Black drum in back, red drum in front.
You can fish the Lower Chesapeake Bay Black Drum Classic Fishing Tournament (could the name be a few words longer?) for $200 per boat (six anglers) early registration, and $250 per boat after May 13.
What do you get if you win? Prizes are $3,000, $2,000, $1,000 (presumably 1st, 2nd and 3rd for most weight per boat), and a shot at $500 each for the two biggest fish of the derby.
So that’s 7 grand. If the tournament organizers (local chamber of commerce) get 35 boats to sign up early, that’s 7 grand in entries, not including the sponsorships they’re soliciting.
No idea how many boats would be interested in this tourney, but if it’s a low turnout it’s potentially a sweet deal for the boats entered (presuming you don’t have to split any winnings by six), and if it’s a high turnout it’s a really sweet deal for the chamber of commerce. For ex, if 100 boats show and all register early, that’s $20K in entries. With $7K in payouts that’s a 35% payback.
But it’s not all for the chamber – “proceeds will benefit the Northampton County Chamber, Catchin’ for Kids and the Virginia Child ID Program,” according to this article.
I think it’s cool they’re testing the derby waters for an “odd” species, and I’m sure the chamber is being conservative since this is its first tourney.
I’d fish it, particularly if black drum taste as good as their red cousins.
Leave a Reply
This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.
