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Sponsors are a major part of Tuna
Jackpot Success.
By PAT McDONELL
WON Staff Writer
The Tuna Jackpot set a record for prize giveaways with
$190,000 doled out over three parties, topped by the Ford Super Cab F-150
worth $30,000 that was won in a drawing the last night by the honeymooning
couple Mike and Kathy Prida of Alpine.
There were hundreds of others prizes, including two
trips to Panama with Pesca Panama and two others on the new sportfishing
boat Intrepid, plus several trips to Alaska, including two to Waterfall
Resort and a surprise trip donated during the awards ceremony by a
contingent from a lodge in Kodiak, Alaska.
The 750 goodie bags by Shimano started off the
giveaways, but these spectacular bags, were $25 collapsible coolers with
the Tuna jackpot logo. They were stuffed with official Tuna Jackpot hats by
Finnseeker, Owner hook packs and lip balm, Flexx-Rap tape, Berkley‚s fishing
line for every angler, G-Loomis tatoos for that Cabo look, Banana Boat
products and brochures on Waterfall Resort in Alaska and Crocodile Bay Lodge
in Costa Rica.
There are simply too many winners to mention here, but
team 77 on the Rebecca had two anglers win spectacular prizes. Duane Decker
of Upland, a team Borracho member who fished the second Jackpot two years
ago, won a drawing for a Furuno GP1650F Fish Finder, GPS and plotter. His
fellow teammate, Pat Statham of Trabuco, won the 7-day trip with five days
fishing to Crocadile Bay Lodge in Costa Rica.
The tournament just gets better and better every
year, said Decker. We have a great time! Their team had no big tuna, but
they did have a nice wahoo, a 56 pounder that was the fourth biggest weighed
over 2 days.
Attending sponsors were there to see the tourney
unfold, have fun and promote their products and help staff at the various
parties and drawings. They were: Dave Bolton and Jay Povin of Mercury, Dave
and Lisa Henry of Flexx-Rap tape, Leonard Johnson and Steve Bradburn of
Furuno who donated three high-end electronics units for drawings, and Dennis
Yamamoto, Dan Sasahara and Kat Shitanishi of Owner hooks.
Ford Dealers of Southern California were represented by
Dick Landfield of Fairway Ford in Placentia and Marty Burch of Burch Ford
who competed and caught two fish over 100 pounds, including a 132.5 pounder
that was in the top 20 over two days. Landfield and Burch, with Paul Leader
of Elk Cajon Ford (who could not attend) sponsored the Ford Truck Giveaway.
Bruch also donated three Shimano TLD two-speed reels given away in free
drawings over three nights.
Brad Steiler and Clay Norris of Berkley was on hand to
assist staff and help dole out all that Berkley fishing line product for
each angler and all those huge spools of line for the drawings. John Beath
of Crocadile Bay Resort was on hand to give out the free trip, while Marty
Furman of Trojan batteries, and Gary Schaffer and Jim Lebson of G. Loomis
were in Cabo. Bart and Ginny Hall and Mike and Rita Battistoni of Fred Hall
& Associates enjoyed the festivities and helped WON staff and other sponsors
in organizing the drawing prize packages.
From four-year Jackpot sponsor Shimano who provided 20
Trinidad and two-speed TLD reels as well as all those free coolers, there
was Jeremy Sweet, Justin Poe, Guy Johnson, Robert and Carrie Betts and John
and Suzie Mazurkiewicz. Pete Gray of Let‚s Talk Hookup broadcasted his show
live on Saturday morning from the patio of the Hotel Hacienda for the fourth
year in a row, and the Outdoor Channel was on hand with a staff made up of
Jake Hartwick, Wade Sherman, Mark Corcoran, Keith Covey, and Mike Ludlum.
Fishworks Clothing was represented by Pam Quigley of
Fishworks, Hi-5 lures was on hand to display their lures at the check-in as
many were donated to the prizes and produced some of the 100-pound class
fish. Dan Ross was representing Dan‚s Specialty Guide Service which donated
a spectacular $3,000 trip to Bristol Bay in Alaska.
