Catching tagged redfish can score you a truck, boat, motor or more prizes.

CCA official Leiza Fitzgerald releasing a STAR tagged redfish earlier this spring.

STAR is the largest family-friendly saltwater fishing competition in Florida and it’s unlike traditional fishing tournaments because you compete just by fishing—on your own time. With over $500,000 in prizes and scholarships, the organization is using the social media-based, 101-day event to educate the public on the importance of protecting Florida’s marine resources.

In STAR’s Signature Division, officials have released an average of four tagged redfish per coastal county throughout Florida. Registered adult anglers catching the first six tagged redfish, and using the STAR app to record their catch, are eligible for their choice of prizes including a new GMC Sierra Pickup or one of several Yamaha-powered boat packages including a Contender 22 Sport, Pathfinder 2200TRS, Maverick HPX-S, Sea Hunt 225 Ultra or the Carolina Skiff 21 Sport & Fish. Youth anglers will be eligible to participate in the tagged redfish division with the first two winners taking home a Carolina Skiff 16 JVX CC powered by a 40hp Yamaha and a Road King trailer.

You definitely don’t want to catch one of those prized fish and not be registered. That’s actually happened to quite a few anglers the last few years. Last year, young Zackary from Arkansas caught the STAR tagged fish while fishing with his father and a guide in Panhandle. The guide had guided a 2015 angler to a tagged redfish as well. Neither the guide nor the father and son were registered for 2016 STAR. After taking pictures, they released the fish at Ships Chandler’s dock. They registered for the tournament and rented kayaks and spent the last four days of their vacation fishing the docks trying to re-capture the fish. The father said how crazy is it to be a Florida angler and not be registered for STAR. “We are coming back next year and we will be registered and a CCA member,” he said.

Young Zackary with the tagged redfish that might have won him a boat, had he been registered for STAR.

“Our state’s natural resources and fisheries are here for our enjoyment, but we understand that smart fishing will preserve these resources for the future,” said Brian Gorski, CCA Florida Executive Director. “The STAR event is a fantastic way to provide a fun competition with amazing prizes, protect our fish populations and generate critical data in the process.”

“Yamaha’s sponsorship of Florida STAR further underscores our commitment to the conservation of U.S. coastal waterways and also expands our saltwater tournament support efforts,” said Dale Barnes, Yamaha Marine Group Marketing Division Manager. “This tournament is unique as it opens the field to all saltwater anglers while simultaneously working to collect scientific data that can help to rewrite the legislation currently governing our coastal waters.”

Other divisions include Conservation, Open, Ladies, Fly, Kayak, Lionfish and Professional Guides. Eligible species are spotted seatrout, snook, sheepshead, non-tagged redfish, cobia, dolphin (mahi mahi) and kingfish. The STAR Youth Scholarship Division offers the opportunity to win one of twelve scholarships totaling $100,000. The event officially runs from May 27 (Memorial Day) to September 4 (Labor Day) at 5 p.m.

A new division to the 2017 STAR event, the Costa Kick Plastic Trash Division rewards participants who gather trash and debris from waterways and submit a photo entry with the 2017 free official measuring device. As with other divisions, participants will be eligible for a random drawing at the end of the 101-days of STAR for a $500 cash prize.

In 2016, over 5,000 anglers registered for STAR. More than 150 tagged redfish were released throughout the state’s coastal waters, with more than 20 caught and submitted via the app. For more information on STAR, or to register, visit our Facebook page or ccaflstar.com.
The Fine Details

• Membership revenue will be used to support habitat restoration projects and other habitat related projects.

• STAR revenue will be used for implementation of competition, scholarships, prizes and advertising.

• Kick-off is sunrise on Saturday, May 27, 2017, Memorial Day weekend and ends at 5 p.m., September 4, 2017 , Labor Day, offering participants a total of 101 fishing days.

• $35.00 STAR entry fee if CCA member. $65.00 if non-member with $30.00 for CCA membership. New Tide Members are FREE. New Tide membership is $10.00. New Tide members are ages 6 to 17.

• $500,000 in prizes offered

• STAR is a Catch Photo competition, all fish entries, except for Lionfish or fish that have special FWC handling requirements must be photographed on the 2016 STAR official measuring device with either a digital camera and uploaded via the STAR website or by using the STAR Smart phone app which can be downloaded from the App Store or Google Play.

• 2017 STAR is statewide and includes both the east & west coast and the upper Keys.

•more than 150 specially tagged redfish (on average 4 fish per coastal county) make up the signature division, STAR Tagged Redfish.

• New for 2017 Youth anglers may participate in the Tagged Redfish Division for two Carolina Skiff 16 JVXCC with a 40hp Yamaha and Road King trailer.

•First Eight (6 adults & 2 youth) tagged redfish winners will claim either a brand new GMC truck from Conley Buick GMC or boat, motor and trailer package of either a Contender 22 Sport, Pathfinder 2200 TRS, Maverick 17 HPX-S or Sea Hunt 225 Ultra or Carolina Skiff 21 Sport & Fish and for Youth anglers a Carolina Skiff 16 JVX CC all powered by Yamaha.

• NEW FOR 2017: Qualified winning tagged Redfish angler will have their choice of tagged redfish prizes at the time of their win. Example: first qualified adult winner will have their choice of all six prizes.

• Harvest of tagged redfish is not required. Fish with tag must be photographed on 2017 official measuring device, tag is to be clipped close to the skin and clipped portion is to be kept for verification. All other requirements must be followed.

•Open inshore & offshore divisions with the eligible species being spotted trout, Snook, Sheepshead, Cobia, Dolphin (Mahi, Mahi) and Kingfish. Fish only need to be of legal minimum length to qualify for entry in STAR.

• First place in the OPEN division species category of spotted trout, Snook, Sheepshead, Cobia, Dolphin and Kingfish will each take home a boat, motor and trailer, an All-terrain vehicle or prize of equal value.

•2nd thru 6th place winner in each species category of the Open division.

• Ladies, Fly and Kayak division with first thru sixth place winners with eligible species of spotted trout, Snook, Sheepshead, Cobia, Dolphin and Kingfish and non-tagged redfish.

• The Youth Scholarship Division will provide up to $100,000 in college scholarships to a Florida college or vocational school with two $25,000 scholarships and ten $5,000 scholarships.

