# HT3 Redfish Update



## redmerc

Well after several attempts to bring a "series" to the anglers of the great state of Texas, it was determined there were plenty of good tours and very few good dates already for 2008. So as posted in "upcoming tournaments" HT3 decided to forgo events so far from home.

A phone call or two later and several emails we are being asked to reconsider and perhaps bring atleast 1 event to Port A or surrounding area this season. The only available date seems to be Sept 6-7 which is doable for us as we would of been at the all new Guy Harvey Island Grille and Marina the weekend before in Orange Beach, Al.

However another 700 miles or so and then a return trip to Orlando of 1400 miles or so we'd have to have some guarantees... and in fishing that is awfully hard to get but we're willing to give it a shot and we have a couple months to do it.

First off this singular event would qualify any team that fished it for our championship in Slidell, LA. Oct 18-19. Heres what we can tell you we'd do. This event would not be "subd" out but would have the full force of our tournament truck/show/production. We would bring the big beast to Texas and would personally handle all aspects of the event, just like it was our championship.

100 teams fishing .. 


20,000.00 1st 
5,000.00 2nd 
4,000.00 3rd 
3,000.00 4th
2,000.00 5th 
1,800.00 6th 
1,700.00 7th 
1,600.00 8th 
1,400.00 9th
1,200.00 10th
1,000.00 11th
900.00 12th
800.00 13th
700.00 14th
600.00 15th
500.00 14th

Big Red day 1 = 1,000.00
Big Red day 2 = 1,000.00
Big Red overall = 500.00

Of course this is a sample payback and not guaranteed and is based on little or no local tourism/chamber and such support, if we received such help we could increase these numbers, personally I'd like to see 2nd go up to about 7,000.00 or so... 

These fiqures come out to be over a 90% payback and total over 46,000.00 in paybacks and 2,500.00 in additional big red, 25.00 per team side pot, based on 100 teams. If we were a local company we could do a bit better but Florida is a long haul.

We can't even think of coming out without 60 teams pre registered and paid including the 30.00 membership fee per angler. The membership fee is for our entire series of 3 events and a championship and of course the Texas anglers will not be fishing our Florida, Alabama or Mississippi events. 

However a few may come to the championship. While we can't waive the membership fee of 30.00 we can tell you this, it is good for 4 HT3 redfish events in the 2008-2009 season.

So all those guys paying a membership can fish the Texas event, and have 3 more event credits even if they take place in 2009 without paying another membership. That is if this event is a success and everyone likes each other and has a good time and you guys want us back in 2009.(the guys going to the championship will use their 2nd credit and have 2 more left). So we are trying to give ya the most we can from so far away and hope some of this info has been helpful.

For more information of course check our site and contact us if you'd like to be one of the first 60 to sign up and guarantee that we'll have an event there in September. We'll have something nice for the first 60, maybe first in the captain's meeting buffet line or something....  Thanks again for your interest, even if it's too late to get the interest level up for this year....Of course all prepaid entrys will be returned if event interest does not reach the pre paid 60 teams and event is not held.


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## BOCA PAILA

*Sign Me Up......*

Well, Let The Big Dogs Out! Be Advised I Am In.... This Is My Official Notice..... Sign Me Up...... Welcome To Texas......

Jerome Mckown Partner T.b.a. At A Later Date


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## redmerc

Hey big dawg! why have a partner, go alone and win the entire 20,000.00 ...  thanks for letting us know... now once we have payment we are only 59 from locking in the date... OH Boy, b.t.w.  couldn't resist...

Full field is 125, we are not anticipating that, we were asked what was the limit allowed... www.ht3outdoors.com

Go here http://ht3outdoors.com/?page=411 and select Sept 6-7 under RT3 logo to register... thank you..


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## redmerc

Registrations already coming in on the website, wow! Remember all of you sending in checks, there is a 25.00 optional side pot for Big Red each day, so if you want to be in for that, add it to your check amount...


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## br1006

Looks like fun to me! Payouts look real good too! May just give us a good excuse to go to Louissiana later this year as well!

See you in September!


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## Mike77015

Registering Now!!!!! See ya in Port A and Slidell


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## redmerc

Thanks BR and Mike... 57 more to go...


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## Diamond Jen

Oh I think that I am going to have to sign up. Let me get to work on finding a partner!!!! Yeah! Thanks for letting everyone know about this - should be exciting!!!


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## redmerc

It is going to be a ton of fun and remember you can register at www.ht3outdoors.com then select "tournaments 411"... And remember you don't have to have a partner, it's 1, 2 or 3 anglers per team... look forward to meeting all of you...


