The 24th annual Shallow Sport Owners fishing tournament was a big success and organizers said an abundance of game fish was brought in by anglers.
Favorable weather conditions helped produce a better-than expected turnout, with a total of 239 teams and 1,300 people participating in the event held May 10-11.
In 2023, a tornado swept through the nearby community of Laguna Heights, killing one person and destroying dozens of homes. Lightning and dark clouds prevailed the morning of the tournament, making some anglers nervous.
This year, however, things were different and almost every participant caught a fish.
“We had tons of anglers participate in our live catch and release,” said Kelly Groce, spokeswoman for Shallow Sport. “We had an overwhelming amount of anglers participating in conservation this year.”
In the redfish division, the 162 anglers that were registered brought in a total of 655.17 pounds of fish. A similar number in the specked trout entry weighed in 214.05 pounds. Finally, the 161 anglers who registered and caught flounder checked in a total of 30.91 pounds.
The tournament raises money for scholarships, with $1,000 going to 15 area students. Brownsville resident Joey Lopez fished both this and last year. “It was a fun tournament,” he said. “Last year’s weather was horrible.”
Winners:
Guided Open Bait
Redfish Fishpadre 7.19 pounds
Speckled Trout Get Used 2 It 2.75 pounds
Flounder Griffith Transportation 3.11 pounds
Guided Artificial Only
Redfish Fishy 7.34 pounds
Speckled Trout Lucky Strike 2.68 pounds
Flounder JRZ Lures 2.35 pounds
Amateur Open Bait
Redfish Team Sportsman 8.32 pounds
Speckled Trout Salt Water Junkies 2.77 pounds
Flounder XD Outdoor 4.16 pounds
Amateur Artificial Only
Redfish Too Fast Too Falfurrias 7.07 pounds
Speckled Trout Knotty Hookers 2.57 pounds
Flounder Texas Elite 2.65 pounds
