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Jacksonville Kingfish Tournament

January 07, 2023

The AT&T Greater Jacksonville Kingfish Tournament (GJKT) is a contest fishing for King mackerel that spans six days every July in Jacksonville, Florida. The tournament is the largest kingfish tournament.[1] According to Rick Ryals, a local boat captain, the GJKT is "true competition in its purest form. It doesn’t matter how big your boat is or how much it costs. There are no secret weapons. There is only good solid preparation and the luck of the draw."[2]

2010 GJKT logo

History

In 1980, a handful of Jacksonville businessmen including Bob Gipson, Walt Murr and Pete Loftin resolved to create a fishing contest like the ones offered in Miami and Fort Lauderdale. The first tournament was staged in 1981 at the Beach Marina on Beach Blvd. at the Intracoastal Waterway. Commuters on their way home would stop, relax and enjoy the event. For thousands of spectators, it became more of a food festival than a fishing tournament. That changed drastically in 1996, when the tournament was moved to Sisters Creek Park, a much larger area but more remote.[1][3] A newspaper reporter stated that "Sister's Creek (Park) isn't 'on the way' to anywhere from anywhere. If you're headed that way, you're pretty much headed there."[4] The location is ten miles northeast of the city center, down a winding, two-lane road.[1]

Charity

By the tenth year of the tournament, the event was firmly established and had grown so large that a legal entity was needed to take responsibility for signing contracts and handling finances. Jacksonville Marine Charities, Inc. (JMC) was founded in 1991 as a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization to run the tournament and distribute the proceeds. Leona Sheddan was executive director of the tournament for eight years.[5] The projects that JMC supports must be marine-oriented and originate with another not-for-profit group. In its history, JMC has awarded over $650,000 to other non-profits, which has benefited all Floridians, as well as First Coast residents.[6]

Current and past projects have included:

  • Development of Sisters Creek Park and more than $308K contributions to the park maintenance & improvement fund (The park was renamed Jim King Park & Boat Ramp at Sisters Creek after his death in 2009)[7]
  • Helen Cooper Floyd (Little Jetties) Park renovation.
  • A scholarship fund for marine science and oceanography students at Jacksonville University and the University of North Florida
  • Jacksonville University .[8]
  • Offering the marine science education course in area public and private high schools
  • Support for the Reef Ball project at Mandarin High School.
  • Encouragement of marine conservation and habitat preservation
  • Donations to:
    • National Ocean Sciences Bowl
    • St. Johns Riverkeeper
    • Safe Harbor Boys Home

Silver anniversary

For the 25th tournament in 2005, special events were added to the week's activities. The GJKT invited all the previous first, second and third-place winners to participate in a Tournament of Champions on Monday, and offered a $10,000 cash prize. The VIP Tournament, also on Monday, had $50,000 in cash for the winner, and the Yamaha Pro Kingfish Tour held a two-day contest for the biggest two-fish catch with $40,000 in cash. The Junior Angler Tournament was Tuesday, then the Greater Jacksonville Kingfish Tournament was Thursday and Friday, with cash and prizes valued at over $400,000.[9][10]

Controversy

The history of the GJKT has been relatively free of controversy; the exception being 2007. Scott Senecal had the highest total weight for two fish at 66.95 pounds at the end of the second day. Later in the evening, tournament officials discovered that Senecal's Contender 23T was actually a 25-foot boat and not eligible for the 23 Class. His entry was moved into the Ultra category due to "a clerical error on our part" by the tournament official present. The next morning, executive director Mike Wheeler erroneously stated that 2nd-place finisher Don Combs had filed a protest, and the rules committee would meet in the afternoon. Senecal was invited to attend, but he chose not to. Jeff Royer, tournament director, called Senecal to inform him that he had been disqualified for an improper application form by leaving his boat length blank. When asked to cite the rule for application omissions, Royer admitted there wasn't one, but he insisted that Senecal violated the rule that says boat classification changes can only be made prior to the start of fishing. However, the GJKT originally stated that he had not specified a class.[11]