• The Youth Scholarship Division: spotted trout, Snook, Sheepshead, Cobia, Dolphin, Kingfish, Ladyfish or Jack Crevalle and non-tagged redfish are the eligible species for the drawing of the winners.

•FREE entry to participant’s ages 6 – 17 who are current New Tide CCA members.

•The Conservation Division will have each registered angler entering all fish caught no matter what species or size. This effort will provide a significant amount of catch data information that will be used by the conservation community to make science based decisions on habitat management, stock assessment and other relevant issues. Winner will be determined by the most data collected by an angler. There will be a first, second and third place winner.

• Special Lionfish Division will award the top 3 participants who harvest the greatest number of Lionfish during the 101 day tournament. This division can have unlimited daily entries and harvested fish may be photographed all together in one photo which must include the 2017 official measuring device. Lionfish Division winners may win in one other division.

• The Yamaha Professional Guides division will award the first captain who is a CCA member & registered for STAR who guides his client (must be CCA member & registered for STAR) to a tagged redfish a Yamaha 150hp motor. In addition, licensed charter captains have the ability to win first, second and third place prizes based on the greatest number of clients they have register for the tournament.

• NEW The Trash Division will award 1st, 2nd, 3rd. Photo entry must consist of at least a 5 gallon bucket of garbage gathered while on the water and include the 2017 STAR official measuring device. Winner will be determined by a drawing.

• Over 3,255 participants in 2015 and in 2016 there were 5,149, each had an opportunity to win their share of $500,000 in prizes making STAR Florida’s largest saltwater fishing competition. We anticipate over 7,500 in 2017.

•Tagged Redfish: Angler must be a CCA member and registered for STAR BEFORE catching the STAR tagged redfish. Angler needs to take photo of tagged redfish with tag visible and submit according to rules. Anglers who have caught a STAR tagged redfish will be required to call catch to tournament director within 2 hours of landing the fish. The angler will be required to clip the tag, keeping tag to present to Tournament Director or committee member at the nearest Distribution location within 24 hours of call notification. Angler is NOT required to keep the tagged redfish as long as they have taken the photo of the fish on the official measuring device. After verification of STAR tag, angler must take and pass a polygraph test within the next 72 hours to confirm winning status. Angler may harvest the fish if they wish but harvest of STAR tagged redfish is NOT required. Any harvest of a STAR tagged redfish must meet the slot requirements as required by current state law. If a tagged redfish is harvested that does not meet the state requirements the fish will be disqualified.

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Seven Children’s Charities to Benefit from Annual Fishing Tournament

Captain Lamar Joiner Jr. releases a big tarpon for Welyn Waterhouse, 11 years old, in the 2016 Gasparilla Island Kids Classic Tarpon Tournament. Photo by Josh Olive.

The sixth annual Gasparilla Island Kids Classic Tarpon Tournament presented by Colombia Sportswear Company will take place on Saturday, June 10th at The Boca Grande Community Center and Gasparilla Island State Park. The annual fishing tournament features children ages fifteen years and under competing to catch and release the most tarpon within 3 hours. This year’s tournament will include over 36 boats and captains, with nearly 150 kids.

The following charities will benefit from the tournament:
· Easter Seals Project Rainbow of Southwest Florida
· Lemon Bay Conservancy
· Moffitt Cancer Center’s “Families First” Program
· Johns Hopkins All Children’s Hospital Music Therapy Program
· The Englewood Community Care Clinic
· The Island School
· Charlotte County School System S.T.E.M. summer camp

“This tournament is going to be another great example of kid’s helping kids,” said Bill Klettke, Boca Grande Charities, Inc. Board Member. “We want to give them a fun and competitive event that encourages goodwill, education, sportsmanship and conservation of the region’s rich tarpon fishing history and traditions.”

The registration fee is $1,000 per boat with all registration fees being donated to our charities. The typical cost for a boat and captain is $500. Please register before June 2nd, 2017. Interested participants can learn more and register at bocagrandecharities.org or contact Bill Klettke or Captain Sandy Melvin at contact@gasparillaislandkidsclassic.com.

In six years, the annual tournament has seen more than 700 kids participate and helped raise over $150,000 for children’s charities and educational activities in the Southwest Florida region and this year’s tournament is expected to raise more than $35,000.

About Boca Grande Charities, Inc.
Boca Grande Charities is a volunteer group of Boca Grande residents who commit their time to raising money and supporting children’s related charitable and educational needs. The organization has been organizing the Gasparilla Island Kid’s Classic as the primary fundraiser for the past six years. It places a focus on “Kids Helping Kids” and their educational programs. For more information about Boca Grande Charities, Inc. visit BocaGrandeCharities.org.

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The best part and the main reason we have the event is to get kids fishing.

There is one of the largest seawall fishing tournaments for the adults: Fishing Slam with 12 species of fish and a grand prize of 200hp Suzuki Engine. There is a world class BBQ Tournament run by the Florida BBQ association with over 50 teams competing. Oh and yes, there are pig races! It is so fun to watch.

The Baddest BBQ on the Bone and Fishing Slam
June 8-10, 2017
Madeira Beach Recreation Complex
www.oldsaltfishing.org

We’re MAD about fishing and barbeque! This three day event includes an adult and kids fishing tournament, a BBQ festival, live music, pig races, marine and art vendors, a mini boat show, a Kids Zone with splash pad, raffle prizes and more! Register online to participate in the fishing tournament or the BBQ competition, or just head to the Madeira Beach Rec Center to enjoy the festival (5-11 p.m. on Thursday and Friday, noon-11 p.m. on Saturday). It is all free! Free Admission, free parking, free water ferry from parking lot to event site, and even free fishing rods to the first 250 kids.

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ICAST event delivers fun on the fairways and lakes of Rosen Shingle Creek.

Jim from FWC manned one of the four fishing holes and he helped anglers make decisions on what to use. Here he is posing with one of the successful anglers.

TV personalities, retail buyers, and bass fishing professionals gathered together on Tuesday before ICAST to play in the 4th Annual Florida Sportsman Bass & Birdies Classic. This year we returned to Rosen Shingle Creek for this fantastic kickoff event. Eighty-one golfers graced the greens for the best-ball scramble combined with bass fishing. Florida Sportsman’s Bass & Birdies Classic donates all proceeds to Keep America Fishing. The event raised $2,800 in proceeds that will go to Keep America Fishing.

