| The dates are set for the Third Annual Oasis International Fishing Tournament in Bluefields, RAAS. The tournament is set for the 6th, 7th and 8th of March, 2008. For those who have not participated in the past the tournament is directed toward tarpon and snook but there is an open category and a "fun fish" category for those who want to surprise the committee with some bizarre species. The sponsors want to continue to keep the tournament as user friendly as possible and attract new tourists to the Atlantic Coast. The tournament is sponsored by the Oasis Hotel and Casino and we believe that Suzuki, Coca Cola and Victoria beer will repeat as sponsors in 2008. The tournament opens on Thursday the 6th of March, with a Captains meeting and party. After the meeting a complete seafood dinner with drinks and beer is served for all registered participants with live music performed by Caribbean Taste, a local Bluefields band. The award winning dance group from Old Bank will perform in front of the hotel after dinner. The 7th is the first fishing day with lines in the water at sun up and out at sunset. Participants do not have to return to weigh in that night but the scales will be open from three pm to sunset if they want to weigh a fish. Saturday the 8th, is the final fishing day and we expect to see some big fish, since the moon phases are perfect for tarpon fishing on the dates of the event. The town will also be putting on a sailboat race for the folks waiting at the pier prior to the weigh in. The tournament has agreed to sponsor a Kayuko regatta (panga sailboats) from Bluefields Municipal Pier to the Bluff and back, with cash prizes and trophies for the winners. During the May festivals as many as thirty boats participated and we think we will have a good showing during the tournament weekend. The scales open at 2:00 pm and close at 6:00 pm.No late fish will be weighed this year. Last year a 175 pound tarpon was the 1st place winner and the smallest tarpon in the money was 65 pounds. There were also some monster snook and big jacks that were brought to the docks. On the morning of the 9th the tournament hold an awards brunch to present the trophies to the winners. The brunch always ends early enough so all the fishermen can catch the afternoon flights to Managua or Corn Island or start to move their boats up the river early enough to get home by dark. Generally, IGFA rules apply and the local rules will be published and placed on the tournament website along with the amount of the cash awards, prizes and fish categories. The site is at www.fishbluefields.com . This year the tournament will have a marine biologist with a meter and a representative from INPESCA on the docks to examine the fish as they are weighed. Any frozen, penned or netted fish will be disqualified. Please do not try to cheat as we have learned from prior years experiences! You will just look bad and get disqualified. We are keeping the entry fees low at 950 cordobas per fisherman. Due to the sponsorship, what each fisherman receives in meals, drinks, food and the contents of his tournament bag is worth more than the entry fee. This year all of the entry fees will be donated to the Bluefields Red Cross. It is a worthy cause and they need the help. The Bluefields Red Cross immediately responded with aid after the hurricane in Puerto Cabezas and their normally low reserves have been totally depleted. Sign up, it is going to a good cause. The tournament will have a list of local guides with boats and/or local teams who will accept fishermen on an individual basis on the website as of the 27th of December. None the less, we can recommend Randy and Rosa Poteet at Rumble in The Jungle Fishing Lodge. They can be contacted via their website at: www.rumbleinthejungle.net |
