CHARLOTTESVILLE, VIRGINIA – Tycoon Tackle, Inc. announced The Tycoon Trophy casting competition. This competition was established to recognize “Excellence in Fiberglass Fly Rod Casting.” The Tycoon Trophy will be awarded annually.

This year, The Tycoon Trophy competition will take place at 10:00 am at the Michi-Glass Gathering, Saturday and Sunday, June 21st and 22nd at Warbler's Hideaway, 2704 Lovells Road, Grayling, Michigan 49738.

The Tycoon Trophy competition rules:

Equipment: Glass rods with rod blank made of 100% fiberglass with the exception of ferrules. No carbon cores or carbon scrims allowed. Ferrules can be any material including metal. All rods will be inspected. Maximum length: 9-feet

Line: Maximum line weight: 7-weight, floating fly line of at least 80-feet in length. No shooting heads. Shooting line can be used behind 80' fly line. Minimum 7.5-feet monofilament leader with maximum of 9-feet in length with provided yarn or fly.

Community Rod Rule: All rods must be inspected and placed in the tournament rod rack prior to the start of the competition to be inspected by all competitors. Any competitor is permitted to use any rod entered in the competition, regardless of who entered the rod or who owns the rod. With the durability of glass, there should not be an issue with broken rods. NEITHER THE EVENT ORGANIZERS, SPONSOR, OR ANY CASTERS ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR BROKEN RODS DURING THE COMPETITION.

Suitable rods will be available to anyone interested in entering the competition.

Casting order of participants will be determined alphabetically by last name.

Course: All casting will be done on a grass course. There will be a sizeable staked down tarp provided for casters to stand on, to eliminate the entanglement of line in the grass at your feet.

Accuracy course will consist of five targets, approximately 30-inches in diameter placed at measured distances of 20-feet, 30-feet, 40-feet, 50-feet, and 60-feet.

Accuracy Scoring: Each caster will cast two rounds. Each round will consist of one cast at each accuracy target starting with the closest target and continuing in order to the longest target. As much false-casting as you want prior to each cast is permitted.

Each target has a different point value based on the distance of the target.
• 20' is worth 5 points.
• 30' is worth 10 points.
• 40' is worth 15 points.
• 50' is worth 20 points.
• 60' is worth 25 points.

A caster will be given the above stated points for each target if:
1. Their fly lands inside the target.
2. Their fly hits inside the target and bounces out.
3. Their fly hits the ring of the target and bounces off.

Judges will be stationed at each target on each cast to assure these rules are met.

A caster will receive a zero score if:
1. Their fly lands outside the target.
2. Their fly hits the ground outside the target and bounces in.
3. Their fly contacts the ground in front of the caster on any false cast.
4. The caster moves the fly before it can be scored.

All judge's decisions are final.

Distance Casting and Scoring: Distance casts will be scored as one point for each foot from the casting line to the location of the fly. Each caster can make up to 2 practice casts prior to the casts that count for their score. Each caster will make three measured casts, with the two longest casts being added together to calculate their total distance score.

Each caster will receive a score equal to the total of all accuracy casts plus the total from their two longest distance casts to determine the winner.

The Tycoon Trophy winner will receive a plaque, along with having their name engraved on the base of the perpetual trophy. Other prizes to include:

• First place: A Tycoon Tackle fiberglass fly rod
• Second place: A Tycoon Tackle hat and shirt.
• Third place: A Tycoon Tackle hat.

Tycoon Tackle, Inc. is Charlottesville, Virginia-based, originating in Miami, Florida that was on the scene in the formative years of big-game angling. The company is still family owned and is committed to manufacturing their products in the United States.