In 2022, the Great Gun Anglers Fishing Club and Moriches Anglers Fishing Club decided to merge and create one unified organization whose goal is to promote the conservation of local Marine Fisheries while also combining honest sportsmanship with competitive sport fishing. As a new unified organization, one thing that they wanted to maintain was the long legacy of our annual fishing tournaments. In 2023, they held the inaugural Chet Wilcox Memorial Fluke Tournament as well as our Annual Shark Tournament. Both tournaments were very successful and was one of the club’s top events for the year (The annual Take a Vet Fishing Event was also a HUGE success). However, for 2024 they wanted to create more excitement and improve the tournament(s). This is when they decided to combine and expand these two separate tournaments into the single 2024 Great Gun Moriches Angers Inshore and Offshore Fishing Tournament. This year’s tournament will feature two separate and distinct categories: Inshore and Offshore (though boats can participate in both categories, if they wish). For the Inshore category, the entry fee will be $100 per boat and the largest legal fish by weight of all eligible species will be the winner. Eligible fish species include: Striped Bass, Bluefish, Weakfish or Fluke. For the Offshore Category, the entry fee will be $300 per boat and the largest Thresher Shark or Bluefin tuna will be the winner. Note, this is the first year we have included Bluefin tuna into our tournament.
The dates for the tournament are:
Friday, June 21st at 7 p.m. is a mandatory captains meeting and sign up. This will be held at the Rock Hill Country Club in Manorville (105 Clancy Rd, Manorville). Saturday, June 22nd is the actual tournament which will be held from 6:00 a.m. – 5:30 p.m. The weigh-ins will be at the Union Ave dock in Center Moriches. All fish weigh-ins need to be completed by 6:00 p.m. sharp with no exceptions.
They will also be holding their annual “Take a Vet Fishing” event on Saturday, July 27. During the event, vets will be treated to a day of fishing with all bait, tackle, and boats supplied by the club and local volunteers. Then, it’s back to the dock for a barbecue. Members of the Great Gun Moriches Anglers will provide all supplies and coordinate the fishing trip, including bait and polls as well as the boats. Registration for veterans will begin at the Union Avenue Dock in Center Moriches at 7:30 a.m. on July 27th.
