Flat Bottom Girls 2005
The inaugural Flat Bottom Girls Flounder Tournament, held out of Dockside Marina in Wrightsville Beach, was unusual for a flounder tournament because it was a live weigh-in only. Just like most other tournaments, good prize money was paid out and a first place trophy was given. But these fish had to be brought in alive, and kept alive, for transport to the research hatchery run by UNC-Wilmington at Wrightsville Beach.
At the hatchery the eggs would be stripped from the females and sperm milked from the males so that fingerling flounder could be grown in the hatchery at South Brunswick High School. Then the fingerlings will ultimately be put back into the waters for all to enjoy.
“We received 28 nice flounder and they are currently living in a temporary quarantine tank at UNCW’s hatchery facility in Wrightsville Beach,” said Tim Barefoot, founder of C.E.E.D., the host organization of the tournament.
UNCW grad student Chris Woolrich, who was the official weigh master at the event, added, “We could potentially have 1.25 to 1.75 million eggs out of these flounder that were turned in.”
The entry fees paid by the participants will be used to purchase reef balls to be placed in the Carolina Beach yacht basin under the direction of DMF officials.
DMF representative Jim Franscisconi (artificial reef division) were scheduled to meet with C.E.E.D. officers, Got-Em-On Live Bait Club officers, and Carolina Beach Mayor Bill Clark to plan the number of, and location/placement of, the reef balls in the yacht basin.
“We don’t want to create more artificial reefs 15-20 miles offshore; we want artificial reefs that are within 1-3 miles of the inlet, and improved structure inside the inlets,” said Barefoot. “If you have any interest in inshore/nearshore reefs, check out www.ceednc.com and get involved with next year’s tournaments and activities.”
The tournament standings from the inaugural event are as follows: 1st place-5 lb. 8 oz. by Bruce Field on “Flat Dawg” out of Carolina Beach; 2nd place-5 lb. 1 oz. by Travis Koontz on “Money Hole” out of Carolina Beach; 3rd place-5 lb. 1 oz. by Shannon Idol on “Squid” out of Wilmington; 4th place-3 lb. 2 oz. by Taylor Barefoot of “Team Barefoot” (fishing from Dock Side dock); 5th place-2 lb. 12 oz. by Fred Davis on “Turn It Up” out of Wilmington; 6th place-2 lb. 7 oz. by Jamie Denison on “Ranger” out of Kernersville; 7th place-1 lb. 14 oz. by Millard Haley on “Haley” out of Wilmington; 8th place-1 lb. 7 oz. by Sam Hodges on “Blue Water” out of Wilmington; 9th place-1 lb. 5 oz. by Sam Daughtry on “Rusty” out of Wilmington; and 10th place-1 lb. 4 oz. by Gary Hurley on “Team Fisherman’s Post” out of Wilmington.
