West Bay Blackjack Fishing Tournament & Fundraiser

[WestEndAngler]

16th Annual West Bay Blackjack Fishing Tournament & Fundraiser

Saturday May 31, 2025

Title Sponsor - West End Marina & Restaurants

-$100 / angler
- NO Captain's Meeting
- Launch ANYWHERE you want (must be within tournament boundaries)
- Registration closes at 6:20 AM CST on May 31, 2025 (start of fishing for the tournament)
- Register online 24/7
- ANY number of anglers can fish together on the boat
- Keep fish on separate stringers! - This is an individual tournament.
- Side Pot (optional) - $20 / angler is redfish with most spots.


Rules & Regulations

1.All Federal and State rules and regulations will apply. Violation(s) will result in disqualification.
2.“Black Jack” means: Slot Redfish or Flounder closest to 21” without going over. Trout will be closest to 19” without going over. You can bring in all three species or just one or two, any combination is fine.
3.This is an individual tournament however any number of anglers can fish together.
4.All individuals on the boat must be entered in the tournament, no exceptions.
5.$100/ angler
6.Guides are allowed - 19 inches; & 21 inches; w/o going over levels the playing field! Yes you can hire a guide, but s/he must be entered.
7.Wade fishing is permitted; must be within sight of other anglers fishing with you (200 yards max)
8.Fishing hours will begin at 6:20 AM on May 31, 2025. Contestants must be in weigh-in line by 4:00 p.m. Weigh-in will begin at 2:30 p.m.
9.You may launch anywhere! Anglers are not allowed to leave the dock / ramp / no wake zone until 5:50 am. Staging at the end of a no wake zone or away from a dock is perfectly fine before 5:50 AM. Anglers walking in with no boat or Kayak may begin walking from a public road or access point at 5:35 AM.
10.Artificial or Live Bait
11.No angler(s) is permitted to approach nearer than 50 yards to any other boat unless permission has been granted. Permission must be loudly vocalized, received & acknowledged by angler(s). Permission may not be unreasonably withheld conditioned or delayed.
12.No fish may be accepted from or given to another angler(s) or boat(s)
13.No communication between other tournament anglers or outside source for purposes of finding fish during the tournament, checking in with loved ones is okay.
14.All anglers on your boat or in your group must be entered in the Tournament.
15.Boat, Wade and Kayak Fishing is all permitted within the stated boundaries.
16.See Link for Boundary Map--> Everything West of the Causeway Rail Bridge to Surfside Bridge (FM 332).
17.All participants will be subject to polygraph testing.
18.All anglers must have a valid Texas Fishing license with saltwater endorsement stamp.
19.Anglers must be in the weigh in line no later than 4:00 p.m., unless you are standing in line or you are noticed by an official in the parking lot bringing in your fish, weigh in will close immediately at 4:00 PM.
20.Anglers can lineup prior to the official weigh-in time to hold their position in line. An angler cannot vacate their position for any reason otherwise the entire line can move forward one spot. A team member must be present at all times to hold your position in line prior to weigh-in.
21.All fish must be within the regulations of TPWD. Any undersized or oversized fish that are turned in for measuring that are not within regulations will disqualify the angler.
22.In case of a tie, the earlier measured fish will prevail.
23.All Weigh Masters rulings are FINAL
24.Each angler will receive a gift card good for use at the marina and a Raffle Ticket upon check-in. - Check in closes at 4PM.
25.Sponsors and organizers are not responsible for any accident or injury, nor loss, damage, or theft to any property.
26.Plaques will be awarded to 1st- 5th place in each main division category. Cash Payout to the top 3 anglers for each species.
27.You can only win one place per species (remember it is an individual tournament)
28.Registered anglers only must be standing in line at the weigh table to hold their position in weigh line prior to the door opening. No exceptions.
29.Side Pot: (Optional) - $20/ angler, redfish with most posts, 60% / 30% / 10% cash payout. In the event of a tie earlier weighed fish will win. Spots must be larger than a #2 pencil eraser.
30. Side Pot - If one angler on your boat elects to do the side pot, all anglers on that boat must be entered - no exceptions. 3 Plaques for side pot (1st – 3rd Place)
31.Kayak Anglers - You are allowed to exceed the max distance stated in Rule #7 only to take a fish back to a truck or shoreline to place it in a cooler or live well. You must immediately return to within the 200 yard range of your partner once completed.
32.A percentage of every entry fee will be donated to the Gary J Lynn Foundation, in turn you will get 1 Free Raffle Ticket per paid entry.
33.Awards Ceremony, Raffle & Auction: 4:45 – 5:30 PM, May 31, 2025 at West End Restaurant & Sand Bar (Sea Isle) 21706 Burnet Dr. Galveston, TX 77554.
34.IN CASE OF BAD WEATHER, THIS EVENT WILL BE RESCHEDULED, IF FOR ANY REASON EVENT CANNOT BE HELD ALL ENTRY FEES WILL BE REFUNDED

