Congratulations to Andre Davis of Helena, AL, Gill Page of New Orleans, LA, and Eron Borne of Harrisonburg, LA, as the latest FFI members to qualify for the Gulf Coast Council’s Suncatch Challenge. All three met the eligibility for the Suncatch Fanatic Award, catching at least 8 of the 19 qualifying species.
The Suncatch Challenge is an initiative by the GCC to highlight the value of species diversity among sunfish, and the importance of conserving their individual habitats. It encourages FFI members to document the different sunfish species they catch and release. And in return, receive recognition for their catch.
It’s not a contest – you are competing only against the fish. There are no time limits. There is no entry fee, only that you must be an active FFI member. All fish must be caught on fly rod, on single hook flies and in public waters. Photograph the fish, and register the catch on our website form.
Nineteen (19) species found in the waters of Alabama, Louisiana, Mississippi and northwest Florida are selected for focus. There are three levels of recognition:
- Suncatch Fanatic – 8 species – receive a custom personalized sunfish mug
- Suncatch Expert – 12 species – receive a custom personalized wooden fly box
- Suncatch Master – 16 species – award TBD
So far, 13 anglers have been recognized at various levels, with 39 participants altogether. With the recent addition of the Challenge on social media, interest is growing and Suncatch Director Ben Roussel expects participation to double next Spring.
For more info, including complete rules, click on our Suncatch page. And for our members on Facebook, follow along by joining our Suncatch Challenge group.
