The 1st Annual John Haberek Memorial Striped Bass Tournment
 

Who's in?

Maybe we need an advisory commitee to start with to figure out the nuts and bolts - I'll start the ball rolling by offering an Angler's Art framed print from when I had that business to get a few bucks in the kitty to help defray start-up costs, whatever they may be.

This is the historic framed photo up for bids, the classic 1881 photo of the Graves Point Fishing Club. The very first copy of this photo hangs in Hab's workshop as a thank you for his support. The print up for bid is actually larger than the one pictured below, finished out to 16x20" and framed in a beautiful cherry rather than this blonde walnut burl. It would be a great addition to your office, den or man-cave.

So if you want to bid on the print or sign up to help out on the tournament, this is the place.

Thanks, you guys, you're the best :btu:

The print up for bid:

Sweet - $100

Very nice of you Crafty. I'll go $125.

Thanks, Cap :btu:

So far on the I'm In List we have:

JohnR
DZ
Clammer
Streetfight
Jim Sylvester
reelecstasy
luds
BigFish Larry
nklinesider
PeteG
In the Surf
BasicPatrick
rphud
and me and Mrs. Crafty

$150

I'm in.

Depending on When I would be up for it....

TDF - Since this in the inception stage I thought perhaps the long Columbus Day weekend might work, and give everyone a day to recuperate before having to go back to work - but, like I said that's flexible now and could be put to a vote like TFCTFN to maximaize participation - and fishability based on guesstimates for the fall run which has been pretty early here in Newport of late... :uhuh:

i'm in dependent on other obligations

Chuck,
My suggestion for this initial tourney would be to keep it small and simple based on the fact that there is not much time to plan the event.

1. Keep it surf only and RI waters only.

2. Use some of the start up funds to purchase a “perpetual trophy” which is engraved with the winner (or top three anglers) and is kept on display at the official weigh station.

3. Find an official weigh station – my suggestion would be the SWE as the primary and two other weigh stations in RI, one in South County and one in the North Kingston/Narragansett area. Allow the other weigh stations to phone results in to the official weigh station.

4. Make the entry process easy and affordable. ($10-20) Sign-up for the tourney could very well be the most complicated part. Entry forms, where anglers can sign up, who collects and takes care of the funds. Maybe S-B can offer sign ups through pay pal.

5. Have prizes for the top three anglers. Surf oriented prizes such as plug bags, plugs, dry tops, reels, etc.

Use proceeds as discussed. Have a small awards ceremony somewhere.

The tourney can be tweaked and improved in future years.

Dennis, you know I respect you and your opinion but I must disagree with the surf only rule. What's a matter with a boat entry? I was a close friend of John's and just because I cannot physically surf fish anymore is not a reason that I/we boat fishermen should be excluded.

Thanks for weighing in, Dennis (pun fully intended).

Yes to all of the above, especially the perpetual trophy.

$10 to $20 would be good and I'm sure we can get a number of people to contribute prizes to be awarded to the top three anglers.

And manageable size is good, it should be fun for everyone including those who donate their time and effort to help make the Habs tourney happen.

Central location at the Edge for a primary weigh station is key too - I think it will great for all involved.

Finally, the big question, what do you think about Columbus Day weekend for a date?

Considering we're both Italian (well, part, anyway) and the signicance of that holiday. I'm willing to forego the sauseege and peppers on Federal Hill (and the glass of red to wash it down :hihi:)

It works for me. How about everyone else? :huh:

The first guy to come out with B.F.D.C. gets this from the Sergeant-at-Arms (me) :fishslap::fishslap::fishslap:

Very good point , Paul - what do you all think of a REASONABLE handicap system somewhat like the OTW? The key word being somewhat.

Non-Surf Fish Don't Count...

(sorry, I'm a wise-ass)

Biggest Fish Surf
Biggest Fish Boat
Biggest Fish Needle

Biggest Fish Overall wins tournament...boat or surf! Point system is too confusing for such a small individual tourney (its good for teams in a season long tourney like OTW) Biggest fish wins overall.....period! It is the fall and anyone could win it! Overall winner goes on the perpetual trophy with another trophy for the tourney winner to take home! 1st place surf and first place boat trophies.....and second and third! And I like the idea of a "Taken On A Hab's" award! (Must have witness)

Columbus Day Weekend would be great. I'm pretty sure I could make it down that weekend. I definitely agree with DZ's comment about keeping it simple. I don't like the idea of not including boat folks so having seperate surf and boat categories would be the way to go IMO. As much as it sounds great I would hold off on the biggest fish on a hab's needle prize. Top 3 boat and surf is easier to enforce.

Will have a house in RI that week. It would be perfect timing.

Grand Prize=Overall Winner;)

What about a bonus if caught on a habs. Say 5lbs or so?

Winning a Habs tournament by fishing bait seems way wrong. Limit it to plugs only.

I agree with numbskull, id be fine with all wood, or maybe any artificials.

Though admirable....I think John was a sportsman and also fished many different ways! You will be alienating many by limiting the means by which they fish! Its a tournament....leave it at that without imposing so many restrictions!:alien:

.02...no boat. I'm game.

I'm out for Columbus day weekend unfortunately....Scouts :wall:

But we are camping on the cape :happy:

I agree w/TY19 - def. a bona$$ if caught with a Habs plug. Top 3: Boat overall winner, surf overall winner. Habs plug overall winner. End of story. Casey, I'll call you that week :)

You got it, BF - while John was the self-proclaimed needlefish Nazi, it seemed that he used whatever worked best to get the job done.

Actually, one of his secret weapons at night was...are you ready?...Pt Jude tins. At night. So there ya go -

The point should be to include, not exclude - it's supposed to be fun after all :)

I'd almost say skip the tournament end of it if it causes too much debate or drama, especially as it's all fairly short notice. A tournament instantly sends everyone scattering in opposite directions once it begins.

I'm sure many would turn out just to get together for a few laughs, memories, some good food, and to fish just to fish as opposed to a tournament but it all depends on what people want out of this and how long it would go for.

An afternoon/evening at Brenton Point sounds fine to me. Not that long ago Habs, Tattoo, the Daniels bros, the Ironman, Seawolf, myself and scattered other characters fished together at least a few times a year just for the company as much as the fishing often starting at Brenton Point. Some of those evenings are favorite surf fishing memories for me, even if the fishing wasn't all that great.

This isn't a post to rain on the tournament idea, just to present another option.

A few of us were having discussions over the year about having a Hab's Tourney loosely based on the setup of the annual MDA/MS Tourney of South County fame.

We SHOULD do something, keep it low key for this year, and get a few different groups/people aboard and discuss some options and get the blessings of John Jr and Jess. I know this has been brought up with Jess in the past and she was receptive but I would like to move anything more formal for her OK.