Shingle Creek is the headwaters of the Everglades, and this was evident in the beauty of the course. Arrowheads, lily pads, mottled ducks, turtles and more surrounded each pond on the course. Growing up in Florida we dream of fishing these high-end golf courses knowing they hold trophy bass.

Industry leaders have sponsored Bass & Birdies for multiple years. These leaders include Yamaha, Fishing Nosara, COSTA, YETI, Trophy Catch, PowerPole, Daiwa and Bass Pro Shops. Each sponsor provided donations to be raffled off in support of Keep America Fishing. The trophies were supplied by Ross Myers of Bass Fishing Trophies (BTO.com) who did a fantastic job once again creating a trophy worthy of the event.

This day the weather was hot but so was the golf and fishing. Many golfers returning from years past have learned to stack their teams with great golfers and a fisherman who could give them the edge needed to get the best score possible. I saw both great drives and terrible drives; lucky putts and not so lucky putts. It was a fun day to watch golf in the Sunshine State.

Each team had an angler of their choice to fish at each of 4 different holes designated for fishing. These holes were crewed by FWC and volunteer fishing club members from Central Florida. This year there were better bass caught than before. With most fish in that 14- to 16-inch range there were a few that were 20 inches and above as well. Plenty of fish overall, and they were active.

Much to my delight, we ended the day by going to their banquet room for a fantastic American lunch of hotdogs, hamburgers, and chicken breasts with all the sides.

Rick Ryals, Bass & Birdies director, allowed us to eat and then once all the results were in and the strokes tallied, he began announcing the winners of each category.

Second Longest Drive was won by professional angler Chris Lane. He was bested only by Eric Thomas who hit the Longest Drive of the day.

Professional angler Greg Watts, teammate of Chris Lane, was then awarded the Closest to Pin award.

Rick then announced the award for most bass caught for the team of Graig Hale and Mike Savino of Outdoor Sportsman Group, John Hoagland and Lee Fromson. They caught four bass together.

Largest bass of the day belonged to Chris Lane who caught a 6-pound bass that measured 22 inches on the last fishing hole. The fish had come unbuttoned on the shoreline and the lure put one treble hook right into the back of Lane’s leg. He still managed to land the fish and then proceeded to golf two more holes to end the day.

Overall the team that won was comprised of Erick Thomas, Jimmy Murphy and Max Carter who between their strokes and bass deductions managed 50.5 strokes for the day. A very impressive day on the course at Shingle Creek. These are our winners of the 2017 Florida Sportsman Bass & Birdies Classic.

We had pleasure golfing and fishing with each industry professional that came out to the event. Thank you for helping us Keep America Fishing. We look forward to 2018 and the 5th Annual Bass & Birdies Classic!

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The Club’s 39th Annual Junior Angler Tournament started off very wet, with two inches of rain on the Friday evening registration of 77 young anglers from Boy Scout troops 888 and 840, Lahia House kids, Florida Sheriff Youth Ranch (FSYR) kids from Bartow and Live Oak and Stuart Sailfish Club members kids and grandkids. Everyone was huddled under a large tent at Sailfish Marina. The willing anglers met their Captains for Saturday’s event and enjoyed pizza, hoping the skies would clear. Early Saturday did bring clear skies and 18 local fishing boats for the eager anglers. Boats that took some of the kids fishing were led by head boat “Safari 1”, charter boat “Wet and Wild”, brokerage boats from Sovereign Yachts and Marine Max and some private member boats like Dr. Paul Shoppe’s “Fifth Day”.

A boat full of youthful anglers, eager to catch a tournament winning fish.

The results were a mix of 15 species with everything from sailfish, dolphin, kings, grouper, porgies, large bonito, amberjacks, tuna and cobia, resulting in 40 trophies for the young anglers. The “Safari 1” had the wild finish with three big cobia, to 44 pounds. After an official weigh-in by Alicia Fischer, Marena and Kaysea Shoup, photographs were taken and anglers learned new fishing skills from Captains Chris Callaway and Richard Shoup before a BBQ lunch.

Young angler with one of the 19 bikes awarded in the raffle.

Every kid won a raffle prize that included 19 bikes and assorted sporting equipment, all donated by club members and sponsors to. Many of the local kids who won bikes donated them generously back to kids from FSYR and LAHIA HOUSE. A four horsepower Yamaha outboard motor, donated by Manatee Marine was raffled off and won by Jim Penix of Sovereign Yachts. The day finished with each kid receiving a rod and reel from Fish Florida.

Two thousand dollars of the tournament proceeds were donated to Florida Sheriff’s Youth Ranch by the Stuart Sailfish Club. The primary sponsor of the tournament was Ted and Lynne Glasrud along with Sailfish Marina, Manatee Marina, Fish Heads, Whiticar, Shurhold, Lewis Marine, Ferreira Construction, Tentlogix, Marine Max, Fish Florida, Procedures Solutions Management, Carlson Enterprises. A team of 24 volunteers was led by Dave Powell, tournament chairperson for the ninth year in a row.

Stuart Sailfish Club donated two thousand dollars of the tournament proceeds to Florida Sheriff’s Youth Ranch.

Significant catches

Austin Duvall(FSYR-Safari 1) – Cobia, 44 pounds

Andrea (FSYR-Safari 1) – Cobia, 31 pounds

Willow Rudge (LAHIA-Safari 1) – Cobia, 28 pounds

Zane Price (Daymaker) – Amberjack, 22 pounds

Kyle Hann (First Draw) – Tuna, 13 pounds

Annabell Begna (My Horse) – Kingfish, 11 pounds

Michael Hines (Blue Fins) – Dolphin, 10 pounds

Camden Konesco (Hope) – Bonito, 9 pounds

Connor Grout (Charlies Dream) – Sailfish release

Zane Price won this year’s Ted Glasrud Perpetual Trophy for 2017 outstanding junior angler.

The Stuart Sailfish Club is a nonprofit 501c3 organization located in Stuart, Florida, the “Sailfish Capital of the World.” They are one of the oldest Billfish Conservation Clubs in the United States. For more information, call 772-286-9373, email sailfish@stuartsailfishclub.com. Visit their facebook page at Facebook.com/StuartSailfishClub and their website at www.StuartSailfishClub.com.

