Virginia Saltwater Fishing

The 2010 “Flounder Bowl” fishing tournament allows Virginia’s finest flounder anglers to gather together to compete for bragging rights for the year. This year’s tournament is scheduled for June 26, with a captains meeting June 25.

The Flounder Bowl is hosted by the Peninsula Salt Water Sport Fisherman’s Association but it is the many businesses who sponsor this event which make it such a great time. These businesses are providing a guaranteed First Prize award of $5,000.

They also make it possible to provide free food, drink and music for participants at both the captains meeting and at the weigh-in. The sponsors provide for team buckets given out at the captains meeting and they are also providing various prizes which will be given away at the weigh-in. Each team will find door-prize tickets in their team buckets which will give them chances to win these prizes.

The Flounder Bowl will be held out of Dare Marina and Yacht Sales (www.daremarina.com). Boats will be allowed to fish from any port but the fish must be brought to Dare Marina for weigh-in.

This is a team tournament with an entry fee of $100 per boat with up to 4 anglers. Additional anglers will cost $25 each. Winners will be determined by the combined weight of the team’s top three fish. Cash prizes will be paid through six places.

To give everyone a chance to win, teams not placing in the top six will be entered in a “Lucky Dog” drawing. The team drawn will win an additional cash prize. There will be a prize for the heaviest flounder caught by a child and a prize for the heaviest flounder caught by a woman in the tournament.

Teams will be given the option of entering a “Big Fish Calcutta” for an additional $100 entry fee. This is a 100% payout to the team, that has entered the Calcutta, which weighs in the single heaviest fish. There is a special Sponsors’ Challenge Division where teams entered by the tournament sponsors will compete with each other for the special Sponsors’ Trophy. The winning sponsor will get to keep this trophy until next year’s tournament.

Currently, the Sponsors’ Trophy is in the possession of Paige II Charters. The 2009 Flounder Bowl had a total cash payout of $10,900 plus donated merchandise prizes. The winnings are expected to be larger this year. This is your chance to fish with and against some of the best flounder anglers in the state. There will be food, drink, music, and multiple chances to win. Come on out and join the fun!

The Marina at Marina Shores will host its Spring Fling 2010 Land & Water Boat Show.

The event will be held April 16th, 17th & 18th 10AM to 4PM.

Boats for sale may also be displayed by private owners and brokers. Spaces are available for $50 (three-day event).

The show is free and open to the public and includes fun for the entire family.

Events will include great food, face painting and a variety of demonstrations & displays.

Demonstrations & Displays:

US Coast Guard
HRSD (free boat pump out demo)
Interstate Batteries
Tim Pugh/Intercoastal Financial Group
Boaters CO-OP
Tow Boat US Virginia Beach
The Yacht Club at Marina Shores/Weddings & Special Events

For more information and to reserve your space call 757.496.7000 or e-mail marinashores[AT]aol.com

Contact Information:

The Marina at Marina Shores
2100 Marina Shores Drive
Virginia Beach, VA 23451
www.marinashores.com
757.496.7000

The Coast Guard base on Chincoteague Island is scheduled to host an event for mariners to come and meet locally based federal and state law enforcement officers March 10 at 6:30 p.m.

The event will provide an opportunity for mariners to meet some of their local enforcement officers, ask questions and learn about new and existing regulations.

Regardless of whether mariners operate a commercial, charter, or recreational vessel; subject matter experts will be on hand to answer questions about recreational and commercial fishing, or questions about laws pertaining to safety gear.

Boaters without specific questions are invited to come and listen to the discussion or pick up information on Boating Safety, Commercial Fishing Vessel Safety, Fishing Regulations, or to come and schedule a Courtesy Marine Examination.

The following are participating agencies and agency departments:

* U.S. Coast Guard Station Chincoteague

* U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service

* U.S. Park Service (NWR)

* Virginia Marine Resources Commission

* National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA)

* U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary Boating Safety Instructors and Courtesy Marine Examiners

* U.S. Coast Guard Sector Hampton Roads Commercial Fishing Safety Examiners

The session will be held at Tarr Hall, in the Galley Facility, located on the base.

source: USCG press release

A national grassroots effort is currently underway to get coastal fishermen to the rally in DC on February 24th.

The Virginia Beach Fishing Center is sponsoring a bus to go to Washington DC on February 24th. The bus will leave the Fishing Center at 7:00am Wednesday morning and will return some time that evening. The bus is limited to 50 people. If you would like to go, there is a sign up sheet at the Fishing Center.

As per the US Capitol police, “there is no parking available for private automobiles, buses, or other vehicles on Capitol Grounds. Buses may utilize Garfield Circle, at the intersection of First Street and Maryland Avenue, S.W., and Union Station, at 50 Massachusetts Avenue, N.E., to drop off passengers.” Bus companies and bus drivers can contact Union Station authorities for drop-off and parking information at 202-898-1950.

If you or your group is organizing one of these bus trips to Washington, please let your bus company know that all buses entering DC are subject to a $50 permit fee.

Visit http://dmv.dc.gov/info/trippermit.shtm for all required bus permit information.