April 29, 2014
By Florida Sportsman
On May 10th Hillsboro inlet will be filled with anxious anglers waiting for the shotgun start to commence their attack on Dolphin, Kingfish, Tuna, Cobia and Wahoo! With over $275,000 in cash and prizes waiting at the finish line, that one fish could make all the difference. The Mercury/Seavee Pompano Beach Saltwater Shootout promises great memories, crazy parties and a lot of fish to be weighed!
In 2013, a total payout of $108,740 was awarded during this one-day tournament. Team Young Guns took home $24,785 of that total by bringing in the heaviest fish of the tournament, a 45.3lb Kingfish. The Shootout champions didn't go home “penny-less” either. With a first place win, top angler, 1st place in Ante Up and heaviest cobia, team Penny-Less scored a check of $19,570! Weighing in a total of 220.9lbs, team Penny-Less was also the first boat to ever weigh in ten fish in the PBSC!
The Mercury/Seavee Pompano Beach Saltwater Shootout is the first leg in the Pompano Beach Saltwater Circuit. Championship rings are once again on the line for the winners of the series. In August, at the end of the third leg of the series, one team will win the Showdown Crown and be awarded these exclusive championship rings. Team Penny-Less held strong all season in 2013 and received that honor. Who will the crown go to this year?
Another tradition has been carried into the 2014 season - the chance to fish in the Saltwater Shootout for free! The Greenhorn TNT is a promotion that offers new teams the opportunity to enter a drawing to win a free entry into the Shootout. Teams can register at RJ Boyle in Lighthouse Point, Chaos Rods in Pompano Beach or Boat Owners Warehouse in Pompano Beach & Ft Lauderdale. You can also enter the drawing online at the Bluewater Movements Facebook and Twitter (@FishBluewater) pages. For more information about the Greenhorn TNT visit: https://www.bluewatermovements.com/saltwater_shootout_greenhorn.php. 5 Teams will be chosen on April 24th at the Bonefish Bash at Bonefish Mac's in Lighthouse Point. The Bonefish Bash is also the final opportunity for teams to pre-register for the Shootout and save $100 on the entry fee. Scheduled hours for the Bonefish Bash are from 6pm-9pm. Early entry fee for the Shootout is $375 per boat plus tax through April 24th. After April 24th, the late entry fee is $475 per boat plus tax.
On top of all the prizes in the PBSC, the most anticipated in the Saltwater Shootout may be the optional ‘Pick 3' category. In this unique category, teams fish for 3 of the 5 target species in the tournament. The 3 species they fish for are determined in a random drawing on the morning of the tournament. This is a roll over style prize category. If no team catches the three target fish, the pot rolls over to the next tournament. Last year's pot has rolled into this season and is estimated to be worth near $19,000 in the first leg of the series!
The tournament series also gives back to its community. The Pompano Beach Saltwater Circuit is once again supporting the Joe DiMaggio Children's Hospital Foundation as the charitable beneficiary. This foundation supports the hospital and ensures the availability of safe, cost-effective, patient- and family-centered care, regardless of one's ability to pay, with the goal of improving the health of the community it serves. To learn more about JDCH visit: http://www.jdch.com/html/about-us/index.html
The Kickoff Party for the Mercury/Seavee Pompano Beach Saltwater Shootout takes place at the Pompano Beach Civic Center on May 8th from 6pm-10pm where there will be live music, a silent auction, a free fishing clinic for kids and a great time. The Pompano Beach Civic Center is located at 1801 NE 6th Street, Pompano Beach, 33060. To register for the Shootout, log on to www.saltwatershootout.com or call 954-725-4010.