The post 39th Annual Stuart Sailfish Club Junior Angler Tournament a Success appeared first on Florida Sportsman.

And the winners are…

The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) just announced the winners of the 2017 Lionfish Challenge. A total of 26,321 lionfish were removed from Florida waters as part of the four-month challenge.

Ken Ayers Jr. of Panama City took home the recreational Lionfish King award with a total of 1,250 lionfish harvested. Joshua Livingston of Destin became Florida’s first Commercial Champion for his efforts in removing 4,560 pounds of lionfish (poundage equates to about 5,027 fish). On top of other prizes earned throughout the Challenge, the two winners were presented with a custom-made Fish Bone Design trophy and a “No Shoes Reefs” Engel 85 cooler.

A total of 120 recreational and commercial harvesters participated in the statewide lionfish removal incentive program, which ran from Lionfish Removal and Awareness Day May 20 (first Saturday after Mother’s Day annually) through Sept. 4.

A total of 8,901 lionfish were removed by recreational participants, and another 15,800 pounds were removed commercially (poundage equates to about 17,420 lionfish).

The FWC thanks all of those who participated in this year’s Lionfish Challenge. This program could not have been possible without the help of the 34 dive shops that served as checkpoints for recreational submissions and the generous support of the following sponsors: Engel Coolers, ZombieStickz Lionfish Eliminator and Mote Marine Laboratory & Aquarium.

While this year’s Lionfish Challenge may be over, there are still plenty of other great programs that encourage lionfish removal. Check out the new and improved Reef Rangers website, which launched in early September. Participants that adopt a reef soon will receive a Reef Rangers Lionfish Control Team T-shirt and tank sticker.

Learn more about lionfish and this program at MyFWC.com/Lionfish.

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Instead, pledging $10,000 donation to Guides Trust Foundation (GTF) for Florida Keys fishing guides in need

Cheeca Lodge & Spa announced the cancelation of its 6th Annual All American Backcountry Fishing Tournament scheduled to take place November 16-18, 2017, in Islamorada, FL. Typically held over Veteran’s Day weekend, the tournament was set to host two war heroes, with proceeds benefitting the Guides Trust Foundation, a locally-based nonprofit supporting Florida Keys fishing guides in need.

“We explored alternatives to move forward with the tournament, but the impact of Hurricane Irma made it too difficult for us to deliver a tournament of this caliber in November,” notes Cheeca General Manager Bob LaCasse. “We truly regret that we will not be able to host this year’s tournament and pay tribute to our war heroes, support our anglers and local fishing guides, and facilitate tourism in the Keys,” he added.

In lieu of the tournament, Cheeca Lodge & Spa and its owners, Northwood Investors, will be donating $10,000 to the Guides Trust Foundation. The GTF Board of Directors is currently developing a thoughtful and comprehensive strategy to help those Florida Keys guides and their families who were most impacted by Hurricane Irma. Several sponsors of the All American Backcountry Tournament have also pledged to donate to the nonprofit organization. More information on the GTF, including the ability to make a donation to help Florida Keys guides in need, can be found at GuidesTrustFoundation.org.

All American Backcountry Title Sponsors included Wells Fargo Bank’s Hospitality Finance Group, Robert-James Sales, Inc., Mayfly Outdoors, and Brian and Paul McCulliss of McCulliss Oil & Gas, Inc. Partner sponsors included Costa, Fishpond, TrueFlies, Bluefin, Florida Keys Brewery, Executive Printers of Florida, Printing Plus, Linens & More, Keys Audio Party Rentals and more.

Cheeca Lodge & Spa anticipates re-opening in the first quarter of 2018. The 2018 All American Backcountry Tournament will be held Veteran’s Day weekend, November 8-10, 2018. Visit www.cheeca.com/all-american or the All American Facebook page for the latest information.

Cheeca will also host the 28th Annual Cheeca Lodge Presidential Sailfish Tournament January 26-28, 2018, the third leg of the Florida Keys Gold Cup Sailfish Championship. For information on all tournaments, visit www.cheeca.com/experience/fishing or call 305-517-4512

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Madeira Beach tournament keeps growing

The tournament weighin celebration was fit for a King… and 543 other teams and a few thousand friends and family.

The rockstar of kingfish tournaments has crowned another king. And for the next five months Joe Bodner, of Team Overdraft, will be wearing that crown. Joe’s team, made up of family members, won the King of the Beach by catching a 46.99-pound kingfish. For their efforts, they’ll be taking home $63,744 for first place. What Jacksonville had in the early 1990s Madeira Beach has now—a “happening” that you don’t want to miss if you’re an offshore angler in a nearby zip code. And judging by the number of “Traveling Angler” entries, lots of other zip codes as well.

In its 24th year the event just keeps getting bigger. Five years ago the first-place fish received a total of $16,000. In this year’s fall event the fourth place fish took home $16,000 and third place took home $29,000.

“It’s all about the average angler,” said Dan Casey, the reigning king from fall 2016. “Every penny the angler pays in registration fees gets paid back in prizes.”

“It was a great event,” commented Blair Wickstrom, Publisher of Florida Sportsman, who fished the tournament with his brother in-law and nephew from Seminole, FL. “They clearly have the tournament figured out. The decision to put in reasonable boundaries levels out the playing field for the average angler. You clearly don’t need a triple engine center console to participate.”

Summerlike conditions and a relatively slow bite had anglers waiting until the very end to bring fish to the dock.

The weigh-in took about 4 hours and they weighed in 202 fish total. The King of the Beach paid out 35 places in Overall Division, 5 in Single Engine Division, 3 in Traveling Angler, 3 in Ladies, 3 in Youth, 1 Greenhorn and 10 in Spanish Mackerel which totals to 60 paid places.

The top ten finishers were: 1) Overdraft 46.99 Joe Bodner 2) Out of Site 41.23 Ryan Linsley $8,000 3) Fish Hawk Charters 36.83 Richard Vargas $5,000 4) Pro Marine 36.57 Kevin Hannon $4,000 5) No Escape 34.19 DJ Creadon $3,000 6) Due West 32.74 Brandon Lindsey $2,000 7) Liquid Buzz 32.20 Ernie Rubio $1,750 8) Wine Down 30.86 Ron Berdell $1,500 9) Smoked Out 30.71 Chase Montero $1,250 10) Team Googanator 29.66 Eric Fosbender $1,000

Team Overdraft proved that family that fishes together wins together. Capt Joe Bodner led his team to a victory while weighing in their 46.99-pound kingfish.