After witnessing public outrage on Sunday and Monday, the GJKT acknowledged some responsibility for the problem, and on Tuesday gave Senecal a prize equal to the one he had lost. He was also awarded first place in a special category. However, some of the anger was directed towards Don Combs, who did nothing wrong. On several websites, he was portrayed as a bad guy by individuals who were ignorant of the facts. The GJKT did nothing to restore Comb's reputation.[4]

Master of ceremonies

Jim King was a popular and powerful Florida senator from Jacksonville, but he always found time for the GJKT and was the voice of the tournament for more than 25 years. His favorite spot was a seat where he could see the boats return to weigh their catch, and provide a humorous commentary. Jim Sutton, a reporter for the Florida Times-Union, wrote that "Jim King can talk for hours without noticeably taking a breath. He can be darn funny doing it, and he personally knows 80 percent of the captains and crews that hit the dock for weigh-ins."[4]

After his death in July 2009, Sisters Creek Marina Park was renamed Jim King Park & Boat Ramp at Sisters Creek in King’s honor.[7][12]

Changes

The Late-2000s recession had an extreme impact on the sport marine industry. Job losses and cutbacks affected discretionary recreational spending more than most market segments. New boat sales were nil, so manufacturers cut their sponsorships. Some fisherman were forced to give up their boat ownership or team up with friends to save expenses. The tournament had not covered expenses since 2004 and had spent $200,000 of their reserve fund to compensate, so in 2009 the board of directors made drastic changes to daily activities to ensure the future of the event. Two paid positions, an executive director and assistant were both eliminated to save over $90K per year. Bob Gipson, one of the tournament founders, resigned from the board of directors and assumed the executive director position at no salary. He then examined virtually every facet of the operation to reduce expenses.[1]

  • The VIP tournament was dropped after 2008 because the board of directors resolved that the tournament should emphasize the average fisherman, not professionals in sponsored boats.
  • The Liar's Tent, which in the past featured professional entertainers, was scaled back and uses local talent.
  • The Boatshow has fewer participants. When Boater's World went out of business, their large display went with it.
  • A big exhibitor tent was discontinued. Exhibitors once included government agencies, local & national businesses and organizations. The ones who return are assigned a 10-foot square piece of ground.
  • Operation of the Boatique, which sells official tournament merchandise and souvenirs, was turned over to a private vendor; the tournament receives a percentage of sales.
  • Vendors for the Food Festival were required to bid their services for the first time in 2008. Some long–time participants thought they were exempt and didn't bid or bid seriously, and were excluded from the event.
  • The KidZone, a free children's play area, was discontinued due to high liability insurance costs and limited usage.[1]

Tournament

Professional and amateur anglers compete side by side for as much as $500,000 in cash and prizes,[3] depending upon the total number of entries. The rules permit the registration of up to 1,000 boats, each with as many as four anglers, for an entry fee that was $400 in 2010. There are prizes for the heaviest single kingfish, pair of kingfish, and the largest cobia. Five kingfish caught in the week preceding the tournament are tagged, and there is a prize for catching them. Sponsors often offer prizes for the largest fish caught using their products. The tournament attracts approximately 20,000 spectators who watch the weigh-in and enjoy the festivities. The tournament is traditionally capped off with a substantial fireworks display sponsored by the City of Jacksonville.[13]

 
Kingfish

VIP tournament

This event was always held the first day of the tournament week, matching celebrities, politicians & big contributors with knowledgeable fisherman for a one-day fun outing. It was discontinued in 2008 due to high operational expenses and limited benefit.

Junior angler tournament

First held in 1991 for those under 16, it is a family event to promote good sportsmanship, conservation awareness and fun. The $10 (per angler) entrance fee has not changed since the Junior Angler tournament's inception, and prizes are awarded based on Kingfish weight. The boat used by the junior angler must be registered in the regular tournament.

Fish sale

All the fish caught and weighed become the property of the tournament, but they don't go to waste. Within minutes, they are gutted and iced down by Ed Thomas, a professional from Safe Harbor Seafood Market. They are shipped all over North America and consumed (mostly) by non-American ethnic groups who like the taste and low price (less than $2.75/lb). The tournament is paid just under $1 per pound for 5-8 tons of fish.[15]

Volunteers

The tournament relies on volunteers to maximize the proceeds available for charities. As many as 400 individuals donate their time to make the event a success. A few people have actually served in every previous contest.

