white seabass

Thursday, September 06, 2012

change in rules/island only

Catalina WSB tourney: Islands only in 2013:

Coastal events expected to be added

After looking at the results of the tournament the past two years, and the recent changes in the quality of the white seabass on the coast, the 2013 Catalina Island White Seabass Tournament, the first in SoCal and by far the biggest for more than a dozen years, will return to it's original format as an islands-only tournament.

"The size of the coastal fish, which can only be explained by scientists as being the result of the greater forage area to draw bigger fish, makes having an island tournament open to coastal fishing an ongoing mistake," said director Pat McDonell. "It makes no sense to hold a tournament at Two Harbors on Catalina Island and then allow teams to got to the coast and return with big tanker white seabass. It also encourages smaller boats to make what can be a dangerous crossing multiple times."

There were many teams who suggested a clarification of the rules after 2010 when a 53 pounder from Dana Point won the event. At the time, most teams never considered fishing the coast, or thought it was allowed. But fishing the coast has always been allowed. The fishery has changed, though, in recent years. Coastal fish have dominated the top 5 fish placing the past three years, and participation has suffered. Having a fair, even playing field for teams is the way to keep the tourney strong.

"It was my choice, and along with that choice there might be some dissenters, but over the years the tourney has always been known as an islands/offshore event but in recent years the huge white seabass and the expertise to go with them have increased. It is now thought that unless you go to the coast, you can't win the event because that's where bigger fish are. Thus the change. The fishery is changing, and we have to change with it."

McDonell added that the WON saltwater season tourney schedule is being expanded from four saltwater events to as many as six. One on the drawing board will be a bass event, and another a white seabass tourney for white seabass, halibut and yellowtail. A site and date for both are being looked at. Top choices to draw teams would be Dana Point, San Pedro and Long Beach.

"We're not locked into anything right now, but we have sponsors who want us to expand beyond the Cabo (Nov.), Ensenada (late July), Channel Islands (mid-July) and Catalina (mid-May) tournaments, and so we're going in that direction. We'll keep them fun, fair and reasonably priced with discounts for those private boaters who fish two or more tournaments, and perhaps we will go to a points system for an overall champion as we have in the past."

McDonell said announcements will be made when the tournament schedule is set.

Posted By Pat On 09/06/2012 At 2:44 PM Comments (0) Trackbacks (0)

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