New Jersey Division of Fish, Game and Wildlife

For more information contact:
David Chanda at 609-984-6295

More than 1,000 participants took part in the Governor's 7th Annual Surf Fishing Tournament on Sunday, October 4 at Island Beach State Park in Ocean County. Despite the wind, rain and cool temperature, participants took full advantage of a day outdoors with family and friends.

"I would like to thank the many sponsors, prize donators and participants who have helped make the surf tournament a success for the past seven years," said Division Director Bob McDowell. "Their cumulative efforts have helped raise nearly $50,000 for the construction of a beach access ramp and specialized wheelchairs for the disabled and elderly."

The event was sponsored by the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection's Division of Fish, Game and Wildlife and Division of Parks and Forestry, the New Jersey Federation of Sportsmen's Clubs, the Jersey Coast Anglers Association and the New Jersey Beach Buggy Association.

Approximately 800 pre-registered through the mail and almost 300 registered on the morning of the tournament. Many of the entrants invited guests to observe the fun, bringing the total number of spectators and participants to about 1,300.

Albacore, striped bass, blackfish, bluefish, red drum, fluke, kingfish and weakfish were eligible for entry in the tournament. Of these, albacore, bluefish, fluke, striped bass and blackfish were the species submitted.

Overall length determined the grand prize winner as well as place winners for each of the species categories. There were children, teen and adult categories for many of the species submitted, including sub-categories for male and female. In addition and new this year, were categories for fly fishing and Becoming an Outdoors-Woman (for students of the surf fishing workshop held Saturday, Oct. 3). The inclusion of first, second and third place winners was dependent upon the number of entries submitted in each species category.

Grand prize went to Peggy Peterson of Toms River, New Jersey for a 34 1/2" bluefish. Ms. Peterson received the Governor's Trophy along with a certificate donated by the G. Loomis Fly Fishing School, good for the rod of her choice, a Penn reel and other assorted prizes. Additionally, her name will be engraved on the Governor's Cup, which will be permanently displayed at Island Beach State Park. She is the first female participant to ever win the tournament.

Other winners received a variety of donated fishing tackle and gear. Along with the tournament prizes offered, the registration forms of pre-registrants and same-day entrants were placed into special drawings for additional prizes.

A complete list of winners follows:

1998 Governor's 7th Annual Surf Fishing Tournament Winners

Categories
Becoming an Outdoors-Woman
Fly Fishing
Fluke
Blackfish
Striped Bass
Albacore
Bluefish

Becoming an Outdoors-Woman Category

Fly Fishing Category

Orvis of Paramus donated a Trident 9' 9wt rod with an Odyssey reel including line and backing (retail value approximately $1,000) to the winner of this category.

Fluke Category

First Place
Vanessa Altimari (5 yrs. old)
Tabernacle, NJ
15 1/2" Fluke

Child (Male)
Third Place
Fred Piell, III (12 yrs. old)
Morrisville, PA
17" Fluke

Second Place
Joseph Peppin (12 yrs. old)
Beachwood, NJ
17 3/4" Fluke

First Place
Mark Caruso Jr. (6 yrs. old)
Bloomfield, NJ
19 1/2" Fluke

Teen (Male)
Second Place
Tom Tiseo (13 yrs. old)
Bloomfield, NJ
16" Fluke

First Place
Jose Jorquez (16 yrs. old)
Collingwood, NJ
21 1/2" Fluke

Adult (Male)
Third Place
Tom King
Manahawkan, NJ
18" Fluke

Second Place
Otto Anderson
Burlington, NJ
18 1/2" Fluke
(caught at 9:26 am)

First Place
Gary Simone, Sr.
Toms River, NJ
18 1/2" Fluke
(caught at 6:35 am)

Blackfish Category

Adult (Male)
Third Place
Tom DiAlfonso
Somerville, NJ
17" Blackfish
(caught at 10:34 am)
*Won second place last year with a 15 ½" blackfish

Second Place
Howard Kennet
Jackson, NJ
17" Blackfish
(caught at 10:14 am)

First Place
Claus Faller
Beachwood, NJ
22 1/2" Blackfish
*Won first place last year with a 16 ¼" blackfish

Striped Bass Category

First Place
Jake Jakob
Hartsville, PA
31" Striped Bass

Albacore Category

Teen (Male)
First Place
Sean Camp (14 yrs. old)
Gloucester, NJ
21" Albacore

Adult (Female)
First Place
Jennifer DiLorenzo
Monmouth Beach, NJ
24 1/2" Albacore

Adult (Male)
Third Place
Dominic Scalzo
Belford, NJ
28" Albacore

Second Place
Bob Leitner Jr.
Vernon, NJ
28 1/2" Albacore

First Place
Anthony Califano
Philadelphia, PA
29 1/4" Albacore

Bluefish Category

Child (Male)
Third Place
Marc Pietrow (9 yrs. old)
Trenton, NJ
19 3/4" Bluefish

Second Place
Richard Simone (10 yrs. old)
Toms River, NJ
21" Bluefish

First Place
Vincent DiMarco (7 yrs. old)
Jamesburg, NJ
21 1/2" Bluefish
*Won third place last year with a 17 12/16" bluefish

Teen (Male)
Second Place
Chris Pierson (13 yrs. old)
Brick, NJ
16 3/4" Bluefish
(also caught a 15 7/8" Bluefish)

First Place
Ronald Butkiewicz (17 yrs. old)
Plainfield, NJ
22 3/8" Bluefish
(also caught a 21 1/4" Bluefish)
*Won first place last year with a 16 ¾" fluke and his father, Ron Sr., took the cup with a 34 4/16" bluefish.

Adult (Male)
Third Place
Dominick Savasta, Jr.
Tuckerton, NJ
8" Bluefish

Second Place
Bill Marcus
Berkeley Hts., NJ
28 1/2" Bluefish

First Place
Elmer Wills Jr.
Southhampton, NJ
33 1/2" Bluefish
(also caught a 31 1/2 " Bluefish)

Adult (Female)
Third Place
Sharon Becker
Little Egg Harbor, NJ
19" Bluefish

Second Place
Cindy Jablonski
Levittown, PA
26" Bluefish

First Place and Winner of the 1998 Governor's Cup

G. Loomis Fly Fishing School of Brick, NJ donated a certificate for the winner of the Governor's Cup good for a rod of choice from the G. Loomis catalog.