"This is the best damn tournament on the Outer Banks," said Ocracoke Invitational Surf Fishing Tournament co-chair Woody Billings. "And it's the only one in the spring." Hooray for spring events on Ocracoke bringing back the visitors!
The tournament stretches along the beach from 1/4 mile south of South Point Road up to Ramp 68. (OISFT gets special permission to use the part of the beach that's currently open for pedestrians only.) On Sunday, the Park Service erected a barrier around an oystercatcher nest, which blocked access to some of the tournaments traditional fishing grounds. Woody called headquarters and was happy to report that the Park Service was "very responsive."
"They came down that afternoon, and gave us more beach to use," he said. The nest's location will require that all the beach access points are one way in and out at Ramp 68, 70, and 72, but everyone is cooperating nicely.
Out of the teams, 10-15 of them are comprised of mostly Ocracoke residents, but the majority of the anglers come from Hatteras and farther up the beach. Other states are represented, too; there are teams from Virginia, Delaware, Maryland, New Jersey, and even landlocked Ohio! (Go Bucks!)
They come to fish and enjoy the nightlife on Ocracoke. The kick-off party was Wednesday night at Howard's Pub with the Michael Clark Band. On Thursday, all are invited to join the fishermen and women at Howard's again, this time to hear the Johnny Waters Band. Both nights, the music starts at 7pm.
"We're all getting older," Woody said. "So we made the party earlier this year."
The teams will fish two sessions on Thursday and Friday, then welcome the island community to a pig pickin' at 5:30pm on Friday night. Wanna know who won? Eat some 'cue, drink some Bud Light, then hang around for the Awards Party at 7pm. There'll even be a deejay!
OISFT has some great major sponsors: Ocracoke Island Realty, Howard's Pub, Budweiser, Daiwa, Trent Rogers or Rogers Southeast Associates, Sea Striker/Dick Henry, Igloo, Gaffer's Sports Pub, Dan Vinent with Pure Fishing, Anglers Fish-n-Mate, and Hopkins Lures. Their sponsorship, plus the money OISFT gets from the $420 entry fee per team, and from selling ads in the tournament's souvenir program help the tournament give back to the Ocracoke community. The tournament also rakes in the dough from merchandise sales – OISFT hats, tees and hoodies are always in style. Stop by the Community Center and buy yourself some swag. There's a raffle, too, with great prizes donated by local businesses. And it all helps support the tournament, which supports Ocracoke.
This year, OISFT gave away $7500 to good causes. Ocracoke Child Care, OVFD, Ocracoke Youth Center, Ocracoke School's Sigma Willis Memorial Scholarship, Ocracoke Girl Scouts and Boy Scouts, Ocracoke Athletic Boosters Club, and both island churches (United Methodist and Assembly of God) all received a wonderful gift of cash from the fishermen's coffers. It's Woody's goal to give away $10,000 next spring.
For the past 24 years, Woody has been the head judge for OISFT. He also serves as co-chairman, treasurer, and as a member of the tournament rules committee. Richard Perkins is the other half of the co-chair team. Woody’s wife, Terri Billings, is the secretary. Other surf-fishing fans from on and off the island serve on the OISFT Board of Directors including Pattie Johnson-Plyler, Alan Sutton, Corky Pentz, Dave Frum, Bill Gilbert, Rae Eley, Marissa Gross, Mary Simpson, Sharon Miller, Gail Kowalski, and Jude Wheeler. The OISFT board meets 4 or 5 times a year to plan the event and decide how to share the wealth.
Woody’s happy about the positive impact the tournament has had on the community. Although OISFT might have started out with a reputation as a bunch of rowdy fishermen coming to the island to party, over the years it’s matured into a fun-loving, but responsible group.
On Wednesday, the anglers were arriving and registering and greeting old friends and familiar faces. It was a very happy crowd, in spite of the thunderstorms forecast for Thursday and the wind blowing in on Friday.
You can listen to live OISFT coverage on WOVV 90.1FM or online at wovv.org
And stay tuned to the Current for more fishing tournament stories. Mary's going to report on fishing like a girl!