Ready to rock

Wal-Mart FLW Redfish Series Western Division anglers kick off start of third event of the 2008 season in Rockport, Texas.

ROCKPORT, Texas – Shortly after 7 a.m. Thursday morning, FLW Redfish Series anglers departed the confines of Saltwater Pavilion at Rockport Beach Park for the open waters of the Gulf Coast in search of a bounty of Texas reds as well as the lion’s share of the $170,000 tournament purse.

While weather conditions could get a little dicey this week, the good news for anglers is that there should be plenty of fish to be had – and big ones at that.

“I think you’re going to see some great weights today,” said FLW Redfish Series pro Kevin Shaw. “These fish are getting ready to spawn and there are a lot of schooling fish right now. They’re just gorging themselves, getting ready to head out offshore. I wouldn’t be surprised to see a bunch of fish come in within the 8 1/2- to 9-pound range.”

Because anglers can only boat redfish within the 20- to 28-inch slot limit, per Texas regulations, fish in the 9-pound range are considered huge.

However, anglers also know that the fishing pressure on these behemoths is going to be equally huge.

“A lot of these fish are going to come out of the same location – the upper lagoon area near Corpus Christi,” said Shaw. “My guess is that three of the top-five teams this tournament will (draw) from that area. There are going to be a lot of guys fishing there – not just tournament anglers but locals as well. And there have been a lot of tournaments in that area recently, so there has been a lot of pressure on these fish. This tournament is going to be a real crapshoot.”

The weather could also play a big factor during the three-day Redfish Series event, which lasts from Aug. 21-23. With the National Weather Service calling for thunderstorms nearly all week, anglers most likely will have to cope with a host of inclement weather. Throw in overcast skies, the potential for strong winds and loads of fishing pressure and it becomes clear that this will not be an easy tournament to win.

“The overcast skies are going to make sight-fishing a lot tougher on the anglers,” said Shaw. “And who knows what the weather will be like over the next couple of days.”

Like they say, everything – the wind, weather and fish – is bigger in Texas.

The competition

Per Redfish Series tournament rules, the full field competes during the first two days of competition. At the end of the second day of tournament action, the top five teams – based on total accumulated weight – advance to day three. Final standings are determined by the total weight from all three days.

Up to two redfish may be weighed in per team, per day. However, each fish must fall within the regulated 20- to 28-inch slot limit to be counted.

First-place teams at the Rockport event will win $20,000 cash. However, if a member of the winning team is also the original owner of a Ranger boat used during the tournament, the team will receive a $15,000 bonus. Additionally, if a member of the winning team is the original owner of a qualifying Yamaha or Evinrude outboard that is used during the tournament, the team receives another $15,000 bonus for a total award of $50,000.

However, prize money isn’t the only thing teams are fishing for. The top 50 teams in each division of the 2008 FLW Redfish Series, based on the overall standings at the end of the season, will also receive automatic berths into the Wal-Mart FLW Redfish Series Championship Oct. 30-Nov. 1 in Biloxi, Miss. There, anglers will be able to fish for the prestigious title of Redfish Series champion as well as $100,000 in cash.

Tournament specifics:

Thursday’s weigh-in begins at 3 p.m. Central time at the Saltwater Pavilion at Rockport Beach Park, located at 810 Sea Breeze Drive in Rockport, Texas.

Thursday’s conditions:

Sunrise: 7:02 a.m.

Temperature at takeoff: 81 degrees

Expected high temperature: 88 degrees

Water temperature: 85-89 degrees

Tides (at Rockport, Texas) high 7:23 a.m., low 5:12 p.m.

Wind: From the south at 14 mph

Maximum humidity: 76 percent

Day’s outlook: Cloudy with chance of scattered thunderstorms throughout the day