Tracy Melton and Ryan Tomales of Melton‚s Tackle in
Anaheim were on hand and competing, and AeroMexico Airlines was represented
by Maria Murillo Mendez. Frank Baroudi of San Diego competed and caught the
14th biggest tuna of the event, plus donated several hundred dollars of
Dominican cigars for raffles, and they were well-received and enjoyed by the
winners.
The following is list of 2002 Tuna Jackpot sponsors, in
alphabetical order, of those who donated products or assisted in support of
the event.
Administration Portuaria Integral (API) ˜ The
Cabo-based agency that controls the marina waterfront again allowed the
staff of Western Outdoor News to use the marina-side malecon by the Cabo
Marina office for its two-day weigh-in.
AeroMexico ˜ The official airline of the Los
Cabos Tuna Jackpot Tournament. They provided air transportation for the crew
of the Outdoor Channel, which filmed the Tuna Jackpot for broadcast in early
2003 at a time to be announced.
Angler‚s Center ˜
This fishing accessories store in Newport Beach
provided the host site for the recent WON/Mercury Tuna Jackpot Tuna Seminar
and Sale and provided the free sponsors and giveaway polo shirts for
drawings, in addition to providing a $250 gift certificate. Contact (949)
642-6662. website
www.anglerscenter.com
Area Rule Engineering ˜ Area Rule donated 300 of
its hot Tunobs tuna lures for giveaways in the drawings over the four days,
with the bulk handed out the first night at the captains‚ meeting at Hotel
Plaza Las Glorias. Call (949) 366-1333 for information. Web site
www.arearule.com.
Baja Fishing Resorts ˜ A couple of fabulous
trips for two with food and fishing and great accommodations at the East
Cape‚s Punta Colorada or the Palmas De Cortez were in the prize packages.
Call (800) 368-4334 or look on their website at
www.bajaresorts.com for more
details.
Ballyhood Lures ˜ Ballyhood suppled $300 worth
of its tuna-catching lures. Web site
www.ballyhood.com.
Banana Boat ˜ A new sponsor for all WON events,
Banana Boat products were among the free items given out in Cabo to all
entrants at check in, plus 20 product gift packages including Banana Boat
t-shirts and product samples as part of the nightly drawings.
Frank Baroudi ˜ This four-time competitor who
imports cigars, donated several boxes of high-end Dominican cigars for the
nightly drawings.
Berkley ˜ Berkley is a four-year sponsor of the
Tuna Jackpot and Brad Steiler of Pure Fishing again attended and assisted
WON staff. Ten bulk spools of Trilene Big Game and 10 spools of Supreme line
were handed out in drawings over the three three nightly parties, and each
angler received a special Tuna jackpot spool of line. Visit
www.berkley-fishing.com to see
their full line of products.
Big Tuna Gear.Com ˜ Two Fish Cleaning Stations valued
at $400 were provided by
www.bigtunagear.com, a website that specializes in Internet sales of
fishing gear.
Blue Water Tackle ˜ Blue Water Tackle in Solana
Beach again joined the list of sponsors for the Tuna Jackpot this year. The
Solana Beach-based store features all the tackle you need to score big tuna,
and even carry a full line of fly equipment. They supplied 12 tournament
packages with shirts, lures and hats.
Braid Offshore Products ˜ Lures, rod belts and
harnesses, and a full line of other accessories are highlights of the Braid
products, and owner Dennis Braid again put together a $1,200 prize package
of Power Play belts, videos, harnesses and lures. See the website at
www.braidproducts.com. Also,
Dennis was also a featured speaker at the Tuna Seminar Oct. 5 at Angler‚s
Center.
Buena Vista Beach Resort ˜ This world-class
luxury resort, located on the East Cape, donated a 4-day, 3-night trip for
two. The $1,200 trip includes fishing and meals. For more information on the
resort call (800) 752-3555.
Burch Ford ˜ Marty Burch and Team Borracho
donated three $350 Shimano TLD two-speed reels, above and beyond the 20
Tiagra and Trinidad reels Shimano already donated. And, of course, Marty and
his team competed and caught two 100-pound plus tuna.
