The Jersey Coast Anglers Association (JCAA) has officially suspended its traditional, state-wide fluke tournament, and according to Paul Haertel the Heavy Hitters Fluke Tournament from August 1-4 will be the only one the organization will be running this year.
“The tournament format will be similar to last year, though we will not be having a $25K doormat fluke category as it became too costly to insure and it did not add enough entrants,” said Haertel in an email. “However, the entrant who catches the largest fluke will win a brand new 9.9-hp engine donated by Yamaha and $2,500 cash,” he added.
Additionally the second place finisher in the JCAA Heavy Hitters Fluke Tournament will receive a custom rod valued at $950 donated by Richard Hunzinger and $2,000 cash, third place gets $1,500 cash, and the fourth and fifth places will be gift cards/merchandise valued at $300 and $200 respectively.
The tournament will run Thursday, August 1 through Sunday, August 4. “We realize that not everyone can fish two, three, or four days, so to be fair to everyone, each boat will be limited to fishing only one day,” he said, adding that tournament participants can choose their individual day to fish. Prizes will be based on the weight of the single largest fluke, with one- and two-fish calcuttas, as well as calcuttas for black sea bass.
Entry fee is $150 for up to a maximum of six people per boat. There’s no captains meeting, and no awards ceremony for the Heavy Hitters, but you can download the tournament application at visit jcaa.org.
Also on Saturday, August 3, you have a double-dose of Raritan Bay area fluke competition to choose with the 27th Annual Fluke Masters Tournament resented by Community Fire Company Number 4 on the New Jersey side, as well as the Grandpa Savino Memorial Fluke Tournament presented by the Staten Island Tuna Club along the opposite shore.
The Fluke Masters captains meeting will be on August 2 at 7 p.m. at the fire company located at 75 Appleton Ave. in Leonardo. For more details contact Dennis Smith at 732-546-0395 or visit cfcstation4.org.
For information about the Grandpa Savino contest based out of Staten Island, call Walter Fisher 917-375-7607 or visit situnaclub.com.