Overall fishing was a little slow when it came to true smokers, with just two fish caught over 40 pounds. But, lots of fish were brought in. The two largest caught were rumored to have come from slightly warmer water (75 degrees) that made its way into the Pinellas artificial reef area of the Blackthorn.

Over 10,000 people attended the three-day event, in what resembled a festival more than a fishing tournament. You had plenty of anglers but you also had families, lots of them.

Along with a crown the King gets a ring. This ring belongs to the Fall 2016 King Dan Casey.

If you missed out on this year’s event, you have until next spring to get your team signed up.

The post King of the Beach appeared first on Florida Sportsman.

Backcountry Fly Championship Series: 2017 Hurricane Cup Tournament results

Lisa Everett and Gail Kennedy holding up one of their many snook.

Hurricane Irma hit the Florida Keys hard, destroying homes and businesses, but it did not break the spirit of the community. As they have come to use a term #keysstrong, the community came together to help their neighbors, friends and even strangers in worse hit communities. Many Keys residents, including fishing guides went down to the lower Keys to help feed others while assisting them in the clean up of their properties, this is what the Florida Keys is all about, helping others in their time of need.

This time of year, Captain Paul Tejera from Islamorada puts together a tournament called The Backcountry Fly Championship Series; which is a 2-day, catch and release, fly only tournament where anglers target redfish and snook and are only able to count their two biggest fish caught for each species. Anglers are able to continue upgrading their catch in hopes of accumulating as many inches as possible. The series is held in the spring on the last Friday and Saturday in February and again in the fall in October. The anglers and guides that fish both the spring and the fall tournaments compete towards the coveted title for the “King of the Backcountry” which is a perpetual trophy where the winner’s name and the Captain’s name is etched on and displayed at Sandy Moret’s Florida Keys Outfitters in Islamorada.

When Hurricane Irma hit in early September affecting many hotels and restaurants, Tejera made a call to cancel the tournament, much to the dismay of many of the guides who really could use the business since many of their trips were cancelled due to the effects of the storm. Anglers were also upset and still wanted the tournament to go on. With there being so much need for the guides, Tejera thought of putting together a fun format for fishing, finding sponsors and all funds collected donated to the Guides Trust Foundation. The response was amazing not just from the anglers signing up but also from sponsors that wanted to help.

The one-day tournament, called the Hurricane Cup, was an open format where anglers could fish from anywhere in the Keys, from Flamingo Marina to Key West. Target species were tarpon, bonefish, permit, redfish and snook of any size and at the end of the day anglers could check in at the Lorelei Restaurant in Islamorada or they could text in their score sheet to the scorekeeper. 36 boats competed in the tournament, releasing 694 fish, 644 of which were snook. Hurricane Irma did not affect the fishing and these numbers are proof that the fishing in the Keys and Flamingo is still great!

Top Guided Team: Lisa Everett, Capt. Larry Sydnor, and Gail Kennedy McManus

The winning team consisted of two female anglers, one being an Islamorada resident, Gail Kennedy McManus fishing with her North Carolina and International Women’s Fishing Association friend, Lisa Everett. The duo caught and released 255 snook amassing a score of 6575 points, which put them above all other teams to take home the Top Guided Team, Most Snook Releases, Top Spin Team and Top Female Angler to Lisa for her 150 snook. Amazing fishing by these two anglers and their Islamorada guide, Capt. Larry Sydnor.

Top Unguided Team went to Islamorada residents Kyle Velunza and Karina Kempter who fished with their friend, Nelson Padron from Miami. They released between the two anglers, 95 snook on fly and spin tackle totaling 2575 points.

Top Unguided Team: Kyle Velunza, Nelson Padron, and Karina Kempter

Most Tarpon Releases – Jayce Chamizo from Islamorada and Lincoln Rodriguez from Miami they also received the Most Permit Releases with 1 permit.

Most Bonefish and Top Junior Angler went to Konnor Ross and Capt. Randy Towe from Islamorada

Most Redfish Releases – Capt. Mike Hutchisson and brother Greg Hutchisson from Miami Springs

Fly Division Champion and Most Species Award – Jeff Harkavy from Coral Springs and Capt. Steve Thomas from Islamorada.

Releases – Break Down

644 snook

34 tarpon

13 redfish

1 permit

2 bonefish

The post 2017 Hurricane Cup Tournament Results appeared first on Florida Sportsman.

Mark your calendars

Jan. 1 – Aug. 31: Key West Fishing Tournament. Key West. More than 40 species of fish are targeted during the multimonth tournament, with divisions for men, women, junior anglers (ages 10 to 15) and Pee Wees (under 10 years old). The Key West Fishing Tournament strongly encourages the release of game fish. All participating anglers receive certificates noting their catches and qualify for a variety of prizes. Visit keywestfishingtournament.com.

Jan. 5-7: Key Largo Sailfish Challenge. Key Largo. Held at the height of the sailfish season, this event follows a boat-tournament format. Prizes and trophies await first-, second- and third-place teams and proceeds benefit the Coral Shores High School Band program. Call 305-240-9337 or email fishnbully@msn.com.

Jan. 11-14: Key West Kingfish Mayhem. Key West and the Lower Keys. Headquartered at Stock Island Marina Village, this newly formatted four-species event enhances what was formerly a king mackerel tournament by adding tuna, mahi and wahoo. Anglers are to vie for cash prizes. Visit meatmayhemtournamentsfl.com/key-west-kingfish-mayhem/ or call 954-605-8282.

Jan. 22-23: 29th Annual Al Flutie Over the Hill Rip-Off Sailfish Tournament. Islamorada. Dubbed “almost too much fun for old guys to handle,” the tournament is locally referred to as the Flutie. Proceeds benefit “Catch the Cure” for Cystic Fibrosis and the Monroe Association for ReMARCable Citizens, which provides life services for Monroe County’s adult intellectually disabled residents. Anglers age 50 and over are welcome. Visit marchouse.org/content/fundraisers.

