3rd Annual Release Over 20 / Pure Flats Trout Tournament Continues to Grow in Louisiana

The third annual Release Over 20 / Pure Flats Speckled Trout Tournament returned to Hopedale Marina in Louisiana on April 11, bringing together a passionate group of anglers, conservationists and supporters for a weekend that continues to grow in both size and impact.

Hosted by Louisiana State Representative Cliff Hall and Greg Sample of Pure Flats, the tournament has quickly earned a reputation as a laid-back, community-driven event that still manages to draw some of the top speckled trout anglers from eastern Louisiana and Mississippi. What sets it apart isn’t just the competition—it’s the shared commitment to protecting the future of the fishery.

The weekend began, as it has in years past, with a pre-tournament dinner at Greg Sample’s fishing camp, The Literary Society. Anglers gathered to swap stories, talk strategy and enjoy the kind of camaraderie that defines the Release Over 20 mission. Tournament day started with a captain’s meeting, followed by a full day on the water and an awards ceremony where teams selected raffle prizes based on their finish, in addition to taking home winnings.

This year’s event drew around 40 anglers and strong support from the local community. Competition was tight, with the top team, Trout Ambassadors, posting an impressive 44.75-inch combined total — anchored by a 23.5-inch trout followed by a 21.25-inch fish. Results like these continue to reinforce the tournament’s core message: releasing larger, breeding-size fish contributes to a healthier, more productive fishery.

“Gratefulness is the word that keeps coming to mind,” said Cliff Hall. “Seeing some of the greatest people in Louisiana’s fishing community come together to support the Release Over 20 mission makes all the effort worthwhile. Beyond conservation, it’s the quality of this community that stands out.”

Half of the tournament proceeds are donated directly to Release Over 20, further supporting conservation efforts aimed at protecting larger, more productive fish. As Greg Sample noted, the group is already seeing positive effects. “We’re seeing bigger trout on a regular basis,” he said. “The camaraderie and shared passion for growing the fishery are what make this event so special.”

With momentum building each year, organizers hope the tournament continues to expand through word of mouth — bringing in more anglers, raising more awareness, and ultimately helping ensure a stronger, more abundant speckled trout population for years to come.

The Origin, The Mission, The Why

a film by Drew Pamplin & Low Life Filmmaking

We were recently approached by the very talented videographer Drew Pamplin, who offered to create a professional-quality video to tell the story of Release Over 20 and what we’re all about. Having a quality production such as this helps us explain our mission and vision in detail and legitimize our organization with the general public.

As you often hear when the cameras start rolling, the fish suddenly suffer from lockjaw — but on the day we filmed, that wasn’t the case! The bite was outstanding — as you can see in the video, we released "over 20" speckled trout, flounder, and striper.

We’re truly honored that Drew and Lowlife Filmmaking offered to create this for us, and we’re excited to debut it on YouTube and Facebook.

We hope you enjoy the final product — and that it inspires you to get involved with Release Over 20 as you learn more about our mission.