants invited guests to observe the fun, bringing the total number of spectators and participants to about 1,300.

Albacore, striped bass, blackfish, bluefish, red drum, fluke, kingfish and weakfish were eligible for entry in the tournament. Of these, bluefish, blackfish, red drum, fluke, kingfish and weakfish were the species submitted.

Overall length determined the grand prize winner as well as place winners for each of the species categories. There were children, teen and adult categories for many of the species submitted, including sub-categories for male and female. In addition, there were categories for fly fishing and Becoming an Outdoors-Woman students (for novice anglers attending the surf fishing and fly fishing workshops held Saturday, Oct. 2). The inclusion of first, second and third place winners was dependent upon the number of entries submitted in each species category.

Grand prize went to Dorothy Harrison of Wayne, New Jersey for a 29" red drum. Ms. Harrison received the Governor’s Trophy along with a certificate donated by the G. Loomis Fly Fishing School, good for the rod of her choice, a Penn reel and other assorted prizes. Additionally, her name will be engraved on the Governor’s Cup, which will be permanently displayed at Island Beach State Park. She is the second female participant to ever win the tournament.

More than 50 rod and reel fishing outfits donated by Penn, Orvis, Loomis and Fin-nor International were given out to the other winners. Along with the tournament prizes offered, the registration forms of pre-registrants and same-day entrants were placed into special drawings for additional prizes.

1999 Governor’s 8th Annual Surf Fishing Tournament Winners

First Place - Richard Carroll Toms River, NJ 15" Bluefish

Bluefish Category

Child (Girls)

Third Place Rachel Jochem (11 yrs. old)
Tabernacle, NJ 15 3/8" Bluefish

Second Place - Darian Becker (4 yrs. old)
Medford, NJ 15 7/8" Bluefish

First Place -Elizabeth Dugan (11yrs. old)
Toms River, NJ 16" Bluefish

Child (Boys)

Third Place -Sean Piscetelli (7 yrs. old)
Ringoes, NJ 16 1/4" Bluefish

Second Place Kyle Lombard(10yrs.old)
Toms River, NJ 16 3/8" Bluefish

First Place -Travis Watson (6 yrs. old)
Sussex, NJ 16 1/2" Bluefish

Teen (Girls)

SecondPlace Robin Dymowski (16 yrs)
Hamilton Square, NJ 14 1/4" Bluefish

First Place - Jennifer Wallach (17 yrs. old) Morrisville, PA 17" Bluefish

Teen (Boys)

Third Place -Andrew Nastasiak (13 yrs. old)
Point Pleasant, NJ 15 1/2" Bluefish

Second Place - Ronnie Batesko (13 yrs. old) Lakehurst, NJ 15 3/4" Bluefish

First Place - Christopher Peirson (13 yrs. old)
Brick, NJ 15 3/4" Bluefish (caught 7:51 a.m.)

Adult (Women)

Third Place -Patty Gregitis Cranford, NJ 15 3/4" Bluefish
Second Place - Dorothy Obropta Metuchen, NJ-16" Bluefish
First Place -Cindy Jablonski Levittown, PA--16 1/4" Bluefish

Adult (Men)

Third Place -Michael Hulse Jackson, NJ 16 1/8" Bluefish
Second Place -Joe Schaefer Levittown, PA 16 1/2" Bluefish
First Place -Phil Rosso Lambertville, NJ 21" Bluefish

Blackfish Category

Child (Girls)

First Place - Samantha Salato (12 yrs. old)
Toms River, NJ 17 1/2" Blackfish

Teen (Boys)

Third Place - Mike Rosetti (16 yrs. old)
Bloomfield, NJ 15 1/2" Blackfish

Second Place - Peter Kotenko (17 yrs. old)
Bridgewater, NJ 18" Blackfish

First Place - Joe Rosetti (15 yrs. old)
Bloomfield, NJ 20 1/2" Blackfish

Adult (Women)

First Place -Arlene Parrino Middletown, NJ 18" Blackfish

Adult (Men)

Third Place -Claus Faller Beachwood, NJ--16" Blackfish
Second Place -Zoltan Egyed-Trenton, NJ 18 1/4" Blackfish
First Place--Alex Kotenko Bridgewater, NJ 21" Blackfish

Child (Boys)

Second Place - Jason Jayanty (10 yrs. old)
Jersey City, NJ 16 1/2" Fluke

First Place - Patrick Dugan, Jr. (7 yrs. old)
Toms River, NJ 17 1/2" Fluke

Teen (Girls)

First Place - Megan Westerback (14 yrs. old)
Jackson, NJ 16 1/2" Fluke

Adult (Women)

First Place - Lauren Hill Toms River, NJ 16" Fluke

Adult (Men)

Third Place--Anthony Manno Rockaway, NJ--18 1/2" Fluke
Second Place -Peter Gacho South Toms River, NJ- 19 1/4" Fluke
First Place-Kerry Ross-Pemberton, NJ 19 3/4" Fluke

Child (Girls)

Third Place - Megan Smith (11 yrs. old)
Mayfair, PA 10" Kingfish

Second Place - Sarah Jochem (7 yrs. old)
Tabernacle, NJ 10 1/2" Kingfish

First Place - Kyra Kanig (12 yrs. old)
Jackson, NJ 12" Kingfish

Child (Boys)

Third Place - Dakota Goldinger (11 yrs. old)
Toms River, NJ 11 7/8" Kingfish

Second Place - Jimmy Dwyer (8 yrs. old)
Neshanic Station, NJ 13 1/2" Kingfish

First Place - Mark Langel (7 yrs. old)
Lanoka Harbor, NJ 13 3/4" Kingfish

Teen (Girls)

First Place - Brielle Talarico (15 yrs. old)
Sicklerville, NJ 13" Kingfish

Teen (Boys)

Third Place - Anthony Souza (14 yrs. old)
Bechtelsville, PA 14" Kingfish

Second Place - Brandon Gelormine (13 yrs. old)
Jackson, NJ 14 1/4" Kingfish

First Place - John Schwartz (16 yrs. old)
Howell, NJ 14 1/2" Kingfish

Adult (Women)

Second Place - Wanda Farrell Bangor, PA -13 1/2" Kingfish
First Place-Jennifer Sanders Bayonne, NJ-14 1/2" Kingfish

Adult (Men)

Third Place-James Gordon Pemberton, NJ 15 1/4" Kingfish
Second Place-James Jorquez Sicklerville, NJ 16" Kingfish
First Place-Michael Wilk Bound Brook, NJ--17 1/2" Kingfish

Weakfish

Adult (Men)

First Place -Robert Sabo Atco, NJ--16 5/8" Weakfish

Red Drum

Adult (Men)

Third Place-Joe Skelly-Blackwood, NJ 26" Red Drum
Second Place-Sam Hammond Edgewater, NJ 26 1/8" Red Drum
First Place-Joseph Thomas Jenkintown, PA-28 1/8" Red Drum

Adult (Women)

1^st Place and Winner of the 1999 Governor's Cup

Dorothy Harrison Wayne, NJ 29" Red Drum

 

Becoming an Outdoors-Woman Category

First Place-Gerald Smith East Brunswick, NJ--14" Kingfish

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