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## br1006

You go girl! If any one woman team could pull off a win Jen it would be you! But where is Pevey gonna be?


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## Diamond Jen

br1006 said:


> You go girl! If any one woman team could pull off a win Jen it would be you! But where is Pevey gonna be?


Oh BR, you are too kind! Perhaps I could pull off the one woman show, but I would not want to show off like that! I'm shy!!!! LOL! To answer your question about Pevey.....my Bird Dog better be on the boat with ME!!!! LOL! I hate fishing without my partner!!! 

Yes - I plan on seeing all of you there! That's just too enticing a payout not to at least attempt to win it!!!

BR, don't let me win this time - let's try to keep the fish alive!!! Is there a deduction for dead weigh ins in this tournament??? If not, I better start scouting the bays down south ASAP!!! Just kidding! You know I got nothing but love and respect for ya brother!!! I am looking forward to it! See ya on the leader board!!!


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## redmerc

Yeah he'll be the one seeing if he squeeked in with a 16th place finish for the final check....  hehehehe j/k BR... b.t.w. does that stand for Badass Redfisherman?


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## redmerc

Being we are so far away and kind of the new kids on the block, we wanted to post a few pics of our set up to let you guys and gals see what we want to bring to Texas...We produce events and promote anglers in hopes that the more anglers we can get sponsorships for, the more anglers will have the freedom to travel and fish the tour. Unlike other, larger tours who just heap the sponsors on the tour, we always try to include a pro staff angler or 2 as part of our sponsorship packages for the tour... That is why you will see some promo shots taken at some of our events, for the tour and the anglers to use in hopes of landing both more sponsors...


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## redmerc

All fish bumping and check in is done behind 16' (on each side of stage) banner walls, good for the anglers and sponsors. 4-150 gallon Aerated tanks supply cooled and treated water for the fish until their release. Stage access is granted through a set of stairs on either side of stage, behind banner walls. The one pic is of a local tackle shop that has taken great pride in what their 2 anglers have won with HT3 and made a type of shrine in their shop...


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## redmerc

It is our goal that anglers cut more and bigger checks with HT3 Outdoors than any other tour available... We work on the premise that the more sponsors we get involved, the more of the angler's money we can return to them, hoping one day to have the first ENTRY FEE FREE trail for our professional anglers, with company's supplying the purses. All the while remembering to keep it fun as our Director of Tours, Dave Dickens shows off his Hause Award, given to the angler with the biggest comeback on day 2.


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## redmerc

But at the end of the day, as Tom Cruise was told in Jerry Mcquire, _"show me the money".._ ok here tis...


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## redmerc

The next 25 pics or so... (sorry for taking up so much room) we wanted to put up and let you guys and gals know, this was our championship last year that 27 boats qualified and competed in. It took place in Guntersville, Al. again just 27 boats and the prizes topped 60,000.00. If we can have success in Texas, where everything is bigger, imagine what you could be fishing for..


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## spitfire

That's alot of money!


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## redmerc

Next...


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## redmerc

Few more...


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## redmerc

There are a lot of good tours and especially in Texas, we just wanted to let you guys/gals see that we feel we would fit in right among them. Not better but just as good and would love to bring the excitement, fun, professionalism and of course, money and prizes that way. We hope we'll get the required 60 pre registered to come this September, atleast now some of you have a better picture of what we do. We will end the photo album with the angler who actually won the 27 boat event as all the pics above did not even include his winnings... Thanks again and if the admin needs to, he can move or remove this thread, don't want to take up too much bandwidth...


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## redmerc

Thanks for your comment spitfire, it's a blast watching the look on the angler's faces when they see what a relatively small tour (not espn, flw, etc.) can give back... then usually they scratch their heads wondering.... Why can't the bigger tours do more? We take pride and measure our success not by how many boats show up (although you need boats for sure) but by how much money we can pay back the anglers.

Our goal is always 100% of entry fees, depending on sponsors, tourism councils, chamber of commerce, etc. that is not always possible but we keep as little as possible, afterall, it isn't ours, it's the anglers.


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## redmerc

_hey what's up with all the bass_, you say? Ok heres some real fish...from our Lafitte Open


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## redmerc

Please start back at page 2 in order to see all the pics of setup/stage and anglers...


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## snagltoothfrecklefish

#12 in your rules says no wading or trolling
#13 describes that wading is allowed but must remain within 300 yds of boat...


So is wading allowing in the HT3 Redfish series?


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## redmerc

Yes, we'll change that, we were convinced of what the definition of wading was... We thought at first that meant, show up in a truck and drive to your favorite location, get out, wade and then put fish in a cooler, come back to weigh in...  so now we know, just missed adjusting # 12.. Thank you for your keen eye... got it changed now...


