—Panama City to host Emerald Coast Division of state redfish tournament—

PANAMA CITY, Fla., March 1, 2017 – After its success hosting last year’s Emerald Coast Professional Redfish Series (ECPRS)Championship, Panama City has climbed a notch in the fishing tournament circuit as the ECPRS has been tapped to host the Emerald Coast Division, a series of four tournaments, each of which serve as a qualifier for the Power-Pole Florida Pro Redfish Series (FPRS) to be held in late fall. The eventual champion will be crowned as Florida’s top professional redfish team.

“The level of success for ECPRS was so good and the hospitality we extended was so strong, we have been drawing teams from as far as Virginia and Texas once word got out,” said local tournament organizer and professional fisherman Mark Cowart, who attributes the success to the fact that although last year’s tournament was a regional event, organizers planned and executed it like it was a major event. A lot of anglers unfamiliar with the quality and diversity of redfish habitat around Panama City were treated to a very pleasant surprise, not least of which are the area’s four unique redfish habitats.

Three other regional divisions around the state comprise the remainder of the FPRS: the West Coast Division, hosted in the Tampa – St. Pete area; the East Coast Division, shared between Jacksonville and St. Augustine; and the Big Bend Division, shared between Steinhatchee and Cedar Key. Qualifiers from the four divisions square off in St. Augustine on November 4 and 5 for the Power-Pole Florida Pro Championship. Over the course of the season, the series expects to pay out a total of $250 thousand in cash and prizes, including a fully rigged-out 18 ft. BeaverTail Mosquito valued at over $42,000.

Not only did last years’ teams respond warmly to the hospitality and organization found in Panama City, but they were also extremely impressed by the local fisheries. Cowart cites the gin-clear waters that predominate around Panama City and that the Intracoastal Waterway ensures that fishermen don’t have to make an offshore run to reach opposite ends of the expansive fishery that extends beyond both sides of St. Andrews Bay. That feature makes it possible to “outfish the weather” if necessary, or simply to spend less time in route between two distant habitats.

“We thoroughly enjoyed hosting anglers during last year’s series,” said Destination Panama City CEO & President Jennifer Vigil. “They all proved to be enthusiastic and generous guests, and we are delighted that they responded so favorably to their time here – both in terms of the first-rate fishing as well as the many amenities we have to offer. We look forward to welcoming them back, along with many new teams that will be fishing here for the first time. We are also delighted to continue partnering with ECPRS, especially as it grows and gains prominence in the world of competitive fishing.”

The Florida Pro Redfish Series Emerald Coast Division will sail out of City Marina in Panama City. Organized entirely by volunteers, Florida Pro Redfish Series is a conservation-focused nonprofit organization that promotes the sport of inshore saltwater redfish fishing within the State of Florida. Each tournament requires artificial bait only with 100 percent catch-and-release and guaranteed 100 percent cash-plus payback.

Teams interested in entering the Emerald Coast Division, or one of the other qualifying tournaments, are encouraged to register, pay the entry fee of $207 per tournament and review the series Rules & Regulations at www.floridaproredfish.com.