Payout scale based on 100 entries (anglers) as follows:
(For each category / species):

1st Place $1,150
2nd Place $800
3rd Place $400

[WestEndAngler]

Attention Fishing Enthusiasts!

We hope this message finds you well. Due to the weather forecast predicting extreme high winds and thunderstorms on Saturday, we have made the difficult decision to reschedule our fundraiser originally set for April 5th.

Safety is our number one concern for all anglers, and we want everyone to enjoy a great time without any worries. We have been working hard to find a new date and are excited to announce that the event will now take place on May 31st!

If any anglers need a refund, please contact us directly. Otherwise, your paid entry will be valid for the new date in May.

Thank you for your understanding and support. We look forward to seeing everyone at the rescheduled event! Stay safe and tight lines!

#FishingFundraiser #SafetyFirst #RescheduledEvent

[WestEndAngler]

Congratulations to all the winners of our Blackjack Fishing Tournament & Fundraiser! A special thank you to all of our incredible sponsors for making today’s event a huge success! Your generous support helped us bring our community together for a fun-filled day of fishing and giving back. We couldn’t have done it without you! A special thank you to the The West End Marina & Restaurants for their partnership, hard to believe it's been 16 years!
Without further ado, we're thrilled to celebrate the incredible catches:

Trout:
1. Jaxsten Benys – 19”
2. Michael Crawn – 18 15/16”
3. Chase Poole – 18 7/8”
4. Austin Zepeda – 18 3/4"
5. Leo Carrasco – 18 3/4"
6. Justin Cooper – 18 11/16”
7. Andrew Westling – 18 7/16”
8. Arda Guzel – 18 3/8”
9. Tom Hill – 18 5/16”
10. Clayton Carter – 18 5/16”
11. Justin Brewer – 18 5/16”
12. Harry Arthur – 18 5/16”
13. Lance Poole – 18 1/16”
14. Ryder Vitko – 18”
15. Gage Laubach – 17 15/16”
16. Chandler Emmerson – 17 7/8”
17. Parker Tally – 17 1/2"
18. Michael Wright – 17 1/2"
19. Nolan Carter- 17 3/16”
20. William Maples – 17 3/16”
21. Craig Berka – 16 7/8”
22. Grayson Vitko – 16 5/16”
23. Jesse Dodd – 16 1/4"
24. Michael Windam – 16”
25. Fisher Vitko – 15 3/4"

Redfish:
1. John Spafford – 21”
2. Jessee Dodd – 20 3/4"
3. Tom Hill – 20 1/4"
4. Justin Cooper – 20 3/16”
5. Jody Morrison – 20 1/16”

Flounder:
1. Matthew Schultz – 18 1/2"
2. Justin Brewer – 18 5/16”
3. William Maples – 18 1/8”
4. Trent Stumbaugh – 16 1/2"
5. Larry Higgins – 16 5/16”
6. Bryton Sumbles – 16 1/16”
7. Allen Radwanski – 16”
8. Jody Morrison – 15 15/16”
9. Michael Windam – 15 1/4"

Redfish w/ Most Spots:
1. Tom Hill – 6
2. Jessee Dodd – 6
3. Parker Tally – 5
4. Trent Stumbaugh - 2
Thank you to everyone who participated and made this event a success! We're excited to announce our next big event — West Bay Slam Tournament & Fundraiser on July 12th. Mark your calendars, and get ready for more fishing fun, community spirit, and fundraising! Stay tuned for more details. #FishingSuccess #CommunityStrong #westbayslam