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## Team Ranger Bob

*?*

Is Gritter still part of HT3 and if so what part will he play?

Ranger Bob


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## redmerc

Gritter will always be a part of HT3, but he wanted to back out of tournament director so no one could whine when he won an event... :cheers: he like a lot of other anglers that will be fishing holds an advisory position... but then again that's what is unique about HT3 Outdoors, all of our anglers are advisors, thus a tour that trys to do what the anglers want... Can't please everyone, all the time, but we do try... curious though about the ? though... you can expound by pm if you wish...


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## RedXCross

Hello redmerc,

Without getting long winded , any chance of any other Texas venue's in the future?


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## redmerc

Depends on how this event goes, we may set up an entire division in 2009 but like I said, it all depends on what happens in September...


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## br1006

Looks like you run a good show and hope you get enough boats to justify the trip out here. Some people like myself are tournament junkies and always welcome another opportunity to fish them.


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## jb1585

yeah looks pretty good to me


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## redmerc

We've been asked about the championship and payouts and such. Since we haven't had the first event of 2008 yet and have no idea the reception or interest we'll get this season, let me atleast explain our thinking on it.

The sample payback posted is on 60 boats and as agreed to here is pretty good.... Now heres what we are thinking.. If we can qualify 60 boats from each of our 4 tour stops that is 240 boats... If just 1/2 of them come to the championship that would be 120 boats, double what we have showed a sample payback based on 60 boats.. So with 120 boats you could reasonably double the paybacks shown but not exactly as double the boats would also mean double the payback spots... but atleast you can get an idea....


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## redmerc

Looks like our first 3 person team.. thanks to Brawn, Edwards and Forrester for signing up....


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## jb1585

Hey Redmerc, how many teams you got so far?


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## redmerc

One less than we'll have once your's signs up....:rotfl:


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## redmerc

Seriously, just a few signed up, lots of promises/committments but a few sign ups. Now let me remind you guys/gals of a couple things to keep in mind.

HT3 lets the anglers decide much of their fishing experience like, how many anglers to make up a team with, what time to weigh your catch between 2:30-4:00 no flights, etc. We try to let our anglers decide as many parts of their tournament experience as possible, but we do reserve certain decisions for ourselves in regards to registration.... So remember with HT3 Outdoors...

You are assigned your boat number for the tournament when we receive your deposit and day 2 anglers are launched according to their day 1 finish.... So if a team is in 7th place after day 1 they will be 7th to launch on day 2. With HT3 you earn your day 2 spot. There are a couple reasons for this.... Ever have one of those 15 - 20 pound day 1's only to find on day 2 when you have to launch last there is 4 or 5 boats in your spot by the time you get there? However, you never saw these anglers on day 1, that's because the dock talk has "outed" where you were fishing and now suddenly, "oh we knew about these fish too, we were saving them for day 2"..... :tongue:

If a team PAYS EARLY they earn their launch position by doing their part to make sure the tour even gets to come out there. That team can then further earn their day 2 launch by performance. Again, this (in our opinion) is the best way to do it.... As a company there doesn't seem much argument for making someone who paid 3 weeks ahead of a deadline have *any* chance of launching behind someone who waited and showed up at the captain's meeting ready to jump in after a good week's practice and feeling now they'll sign up.

Again, this may be different for some of you so if you are waiting to sign up after we tell you we have 60 boats and are for sure coming, you will find yourself no better than boat 61 and having to earn a better boat draw on day 2  Get signed up and lets have a big Texas time...


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## redmerc

Thanks Capt Chris for signing up.... look forward to meeting you...


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## jb1585

I noticed that the website has changed and you are showing only one redfish event. Has the Rockport been cancelled?


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## redmerc

no, has not been cancelled... but we are not getting any sign ups and planning an event of that size takes literally months so by the end of this month we'll know if we are coming or not, so far doesn't look good... lots of people want to fish until they have to put the money on the table.... which is why everyone likes a 50.00 late fee at captain's meeting.. they'd rather wait till the last minute to find fish or hold their money, etc. and you can't blame them, but in this event that thinking will ensure we are not able to come... we are only showing the event that we KNOW right now we are going to do... perhaps after that event and more people see what and how we do and then sign up... but like anglers traveling to fish their favorite trail having to cut back due to high fuel cost, imagine a International 4700 series truck with 4.79 a gallon diesel traveling 1000 miles one way...  We have to KNOW how many are fishing prior to committing to that. So we like the anglers are waiting...


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