Bobberthon Fishing Tournament Underway

PERRY, Ga. (4/3/2012)

Fish the Georgia Bobberthon Express tournament for a chance at fun and prizes now through October 1!  This tournament allows anglers five months to catch tagged bream in any of four public fishing areas and turn them in for a prize and a FREE pass to the Go Fish Education Center in Perry.  At the end of the tournament, a random drawing of all anglers who caught a tagged fish will provide a chance to win one of four exciting grand prizes! 

“Now in its third year, the Bobberthon keeps getting better!” says John Biagi, chief of Fisheries Management, Wildlife Resources Division, Georgia Department of Natural Resources.  “Anglers will get a longer period of time this year to visit Georgia public fishing areas and catch some tagged fish, most importantly, they get to spend some quality time with family and friends.” 

Quick Tournament Details 

• Registration: No pre-registration needed.  Anglers will register when they return their tag to the Go Fish Education Center, Perry. 
• Fishing Locations: Anglers can fish at one or more of four public fishing area lakes (Dodge County [1], Ocmulgee, Hugh Gillis  [2]and Flat Creek [3]) that have tagged bream [4].  The tags are colored and say “Bobberthon.”   
• Tag Reporting: If an angler catches a tagged bream, he/she needs to remove the tag from the fish (whether keeping the fish or releasing it) and return and register the tag at the Go Fish Education Center by October 1, 2012.  The Center is located off I-75 at exit 134. 
• Tournament Dates: Dates to catch a tagged bream are April 1 – October 1, 2012.  Anglers who catch and report a tagged bream during that time are guaranteed a prize.  They also are eligible to win one of four grand prizes. 
• Prizes: Prizes for tags could be anything from hats to t-shirts.  Additionally, each angler returning a tag will receive one FREE admission to the Go Fish Education Center, which can be redeemed immediately or at a later date.  A drawing for four grand prizes will be held at the conclusion of the tournament, after October 1.  As grand prizes are secured, information will be listed at  www.georgiabobberthon.com [5] .  

The event is a collaborative effort between five local communities (Bleckley, Houston, Dodge, Laurens and Pulaski), the Georgia Department of Natural Resources, Wildlife Resources Division and Georgia Department of Economic Development. 

For more information about Bobberthon and the public fishing areas, visit www.georgiabobberthon.com [5]. 

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