EASL’s Terry Melancon Memorial Salt Water Challenge will take place Friday July 15 for registration and social, and conclude Saturday July 16^th with weigh in, awards and fish fry.  All activities including registration, eating, socializing, weigh-in, awards, etc. will take place at the camps behind the Cajun Holiday Motel.  This is located on the left just past the Grand Isle Bridge.

In 2015 we started having door prizes and ditty bags for all of the participants.  If you can secure items please bring them to the rodeo or to one of the EASL meetings leading up to the event.  Touch base with Torrey if you can get something.

Two important Schedule notes:

• All anglers must be registered by 8:00 pm Friday. If you want to fish in the rodeo and cannot get to Grand Isle Friday night give your registration fees to someone that can pay for you Friday evening.
• All anglers must be at the weigh in by 3:00 Saturday

We will rent 3 camps.  The camps will be reserved for the first 30 people who pay $120 each for the entire weekend starting Thursday night.  This is non-refundable, if you pay and cannot attend it will be up to the individual to find someone to take their place.   Currently there are 11 unpaid spots still available.  Of those spots, six have been requested but not paid for. So with all that said, if you want a bed in one of the three camps get your money in soon.

Rules and Categories:EASL Saltwater Challenge

Categories

• 5 largest speckled trout – combined weight (1^st & 2^nd place)
• Largest trout (1^st place only)
• 2 redfish under 27” – combined weight (1^st & 2^nd place)
• Biggest red (any length) (1^st place only)
• Biggest flounder (1^st place only)
• “Other”; (1^st place only; $20) Definition: any legal fish except redfish, trout, or flounder
• Cajun Slam; (optional $10/team; winning team takes all) Combined weight of each team’s biggest; Red (under 27”), Trout, & Flounder. Any fish weighed-in for the Slam, can also be entered in the other categories. All three species must be caught to win.  If no team catches all 3 species 2 species will be weighed then 1.

Rules

• Entry Fee: $15/participant; $10 goes to payouts for winners; $5 goes to meals. Meal money will be kept in a separate bucket.  We are asking that each person eating pay $5 to help pay for the 2 meals.  Drinks will not be served.  Eaters must bring their own drinks.
• All participants must be signed-up prior to Friday night start time
• All participants older than 15 must be current EASL member. Participants 15 and younger must be accompanied by a current EASL member. Memberships will be available for purchase at Friday evening sign-up
• Teams can have from 1, to no more than 5 people
• Team members should remain within sight of each other while fishing
• Fishing starts at 12:00 a.m. (midnight) Friday night
• Participants must be present at the weigh-in site no later than 3 p.m. Saturday – No exceptions
• Method of catch: Hook & line only; no flounder gigging, netting, etc.
• Both artificial & live bait are permissible
• Fishing boundaries: Any water within boating distance from Grand Isle/Fourchon/Leeville

Saltwater Challenge Time!  EASL’s 10^th annual “Terry Melancon Saltwater Challenge” is coming next month: July 18^th and 19^th in awesome Grand Isle.

You don’t need a boat to fish with us. Some past winners have been surf fishers. Last year, Mac Daigle caught a 5 pound trout right off the pier of the camp – but it didn’t count because it was before the official start time. – sorry Mac! Also, the island has two brand new fishing bridges, and at Elmer’s Island you can drive a car right up to some of the best surf fishing in the world. There’s even a good lighted fishing spot right under those camps we rented.

EASL has reserved two really nice waterfront camps for our members to use. They’re almost full, but as of this writing there were still a few spots available. You can call Keith (225-715-9487) to check availability. Friday evening sign-up and all other event activities will be held at these camps. They’re located right behind the “Cajun Holiday Inn”, right over the bridge on your left.

If you haven’t yet made reservations for the weekend, it’s not too late, but you better make them now. There’s lots of lodging info on Grand Isle’s official website: http://www.townofgrandisle.com/lodging/

One more thing – we added a new optional “Cajun Slam!” category. See details below.

Friday, July 18^th events:

• 6:30 p.m.: Team sign-up at the camps behind Cajun Holiday; free supper (BYOB and chairs).
• Midnight:  Fishing starts

Saturday, July 19^th events:

• 3 p.m.: Weigh-in at camps behind Cajun Holiday
• 6:30 p.m.: Back to the camps for free fish fry (BYOB and chairs) and announcement of winners

Registration fee:

• $10 for EASL Members, $25 for non-members (includes EASL membership). Registration fee includes dinner Friday & Saturday evenings. 100% payback to the winners.
• Optional $10 per team for the Cajun Slam! category

Rules:

• Entry fees must be paid no later than the Friday evening team sign-up.
• Maximum of 5 anglers per team. (Note: Surf fishing, kayakers, & other anglers not sharing the same boat must remain within sight of their teammates at all times while fishing.)
• Both live and artificial bait are permitted.
• Fishing boundaries – anywhere within boating distance of Fourchon/Grand Isle
• Fishing begins at midnight Friday – ends at weigh-in time.
• Must be at the weigh site no later than 3 pm Saturday.
• 100% of registration fees will be divided among winners of the following categories;
  • Combined weight of 5 speckled trout;  1^st & 2^nd place
  • Big spec;  1^st place
  • Combined weight of 2 redfish under 27”; 1^st & 2^nd place
  • Big red (any length);  1^st place
  • Big flounder;  1^st place
  • Biggest ‘other’ fish; 1^st place (“other” means any legal fish that does not fit any of the above categories).
  • All above category winners will share equal percentages of the total entry fees with the exception of the “other fish” category which will receive $20.  Second place finishers will receive an amount equal to one-half of the first place prize.
  • Cajun Slam! is the combined weight of each team’s biggest redfish, trout, and flounder. You don’t have  to catch all three to qualify. You can weigh one of each, or all 3, and those fish are also eligible for the other categories. The team taking 1st place in the Cajun Slam! category will get 100% of the optional $10 entry fee

This is going to be a lot of fun. Looking forward to seeing you there!

or more event info, contact Keith (225-715-9487).

2012 Saltwater Challenge

2012 Saltwater Challenge