The Stark Culture Venues will be the major sponsor for the professional redfish tournament to be held in Orange April 7, 8, 9 and 10.
A media conference was held earlier Tuesday afternoon at the Greater Orange Area Chamber of Commerce office to announce the Yellowfin Redfish Elite championship. It will be the first major saltwater tournament here. Previously, Orange has had two Bassmaster tournaments, which involve freshwater fishing.
Other sponsors are the City of Orange Convention and Visitors Bureau and Orange County.
Businessmen John Gothia and David Jones have been instrumental in getting the tournaments to Orange. Their goal is to have a major fishing tournament every spring.
Bassmasters was here in 2013 and back this year. The group will return in 2017.
Gothia said the redfish tournament will have more television exposure for the community. The tournament will be broadcast twice on the Discovery Outdoors channel. In addition, more local businesses will have a chance to advertise during redfish tournament.
The redfish elite will be held at the Orange Boat Ramp and will include a carnival, festival and live music entertainment.
Also, State Representative Dade Phelan attended the announcement and talked about his effort to get legislation to change the legal limit forĀ largemouth bassĀ from 14 inches long to 12 inches for the coastal region and river systems. He said the 14 inch rule was set arbitrarily in the 1980s.
Gothia and Chamber President Ida Schossow went to speak to legislators in Austin earlier this year to convince them on the change. Phelan said the state now has a survey to take opinions on the change.
Gothia told the group Tuesday that the 12-inch limit would encourage more fishing tournaments to Orange.
Pictured: Phelan, Jones, Gothia, Ida Schossow, Walter Riedel, Dean Granger, and Tad McKee
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