The Walt Murr Award honors an outstanding volunteer during the annual Tournament. The award was established during 1987 in honor of the first tournament chairman, Walt Murr. The honoree is selected by the board of directors upon recommendation from the current tournament chairman and vice chairmen.[16]

See also

References

  1. ^ a b c d e Sutton, Jim: "Greater Jacksonville Kingfish Tournament changing with times" Florida Times-Union, July 24, 2009
  2. ^ "General Tournament Information" Jacksonville Kingfish Tournament
  3. ^ a b "Champs to win big in Kingfish tourney" Florida Times-Union, March 21, 2001
  4. ^ a b c Sutton, Jim: "Lessons learned at kingfish event" Florida Times-Union, July 29, 2007
  5. ^ "Executive Bios" Jacksonville Humane Society
  6. ^ "Mission" Jacksonville Kingsfish Tournament
  7. ^ a b Galnor, Matt: "State Sen. Jim King dies after battle with pancreatic cancer" Florida Times-Union, July 26, 2009
  8. ^ "Kingfish Tournament donates $13,000 to JU" Jax Daily Record, April 16, 2007
  9. ^ "A pile of prize money offered in kingfish events" Florida Times-Union, July 17, 2005
  10. ^ Johnson, Kiem: "Kingfish tournament's festivities are no fish story" Florida Times-Union, July 22, 2005
  11. ^ Sutton, Jim: "Kingfish aggregate winner loses title" Florida Times-Union, July 22, 2007
  12. ^ Littlepage, Ron: "Jacksonville making progress on access to waterways" Florida Times-Union, February 25, 2010
  13. ^ "Tournament Info" Greater Jacksonville Kingfish Tournament website
  14. ^ a b c "Kingfish Tournament: Past Winners" Florida Times-Union, July 18, 2006
  15. ^ Sutton, Jim: "Kingfish haul hits the market" Florida Times-Union, July 22, 2007
  16. ^ a b "Walt Murr Award" Greater Jacksonville Kingfish Tournament

