Important Additions For The 69th Annual Surf Fishing Classic
The rules and regulations for the 69 th annual version of the Long Beach Island Surf Fishing Classic have been established, and the three official tournament stations are ready to accept entry applications. The event will commence on Saturday, October 7 and conclude on Sunday, December 10.
As in the many years of this outstanding event, all fishing must be done from the shores of Long Beach Island. No fish caught while fishing from a boat are eligible.
The changes to the New Jersey striped bass regulations had many anglers wondering just how this year’s edition of this famed fishing contest would be able to adapt. The answer is quite well, evidently, as there are a couple of new wrinkles to make things even more exciting.
As most anglers know, this contest was originally started as the LBI Striped Bass Derby. With the emergency regulations stating that striped bass must be between 28 and 31 inches to be keepers, how will the Classic be able to function as a tournament and still retain its historical beginnings?
As in prior years, the contest has daily, weekly, 3-week segment, and grand prizes for three species of fish. These are striped bass, kingfish, and bluefish. In addition, there are prizes in each 3-week segment for the largest tautog and red drum weighed in.
Also, there are special cash daily awards for fish caught on special days as well as categories for juniors, ladies, and senior citizens.
However, there are two new prizes that promise to add special excitement to this annual event. First, there is a $500 “Grand Slam” prize which will be awarded to the angler weighing in a tournament “grand slam.” The slam is gained by weighing in at least four of the five eligible tournament species (redfish, bluefish, kingfish, striped bass, and blackfish). The angler with the most individual species weighed in wins, with a tie broken by total weight.
Back when the contest was the Striped Bass Derby, there was an aura about catching large stripers with many entries weighing over 40-pounds and some as large as 50-pounds. To try to capture some of that excitement of oversized fish, a new prize category has been added in 2023.
This year there will be a Surf Master “Catch and Release” award. This will be awarded to the largest overall striped bass landed and released determined by total length.
The angler must take a picture immediately after landing, that is high-resolution of the fish. In the picture there must be a tape measure next to the fish that definitively shows its measurement. It is recommended that as many pictures as possible be taken in a short period of time.
In addition, the angler’s registration badge should be on the fish. The fish must then be safely returned to swim away.
Jim Hutchinson Jr. is the chairperson of the committee overseeing the Classic. “I am excited about the Surf Master award. As a person who has fished the tournament for many years, I am impressed with its history. This plaque will give the winner some real bragging rights,” he notes.
The fall fishing tournament was originally started to extend the Long Beach Island summer tourist season. Hutchinson says that is still true and adds, “We are celebrating surf fishing and giving folks something to look for in the ‘shoulder season” between summer and winter.”
Registration and complete rules for the contest can be obtained at any of the three-official weigh-in locations. These are Fisherman’s Headquarters in Ship Bottom, Surf City Bait and Tackle in Surf City, and Jingles Bait and Tackle in Beach Haven.
Entry fees are $30 for adults, and $15 for junior anglers ages 17 and under. Anglers registering early will receive a 2023 LBI Surf Fishing Classic hat and decal.