A shortage of snappers at annual Snapper Tournament

It was a good day for the snappers. Only three got caught at Saturday’s 18th annual Snapper Tournament in downtown Riverhead.

Jim Janecek of the Riverhead Recreation Department said he thinks the low tide around 11 a.m. when the tournament started contributed to the low numbers. The high tide was scheduled to come in around 5 p.m., two hours too late, and snappers could be seen farther out to sea by the afternoon. Mr. Janecek said in past years, as many as 200 snappers have been caught (and released) during the annual tournament.

Nevertheless, the prizes were handed out. Samantha Giordano, 12, came in first place in the youth division with a 10 5/8-inch fish, followed by 7-year-old Sophia Conforti, who caught a 9 3/4-inch fish.

In the adult division, Bruce Morrow, who says he was actually named after legendary radio DJ “Cousin Brucie” Morrow, came in first with a 10 1/2-inch fish.

Photo Caption: The winners of Saturday’s tournament: Bruce Morrow, left, in the adult division, and Samatha Giordano, right, who came in first in the youth division and Sophia Conforti, center, who came in second. (Credit: Tim Gannon)