THIS IS THE OFFICIAL THREAD OF THE VIRGINIA BEACH TUNA TOURNAMENT

PRESS RELEASE

THE INAUGURAL VIRGINIA BEACH TUNA TOURNAMENT

VIRGINIA BEACH TUNA TOURNAMENT
C / O SINCLAIR COMMUNICATIONS
999 Waterside Drive
Suite 500
Norfolk, Va. 23510
Phone: 757-222-2909
Fax: 757-640-8552
www.bobfm.exis.net/vbtt/



THE VIRGINIA BEACH TUNA TOURNAMENT ANNOUNCED FOR 2005

The Inaugural Virginia Beach Tuna Tournament hosted by local radio stations
WNIS / WTAR / WPYA “BOB FM” / WROX “96X” and WZNR “The Zone @106.1 is scheduled to take place July 14th – 17th 2005 at Marina Shores in Lynnhaven.

The Virginia Beach Tuna Tournament will promote sport fishing in Virginia with the added support of all five Sinclair Communications Group stations. The tournament will benefit several local charities. The event will add a new dimension to offshore tournaments by providing entertainment throughout the tournament with live music, Texas Hold 'Em and other activities. “With the Va. Beach Billfish Tournament and the Mid-Atlantic Rockfish Shootout an instant success, the Va. Beach Tuna Tournament is a sure thing that will fill the third niche of our great fishery. By allowing teams to weigh in up to three fish it will be more challenging than the standard tuna tournament. I can’t wait to fish it!!” says Mike Standing, the director of the Mid-Atlantic Rockfish Shootout.

The tournament will have a 100% return of entry fees for cash awards. Winnings based on an aggregate weight format with boats weighing up to three fish. Boaters can choose to weigh their fish on one of two official scales, which will be located at Lynnhaven and Rudee Inlets.


Call 757-222-2909 for information and sponsorship opportunities. Please visit www.bobfm.exis.net/vbtt/ for additional information.






COME FISH IT ITS GONNA BE A GREAT TIME

Bob, thanks for putting this out for all to see.....I'll SEA ya out there! This looks to be a great event with a low entry fee and 100% pay out. I'd like to see 60+ boats take advantage of this. Hell, it's not bad odds at a chance for $21,000+ if you think about it. Good luck and tight lines!

Where is the weigh-in taking place. (official scales).

As I understand it it's the captians choice between Rudy or Marinia shores at Lynhaven inlet.

I know all of you captain probably have full boats, but if one of you have an extra spot i would like to fill it, i can pay part of the entry fee.

EMAIL work david.ischy1@navy.mil
home ischydj@cox.net
cell 757 305-8220

see you guys there
the plumber
scooter

If you weight in at lynnhaven say hello. I'll be the fat kid with a staff shirt on....

I'll be lookin for kid
the plumber
scooter

According to the rules it looks like those who hold an Angler Tuna Permit are at a disadvantage since HMS Charters can keep 3 BFT while anglers can keep only 1 BFT per boat. Is that correct?

Good Questions for the Captains Meeting....Bob

Q: I currently posses a valid Atlantic tunas General category permit. Am I allowed to fish in recreationally tournaments for HMS with this permit?


A: General category vessels are allowed to participate in registered recreational HMS tournaments when fishing under tournament rules. When fishing for, retaining, possessing, or landing Atlantic tunas while participating in a tournament, General category vessels must comply with the Atlantic tunas General category regulations. When fishing for, retaining, or possessing sharks, swordfish, and/or billfish, General category vessels must comply with recreational regulations. It is incumbent upon the General category vessel owner/operator to verify that a tournament is registered with NOAA Fisheries.

It's the weight of the heavist three tuna which seems to favor some permit holders over others not participation. I plan to fish the tournament either way but I just want to make sure I understand that some permit holders have an advantage. It would be a more even playing field if only one of the three tunas could be a BFT. Just a thought. Do you know has the ear of the NMFS?

From reading the FAQ on the NMFS Site. If the Tournament is not registered with NMFS then General Category Permit holders are ineligable to participate. I'm going to ask the question at the Captains Meeting Thursday Night.....

I called the info line and asked that question. They said that the people holding the general permit can only keep 1 BFT just as the angling permit holders. This will be talked over at the Captains Meeting.
Good Luck To All

Then you will have a bunch of boats Culling dead Tuna for a shot at the money.You could have a winner that gets the largest Tuna Slam.That would motivate them to switch to yellowfin once they got their BFT in the box.

You would hope that fishermen would have more respect for the population of the BFT than to Cull smaller Blue Fin if they catch a bigger one, but I guess there's morons out there no matter what sport your in....

On another note, Saturday is looking a little rough for us 30' and below boats, guess I"m gonna have to take a day off from work and fish Friday !......Bob

How much is the entry fee?( Never mind Its in bold print)

Any word on who won this ? We fished on Saturday for 14 hours and didn't even get a knock down. Had to go out again on sunday just to get the Skunk off the boat, boated a King on the hotdog and had a Big King take my Red and White cedar plug for a ride, without the rest of my line attached !......Still Think'n

Thanks for the tourney, BOB! Had an awesome time and won some money!