Despite heavy seas, the Lone Star Shootout saw some of the toughest fishermen on the Gulf Coast turn in impressive results. 15 Blue Marlin, 6 White Marlin, and 5 Sailfish were released! The Tuna, Wahoo, and Dolphin divisions were also heavily contested.

Release category winners:

1st Place: Brand Name, Owner: Stephen Rogers 1,500 Billfish Release Points
2nd Place: $ea Dollar$, Owner: Jack Beal 1,000 Billfish Release Points
3rd Place: Hattitude, Owner Russell and Sherry Potter 1,000 Billfish Release Points

Tournament Winner: Brand Name

1st Place Tuna:
Donaken, Owner: Ken Porter
Angler: Jason Fuller…91.85 pounds

1st Place Dolphin:
Bandit, Owner: Bert Steindorf
Angler: Andy Eckleston…38.85 pounds

1st Place Wahoo:
Tres Ninos, Owner: Pat Wallace
Angler: Nick Jordan…64.5 pounds

Top Female Angler:
Hattitude, Owner and Angler: Sherry Potter, 700 Billfish Release Points

Once again, the big winner was the Houston Big Game Fishing Club’s Charitable Program in the amount of $21,500.00!

For all Tournament results, please visit: Tournament Results
For all Tournament pictures, please visit: Tournament Pictures

We would like to extend a very special thank you to Randy Bright, Tournament Chairman and the entire Tournament Committee including Jim Peachey, Kevin Harper, Kevin Deerman, Wayne Timmermann, and Dee Wallace for all of their hard work, time and dedication.

Secretary of the Interior Ken Salazar announced today the awarding of more than $13.5 million in competitive grants to 11 states for 16 boating infrastructure projects. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service awards these grants, which will help fund construction of docks, boat slips and other facilities to support recreational boating, through the Service’s Boating Infrastructure Grant (BIG) program.

“The Boating Infrastructure Grant program is one of the many ways we support access and provide quality outdoor opportunities for the nation’s recreational anglers and boaters,” said Secretary Salazar. “These grants also spur major construction projects, creating jobs and providing much-needed economic benefits.”
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The 2010 Poco Bueno Tournament was the most successful Poco yet. This year the headquarters for Poco was moved to Caracol, the new community, located on the Intracoastal Canal. This location in Port O’Connor was a great new touch for the tournament’s forty-first birthday. Poco Bueno would not be where it is today without all of the enthusiastic participants. Congratulations to all winners for a job well done!

The tournament was held July 14^th to July 17^th,. The tournament began with “Calcutta” night and ended with the annual Saturday night awards party. On Friday, July 16th and Saturday, July 17th hundreds of people gathered for the “Weigh-In” which always brings excitement and entertainment to this sports fishing tradition.

The Poco Bueno Tournament had ninety five (95) boat entries for the offshore tournament and had seventy nine (79) boat entries for the inshore tournament. The excitement was high as the total prize money was a new tournament record.

Click here to download a PDF of this article.

1st Place Tournament Champion- Ruthless

Forty Three (43) boats gathered in Port O’Connor, Texas for the Houston Big Game Fishing Club’s 6th annual invitational billfish tournament, newly named The Lone Star Shootout. The tournament was held June 23rd to June 26th at the new Caracol Waterfront Development in Port O’Connor. After a busy “calcutta” night on Wednesday, June 23rd, the boats began departing Port O’Connor at 5:00 PM on Thursday, June 24th , for the trip to blue water. The excitement was high as the total prize money was a new tournament record of $578,300.

The fleet was greeted by calm seas and a comfortable ride to the fishing grounds. When the start fishing time was announced at 12:00 midnight, most of the boats were 50 to 150 miles offshore and ready to begin their choice of night time tuna fishing or swordfishing. The bite was steady thru the dark hours as numerous big yellowfin tuna were landed at the deep water rigs. John and Joanne Kolius, aboard the 45 Viking, Argo, reported a swordfish in the boat as did Mike McLees on his 33 Grady White, Michelle Rae II. Swordfish had to meet a 60” short length minimum, 12” in excess of the federal minimum. Numerous big tuna were reported thru the night as well as several released swordfish.
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