External links

  • GJKT Official Website
  • Southern Kingfish Association

January 07, 2023
jacksonville, kingfish, tournament, greater, gjkt, contest, fishing, king, mackerel, that, spans, days, every, july, jacksonville, florida, tournament, largest, kingfish, tournament, according, rick, ryals, local, boat, captain, gjkt, true, competition, purest. The AT amp T Greater Jacksonville Kingfish Tournament GJKT is a contest fishing for King mackerel that spans six days every July in Jacksonville Florida The tournament is the largest kingfish tournament 1 According to Rick Ryals a local boat captain the GJKT is true competition in its purest form It doesn t matter how big your boat is or how much it costs There are no secret weapons There is only good solid preparation and the luck of the draw 2 2010 GJKT logo Contents 1 History 1 1 Charity 1 2 Silver anniversary 1 3 Controversy 1 4 Master of ceremonies 1 5 Changes 2 Tournament 2 1 VIP tournament 2 2 Junior angler tournament 3 Fish sale 4 Volunteers 5 See also 6 References 7 External linksHistory EditIn 1980 a handful of Jacksonville businessmen including Bob Gipson Walt Murr and Pete Loftin resolved to create a fishing contest like the ones offered in Miami and Fort Lauderdale The first tournament was staged in 1981 at the Beach Marina on Beach Blvd at the Intracoastal Waterway Commuters on their way home would stop relax and enjoy the event For thousands of spectators it became more of a food festival than a fishing tournament That changed drastically in 1996 when the tournament was moved to Sisters Creek Park a much larger area but more remote 1 3 A newspaper reporter stated that Sister s Creek Park isn t on the way to anywhere from anywhere If you re headed that way you re pretty much headed there 4 The location is ten miles northeast of the city center down a winding two lane road 1 Charity Edit By the tenth year of the tournament the event was firmly established and had grown so large that a legal entity was needed to take responsibility for signing contracts and handling finances Jacksonville Marine Charities Inc JMC was founded in 1991 as a 501 c 3 non profit organization to run the tournament and distribute the proceeds Leona Sheddan was executive director of the tournament for eight years 5 The projects that JMC supports must be marine oriented and originate with another not for profit group In its history JMC has awarded over 650 000 to other non profits which has benefited all Floridians as well as First Coast residents 6 Current and past projects have included Development of Sisters Creek Park and more than 308K contributions to the park maintenance amp improvement fund The park was renamed Jim King Park amp Boat Ramp at Sisters Creek after his death in 2009 7 Helen Cooper Floyd Little Jetties Park renovation A scholarship fund for marine science and oceanography students at Jacksonville University and the University of North Florida Jacksonville University Marine science research projects 8 Offering the Boater 101 marine science education course in area public and private high schools Support for the Reef Ball project at Mandarin High School Encouragement of marine conservation and habitat preservation Donations to Jacksonville Offshore Fishing Club s Reef Projects National Ocean Sciences Bowl St Johns Riverkeeper Safe Harbor Boys HomeSilver anniversary Edit For the 25th tournament in 2005 special events were added to the week s activities The GJKT invited all the previous first second and third place winners to participate in a Tournament of Champions on Monday and offered a 10 000 cash prize The VIP Tournament also on Monday had 50 000 in cash for the winner and the Yamaha Pro Kingfish Tour held a two day contest for the biggest two fish catch with 40 000 in cash The Junior Angler Tournament was Tuesday then the Greater Jacksonville Kingfish Tournament was Thursday and Friday with cash and prizes valued at over 400 000 9 10 Controversy Edit The history of the GJKT has been relatively free of controversy the exception being 2007 Scott Senecal had the highest total weight for two fish at 66 95 pounds at the end of the second day Later in the evening tournament officials discovered that Senecal s Contender 23T was actually a 25 foot boat and not eligible for the 23 Class His entry was moved into the Ultra category due to a clerical error on our part by the tournament official present The next morning executive director Mike Wheeler erroneously stated that 2nd place finisher Don Combs had filed a protest and the rules committee would meet in the afternoon Senecal was invited to attend but he chose not to Jeff Royer tournament director called Senecal to inform him that he had been disqualified for an improper application form by leaving his boat length blank When asked to cite the rule for application omissions Royer admitted there wasn t one but he insisted that Senecal violated the rule that says boat classification changes can only be made prior to the start