Live & Let Live: Release Tournaments for the Win

This March, The Tampa Bay Waterkeeper (TBWK) hosted their 4th Annual Waterman Fly Fishing Tournament targeting redfish in Tampa Bay. Redfish numbers in the Bay area have been relatively strong lately, but don’t assume that means they are easy to target on fly.

Tournament winner Greg Peterson sets the record straight: “Fly fishing is hard, that’s not a news flash. In Tampa Bay, you’ve got to understand that redfish here experience a significant amount of pressure, with most fish being casted at multiple times each day, often showered with bait. On the fly, the challenge is finding fish that are not used to being hand-fed live bait,” he shared.

His strategy and experience paid off, and he and his teammate Christopher Dierlam took first place, registering fish over 34 inches on both days of the tournament. Greg does have some general rules that he pays attention to when targeting these finicky fish in Tampa Bay.

“I’m not concerned with the lunar phase per se, but I do watch the tides and wind direction closely. When we pre-fished, we found a flat that had very shallow water during low tide, and there were tailing reds to target. The next day, with a wind shift, the flat was a lot deeper. Plus, there was cloud cover all day, so pre-fishing didn’t do us much good,” he lamented.

A quick adaptation was in order. “We stayed in the area where we saw fish the day before, and just worked the edges of the sand holes on the flat. There was one group of larger fish in the area, and we could see them belly roll every 10 minutes or so,” said Greg, adding that this is not his typical method of sight casting.

His preferred tackle speaks to the delicate nature of this fishery. “We use 8-weight rods, and often stick with all-clear floating line. That day I used 15 feet of leader, 12-foot packaged leader plus an additional 3 feet of tippet.”

Unweighted flies are a must for Greg, as they are less likely to spook the fish when casting. “If you spook the fish, you have to leave for at least an hour.” Greg enjoys the tournament every year not just for the friendly competition, but for the important mission it supports—the tournament is a major fundraiser for the TBWK. “Somebody has to hold polluters accountable. The Waterkeeper organization is on the water a lot, which is critical. I have reported six things to them over the past year,” Greg said.

TBWK Executive Director Justin Tramble said the fundraising component is important, but the value of the tournament goes much deeper. “It allows us to connect and coordinate efforts with the waterwomen and men of Tampa Bay. They support our calls to action, and actively get involved in day-to-day efforts. This event provides invaluable communication opportunities.”

One way local anglers can get involved is reporting issues they see on the water, just as Greg routinely does. Anglers can request a TBWK sticker that contains a QR code, which allows mobile phones to easily report issues in real time (www.tampabaywaterkeeper.org/patrol-program).

“Much of what we do is not headline work,” Justin said. “It is the down and dirty work that goes on to protect the waterways. It can be very hard to find grants or other funding sources to get this very important work done. The funds and local support from the event go a long way toward that goal.”

The Gasparilla Bowl, which will be held in December 2024 in partnership with ESPN, is an inshore slam tournament that also supports TBWK.

Late (Early?) Season Sailfish Bite

The Jupiter Billfish Classic enjoyed tremendous sailfish action this year. Held in March, the event was once considered an “end of season” tournament, but recent trends suggest a shift in the bite.

“This year, the fishing was as good as it gets,” said Daniel Ford, director of the tournament. “Eight boats released 164 fish. Three teams released at least 25 sails, and Logan’s Adventure took first place with 27 fish.”

Generally speaking, most of the sailfish tournaments this year had been pretty slow up to that point. Daniel thinks weather patterns have dictated the change. “The past couple of years, we’ve had a later bite. Fall fish seem to be hanging around the St. Augustine area, waiting for the cooler water to push them down.

“Summer season here in Stuart has become fantastic for sailfish. Used to be the season ran from November through March or so. Now it seems the consistent bite starts in March and runs through July or August.”

Daniel notes two important differences in the summer sailfish bite. “It is usually less windy, so kite anglers have to add helium balloons to their kites.” He said boats also often switch to bump trolling, meaning they ease in and out of gear to troll at a speed just fast enough to keep the live baits from catching up to the boat.

“Summer fish often hold up around structure, where the bait is,” Daniel said. This means boats should target the natural ledge in the 150- to 190-foot range, plus artificial reefs. A relief to sailfish anglers, the best summer baits aren’t necessarily the expensive ones you can only get from bait boats. “Goggle-eyes work, but scale baits are better because that is what is holding on the wrecks—sardines, cigar minnows, threadfin herring.”

Greg sticks to 30-pound fluorocarbon throughout the year and matches his circle hook to the size of the available bait, usually opting for something in the 5/0 to 7/0 range. If you are feeling froggy, Daniel also hosts the One More Bite Sailfish Challenge from July 11-23 at Fish Heads in Stuart. Find more information at onemorebiteoutfitters.com.

Fishing On The Edge

Taking place along the picturesque shores of Miami Beach from February 1-3, the eagerly awaited Yamaha Contender Miami Billfish Tournament of Champions lived up to its anticipation. Following two days of competition among the most esteemed sailfishing teams, The Edge, hailing from Dallas, Texas, claimed victory. The win not only secured the coveted Championship Cup but also awarded the team a cash prize of $195,000.

This exclusive, invitation-only event pledges a VIP experience unparalleled by any other. Participation requires teams to have emerged victorious in one of Jimmy Johnson’s previous Quest for the Ring tournaments.

The top-ranking vessel, owned by Trey Brown and captained by Chris Wood, secured first place with eight releases. Following closely behind, Triple Threat, owned by Peggy Johns of Cincinnati, Ohio, and captained by Matt Rabenstine, clinched second place with seven sailfish. Fisher Island-based War Bird, under the watchful eye of Capt. Brett Dudas and owner Roger Ward, secured third place with six sailfish releases.

The Miami Billfish Tournament of Champions is co-hosted by and benefits the CI Foundation, which fosters collaboration among community members and organizations to invest in projects benefiting their local area. This year, the tournament’s partner beneficiaries included the Miami Billfish Foundation and the Coastal Conservation Association of Florida.

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