The Club's 9th Annual Awards Banquet will be held on Saturday, April 13th, 2013 at the Omni Hotel Galleria, Houston. Join the Club for a delicious dinner, premium open bar, awards presentation, raffle and live auction!
Come prepared to bid on new auction items such as an offshore fishing trip off the Kona Coast of Hawaii or visit Calden Lodge in Argentina for a Dove and Pigeon Shoot plus many, many more! If you are interested in donating to the raffle or auction, please call the Club office at 409-744-2307.
We look forward to seeing you at the banquet! You can RSVP now, simply Click Here!
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News from The Billfish Foundation
 On February 22, 2013 The National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) released the preferred alternatives in the Draft Environmental Assessment (EA) for Amendment 8 to the Highly Migratory Species Fisheries Management Plan dealing with swordfish management. In a process that began in 2009 as a way to increase access to the fishery and attempt to fulfill the U.S. swordfish quota established by the International Commission for the Conservation of Atlantic Tuna (ICCAT), something that we have been unable to do over the last several years. Some of the alternatives proposed in the Draft Amendment 8 could have an impact on recreational anglers, charter and headboats, and the management of swordfish in the Gulf of Mexico. These include modified permits or a new open-access permit for handgear that would allow easier access to the fishery as well as regional harvest limits by gear/vessel type. The thought behind this is that current recreational anglers who are illegally selling swordfish catches could now legally obtain a permit and sell their catches to licensed dealers, something that could not be done due to current regulations. As part of proposed alternatives, charter and headboat vessels may also be able to sell any of their swordfish catches when they are not on a for-hire trip. However for recreational vessels wishing to obtain the new open access handgear permits, it is important to note that they will forfeit their ability to target billfish outside of HMS registered tournaments. For more info, visit www.advocacy.billfish.org. |
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2013 Club Awards Program
Get involved in the year long tournament by submitting a verification form for each catch and release! Click here
for Club Awards Program information and verification forms.
In the International Division, J.W and Pat Bones' Mojo is leading the way with 5,200 points. Will Lett's Boo-Lo is in second place with 4,200 points. J.W. Bones is leading the Top Male Angler category with 1,800 points, with Buddy Schultz in second place with 1,000 points. Mandy Trahan is leading the Top Female Angler category with 1,300 points!
In the Texas Division, Lisa King caught an incredible 97 pound Wahoo while fishing with Jack Beal on $ea Dollar$. Jack Beal is in a very close second place with a 96 pound Wahoo and Debbie Conway is in third place with a 70 pounder.
The grace period for last year's members to renew their membership and turn in catch and release points from the past 30 days is up! Make sure to renew your membership today for your verification forms to count!
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Is Your Boat Ready?
You check the buoy report and a weather window is approaching. You make a few phone calls and it's on! Throw on some ice and a few groceries, jump on the boat and head out. 50 miles later your port engine starts overheating...low coolant. Now is the time to check things out. Have your mechanic give everything a once over. Your coolers may need to be cleaned, maybe it's a stuck injector and the list goes on. You won't know until it's too late. Spend the extra time and money and have the pros check things out. Concentrate on fishing instead of sweating it out in the engine room.
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2013
HBGFC OFFICERS
Michael Thorn-Leeson, President
Kevin Deerman, 1st Vice President
Marc Gentry, 2nd Vice President
Randy Bright, Treasurer
Kevin Harper, Secretary
HBGFC DIRECTORS
Deano Merrigan
Fred Pyle
Kirk Elliott
Mike Hopkins
Richard B. Richardson
Russell Potter
CONTACT THE CLUB
The Houston Big Game Fishing Club
7819 Broadway, Suite 100
Galveston, Texas 77554
T: 409-744-2307, F: 409-744-2313
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Club since 2006 and J.W. and Patricia Bones, members of the Club since 2005, have generously donated to the Annual Awards Banquet for the past five years. In the past five years, their incredible donations have raised over $20,000! Thank you all for your continued support over the years!