Cheeky Schoolie Tournament raises $27,380 for conservation

US fly brand, Cheeky Fishing, has raised more than $27,000 following its record-breaking 11th annual Schoolie Tournament.

The brainchild of Cheeky CEO, Ted Upton (above left), the event – presented by Simms Fishing Products– saw a tournament record schoolie (below) of 116 inches caught and attracted 29 teams to what is now the world’s largest fly fishing tournament of its kind and a beacon for striped bass conservation.

“The event has always been about the angling community and the fish,” said Upton. “We know it is a boon for the local economy early in the season and we work hard to expose our anglers to proper fish handling techniques.

“It’s been our honour to work with Cheeky to incorporate science-based best practices for handling and releasing stripers in their tournament,” said Sascha Clark Danylchuk of Keep Fish Wet. “We are grateful for all it does to raise awareness and contribute to striper conservation.”

A science team from UMass Amherst used the tournament to kick off a multi-year study to examine how striped bass respond to catch and release.

Taylor Vavra, Vice President of Stripers Forever, added: “The Cheeky Schoolie Tournament transcends the traditional fishing tournament philosophy and elevates it to a whole new level through conservation and angler education. We are both excited and beyond grateful to, yet again, be a conservation partner.”