Sports
DeSoto Fishing Tournament Adds Spearfishing to Mix This Weekend
The 15th Annual Hernando DeSoto Historical Society Fishing Tournament runs Friday-Sunday at the Bradenton Yacht Club in Palmetto and includes a division in which anglers jump in the water before spearing deep-water species.
Once the spear blasts through the water and embeds into the reef fish, the underwater rodeo begins.
A spearfishing division is the newest addition to the 15th annual , Friday through Sunday at the .
The stories spearfishermen bring back to the weigh-in, those of deep-sea struggles as the anglers (hunters is probably more accurate) are pulled around by a string attached to the spear until the fish is sapped, will include their likely monster catches of grouper, snapper, hogfish and various Gulf behemoths.
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“We wanted to be the first to bring spearfishing to Bradenton,” said Tony Noble, a DeSoto tournament co-chairman and 10-year BYC member.
Early registration begins at 5:30 p.m. Friday at the BYC, with the captains meeting at 6:30 p.m. Offshore anglers, including spearfishermen, will begin fishing after the meeting. A shotgun start for inshore and junior divisions is 7:30 a.m. Saturday, following by Sunday’s 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. weigh-ins at the BYC.
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Charter captains, along with commercial and professional fishermen, are eligible to participate. Call 941-747-1998 to register or visit the tournament website.
helped contribute prizes as well as eight boats that have registered for the division.
“We wanted to keep the tournament more interesting and bring in bigger prizes,” Noble said. “The big fish are offshore, and everything is out of season, so we were thinking if we bring a spearfishing division with some of the fish that are in season, we can give spectators more bang for their bucks.”
The junior division weigh-in is from 11 a.m.-noon Sunday, followed by inshore (noon–1 p.m.), spearfishing (1-2) and offshore (2-3).
Noble said the DeSoto Historical Society hopes to add a spearfishing-only tournament next year, in addition to the traditional tourney.
Sharon McGlynn, executive director of the DeSoto Historical Society, estimated around 80 boats will be registered by Friday night.
And she reminds spectators to not forget the junior division anglers.
“We’re very proud of our junior division,” McGlynn said. “No matter how they finish they all go home with a prize. The first three places get cash money awards. They’re all awarded prizes. And some are as knowledgeable about fishing as the older guys.”
