Sixty CCA STAR Redfish Released and Ready to Catch!

Sixty tagged redfish are the STAR attraction of the 2011 CCA Texas State of Texas Anglers' Rodeo (STAR) sponsored by the Texas Ford Dealers and Tilson Home Corporation. CCA Texas/STAR officials released the tagged reds during the week of May 23, 2011 in coastal waters from Port Arthur to South Padre Island.

The STAR draws approximately 40,000 participants annually. This year's event kicks off at sunrise on Saturday, May 28 and will end on Labor Day, September 5 at 5:00p.m.

Keeper-sized prizes can be claimed by STAR anglers who bring in the first 10 tagged redfish. The first five winners will drive home in a 2011 loaded Ford F-150 "Texas Edition" XLT SuperCab, pulling a brand new 23' Haynie BigFoot boat rigged with a Mercury 150 OptiMax motor and Coastline trailer. The next five tagged redfish winners will each claim a 23' Haynie BigFoot boat with a Mercury 150 OptiMax motor and Coastline trailer.

And it's not just about redfish! STAR contestants who catch the largest speckled trout in the north, central and southern regions of the Texas Coast will each take home the Shoalwater 22' Legend, powered with a Mercury 150 OptiMax and McClain trailer. STAR bluewater anglers who land the heaviest kingfish, dorado and ling (cobia) in the Offshore Division will each win the awesome Explorer by Dargel 216 Blue Water Series boat to cruise the big waters along with a Mercury 150XL OptiMax outboard and McClain trailer. In the Inshore Division the Blue Wave 180V Bay Boat rigged with a Mercury 90ELPT OptiMax outboard and McClain trailer will also be given to the anglers for netting the biggest flounder, gafftop and sheepshead.

For youth anglers, the STAR Scholarship Divisions offer a total of ten college scholarships in $20,000 and $50,000 increments. STAR participants, ages 6-10, who catch the largest flounder, sheepshead or gafftop will each be awarded a $50,000 scholarship. Participants, 11-17 years of age, who catch the largest flounder, sheepshead or gafftop, as well as, the largest speckled trout in each of the three Texas Coast regions (north, central and south) will each be awarded a $20,000 college scholarship. In addition, youth anglers ages 6-17 years old in 2011 are eligible for a bonus drawing that will net one lucky youth a $20,000 college scholarship and they don't even have to wet a line!

For more information, including a list of weigh-in stations, instant-entry registration locations in your area and weekly leader board updates, go to http://www.startournament.org.

CCA Texas is a nonprofit organization of sportfishing enthusiasts and conservationist working to save the natural resources of Texas coastal waters. CCA Texas' Web page can be found at http://www.ccatexas.org.