Carousel Center Flounder Tournament 2006
The Carousel Center held its annual Flounder Tournament this year on Saturday, June 24, at Inlet Watch Yacht Club in Carolina Beach. There were 70 entrants that fished the event, an event which benefits the Carousel Center, a local group working with and for abused and neglected children in the area.
Jeff Lewis, of Boiling Springs, NC, took first place in the tournament with a 5.3 lb. flounder. He caught the winning fish, worth $1000 cash, on a live pogy on a Carolina rig. Lewis was fishing near the area where Snow’s Cut joins the Cape Fear River.
Carolina Beach resident Chuck Connor caught a 5.0 lb. fish good for second place. His fish earned him $500 dollars in cash. Connor was also fishing a Carolina rigged pogy. He was north of Snow’s Cut in the Cape Fear River.
Lewis also caught a 4.5 lb. fish, and until Connor weighed in, it appeared that Lewis would win both first and second prizes. However, the 4.5 lb. flounder ultimately took third, giving Lewis two of the three top prizes.
Connor also recorded a good day of fishing, catching four other keeper flounder.
Part of the Carousel Center’s fundraising came from a raffle for two prizes: a pair of Shimano Calcutta reels on St. Croix rods (donated in part by Tex’s Tackle) and dinner for two and one night at the Marriott in Carolina Beach.
Many people at the weigh-in commented on what a beautiful day it was, what a good cause the Carousel Center is working towards, and how much they looked forward to next year’s event.
The Carousel Center is a Wilmington-based organization dedicated toward helping abused and neglected children and preventing child abuse and neglect in the first place. The Carousel Center Flounder Tournament is in its fourth year, and growing every year, according to tournament director and organizer Tom Banks.
The 2006 Carousel Center Flounder Tournament generated $6200 dollars for the Center, both from entry fees and raffle ticket purchases. Carousel Center Board Member Margee Herring had this to say about how the event helps her organization: “I think it’s so nice that Tom Banks has given us an opportunity to reach a new community with this tournament. It costs us $1400 dollars to help one child per year, so that gives an idea of how the money specifically helps us.”
Tom Banks gave a big thank you to Tex’s Tackle, Inlet Watch Yacht Club, and Fisherman’s Post Newspaper for helping make the event a success.
