Wounded Warrior/Heroes on the Water Rockfish Opening Day Derby - Guaging Interest
 

THERE HAS BEEN A SCHEDULE CHANGE!!!!!!!!
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v1...ps915e7b26.png

Friday 2/28
6pm-8pm: Captain meeting and Check-in @ Marlin Club - San Diego
2445 Shelter Island Drive, San Diego CA 92106
Saturday 3/1
4:30am-6:00am : Last minute check in for boaters @ Marlin Club - San Diego.
Kayaks can check in at La Jolla Shores
6:00am : Lines in the water
3:00pm : Deadline to Weigh-in

2:00 PM Food and Drinks will begin being served at the Marlin Club San Diego
4:00 PM Start of the Award Ceremony and Raffle Drawings




PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE!!!! Go to this thread and confrim your attendance. If we can get close to 100 kayak entries, we will have a very special price to give away!
http://www.bigwatersedge.com/bwevb/s...ad.php?t=20366

PLEASE GO FOLLOW US!
Facebook.com/Rockfishderby

Hey guys. Over a few drinks last night, in the wake of a terrible loss in the Halibut tournament, me and another veteran as well as an active duty member had the bright idea to host a tournament of our own. We figured...lets host a tournament where ANYONE can catch a qualifying fish and donate all the proceeds to a good cause.

We are gauging interest, and only have a few months to plan. Here is what I'm asking for right now.

1) Who would be willing to participate? and Who would be willing to volunteer? You could do both...
2) What, if any, contribution or sponsorships could you help us generate?

Since there will be no money prizes, we would like to get prize donations worthy of people competing. It doesn't need to be a big ticket item, anything helps.

3) Would you be willing to be partnered up and chaperone/guide a wounded warrior by kayak. May include lending a rod/reel

4) What else would you like to see in a tournament of this style?

Here is the first draft of the intended structure.

First Annual Rockfish Opening Weekend Derby

Price - $50 per angler for all divisions. Included Entry fee, Swag Bag, Tournament shirt, Raffle ticket and Banquet ticket with meal included and 2 drink tickets.


Payout – All proceeds will go to benefit the Wounded Warrior project in conjunction with Heroes on the Water. Prizes will be awarded to 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place team with a side category for “Luck of the Ling”. First team to text in a picture of a legal Ling Cod will win side prize.
Prizes- 1st
2nd
3rd
LotL -
Kayak
Charter

Side Jackpot - All jackpot prizes will be split 50/50 between the winners and the charity.
$20 per boat – per category. The largest weighed fish of each species will collect the prize. In the event of a tie, first to weigh in will win the pot. In the event of no jackpot fish for a category is caught, all of the pot will go to charity.
Jackpot Fish - Ling Cod; Sheephead; Whitefish; Vermillion; Boccaccio

Kayaks will have their own $5 and $10 Jackpot. They may also enter the large jackpots if they wish. We felt it would be better since a boat of 4 can split up $100 in jackpot entry, where as a kayak wouldn't.


Tournament Rules - Prizes are determined by the heaviest bag of top five qualifying fish. Qualifying fish include but is not limited to, all species of legal rockfish, including California Sheephead, Boccaccio, California Whitefish, Sculpin, Cabezon and Chucklehead. Other subspecies of rockfish are to be included. Ling Cod and Bass will not be included in final bag weight.

Divisions –
Private Boat – self-explanatory
Kayak/Sup – Any human powered vessel
Charter – ½ day, ¾ day 6pack or any other hired chartering service.

Kayakers and Charter based anglers will have their own first prize award, and will still be eligible for the main prizes but not visa versa.

Disclaimer stuff - All anglers will be responsible for knowing and following all DFG/DFW fishing regulations. The tournament committee is not responsible for any infractions of the rules during the tournament.

Way to go Neil. Should be a lot of fum, please count me in. What kind of help are you going to need? I can volunteer, and bring some swag.

Love the idea Neill. Your generosity continues to amaze/impress me dude.

I'm in for sure. If needed I can be a guide/team member, or if it benefits the event, I will offer up my PA12, my Stealth 9, and any rods/reels needed.
Wherever the event is held, I will bring down my toy hauler and BBQ, so that we can do an after event feast if we like. That way we will have a full kitchen, fridge, stove, microwave, plus a canopy with lights, etc.

Good times ahead amigos!

Hey Rob, we are thinking bigger, similar to the YT Shootout. Catered food, kegs, sponsors tables...ect. But thanks for offering up the toy hauler :)
And thank you for the kind words
As the details get worked out, we will have more info ad to what is needed :D

You can put me down as a volunteer. I don't what I will have kayak and equipment-wise at this point, so I'm down for whatever. I just need to know where to be, what to do, etc. I can ferry people from up in my area if needed, bring supplies, etc. Count me in, and thank you. :you_rock:

Great idea.

I'll help out.

You tell me what you need.

Call me baby!;)

Pm sent.
If everything goes as planned should be helping out. :luxhello:

Im in let me know what I can do

I'm in, where would it be held at, did I miss that in the main listing?

Fishing boundaries? Or the hosting of the party?