Jan. 24-25: IFC Sailfish Tournament. Islamorada. Presented by the Islamorada Fishing Club, the event this year is the second leg of the three-pronged Florida Keys Gold Cup Championship series. It typically draws a field of up to 30 boat teams of elite sport fishermen. A total cash payout for a full field at the IFC Sailfish Tournament could reach $30,000. Visit theislamoradafishingclub.com.

Jan. 26-28: Cheeca Lodge Presidential Sailfish Tournament. Islamorada. The Presidential is one of the most prestigious offshore tournaments in the Florida Keys, and this year serves as the third and final leg of the three-pronged Florida Keys Gold Cup Championship. The 2018 challenge is to be held at Harbor Events at Whale Harbor. Visit cheeca.com/presidential.

Feb. 1-3: Cuda Bowl. Key West and the Lower Keys. Shallow-water flats anglers and guides are invited to hook up and fight their barracuda rivals. The event is headquartered at Hurricane Hole Marina on Stock Island. Prizes are to be awarded to the top angler and guide in light-tackle, spin and fly divisions. Visit cudabowl.com or email info@cudabowl.com.

Feb. 2-4: Islamorada Women’s Sailfish Tournament. Islamorada. In this light-tackle challenge, awards await the grand champion team (boat), first runner-up and second runner-up team, captain and mate. Other awards are presented for the high-point angler; outstanding catch; largest tuna, dolphin fish and kingfish; most tagged sailfish and hard luck. Proceeds benefit the Cancer Foundation of the Florida Keys. Call 305-240-9337 or email fishnbully@msn.com.

Feb. 2-3: Swamp Guides Ball. Islamorada. This all-release event offers fishing for bonefish, redfish and snook in the shallows of the Florida Keys and the saltwater fringes of the Everglades. Visit fkfga.org.

Feb. 11-12: Islamorada Bartenders Sailfish Open. Islamorada. This fun day of fishing is only for actively employed bartenders and restaurant employees. Trophies are awarded to individual anglers as well as the bar a team represents, with the huge perpetual trophy going to the winners along with bragging rights for the year. Contact Dianne Harbaugh at 305-522-4868 or email ditournaments@aol.com.

Feb. 23-24: Costa Backcountry Fly Championship Series. Islamorada. Tournament anglers are to compete to catch the most inches of snook and redfish on fly in a challenge where one inch equals one point. Awards are to be given to the grand champion and runner-up, and to the anglers who catch the largest snook and redfish. The field is limited to 30 boats. Visit BFCtournament.com.

March 6-9: Jim Bokor’s Islamorada All-Tackle Spring Bonefish & Redfish Shootout. Islamorada. Up to 25 anglers vie for top-honor trophies for catches of bonefish and redfish in this event, formatted to appeal to a broad spectrum of anglers. Divisions include bait, artificial and fly, and an overall grand champion is to be named for each species. Additional awards go to the high-point angler each day. Email fishnfever@bellsouth.net.

March 9-10: Jimmy Johnson’s National Billfish Championship. Key Largo. Hosted by Jimmy Johnson, two-time Super Bowl winning coach and former head coach at the University of Miami, the prestigious event benefits the Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center and other charities. Anglers on the winning boat receive custom-designed Jimmy Johnson’s NBC Championship rings. Visit jjfishweek.com.

March 12-15: March Merkin Invitational Permit Tournament. Key West and the Lower Keys. This charity flats-and-fly-only tournament challenges anglers to catch, tag and release silvery permit to vie for elite titles. The event is held at the Key West Harbour Yacht Club on Stock Island. Visit marchmerkin.com.

April 17-21: The Final Sail. Key West. This four-day challenge is the “grand finale” of the four-leg Quest for the Crest Sailfish Series. Team prizes include trophies and $50,000 for first place and $18,000 and $10,000 to second- and third-place teams, respectively. Visit bluewatermovements.com/final_sail/.

April 20-22: Robert James Sales Sunrise/Sunset Tarpon Tournament. Islamorada. The Upper Keys competition is one of dozens of fishing events held each year whose proceeds benefit the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation. Visit redbone.org, contact Gary or Susan Ellis at 305-664-2002 or email susan@redbone.org.

April 27-29: Islamorada Spring Classic. Islamorada. This family-formatted boat tournament targets nine Gulf and backcountry species. Trophies are awarded to the top boats in weight and release categories, as well as private vessel and charter divisions. Junior and teen divisions also are awarded. Visit islamoradaclassic.com or email islamoradafishingclassics@aol.com.

April 29 – May 2: Cheeca Lodge and Spa Tarpon Invitational. Islamorada. Up to 15 elite fly anglers use only a tournament-furnished tippet not greater than 16-pound test to land tarpon that must measure at least 48 inches and up. Call 305-587-1460 or email fishnfever@bellsouth.net.

May 4-6: Marathon Offshore Bull and Cow Dolphin Tournament. Marathon. Over $30,000 in cash and prizes awaits the top anglers who catch the largest bull and cow combined, while other prizes are awarded to anglers catching the largest dolphin fish, wahoo, tuna and tripletail. Visit marathonoffshoretournament.com.

May 4-6: Nick Sheahan Dolphin Rodeo. Islamorada. Honoring the memory of Nick Sheahan, a Florida Keys student, this tournament benefits a namesake community scholarship fund that has distributed over $160,000 to date. Hosted at Tavernier Creek Marina, the event features cash prizes and $25,000 to the angler with a dolphin fish that beats the state record. Visit nicksheahan.com.

May 5-9: Tarponian Tournament. Marathon. Rules of this high-energy three-evening tournament mandate that each team fishes with a different captain each evening. Teams also rotate among the three major bridge channels in Marathon, so any potential “hot spots” are shared among all anglers. Call 215-542-1492 or email dbreznicky@breznickyassociates.com.

May 18-20: Key West Co-Ed Mahi Masters. Key West. In this challenge, cash prizes are awarded to the male and female angler scoring the highest total combined weight of three dolphin catches. There is no limit on the number of participating boats. Call 305-296-0364 or email lee@murraymarine.com.

May 20-23: Loop Golden Fly Invitational Tarpon Tournament. Islamorada. Special flies, accurate casts and a bit of luck are the recipe for winning this prestigious challenge that is limited to 28 anglers. Competitors use a tournament-furnished tippet not greater than 16-pound test. Eligible tarpon must measure at least 48 inches in length to earn release points and weigh at least 70 pounds for weight points. Call 305-587-1460 or email fishnfever@bellsouth.net.

