Live-catch speckled trout tournament to be held out of Bay St. Louis

CCA Mississippi hosting Dec. 3 event to collect brood stock for speck hatchery.

The Ernie Zimmerman Friends and Family Live Catch Speckled Trout Tournament is scheduled for Dec. 3 at Bay Marina in Bay St. Louis, and is aimed at replenishing the brood stock at the Gulf Coast Research Laboratory’s speckled trout hatchery.

“This is an opportunity for the recreational saltwater angler to give back to the resource,” tournament director Ernie Zimmerman said. “This is also a chance for a family to go fishing, have a good time on the water, and teach their kids about conservation.”

The event is being hosted by CCA Mississippi and is sponsored by a grant from BP. It benefits the Seatrout Population Enhancement Cooperative.

Over the last three years, the SPEC has released over 150,000 speckled trout fingerlings in the Bay of St. Louis.

“CCA Mississippi has been an advocate for the SPEC program since its inception,” CCA Executive Director Rome Emmons said. “This is a great program that the Department of Marine Resources and the University of Southern Mississippi GCRL have developed.”

The tournament will be divided into children and adult divisions.

Participants 15 years of age and younger can fish for free in the children’s division. First-, second- and third-place prizes will be awarded for the largest speckled trout caught.

The fish must be live when weighed.

Participants over 15 years old can participate in the adult division. Entry fee is $25 per angler, and you must be a member of the CCA.

New members are welcome to fish in the tournament by paying the fishing tournament fee in addition to the CCA annual membership fee of $25.

Prizes will be awarded for the top 10 largest speckled trout.  The fish must be live when weighed.

Registration for the tournament will be held on Dec. 2 from 6-7 p.m. at Bay Marina, 100 Bay Marina Drive in Bay St. Louis.

Registration will be followed by a mandatory captain’s meeting at 7 p.m. At least one angler per boat must attend. Tournament rules will be read and made available during the captain’s meeting.

All captains will also be asked that their boats follow the Mississippi Department of Marine Resources boating guidelines.

Interested participants can preregister at the Bay Marina or by logging on to www.ccamississippi.org.  For more information, visit the CCA Web site or call 228.493.0737.