Western Long Island Sound fishing Tournament Raises Money for Marine Conservation
Top photo by John McMurray
The first Tightlined Slam tournament will be occurring September 28-30 at Wilson Cove Marina in Norwalk, CT. This is a catch-and-release only tournament, with the proceeds going to the Marine Fish Conservation Network.
A captains’ meeting will be held on September 28 at 7:00 p.m., where organizers will cover the rules of the tournament (a supply lots of pizza and refreshments). Fishing begins at 5:00 a.m. on September 29 and concludes at 12:00 p.m. on September 30.
“Given the pressures fisheries around the world are facing, it is critical that the right organizations receive the support they need to shape policies that protect our resources and provide access to the fish and wildlife we all pursue and enjoy, not only for today, but for generations to come,” says Taylor Ingraham, the tournament’s organizer.
Anglers will compete in up to nine categories on both a team and individual basis, targeting striped bass, bluefish, false albacore and bonito. “The Slam” will contribute proceeds directly to conservation while also awarding cash prizes to top anglers in pre-determined categories.
“The majority of cash-prize tournaments still follow that catch-and-kill format, and most catch and release tournaments do not provide cash and gear prizes to attract enough anglers to make them as competitive as they could be,” says Ingraham. “The Tightlined Slam aims to combine the best of both worlds, with prize packages for top anglers in a catch-and-release format, all while donating the tournament’s proceeds to conservation.”
The organizers of the 2018 Tightlined Slam selected the Network for support, and we are very grateful for their generosity and for backing our mission.
This is the first time a fishing tournament has offered to contribute proceeds to the Network. We are grateful that Taylor recognized the importance of the Network’s work. We will use those resources to continue our work with the recreational fishing sector to ensure there are fishing opportunities for generations to come.
Following the fishing, there will be an awards ceremony and party on Sunday, September 30 from 1:00 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. at Wilson Cove Marina in Norwalk, CT. The party will include the presentation of awards to the tournament winners, cornhole (bean-bag throwing) competition, a raffle of items provided by sponsors, and other fun stuff. Even if you don’t fish the tournament, please come by for the party.
Current sponsors include, in alphabetical order, Al Gag’s Lures, The Angling Company, The Boatworks, Inc., Cheeky Fly Reels, Colton Fly, The Compleat Angler, The Darien Sport Shop, Devlin Fishing, The Dock Shop, Fisherman’s World, Golden Glare Charters, Grand Prix New York Racing, Hudson Sutler, Inner Light Wellness, Innis & Gunn Brewery, Mike’s Organic Delivery, Montauk Distilling Co., Moosehead Breweries, One More Cast Charters, Salty Sea Tee, Seigler Fishing reels, Tail Flyfishing Magazine, USBeverage, Vineyard Vines and Wingo Outdoors.
“The Slam” welcomes additional sponsors to donate items for the captain’s bags or raffle items. If you have offers or suggestions or want more information, contact Taylor at tayloringraham@tightlined.com.
The Tightlined Slam will be a great time both on and off the water. If you are interested in fishing or putting a team together, you can get the details on the registration page. And even if you don’t want to fish, you can come out and support the event. You can get details on the awards ceremony page.
Our thanks to Taylor Ingraham, the sponsors and the participants for helping the Network and future generations of fishermen.