Cabo Magic ˜ Cabo Magic‚s full-day 35-foot
Bertram Sportfisher donated six free nightly cruises on the Cabo Magic. A
great chance to enjoy the beautiful sunsets with a drink in one hand and
your arm around your significant other. Web site
www.cabomagic.com.
Cabo Surf Hotel ˜ Smack dab on the sand in front
of the most popular surf spot in San Jose Del Cabo, the hotel is offering a
5-night package for two at their beautiful facility. Relax in the pool,
check out the waves and the quiet beach a few steps away and then make your
tough decisions of whether to surf or keep relaxing. Tough one. This hotel
is small, old-Baja and beautiful. As they say in real estate, location,
location, location. Check it out at
www.cabosurf.com
Cannon Downriggers ˜ Six Uni-Troll HP Val-U-Pak
high-speed retrieve units were awarded. These feature Lexan and stainless
steel construction, 3-digit counter, telescopic boom, rod holder, line
release, low profile swivel base, ball storage hook and a limited lifetime
warranty. Check out their website at
www.computrol.com.
Catchy Tackle ˜ The spinning rotor creates a
unique combination of flash, vibration and a bubble trail that consistently
produces. Catchy Tackle provided 40 lures worth $800, so tournament
competitors could take one for a spin. Check their website at
www.catchytackle.com.
Champ and Camp ˜ The sportfisher Champ, based in
San Diego, provided a unique trip on its exclusive Champ and Camp trips to
Mag Bay surfishing, featuring inshore fishing and offshore tuna battles.
Chuck Byron Galleries ˜ The renowned San Diego
wildlife artist Chuck Byron is the Official Tuna Jackpot Artist and donated
another painting that was auctioned off for $2,500 with the money donated to
a charity for poor Cabo children. Byron competed on the Picante Express and
gave away the painting. Contact his Point Loma Gallery at: (619) 789-7921.
Web site www.chuckbyron.com.
Costa del Mar Sunglasses ˜ These sun glasses
always make a big splash in Cabo, with six pairs of their latest creations
at $150 each awarded. The polarized sunglasses are made with the finest sun
protective lenses that provide optimum color contrast and complete
protection from punishing glare and harmful UV rays. See their website at
www.costadelmar.com.
Crocodile Bay Lodge ˜ Crocodile Bay Lodge,
located in Costa Rica, is a first-class resort set among 44 acres of
tropical gardens. It lies along some of Costa Rica‚s most beautiful beaches.
The waters off Crocodile Bay offer billfish, high-flying dorado, marlin,
yellowtail and bigeye tuna. The trip for two for five days of fishing and a
7-night/8-day was awarded by John Beat to Pat Statham of Trabuco. For more
information on the lodge, call (800)733-1115 or (877) 733-5146 or visit
www.crocodilebay.com.
Dan‚s Specialty Guide Service ˜ Dan and Suzie
Ross, owners of the guide service, donated a fabulous $3,200 trip for one
person to their spectacular salmon camp in southwest Alaska in Bristol Bay
on the shores of the Nushagak River. It‚s a seven-day package with five days
of guided fishing. Dam was in Cabo to make the presentation as well. See
their website: www.danspecialty.com
Finnseeker Tournaments and Tackle ˜ Organizer of
several saltwater events in SoCal such as the Mako Madness in Dana Point,
they have nearly a dozen events on the schedule in partnership with Allcoast,
and all for charity. The company also produces a line of high-end gaffs and
lures. See their website at
www.finnseeker.com. Chris Badsey of Finnseeker is provided 800 official
Tuna Jackpot hats, black canvas andlow-profile with the beautifully stitched
logo
Fishworks ˜ Fishworks makes durable, stylish
clothes for fishermen, and donated shirts and shorts for drawings. Fishworks‚
Pam Quigley attended the event, helped check anglers in on Day 1. For more
information call (949) 493-3233 or visit
www.fishworksproducts.com.
