Jon Chapman | Reel in some time for worthwhile fishing tournaments

Anglers, check your calendars. Do you have Friday, April 8, and Saturday, April 9, open? If you don't, maybe pull a few strings for the opportunity to bring home cash and prizes during one of the best times of year to fish.

That weekend will provide anglers who may be feeling a bit competitive the chance to target their favorite inshore species between two separate and very affordable tournaments.

Those interested in trying to find snook and help snook research can fish the postponed William R. Mote Memorial Snook Shindig Honoring Capt. Scotty Moore out of Sarasota, while the Palma Sola Causeway will play host to the 2016 Sitcken Pigz Red-Trout slam tournament.

The return of the Snook Shindig was originally planned for November before blooms of red tide caused a postponement. "After postponing the event, we worked hard on finding a new date that would be best for the snook, as well as for anglers," said Mote Marine Laboratory staff scientist Carole Neidig.

"Based on feedback from knowledgeable fishing guides in Sarasota, we're hopeful that by April 8, the winter cold spell will be over, there will be good tides that day, and it is before the closure of the fishery, which is May 1."

This will be the first Snook Shindig since 2009. It has been canceled due to the closure of the snook fishery following freezes in 2010. The Shindig will kick off at 6 p.m. on Friday night, and anglers can go fish following a mandatory captain's meeting at Mote's WAVE Center on City Island, Sarasota.

Anglers age 16 and older are only $35 a person, while 15 and under are only $10 a person. Fishing areas are between Cortez and Venice. Those looking to find out more and register can visit mote.org/snookshindig.

For only $80 per team, anglers can search for the largest weight combination of a legal-sized redfish and trout on April 9. Teams will be able to leave at safelight from the Palma Sola Causeway after registering that morning.

I've fished in this tournament the past two years and regret not doing it the year prior when I landed a personal best 30-inch trout the day of the tournament. It's fun, fast, and the fishing is usually great early in April. This year I'll be back hoping to land in the money once again.

For more information, look up the event page on Facebook by searching 2016 Sticken Pigz Red/Trout Slam or give Mark Cruz a call at 863-698-9127.

If you're not fishing either one of these tournaments, it could be a very busy day on the flats. Expect to see plenty of boat traffic and many anglers wading the flats around Sarasota Bay to Tampa Bay as a result. But a day with hungry fish and rods bent will make everyone happy!

This story was originally published March 26, 2016 at 11:57 PM with the headline "Jon Chapman | Reel in some time for worthwhile fishing tournaments ."