June 1-3: Fourth Annual Skippers Dolphin Tournament. Key Largo. This tournament is headquartered at Skippers Dockside Restaurant behind Key Largo’s Holiday Inn. Cash prizes of over $60,000 include a first-place prize of $25,000 as well as prizes for the top six teams and top lady and junior anglers. Visit skipperstournaments.com or email ditournaments@aol.com.

June 1-3: Original Big Pine & Lower Keys Dolphin Tournament. Big Pine Key. The Lower Keys Chamber of Commerce presents this annual event where anglers contend for more than $35,000 in cash prizes and awards. A special cash prize of $20,000 is awarded for the largest dolphin over 50 pounds. Additional prizes await winners in open, ladies and youth divisions. Visit lowerkeyschamber.com/tournaments.php or email executivedirector@lowerkeyschamber.com.

June 3-8: Don Hawley Tarpon Fly Tournament. Islamorada. Up to 25 of the world’s top fly-rod anglers endure a five-day test of patience and finesse, fishing Keys waters using fly tackle and 12-pound tippet. Named for the late fly fisherman and conservationist Don Hawley, the tournament benefits the Guides Trust Foundation, assisting professional fishing guides and supporting backcountry fishery conservation programs. Visit guidestrustfoundation.org or email fishnfever@bellsouth.net.

June 8-9: Fifth Annual Ladies Dolphin Tournament. Tavernier. Hosted by the Florida Keys Elks Lodge, this event welcomes female angler teams to compete for the highest aggregate weight of three dolphin fish. Cash and prizes are awarded to first- through third-place finishers, and for the largest dolphin caught. Visit floridakeyselks1872.com or email ditournaments@aol.com.

June 13-15: 41st Annual Ladies Tarpon Fly Tournament. Islamorada. An all-release invitational tournament, this event represents a rich history of premier lady fly anglers who love the sport of saltwater fishing in the shallow waters of Islamorada and Florida Bay. Visit facebook.com/keystarpon, contact Heidi Nute at 917-607-8779 or email heidinute@yahoo.com.

June 18-22: 55th Annual Gold Cup Tarpon Tournament. Islamorada. This annual challenge appeals to “tarpon addicts,” and both experienced and novice anglers can apply to compete. Held the third Monday in June each year, the event is limited to 25 anglers by invitation only. Proceeds are to benefit the Florida Keys’ fishing industry’s Guides Trust Foundation. Visit goldcuptt.com or email infodept@goldcuptt.com.

June TBA: University of Miami Sports Hall of Fame Celebrity Dolphin Tournament. Islamorada. Anglers can fish with some favorite former Miami Hurricanes All-Stars in the one-day tournament that features cash prizes for the heaviest dolphin fish. Other attractions include a charity auction. Visit canesfish.com or email judy@canesfish.com.

July 6-8: Islamorada Summer Classic. Islamorada. This family-formatted boat tournament features nine target backcountry and oceanside species. Trophies are awarded to the top boats in weight and release categories, as well as private vessel and charter divisions. Junior and teen divisions also are awarded. Visit islamoradaclassic.com/ or contact Dianne Harbaugh at 305-522-4868.

July 9-11: Islamorada Fly Dolphin Tournament. Islamorada. This new two-day fly-fishing event features three-person angler teams competing for cash and prizes for the largest fish, combined weight, most releases and more. Visit islamoradaclassic.com/ or contact Dianne Harbaugh at 305-522-4868.

July 13-15: Marathon Marlin Tournament. Marathon. Teams in the pre-tournament for the Key West Marlin Tournament are to compete for marlin division trophies as well as fun fish awards for the three heaviest dolphin fish, wahoo and tuna (yellowfin, blackfin and skipjack). The top-scoring team in the pre-tournament is to be entitled to free entry into the following week’s Key West Marlin Tournament. Visit keywestmarlin.com or email tim.greene@keywestmarlin.com.

July 15-18: Del Brown Permit Tournament. Key West. Anglers fly-fish on the flats in a challenge that honors the late angling pioneer Del Brown, who caught and released more than 500 permit off the Keys. Professionals and guides are allowed to compete as well. Visit delbrownpermittournament.com or email lorenrea@icloud.com.

July 18-21: Havana Club Key West Marlin Tournament. Key West. Anglers ply the waters once fished by novelist Ernest Hemingway, vying for $50,000 in guaranteed cash prizes. Held in conjunction with Key West’s annual Hemingway Days festival, the event awards $25,000 to the first-place team. Teams can enter one fun fish (dolphin, tuna, wahoo or released sailfish) per day to add to their point total. Visit keywestmarlin.com or email tim.greene@keywestmarlin.com.

Sept. 7-9: Robert James Sales S.L.A.M. Celebrity Tournament. Key West. In the first of three tournaments in the annual Redbone Celebrity Tournament Series, also called The Trilogy, anglers target tarpon, permit and bonefish to achieve the coveted “flats grand slam.” The event raises funds for the fight against cystic fibrosis. Visit redbone.org, call 305-664-2002 or email susan@redbone.org.

Sept. 21-23: Herman Lucerne Memorial Backcountry Fishing Championship. Islamorada. Named after the man known affectionately as “Mr. Everglades,” the event is headquartered at the Islander Resort. Anglers are challenged to target fish in multiple species only in the boundaries of Everglades National Park, fishing areas that Lucerne favored. Visit hermanlucernememorial.com, call Kellie Trotta at 561-346-3193 or email kelliet62@gmail.com.

Sept. 28-30: Take Stock in Children Backcountry Challenge. Key Largo. This annual tournament offers anglers the opportunity to win coveted trophies for trout, snook and redfish. A popular weekend auction showcase and Sunday evening dinner are open to the public. Proceeds support local vocational scholarships for all ages and Take Stock in Children scholarships for financially challenged Upper Keys students. Visit keylargorotary.org/.

Oct. 5-7: Robert James Sales Baybone Celebrity Tournament. Islamorada. The second tournament in the Redbone Trilogy targets permit and bonefish to raise money for cystic fibrosis research. Past participants include legendary angler Stu Apte, former Denver Bronco and Tampa Bay Buccaneer Mark Cooper and Major League Baseball Hall of Famer Wade Boggs. Visit redbone.org, call 305-664-2002 or email susan@redbone.org.