of fishing However the GJKT originally stated that he had not specified a class 11 After witnessing public outrage on Sunday and Monday the GJKT acknowledged some responsibility for the problem and on Tuesday gave Senecal a prize equal to the one he had lost He was also awarded first place in a special category However some of the anger was directed towards Don Combs who did nothing wrong On several websites he was portrayed as a bad guy by individuals who were ignorant of the facts The GJKT did nothing to restore Comb s reputation 4 Master of ceremonies Edit Jim King was a popular and powerful Florida senator from Jacksonville but he always found time for the GJKT and was the voice of the tournament for more than 25 years His favorite spot was a seat where he could see the boats return to weigh their catch and provide a humorous commentary Jim Sutton a reporter for the Florida Times Union wrote that Jim King can talk for hours without noticeably taking a breath He can be darn funny doing it and he personally knows 80 percent of the captains and crews that hit the dock for weigh ins 4 After his death in July 2009 Sisters Creek Marina Park was renamed Jim King Park amp Boat Ramp at Sisters Creek in King s honor 7 12 Changes Edit The Late 2000s recession had an extreme impact on the sport marine industry Job losses and cutbacks affected discretionary recreational spending more than most market segments New boat sales were nil so manufacturers cut their sponsorships Some fisherman were forced to give up their boat ownership or team up with friends to save expenses The tournament had not covered expenses since 2004 and had spent 200 000 of their reserve fund to compensate so in 2009 the board of directors made drastic changes to daily activities to ensure the future of the event Two paid positions an executive director and assistant were both eliminated to save over 90K per year Bob Gipson one of the tournament founders resigned from the board of directors and assumed the executive director position at no salary He then examined virtually every facet of the operation to reduce expenses 1 The VIP tournament was dropped after 2008 because the board of directors resolved that the tournament should emphasize the average fisherman not professionals in sponsored boats The Liar s Tent which in the past featured professional entertainers was scaled back and uses local talent The Boatshow has fewer participants When Boater s World went out of business their large display went with it A big exhibitor tent was discontinued Exhibitors once included government agencies local amp national businesses and organizations The ones who return are assigned a 10 foot square piece of ground Operation of the Boatique which sells official tournament merchandise and souvenirs was turned over to a private vendor the tournament receives a percentage of sales Vendors for the Food Festival were required to bid their services for the first time in 2008 Some long time participants thought they were exempt and didn t bid or bid seriously and were excluded from the event The KidZone a free children s play area was discontinued due to high liability insurance costs and limited usage 1 Tournament EditProfessional and amateur anglers compete side by side for as much as 500 000 in cash and prizes 3 depending upon the total number of entries The rules permit the registration of up to 1 000 boats each with as many as four anglers for an entry fee that was 400 in 2010 There are prizes for the heaviest single kingfish pair of kingfish and the largest cobia Five kingfish caught in the week preceding the tournament are tagged and there is a prize for catching them Sponsors often offer prizes for the largest fish caught using their products The tournament attracts approximately 20 000 spectators who watch the weigh in and enjoy the festivities The tournament is traditionally capped off with a substantial fireworks display sponsored by the City of Jacksonville 13 Kingfish Tournament winners 14 Single Fish Fish GroupYear Winner Weight Winner Weight1981 Paul Hanson 50 2 Gerald Beasly 135 4 5 1982 Jack Proctor 41 2 Walter Bates 78 1 5 1983 Ross Vilardo 48 5 Clayton Kirby 100 3 5 1984 Benny Hendrix 47 2 Brad Reed 118 2 5 1985 Jerry Byers 42 2 Roy Hawkins 114 6 5 1986 Michael Youngblood 50 7 Mark Williams 116 1 5 1987 Dennis Young 49 0 George Register 94 3 5 1988 Robert Bell 41 4 Daniel Parker 75 5 3 1989 Todd Crawford 47 9 John Jones 96 8 3 1990 Randy Smith 49 35 Clayton Kirby 88 35 3 1991 Clifton Lewis 49 4 Stephen Proctor 94 5 3 1992 Charles Newton 47 7 Dan Upton 108 05 3 1993 Douglas Sturm 48 75 Rick Smith 83 7 3 1994 Ron Gunter 42 7 Earl Clewis 77 6 3 1995 Fred Morrow 44 65 Robbie Sabiston 64 0 2 1996 Rick Raleigh 33 05 No qualifiers1997 Jack Conard 49 1 David Hamilton 72 3 2 1998 Bian Bushloper 48 25 David Ward 70 85 2 1999 Sandy Smith 52 55 Matt Pittman 68 6 2 2000 Ross Vilardo 53 3 Frank Strickland 62 5 2 2001 Mike Burch 42 65 David Murphy 68 4 2 2002 Tom Rady 55 