Flexx-Rap ˜ Dave and Lisa Henry were again
attending sponsors and Flexx-Rap gave each team six-packs of the tape at
check-in and at each of the parties, the Flexx-Rap cash awards were handed
out, crisp $100 bills were given away for a total of $2,000 total. Contact
Flexx-Rap at: www.flexx-rap.com and
by phone at (805) 472-2681.
Fred Hall and Associates ˜ Bart and Jinny Hall
and their family generously provided booth space at the Del Mar Fred Hall
Show to help in the promotion of the Tuna Jackpot Tournament. They again
attended and added a little extra something, 10 packs of tickets to their
shows and $200 cash in each drawing to blow at their shows or in Cabo. Get
all the details on the fabulous Hall shows at
www.fredhall.com.
Ford Dealers of Southern California ˜ The
official truck company of all WON events. Burch Ford of La Habra, Fairway
Ford of Placentia and El Cajon Ford sponsored the $30,000 Ford F-150 Super
Cab Truck Giveaway that was won by Mike Prida of Alpine, who was
honeymooning with his wife Kathy. In addition, Marty Burch donated three
$350 Shimano TLD two-speed reels. Attending and competing on the Reel Trick,
and catching a 132.5 pound yellowfin as well as another 100-pound class fish
were Burch and Dick Landfield of Fairway. Also on their team were Don
Southard and Bll Sarege.
Furuno ˜ Makers of outstanding commercial grade
marine electronics for the pro to the private boater. Three units worth
$4,000 were given away in drawings. One was the GP165OF GPS/chart plotter
combo with 600 watts for the sounder, a unit retailing for $1,995. There is
also the color LCD FCV 600L Video Sounder with 350 watts with a $895
listing, and the color FCV 582L Video Sounder with 600 watts, retailing at
$1,595. See the website at www.furuno.com.
G. Loomis Rods ˜ Pelagic Series fishing rods
were doled out, 16 in drawings and four for the team that caught the biggest
wahoo, a 74.1 pounder. These rods are valued at $300 The website address is
www.gloomis.com; telephone is (800)
GLOOMIS.
Hi-5 Lures ˜ These lures win big-game
tournaments and several of these hot tuna and marlin lures were handed out
in free drawings. Ken Matney was in attendance and displayed the full array
of lures at the captains meeting and sign-up party.
Hook Sportfishing Charters ˜ A $3,700 charter on
the Captain Hook II out of Dana Point was handed out in one of the drawings.
Hook Sportfishing also books the lodge at Lake El Salto in mainland Mexico
for big bass action with Billy Chapman‚s operation, plus great duck and
wingshooting, and another great trip Hook handles is Big K Ranch in Oregon,
the hotbed for smallmouth bass and fishing hospitality at a first class
ranch/resort facility. See their website at
www.hooksportfishingcom.
Intrepid Sportfishing ˜ The newest and most
luxurious long range sportfisher, the 111-foot Intrepid, is under
construction and will be in the water as of July for its shakedown cruises,
then the summer season, then it‚s off to Panama and faraway places. The
Intrepid will be running trips out of Panama City to the legendary Hannibal
Bank and outer islands for nearly four months in the 2004 season. Stay tuned
for a full schedule. TWO trips for one angler each, valued at $4,000 for
each Panama trip, were handed out at the Tuna Jackpot in nightly parties.
Many thanks to owner Ken Price and General Manager Carol Stock for their
generosity. See their website at
www.intrepidsportfishing.com
or call Carol Stock at 877-686-7827.
Irish Setter ˜ Looking for a quality fishing
shoe? Irish Setter has introduced six fishing shoes to help you remain dry,
avoid slipping and give you support. Irish Setter again donated 24 shoe gift
certificates, valued at $100. For more information, call (651) 388-8211 or
visit www.irishsetterboots.com.
Jig Stop ˜ This Dana Point tackle store is your
Baja connection for tackle and travel, boats and sportfishers and just plain
good advice. The shop and travel service donated a certificate good for a
free day of panga fishing. (949) 496-0960.
Kelly Tires ˜ Official tire sponsor of all WON
events. A set of four Safari tires for your car or truck was awarded at the
Jackpot.
