Weigh to Go! Twenty-four Weighmasters Successfully Complete Training
Texas Sea Grant’s weighmaster training equips individuals to support fishing tournaments by teaching fish ID, weigh-in procedures, and rules enforcement. The inaugural course trained 24 students from across Texas, all of whom passed and earned certification to serve at tournaments.
Weighmaster Kevin Burns examining a catch at the 2021 BACH Fishing Tournament in Surfside, TX.At fishing tournaments, weighmasters ensure the accuracy of fish measurements, help identify and confirm fish species, and enforce tournament rules. With a large number of fishing tournaments being held in Texas, there is a community-wide need for well-trained, knowledgeable weighmasters along the coast.
Texas Sea Grant’s new weighmaster training program equips interested individuals with the skills and knowledge required to become successful Texas weighmasters through a combination of lectures, practical experience, and a final exam.
The inaugural course of this revitalized program took place online via Zoom on Monday, May 23, 2022, and Tuesday, May 24, 2022, and consisted of 24 total students from all over Texas.
Participants spanned locations from Port Arthur to the Rio Grande Valley, representing areas including Port Arthur, Galveston, Houston, Freeport, Matagorda, San Antonio, Corpus Christi, Harlingen, and surrounding areas.
The class composition included recreational anglers and other fishing industry members; representatives from fishing tournaments’ boards of directors; university students; and professionals who work in the fields of science, conservation, and natural resource management, including two of Texas Sea Grant’s own staff.
The course was instructed by AgriLife Extension agents Tony Reisinger (Cameron County) and John O’Connell (Brazoria County), who have extensive experience working as weighmasters and teaching this class in the past, and the program was coordinated by Texas Sea Grant Fisheries Specialist Alexis Sabine, also an experienced weighmaster. Three additional experienced weighmasters also participated in the course to share their experiences working at Texas fishing tournaments.
Training topics included why tournaments are important and the benefits they offer, the weighmaster’s responsibilities, weigh-in procedures, equipment, fish identification, fish freshness assessments, live weigh-ins, and the weighmaster’s code of conduct.
All 24 students passed the course exam with high scores and will be receiving Certificates of Completion for the course! This training will allow the participants to better support the local recreational fishing industry by tending to the weigh station at sportfishing tournaments.
Weighmaster training video
https://youtu.be/uv-JC0Y4S4w
More Weighmaster Classes to Come!
Learn More At
tx.ag/WeighMasterTraining