2 2003 Scott Routh 45 5 Clyde Keen 65 8 2 2004 Paul Dozier 46 0 Trip Fletcher 75 9 2 2005 Bill Rew 48 95 Richard Geiger 69 85 2 20062007 James Croft 48 6 Don Combs 63 952008 Michael Crabtree 51 35 Ryan Rodeffer 73 802009 Benjamin Hinson 42 85 Greg Simmons 66 552010 Russell Stuart 45 75 Jerry Carter 68 15VIP tournament Edit This event was always held the first day of the tournament week matching celebrities politicians amp big contributors with knowledgeable fisherman for a one day fun outing It was discontinued in 2008 due to high operational expenses and limited benefit VIP winners 14 Year Winner Weight1981 Joe Frazier 20 51982 Monroe Campbell 30 11983 Fred Holland 34 21984 Paul Hanson 36 61985 Robalo Fishing Team 23 61986 Donald Gowdy 46 51987 John Campbell 48 51988 John Jones 32 71989 Marvin Pate 40 51990 Bob Dunagan 44 451991 Ronnie Worsham 48 851992 Daniel Casino 40 11993 Bob Dunagan 44 351994 Jimmy Cox 43 21995 Chester Stokes 37 71996 Frank Strickland 37 851997 Gerald Pack 37 451998 David Workman 26 451999 Lowell Breeding 32 252000 Sandy Smith 40 62001 Ricky Raleigh 41 22002 No Tournament2003 Tony Benevento 38 92004 Kenny Crawford 40 52005 Kenny Crawford 40 9200620072008Junior angler tournament Edit First held in 1991 for those under 16 it is a family event to promote good sportsmanship conservation awareness and fun The 10 per angler entrance fee has not changed since the Junior Angler tournament s inception and prizes are awarded based on Kingfish weight The boat used by the junior angler must be registered in the regular tournament Junior angler winners 14 Year Winner Weight1991 Jeremy MacEwen 49 41992 Chris Newton 47 71993 Gabe Carlson 41 951994 Chris Wood 34 81995 Corey Hill 41 01996 Kevin Wood 42 251997 Crocker Stickney 43 91998 Dustin McIntire 26 951999 Sarah Pugh 29 652000 Casey Lands 36 82001 Andrew Hurst 37 992002 No Tournament2003 Hayley Craven 29 92004 Ross Crabtree 39 22005 Quint Wright 34 12006200720082009 Spencer LeSage 37 402010 Cody Powers 36 95Fish sale EditAll the fish caught and weighed become the property of the tournament but they don t go to waste Within minutes they are gutted and iced down by Ed Thomas a professional from Safe Harbor Seafood Market They are shipped all over North America and consumed mostly by non American ethnic groups who like the taste and low price less than 2 75 lb The tournament is paid just under 1 per pound for 5 8 tons of fish 15 Volunteers EditThe tournament relies on volunteers to maximize the proceeds available for charities As many as 400 individuals donate their time to make the event a success A few people have actually served in every previous contest The Walt Murr Award honors an outstanding volunteer during the annual Tournament The award was established during 1987 in honor of the first tournament chairman Walt Murr The honoree is selected by the board of directors upon recommendation from the current tournament chairman and vice chairmen 16 Murr Award recipients 16 Year Winner1987 Bob Medley1988 Al amp Joan Lancaster1989 Pete Loftin1990 Doodles Cinotti1991 Edgar Ochs1992 John Lees1993 Brenda Ochs1994 Jim Ingalls1995 Carl DiSalvo1996 Jimbo Crumley1997 Joe Tomlinson1998 Tom Fulmer1999 Peggy Collins2000 Harvey Rohn2001 Ted Karst2002 Sheryl Rohn2003 Dennis Collins2004 JoAnn Preston2005 Charlie Smith2006 Rita Contos2007 John Edenfield2008 Wally Brown2009 Barry Lancaster2010 John LaforgeSee also EditAngling Fishing Big game fishing Sport FishingReferences Edit a b c d e Sutton Jim Greater Jacksonville Kingfish Tournament changing with times Florida Times Union July 24 2009 General Tournament Information Jacksonville Kingfish Tournament a b Champs to win big in Kingfish tourney Florida Times Union March 21 2001 a b c Sutton Jim Lessons learned at kingfish event Florida Times Union July 29 2007 Executive Bios Jacksonville Humane Society Mission Jacksonville Kingsfish Tournament a b Galnor Matt State Sen Jim King dies after battle with pancreatic cancer Florida Times Union July 26 2009 Kingfish Tournament donates 13 000 to JU Jax Daily Record April 16 2007 A pile of prize money offered in kingfish events Florida Times Union July 17 2005 Johnson Kiem Kingfish tournament s festivities are no fish story Florida Times Union July 22 2005 Sutton Jim Kingfish aggregate winner loses title Florida Times Union July 22 2007 Littlepage Ron Jacksonville making progress on access to waterways Florida Times Union February 25 2010 Tournament Info Greater Jacksonville Kingfish Tournament website a b c Kingfish Tournament Past Winners Florida Times Union July 18 2006 Sutton Jim Kingfish haul hits the market Florida Times Union July 22 2007 a b Walt Murr Award Greater Jacksonville Kingfish TournamentExternal links EditGJKT Official Website Southern Kingfish Association Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Jacksonville Kingfish Tournament amp oldid 1113277552, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,

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