Tag, Release, Repeat! 65 Striped Bass Tagged at Our First Annual Tournament

This past weekend marked the incredible launch of the Bay Rats & Buoys First Annual Striped Bass Invitational, and what a weekend it was! Over 65 striped bass were tagged and released with Gray’s FishTag Research to support conservation and scientific tracking of this iconic species. The excitement began Saturday morning at the Captains Meeting hosted at Whalestale Northport, where tournament shirts, rulers, Gray’s fish tags, tag applicators, and sponsor swag were distributed. Special thanks to CLiX Fueling, and shoutout to Howard and Steven for showing up in person to support the event! Sunday morning, boats lined up just north of the Huntington Lighthouse for a shotgun start. Anglers battled through a north squall with 5-foot waves that added intensity to the first two hours of fishing. The first fish was on the deck just 30 minutes into the competition! Teams captured epic footage and tagged dozens of bass — with the winning fish coming in at 46 inches, landed on a porgy chunk by Eric Huebsch, Mike & Andrew Viola! Bay Rats & Buoys is incredibly proud to have brought the fishing community together for a cause that matters. A huge thank you to all of our sponsors, anglers, and supporters — this event wouldn’t have been possible without you. We’re already looking ahead to next year’s tournament, and the planning starts now! Don’t forget to like, subscribe, and follow us on social media to stay updated on future events, tagging efforts, and Bay Rats & Buoys adventures! Tagging and Bragging!