Leatherman ˜ This new WON Events sponsor has the
new Pulse, the all- purpose palm-sized folding tool that every fishermen
should have. Leatherman donated 12 Pulse units worth $75 each. Visit their
website at www.leatherman.com
Let‚s Talk Hook-Up ˜ Pete Gray attended his
fourth Tuna Jackpot and broadcast his two-hour radio show Saturday from the
patio of the beautiful Hotel Hacienda. Call the show at (619) 291-2912, or
*690 from a cell phone, on the office line at (760) 941-FISH. You can listen
to the show on the show‚s website www. hookup690.com.
Melton‚s Tackle ˜ This Orange County big game
tackle store has all the best gear and knowledge for the hard core anglers,
whether you‚re a tournament competitor or the kind that finds his own fish,
the BIG kind. Tracy Melton and his staff gave away 12 $100 gift certificates
to their Anaheim store for the drawings each night in Cabo and they competed
for the second year in a row. Call them at (714) 978-9192 and check out
their impressive operation at
www.meltontackle.com.
Mercury Marine ˜ Title sponsor of the event and
makers of outstanding outboard motors, 2-stroke and 4-stroke. In addition to
providing sponsorship money to hold the event in Cabo, Mercury again
providing over 800 t-shirts for anglers at the tournament and tournament
flags and also sponsored the wild Friday night party at Mama Roma‚s and
Shrimp Bucket. Dave Bolton and Jay Polvin of Mercury attended. Telephone
(800) MERCURY or see their at
www.mercurymarine.com.
Outdoor Channel ˜ The channel serving sportsmen
around the world was on-site with several crews to film the event and
brought a team to compete. Check out the Outdoor Channel‚s cable lineup at
www.outdoorchannel.com/freeguide. If your cable provider doesn‚t carry
it, demand it! 18 million subscribers can‚t be wrong!
Owner Hooks ˜ Kat Shitanishi and Dennis Yamamoto
were on hand for a fourth year of sponsorship with their quality product,
and four-packs of Offshore hooks were handed out to each team and hundreds
more packs given in free drawings over four nights. They biggest tuna, a 256
pounder, was caught on one of the Owner hooks handed out in the goodie bags.
Telephone (714) 668-9011. Web site
www.ownerhooks.com.
Pacific Pro/Williamson Lures ˜ An assortment of
high-end lures worth $350 were given to lucky anglers in the drawings. Call
them for details on their great lures at (949) 675-8797.
Performance Tackle ˜ Five gift certificates of
$100 were given away. Call (562) 430-7671 for more information.
Pesca Panama ˜ You‚ve heard of the Hannibal
Bank, the Jurassic Park of big-game fishing, right? Well, the floating Coiba
Island lodge and its new fleet of three center consoles made two winning
anglers very happy. Two trips for one angler each were doled out, and each
of those weeks of fantastic fishing and gourmet food is worth $3,500. Check
it out at www.pescapanama.com
Plano Molding Company ˜ At the Tuna Jackpot,
dozens soft-sided tackle boxes were given in drawings. These Plano boxes are
perfectly suited for ocean fishing, with a huge capacity for carrying a wide
range of baits. Website information is available at
www.planomolding.com; telephone is
(630) 552-3111.
Pure Fishing ˜ No one has a more complete array
of fishing lines than Berkley, with Big Game, FireLine, Whiplash, XT, XL,
Sensithin and more in their arsenal of monofilament and braided lines to
meet every need. Twenty bulk spools of Trilene Big Game fishing line will
again be given away during the tournament in drawings, and 600 spools of
Tuna Jackpot big game line were given to each angler at check-in! Contact:
(800) 237-5539.
Rapala ˜ A total of 10 dozen Magnum CD lures
were supplied by Rapala. These lures have long been a standby for tuna
anglers. For more information call (612) 933-7060 or see
www.rapala.com.
ReliefBand ˜ This unique product offers anglers
drug-free relief for sea sickness. There were 12 bands up for grabs in
drawings. For more information, call (800) 973-0378 or check out their
website at: www.reliefband.com.
