Beyond The Breakwater and the Coastal Conservation Association of California (CCAC) have partnered up to conduct the first “Mylar Summer Pickup” event. It’s based on Madison Valadez’s Mylar Round Up contest from 2017, where Southern California anglers competed to see who could collect the most mylar party balloons while fishing.
In the Mylar Summer Pickup, contestants will use their smart phones to record “catches” using the iAngler Tournament app, with one point awarded per balloon. The app maintains a live leader board so you can check results in real time.
In addition to prizes for top point-getters, every daily submission through iAngler will receive one ticket for an end-of-event raffle. Mylar Summer Pickup sponsors include: Shimano, Daiwa, Okuma, Costa and more!
Mylar Summer Pickup is FREE and starts on World Oceans Day (June 8). It runs through the end of October.
But wait! There’s more!
Beyond The Breakwater readers are also eligible for an additional prize! The highest-placing BTB entrant will receive gift certificates from Temple Fork Outfitters for the TFO rod and reel of their choice! That includes the new Axiom II-X, one of the hottest rods on the market right now, and their Power reels!
To qualify, just send an email to [email protected] to let us know you’ve entered. Be sure to include your name and iAngler user ID.
Photos and videos courtesy TFO Rods
The Back Story…
Mylar party balloons have been a nuisance in Southern California waters for years. They’re one of those things people complain about all the time, but rarely do anything about.
Until the summer of 2017, when Madison Valadez came up with a great idea. She created a Social Media contest on FaceBook that recruited anglers to collect and dispose of the balloons they encountered while fishing.
Dubbed “The Mylar Round Up”, the event ran for the month of September. Contestants collected almost 400 balloons, with many more picked up in the months before and after the event. A small movement was born.
While the contest was only held one year, good ideas never die. In the Fall of 2019, BTB, CCAC and iAngler began working together to organize a trash pickup tournament, and we floated the idea of making the event “The Mylar Round Up – Gen 2”. Everyone liked the idea, and “Mylar Summer Pickup” was born.
So What’s Next?
- Visit the CCAC “Mylar Summer Pickup” web page to get more details and read the rules
- Download the FREE iAngler app to your smartphone (available in both the Apple App Store and Google Play Store. Search for “iAngler Tournament”)
- Register using the app or the iAngler website, and sign up for the CCAC 2020 Mylar Summer Pickup event.
- Add the Beyond The Breakwater prize by sending an email to: [email protected], letting us know your name and iAngler user ID.
- GO FISHING! COLLECT BALLOONS! Submissions accepted for “catches” made on or after June 8.
When Do We Find Out Who the Winners Are??
iAngler keeps a running leader board, which will start being updated on or after June 8. You can check out the leader board at any time, using either the app or the website.
At the end of the event (November 1, 2020), winners will be announced and the raffle will be held. Given the current coronavirus situation, it’s not clear yet if the Main CCAC awards ceremony will be a real or virtual event. But the Beyond The Breakwater award ceremony will be a separate virtual event using Zoom, exact details to be posted later.
And a Final Note…
By asking you to participate in this event, Beyond The Breakwater IS NOT, UNDER ANY CIRCUMSTANCE, asking or encouraging you to disobey any laws or government mandates. Always follow safety protocols recommended by local, state and federal health agencies. Do not engage in any activities which could endanger yourself or others during this time of great uncertainty.
And of course, always follow applicable Fish and Game, and Boating regulations!