Tournaments

New kingfish tour offers big money for big fish

October kicks off the fall king mackerel frenzy, and there are plenty of tournaments this fall to keep people busy. But kingfish teams are wanting to talk about next year's $1.7-million FLW Outdoors Kingfish Tour. Dan Grimes, director of saltwater operations for FLW Outdoors, said some dates and locations are tentative for the new tour, but it starts April 1 and 2 in Fort Pierce, then moves to Venice, La., on June 10 and 11, Mayport on July 8 and 9, then Southport, N.C., on September 9 and 10. The Championship will be in Biloxi, Miss., on October 5-7.

All 50 teams that qualify for the championship will fish the first two days, then the field will be cut to the top 10 teams the final day.

The FLW tour is not related to the already popular Southern Kingfish Association.

"We don't look at it like we're in competition with the SKA," Grimes said. "We just want to provide people another chance to compete."

The entry fee is $1,500 per event, and there is no entry for the championship for teams that qualify. Teams can secure their berth in each qualifying event with a $750 deposit.

It's the prize money that has anglers buzzing. Each of the four qualifiers has a $300,000 purse, with the winner guaranteed $40,000. The winning team gets another $30,000 if it uses use a boat built by the tour's sponsor, then another $30,000 if they use a sponsor's motor. That makes each event worth a potential $100,000. The championship has a $500,000 purse, with $75,000 to the winner and another $75,000 available for both the boat and motor.

For more information call FLW Outdoors at 270 252-1589 or e-mail dgrimes@flwoutdoors.com

MORE KINGS: A pair of events start the fall kingfish season this month with hefty prizes and prestigious titles up for grabs.

Out of Billy's Stonecrab Restaurant in Tierra Verde, Billy Moore holds his Randy Keys Kingfish Classic on October 23, with the captains meeting at 7 p.m. October 22. The entry fee is $100 plus tax per boat. Moore estimates 75 teams will participate in the one-day event.

"Most of the teams that fish our tournament are SKA teams that use our tournament as a warmup for the upcoming SKA tournaments," Moore said.

Kingfish tournament guru Jay Mastry does exactly that.

"I know we use the Billy's tournament as a tune-up for the SKA events," he said. "It helps us so we know where the bait is."

Last year's Randy Key's winner, Marty Slade, is looking to repeat his 30-pound performance.

"Weather permitting, we'll be out there again," Slade said.

All of Moore's tournaments pay back all the entry fees as prizes, with total prize money contingent on the number of entries. Fishing begins at sun-up, and the weigh-in is scheduled for 3 to 4 p.m. the day of the tournament. For more information call (727) 542-3900.

The first of two SKA Division 6 tournaments is the 2nd annual T.A. Mahoney Suncoast Kingfish Classic on Oct. 30, with the captain's meeting at 7 p.m. Oct. 29 at the Holiday Inn Harborside on Indian Rocks Beach. Early entry fee is $250 per boat before Oct. 25, $300 for late entry. Doyce Mathis from Treasure Island Charities, which hosts the event, expects 150 to 170 teams competing for the top prize of a new outboard motor and $5,000.

The two-man Team Surreel with Steven Hayes and Rob York are second in points in the SKA open class and have high expectations for this tournament after placing second last year.

"Since Rob and I started fishing together two years ago, my luck has changed," Hayes said. "Our expectations are to do well in this tournament, the one in November and then go on to Biloxi for the Championship."

In the 23 foot-and-under division of the SKA, Ron Heideman, D.J. Ward and Tom Bruno of team Fish Attack lead their class and are looking to pad their lead at this tournament.

"We are the only team in our class to weigh fish in the three spring tournaments," Heideman said. "And even if we don't catch a fish in these next two tournaments, mathematically we still have a shot at the nationals."

The second SKA event will be the Loadmaster Trailer Suncoast Classic on Nov. 6-7 at Gators on the Pass at Treasure Island, which offers a $10,000 first prize. The early entry fee is $250. It is also run by Treasure Island Charities.

For more information call Doyce Mathis at (727) 363-0071, or see treasureislandcharities.com.

-- The captains meeting for the 21st annual Charlie Rice Memorial Tournament, also hosted by Treasure Island Charities, is today. Fishing begins after midnight Saturday, and the weigh-in is at 3 to 4 p.m. The entry fee is $50 for adults, $15 for children under 17. Speckled trout, red drum and snook are categories for inshore anglers, and there are mangrove snapper, grouper and amberjack classes for offshore. For more information, call Mathis at (727) 363-0071.

-- St. Anthony's Inshore and Offshore Tournament to benefit cancer care at St. Anthony's Health Care is October 16. The entry fee is $200 per boat, and prizes are awarded for the first three places in all classes. The classes range from redfish and trout in a catch-and-release division to grouper and king mackerel offshore.