May 28 Keaton Beach Redfish-Trout tournament

[piscivorousfotog]

Keaton Beach and Steinhatchee will host hundreds of anglers over the Memorial Day weekend holiday for a pair of Professional Redfish Series tournaments off the Taylor County coast over the three-day period of May 26-28.
The Professional Redfish Series will hold the first stop of its summer-long series of pro tournaments out of Steinhatchee and Keaton Beach on Thursday and Friday, May 26-27, followed by an open Redfish-Trout tournament on Saturday, May 28.
Sponsored by the Taylor County Tourism Development Council, the Saturday, May 28 tournament is open to all anglers (who must compete as two-person teams) for cash prizes.
There will be a 100% payback of entry fees to the top 20% of the field in both divisions (Redfish and Trout).
Cash prizes will be awarded to the heaviest two redfish (legal-size) weight total in the Redfish Division and heaviest stringer of four speckled trout (maximum of two over 20 inches in length) in the Trout Division.
Teams may compete in both the Redfish and Trout divisions ($200 entry fee per team) or compete in just one division (Redfish or Trout) for $100 per team.
Tournament hours will be safe light until 3 p.m. EST.
Teams can register and learn of rules and regulations at a captain’s meeting at Fiddlers Restaurant in Steinhatchee on Friday, May 27.
Saturday’s weigh-in will be held at Keaton Beach Marina at 3 p.m.
Also, on the same date (Saturday, May 28), the Professional Redfish Series will host a "Kids Fishing Rodeo" from 9 a.m. – 2 p.m. at Keaton Beach Marina.
The event is free for all children to attend. "There will be free food for the kids and several contests in three different age groups with prizes (rods, reels and tackle), as we look forward to introducing local children to fishing and the outdoors," said organizer Jim Buckner.
"We look forward to making this an annual event in the Taylor County area and welcome all participants and spectators," Buckner said.

The Saturday open (Redfish and Trout) tournament will follow a two-day professional redfish-only series event featuring 25 pro redfish teams from Florida and other states.
A mandatory captain’s meeting for the professional tournament is scheduled for Wednesday, May 25 at Old Mexico Restaurant in Perry. Thursday’s weigh-in will be held at Keaton Beach Marina in Keaton Beach at 3 p.m., while Friday’s Day 2 weigh-in will be held at Sea Hag Marina in Steinhatchee at 3 p.m.
The Saturday open Redfish-Trout tournament weigh-in will be hosted by Keaton Beach Marina at 3 p.m.
For more information, please contact Jim Buckner (850-774-6644) or email jim@professionalredfishseries.com.

[mpa_72001]

thanks for the info about the tournament and email too Aaron i emailed him trying to get info and never heard back about it.

[piscivorousfotog]

I talked to him (Jim) today and he told me he got two emails from someone (must've been you) and he has been on the road and has trouble responding to emails on his phone (FFS--fat finger syndrome). He promised he would respond sometime today/tonight. He said he has already gotten a bunch of calls and emails from the Woods 'n Water article (and that was before we added a Trout division) and adjusted the entry fee down a bit. He tournament fishes, guides and has a property management (rental) business that keeps him running around.

[mpa_72001]

entry fee might be higher than a lot of people wanna pay around here for a tournament depending on the payouts.

[piscivorousfotog]

True....it is risk vs. reward.....but there is 100% payback of entry fees paid out to the top 20% of the field in each division (i.e. if there are 30 teams = top 6 paid, 50 teams = top 10 paid). Breakdown of percentages announced day of tournament.
Plus that is why I asked him to allow teams to fish one division or both, for those who may prefer one species over the other and those who may be only to afford $50 per person.

[mpa_72001]

who is in?

[Jumptrout51]

You pay entry and I will bring the net.
We can fish Warriors holes in your boat.

[mpa_72001]

i'm in already and were definately not fishing your holes