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Ensenada Hotel Coral Tournament, SEPT 5-7, 2013
ENSENADA TOURNEY DOUBLES THE FUN
Yamaha/Hotel Coral & Marina Tuna Jackpot combines a unique two-day Tuna Jackpot with a 2-day Inshore Bass/Rockfish Jackpot. More money, more fishing at the Hotel Coral Sept. 5-7.
ENSENADA — It’s a long way off, but the Yamaha/Hotel Coral & Marina Tuna Jackpot is a whole new animal for 2013, with a two-day inshore bass/rockfish Jackpot paired with a two-day offshore Tuna Jackpot patterned after the hugely successful Cabo Tuna Jackpot.
The Tecate girls are always a part of the show at the Hotel Coral Tuna Tournament.
“There were several suggestions for the event after the last two years,” said director Pat McDonell. “One was to bring back or create an inshore jackpot division including rockfish and bass. We did that. The other was to have it later in the summer, away from the July winds and people’s vacations and more into a tuna season that gets later and later. The early September dates were settled last week.”
Also, he said, some teams said that Ensenada is a commitment and a great destination, so why make it a one-day tourney? “They see the tourney as a destination event, whether you stay in a marina slip or book a hotel room. The new format is unique and answers all those needs.”
The Jackpots will draw from teams on both sides of the border Sept. 5-7. Thursday through Saturday. Both inshore and offshore jackpot tournaments offer optional kickoff points on both sides of the border, Thursday evening, followed by fishing and weigh-ins Friday and Saturday afternoon.
”The concern with a two-day tourney and getting to Ensenada for some teams has been answered,” said McDonell. “Teams will have a great option of checking in and being released from San Diego or Ensenada that Thursday evening. You have a choice depending on your schedule, where you want to start fishing from. Teams can check-in in San Diego at Shelter Island on Thursday evening between 5 and 8 p.m. or at the tented tournament area at the Hotel Coral Marina at the same times.
THE TUNA JACKPOT
Entry to the Tuna Jackpot is $800 for up to four anglers, with 50 percent payback, first through third places. You want more than four anglers? No problem. Additional anglers beyond four anglers (up to eight total) are an added $100 with $50 going into the payout pot. For reference, the 50 percent payout for both events is higher than last year’s 33 percent. The remainder of the entry fee goes to WON for tourney expenses and profit. That’s not all, of course. There are free gifts, drawings at two parties and several optional jackpots that really expands your chance to win serious money.
How to win the Tuna Jackpot: While the event is called a Tuna Jackpot, yellowtail and dorado are also targeted and can make up the aggregate weight of three fish. The win is based on the combined weight of any combination of the three over two days. Teams can weigh in up to three fish per day, and biggest three fish over two days make up the final total for the standings. The payout for the Overall money, after two days, is first, second and third, 60 percent, 25 and 15 percent, respectively. The math is easy. Multiply $400 times the number of teams.
“It’s like Cabo, but also a little like a professional freshwater bass tourney,” said McDonell. “After one day, teams will know who is in the lead and what they have to do to knock off the leaders, or if there is some monster fish the first day by a team, they can just go after the optional money, hoping for a single big fish to win all the money.”
THE OPTIONALS: Daily Tuna Optionals are $200, $500 and $1,000 (Half each day is paid out). The single daily Dorado Optional is $200, and the Yellowtail Optional is $200. As in all WON events, there is 80 percent payback on all optionals. Optionals are won by the single biggest fish in each category. You compete only against those teams with you in those optionals.
“With the two days of fishing, instead of one, there is more fishing, more competition and more money. And more weigh-ins. The first weigh-in is on Friday at the Coral scale from 3 to 6 p.m., followed by MANDATORY cocktail party/fiesta with music and sponsor drawings at the tent area at 7 p.m. and teams weighing in. As teams from both Jackpot events weigh-in on Friday afternoon, all teams will receive their welcome bags and clothing from sponsors and WON.
“It should be exciting to have all that activity Friday afternoon and evening at the tent and the scale, and the bar will be open, also,” said McDonell.
THE INSHORE JACKPOT
Inshore Jackpot Schedule: The two-day Inshore Jackpot Tournament costs the same as last year’s event, $100 a person with no limit to the number of anglers on a team. Of that fee, 50 percent goes to the payout pot. Targeted species requested by teams last year are rockfish (including lings), calico and sand bass. The 3-fish aggregate weight decides first, second and third, with 60 percent for first place, 25 percent for second place and 15 percent for third place.
Inshore Optionals: There are FOUR daily inshore optionals. $200 each for sand bass, calico, lingcod and white seabass. The single biggest fish wins the money in the optional pot, with an 80 percent payback.
While the white seabass is not part of the overall payouts due to their size differential, by popular request, there will be a white seabass optional, $200, which pays out half the money each day. In other words, if you pay in at $200, you are entered both days.
“One question will be this: Can teams enter both Jackpot Tournaments?” said McDonell. “Yes. You can enter both tourneys. For example, a team of four to eight people in the Tuna Jackpot would pay $100 a person for the Inshore Jackpot, and could enter any of the jackpots, too. There’s a lot of time to fish, inside and out, so some teams will hedge their bets, especially those coming down from San Diego able to fish the islands and coast on the way down.”
Ensenada Inshore/Offshore Jackpot Schedule:
Thursday, Sept. 5: Optional-site check-in for both Jackpots, 5 to 8 p.m. at Shelter Island (site TBA) or at the Coral Marina, 5 to 8 p.m. Teams will be able to add to jackpots by cash and credit card at both sites. The Yamaha welcome bag and clothing pickup will be ONLY at the Friday cocktail party. There will be a random boat check at both sites.
Friday, Sept. 5: Weigh-in at WON/Hotel Coral scale area is from 3 to 6 p.m. Welcome bags and clothing for both Jackpots will also be distributed under the tent at the tourney site next to the weigh-in area from 2 to 7 p.m. All teams will be released to fish inshore and offshore after the welcome party and drawings, no later than 8 p.m.
Saturday, Sept. 6: Weigh-in for all teams, inshore and offshore, 3 to 6 p.m., Yamaha awards, music and dinner runs at 7:30-9 p.m. Music and bar opens at 6 p.m.
JOIN WON AND THE HOTEL CORAL AND MARINA Sept. 5-7, 2013 for the WON/Hotel Coral Jackpot Tourney presented by Yamaha Outboards. This year offshore and inshore events will run parallel with weigh-ins and all activities based at the Hotel Coral Marina scale area above the fuel dock where it was held last year. Two days of offshore fishing and optional jackpots and one day of inshore jackpots and fishing will be offered with prizes, money and prize drawing and the Tecate Girls.