Boundaries are being talked about. Most likely it will be anywhere within 25 miles of Point Loma Lighthouse. As far as the award banquet, we haven't found a place to host yet, but it is in the works.

Kayakers will be given an extra 90 minutes to get to a weigh in station. There will also be a weigh in station set up at La Jolla boat ramp.

Any excuse to get on the water is good by me. I have a 2nd yak I can lend out. Rockfish isn't my forte, but sounds like a blast. Lets get this rolling.

Ill have an extra kayak to lend out.

It's been 12 hours and I can't even begin to express how grateful I am for all the generous offers I've received thus far.

Guy Harvey - Has just jumped on board as an official tournament sponsor.
:eek::eek::eek: So stoked!

Guyharvery.com

If you have a sponsor support letter that you're mailing out send me a copy or post it and I'll work with my employer (coca cola) to get some free drinks, I'm not sure how much I can get but on average its about 24-12pack cases of mixed product. I might be able to pull a few stings and get a little more.

Very cool! I can provide my spare outback and...maybe some more. standby...

Send it to me also, see if I can get us some chips.

PLEASE note that Neill is not planning a HOW event/Outing. He is planning a Benefit tournament and there should be no mass need of loaner kayaks and gear.

All HOW events are ALWAYS officially released only by those who are on the HOW Leadership team which includes Myself, Matt Grisso, and Ryan Walters.

Thanks for clearing this up.

This will not be a sanctioned event, but rather a fund raising charity event where the WWP and HOW are the benificiares. However, we will likely put out a soliciation for any service member, active, retired, disabled...to participate and encourage a sponsoring angler. This still has it's own logistics to work out.

In other news, M&M Custom Rods, Squidco, Anglers Choice and Fishdope have all signed on to be tournament sponsors and have promised to each make very charitable donations. OEX has also agreed to help support the kayak division.

Also, Skrilla has agreed to donate his custom bamboo gaffs, JeffB will be donating a custom rod, Makobob is donating a SLEW of jigs as well as other goodies and Easyday has made a large contribution to help fill up prize loots and swag bags.

It's been 24 hours and the response has been overwhelming. This may very well turn out to be an incredible event! :D

I'm in to help out and will check with my brother in law if he wants to use his boat. If not them by kayak I will go. Please let me know what you need done and ill help out as much as possible. Thanks

I'm definitely in to help out on land or the water!!!!! :)

The following sponsors have signed on board
Hobie Eyewear
Underarmour
Seeker Rods

Facebook.com/rockfishderby.
Go follow us. It is still an unofficial page, but as we gain interest we will get more sponsors.

The tournament is a go. We are just working tirelessly to get all the paperwork and logistics worked out.

I can donate a 30x60 event banner just send me the layout with the tournament artwork and sponsor`s artwork in vector or high resolution jpeg`s. I might be able to do some other items such as custom u.v.50 gaiters / u.v. 50 fishing shirts or decals.

p.m. your # if interested.

PM sent.

Seriously, I can't express how powerful a community can be when they come together to achieve a similar goal. Theres been some "hating" on what has become of the kayak and fishing community but this just goes to show we are a great group of like minded individuals.

Thank you thank you thank you!

The Wounded Warrior Project as just approved our application to have this be an official, sanctioned, benefit event. :D:D:D:D

This doesn't mean Wounded Warrior is putting on the project, simply that they acknowledge us as official supporters and have granted us permission to hold an event and use their name. As well as sending us tons of SWAG!

Thats awesome

Already have some drafts mocked up for banner art waiting for approval. Once I get the thumbs up all work on a more refined final draft for print. All the way on board for this project!

Neill Send me an email directly so I can attach the forms for HOW just like the WWP ones.

Also I sent out some more sponsorship feelers today.

It's looking the value of the Swag Bags might actually be valued higher than the actual entry free. We have at the very least, gauranteed, 10 custom built rods to give away as raffles and prizes. M&M, Salty Dawg, Matthew Change, and Jeff B are all wrapping sticks for us.

Most likely, first place in the boat section, and first place in the kayak section will each get a set of 3 custom built rods.

We are in talks with some other great sponsors. This project is going to be more than a backyard tournament. We are booking a nice venue, live entertainment and fun activities. Vendors will be there giving away swag and promoting products. There will be a TON of discount coupons in each swag bag for local companies.

The official tournament shirt is going to have great artwork, and Charles from Kelp Clothing is doing a special run, limited edition Wounded Warrior Project design for us, which will will be selling. It will be printed on a UV protective, long sleeve fishing shirt. All the profits from those shirt sales with go directly to the charity.

I can't explain how excited I am about this project!

I'm in. Let me know what to do. Need contact info. Jim 714-981-7774.

Sounds good, I might be in, I like the idea

Add P-Line to the list

I never got that email

This is going to be epic. Way more than I had expected from that origional post.

Thanks man!

On that note, lets go ahead and add Baja Fish Gear to the official sponsor list. :D

Donations are starting to show up at OEX! Should be a cool event!

Are you sure you didn't mean Friday February 33rd?

Good catch

Things are going well on my end, "CHEERS!"