California International Game Fish Association

Overall winner of the Shelter Island Pier Young Angler’s Tournament was Sabrina O’Neil, who in 2005 was co-winner of the event. She outscored other contestants by steadily picking away at small bass and senorita fish at the north corner of the pier’s Sharkey’s bait and tackle shop using ghost shrimp pumped earlier by her father.

More than 50 junior anglers ages 6 to 15 competed for top honors at the 2007 IGFA/San Diego Sportfishing Council’s Shelter Island Pier Young Angler’s Tournament September 29.

Fishing during the catch-and-release enabled tournament was superb, with bass, bonito, and mackerel leading the charge. As an added bonus, all those on the pier were treated to a visual display—several warships paraded past the pier and aircraft soared above as part of Navy’s Fleet Week.

The three hour derby’s free lunch for contestants was made better by Tommy Gomes, of Catalina Offshore Products and Uni-Goop fame, who fired up his barbeque and treated kids and volunteers to his delicious fish tacos, made of fresh swordfish, white seabass, and yellowtail. Non fish-eaters enjoyed hot dogs, chips, and sodas provided by Stumps Market in Rancho Santa Fe.

United Pier and Shore Anglers of California (UPSAC) volunteers arrived in force. In addition to providing invaluable help in organizing and running the event, UPSAC installed a rail-mounted monofilament line collecting station so that tangles of excess fishing line do not end up on the sea floor. With a grant from NOAA, UPSAC hopes to donate a collection station to every pier in the state.

Overall winner of the Shelter Island Pier Young Angler’s Tournament was Sabrina O’Neil, who in 2005 was co-winner of the event. She outscored other contestants by steadily picking away at small bass and senorita fish at the north corner of the pier’s Sharkey’s bait and tackle shop using ghost shrimp pumped earlier by her father.

Prior to the 1:30 p.m. award ceremony, IGFA Trustee Michael Farrior commended the young anglers for embracing sportsmanship and ethical angling as embodied by catch and release.

Tournament sponsors and contributors included International Gamefish Association, San Diego Sportfishing Council, Shelter Island Pier, plus Catalina Offshore Products, Berkley, Boater’s World, Booya, Bosch, Chuck Byron Galleries, David Wirth, De-Fishing Soap, Friends of Rollo, Get1Free Magazine, H&M Landing, Maxima, Okuma, Point Loma Sportfishing, San Diego Bay, San Diego Unified Port District, Sports Clips, SquidCo, Stumps, The Log, UPSAC, Uni Goop, Wal Mart, West Marine, and Zebco.