Robert‚s Fish Mounts ˜ A replica of the
218.9-pound yellowfin that won the first annual Tuna Jackpot was provided by
Robert‚s last year and is now in Cabo with a perpetual plaque on which will
be added the boat names of teams that win the overall jackpot each year. The
mount is on display at the Pisces Fleet office on the malecon near Hotel
Plaza Las Glorias. This year, the Griselda will be added by virtue of its
256-pound yellowfin, biggest ever caught in the four years of the event.
Seaguar Fluorocarbon ˜ The company that invented
fluorocarbon line was again be a big part of this tournament. They offered
fluorocarbon leader spools in tests from 1 to 400 pounds. Genuine Seaguar
Fluorocarbon practically disappears in the water and that ultra-low
visibility means it is far less likely to spook the fish. Seaguar doled out
$500 worth of Fluorocarbon lines in various size tests. Telephone (561)
336-2280.
Shimano/American Fishing Tackle Co. ˜ One of the
world‚s largest tackle manufacturers is a huge supporter of this event for
the fourth year. As one of the largest sponsors of the tournament, their
prize contribution this year is valued at a whopping $21,000 and includes
10TLD 30 II 2-speed reels and 10 Trinidad reels, PLUS a fantastic soft bag
cooler for each entrant handed at check-in before the captain‚s meeting. A
huge Thank You to Shimano! Check out their website at
www.shimano.com. Telephone is (800)
833-5540.
Solomon‚s Landing ˜ This is the place for casual
outdoor but fine dining in Cabo on the malecon in front of Hotel Plaza Las
Glorias. Solomans provided 600 free margarita coupons. Bring your fish and
they‚ll cook it for you. Lobsters to tacos, Brian‚s staff does it all, and
it‚s a great spot to relax in cool air by the marina, and they make the best
margaritas in Cabo, hands down!
Solmar Hotel ˜ The Solmar Hotel in Cabo San
Lucas provided a free 3-night, 4-day stay and fishing package for anglers in
one of the nightly drawings. The Solmar is a great place to call home while
you‚re in Cabo. Their website address is: www.solmar.com. For more
information, call Cabo Resort Reservations, Inc. at (800) 344-3349 or (310)
459-9861, FAX (310) 454-1686; or email to
CaboResort@aol.com.
Surefire Lighting Products ˜ All fishermen need
a sturdy, corrosion-resistant personal light to help them gear up before the
sun rises. Surefire has a light that‚s perfect for all kinds of anglers
whether you chase cow tuna or stocker trout. Surefire supplied $1,600 worth
of top-of-the-line lighting products for giveaways and prizes. For more
information call (800) 828-8809 x184 or visit
www.surefire.com.
Trojan batteries ˜ The top name in marine
batteries. Four batteries (four $150 certificates) were given away. These
are quality power sources at work, and you‚ll soon know why the best boat
dealers and marine retailer swear by their durability and deep cycle power.
Villa La Estancia ˜ This luxurious condominium
development area in Baja offered up a 3-day fabulous prize. If you haven‚t
seen Via La Estancia just up the beach from the Hacienda, then you haven‚t
seen the ultimate Cabo condo ownership. Learn how you can own a luxury condo
on the beach! Check out the website at
www.villalaestancia.com.
Telephone in Baja is 011-52-114-38121.
Waterfall Resort ˜ Alaska‚s beautiful Waterfall
Resort is where anglers can target salmon, halibut and lingcod just to name
a few. The resort features great fishing boats, excellent guides and
top-of-the-line gear. The Waterfall Resort gave away an incredible two trips
for two people valued at $6,800 each. That‚s a $13,600 donation! For more
information call (800) 544-5125, or visit
www.waterfallresort.com.
Yo-Zuri Lures ˜
A great selection of offshore fishing lures were given by Yo-Zuri. Octopus
skirts are known around the world for their fabulous colors and
fish-catching ability. Featured in the prizes this year were 25 Hydro Magnum
trolling lures. Check their website at
www.yo-zuri.com or call (561) 336-2280.
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