Annual fishing tourney offers a 'reel' good time
By Steve Herring
Published in News on March 11, 2018 3:05 AM
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News-Argus/CASEY MOZINGO
Jeff Teachey, right, submits his 2.7 pound white shad during the weigh-in Saturday during the annual Goldsboro Parks and Recreation Shad Fishing Tournament at EZ Bait and Tackle. Teachey said "He ain't going to win, but it's fun anyway."
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News-Argus/CASEY MOZINGO
Breyana Daniels, 9, uses the sleeve of a sweatshirt to hold her fish so that she doesn't have to touch it as she waits to have it weighed for smallest fish in the youth category.
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News-Argus/CASEY MOZINGO
Dewayne Bevell warns competitors about procedures put in place this year to prevent cheating before the weigh-in of the annual shad fishing tournament Saturday.
Breyana Daniels, 9, had the fish balanced on the sleeve of her oversized sweatshirt.
"I don't like to hold them," she said. "I don't feel like touching them. I was holding one, and I was holding it perfectly, but it poked me. I freaked out and dropped it."
Breyana and her stepfather, Tyler Cox, of Raleigh, were among the more than 127 who participated in Saturday's 2018 Shad Fishing Tournament, sponsored by EZ Bait and Tackle and Goldsboro Parks and Recreation.
The tourney started at 7 a.m with weigh-in at 4 p.m.
"I caught one," she said, snacking on a bag of chips. "It's very small though. It's a baby."
She landed a small hickory shad -- 0.6 of a pound.
Hickory and white shad swim in from the Atlantic Ocean, moving upstream in the spring, to mate and spawn before returning to the ocean.
This leaves a small window of time where the fish can be caught each year.
Contestants competed in several categories, battling for first, second or third in the heaviest American white shad and hickory shad categories, as well as the heaviest creel category. Creel is the name of the wicker basket used for carrying newly caught fish.
Youngsters 12 years old and younger battled it out for who caught the smallest shad, with the winner taking home $50 and a rod and reel combo.
In the adult contests, third place took home $100, second place took home $150 and first place took home $300.
It was the second year Breyana has taken part in the tournament.
Breyana said she enjoys fishing, especially because she gets to hang out with her stepdad.
"I enjoy it," she said. "The most part I enjoy about fishing is I can be outside and not stuck in the house all day."
Last year she came in second and won a purple fishing pole.
"And I am probably going to get one this year, but I am probably going to keep on using my purple one," she said.
Cox, who is originally from Goldsboro, said he caught his limit.
"We all went out there and had a good time today," he said.
Cox said he has come close to winning during his three years participating, but has not won any cash yet.
"She enjoys fishing, getting out of the house," he said. "Her brother doesn't want to come, but she is always eager to come fishing with me. It is good to get her out of the house and off the Xbox."
It is all about family said John Maniskas of Selma, Cox's stepfather.
"Even if you don't catch a fish you get a door prize. It is something fun," he said
Also fishing with them was Johnny Paddock of Clayton
They put in at 4 a.m. to catfish until the 7 a.m. tourney start.
"I almost feel asleep in the boat," Breyana said.