Year founded: 2012
Mission statement: The Priority Automotive James River Team Series is a tournament trail that has five simple goals. One: Offer the best prize payout for the lowest entry fee in the greater Richmond area. Two: Provide a competitive tournament trail that encourages sportsmanship and conservation on one of our best natural resources. Three: Give back to the community by supporting local charities. 100 perecnt of all money raised through raffles and merchandise sales will be donated to seven different local charities (one for each event). Four: Create a fun environment that will encourage anglers and their families to participate at weigh-ins. Five: Encourage youth participation to build our fishermen of the future. Simply put, we want to provide anglers of all skill levels the ability to have a great time and compete for great payouts, while supporting local charities and encouraging family participation in the outdoors.
Geographic region covered: James River, as well as the Chickahominy and Appomattox rivers
Average turnout per tournament: 148 boats
Best lake or lakes visited: Last year every tournament took 20-plus pounds to win, and 90 percent of the wins came from the James.
Contact: Steve Camp, 804-516-0669. www.priorityfishing.com
Also: This trail pays back, on average, 130 percent of the entry fees collected, according to Tournament Director Steve Camp. “The trail doesn’t take a dime; it’s very self-sustaining,” he said. “Also, we hang our hat on the fact that we raised more than $7,000 for local charities last year.”