Oct. 7-10: Islamorada All-Tackle Bonefish & Permit Championship. Islamorada. Dubbed the “Fall All-Tackle,” the three-day challenge attracts energized newcomers to face seasoned veterans in a competition that has taken place since 1970. One angler per boat pairs with a licensed captain to vie for division winners’ trophies for the three longest bonefish and three longest permit. The field is limited to 25 participants. Contact Kellie Trotta at 561-346-3193 or email kelliet62@gmail.com.

Oct. 27-28: Fall Backcountry Fly Championship Series. Islamorada. Tournament anglers are to compete to catch the most inches of snook and redfish on fly in a challenge where one inch equals one point. Awards are to be given to the series grand champion, the anglers who catch the largest snook and redfish and the king of the backcountry, among others. Visit BFCtournament.com.

Oct. TBA: “Ladies, Let’s Go Fishing!” Keys Fishing University. Islamorada. Female fishing fans can learn or polish angling skills during the award-winning weekend seminar. More than 8,000 female graduates have immersed themselves in the lighthearted yet skill-heavy curriculum to learn and hone abilities in offshore, bottom, inshore and fly fishing. Visit ladiesletsgofishing.com or email fish@ladiesletsgofishing.com.

Oct. TBA: 10th Annual Mad Dog Mandich Inshore & Offshore Fishing Classic. Islamorada. Entrants compete for cash prizes in an offshore division targeting dolphin fish, kingfish, tuna, wahoo, snapper and grouper; or an inshore division for mangrove snapper, spotted sea trout, redfish, snook and tarpon. A portion of the proceeds of this boat/team tournament, which is headquartered at Postcard Inn Beach Resort & Marina, benefits Mariners Hospital Oncology Services. Visit maddogclassic.com/fl-keys.

Nov. 2-4: Robert James Sales Redbone Celebrity Tournament. Islamorada. Celebrities join other anglers to catch bonefish and redfish to raise money for cystic fibrosis research in the final event of the annual Redbone Trilogy tournament series. Visit redbone.org, call 305-664-2002 or email susan@redbone.org.

November 8-10: Cheeca Lodge & Spa All-American Backcountry Tournament. Islamorada. Anglers compete for prizes and trophies in this annual event targeting snook, redfish, bonefish, tarpon and permit. The tournament salutes war heroes and proceeds benefit the Guides Trust Foundation. Highlights include a beachside barbecue and an awards banquet characteristic of Cheeca’s casual elegance. Visit cheeca.com/allamerican.

Nov. 29 – Dec. 2: Islamorada Sailfish Tournament. Islamorada. The first leg of the triple-crown Florida Keys Gold Cup Championship series is the only tournament in the series to offer a junior division for anglers ages 16 and younger. Unlimited anglers are allowed per vessel. Visit islamoradasailfishtournament.com or email ditournaments@aol.com.

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$450,000 First Place Payout at Stake in Operation Sailfish

The 6th Annual Operation Sailfish, leg 1 of the Quest for the Crest Sailfish Series, is set for December 6-10 out of historic Sailfish Marina in West Palm Beach, FL. Participating teams will battle sailfish and each other to claim the champion’s dog tags and their share of a cash purse that is expected to exceed $800,000. Team Crescendo took home the champion’s title in 2016 coupled with a hefty payout of $239,280.

The added value Release Round Up has teams ready to charge hard at Operation Sailfish. This optional entry category has rolled over from last season with a winner take all jackpot expected to exceed $200,000! Combine that with other huge payouts up for grabs in the tournament and the top team has a shot at a $450,000 payday if they run the table!

It will take a strong performance over two days of fishing to secure the win, however, a variety of prize categories will keep teams in the zone from lines in to lines out. There are 2 tiers of optional entry daily categories that pay multiple places with the opportunity to win over $80,000 on a first place daily! Early bite and late bite categories also offer teams the chance to win some bonus cash in the first and second half of each day.

Outside of the competition, one of the highlights of Operation Sailfish is the opportunity to give back to the men and women who serve our country. The tournament schedule includes a ‘Take a Hero Fishing Day’ on Thursday, December 7th where participating teams are paired with military veterans, active duty soldiers and wounded warriors for a day of fun fishing. In the spirit of competition, the heroes have an opportunity to win a few trophies of their own as well!

In addition to team payouts, proceeds from Operation Sailfish support Operation Homefront, a national 501c(3) military based charity that provides emergency financial and other assistance to the families of service members and wounded warriors. The tournament is also working together with Operation Homefront and Joey Accardi of Pompano Beach on a ‘Fill the Truck’ toy drive to provide toys to children of military families in need during the holidays. A RAM 1500 will be on display at Sailfish Marina to receive toy donations during the tournament weekend. For more information visit http://www.bluewatermovements.com/opsail_charity/

The kick-off party opens on December 6th with a color guard ceremony and the national anthem. Competition days are December 8th and 9th followed by an awards brunch on Sunday, December 10th. Credentials are required for access to all event activities. Early entry for the tournament is $3,975 per team valid through November 15th. After November 15th, registration is $4,770 per team. For more information on Operation Sailfish visit www.operationsailfish.com or call (954) 725-4010. The entire Quest for the Crest Sailfish Series schedule can be found at www.questforthecrest.com.

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The Fishing League Worldwide (FLW) Foundation and Evinrude have joined in a partnership with the National Pediatric Cancer Foundation (NPCF) to launch the NPCF’s newest program, ‘Fish for a Cure.’ This program combines the FLW Foundation’s mission to support the sport of fishing with NPCF’s mission to find less toxic, more targeted treatments for pediatric cancer by engaging all Americans to take a child fishing and support pediatric cancer.

NPCF, the FLW Foundation and Evinrude are encouraging participants to do three things: Take a child fishing, post pictures of the fishing trip on social media (don’t forget to tag NPCF, FLW and Evinrude), and encourage your friends, family, coworkers, etc. to donate to NPCF. For example: if you catch 10 fish, encourage everyone to donate $10, or $1 per fish. If you catch three 12-inch fish (36 inches total), encourage everyone to donate $3, $12 or $36.

NPCF, the FLW Foundation and Evinrude are proud to have FLW Tour angler Cody Kelley as the official spokesperson for the program. Kelley will be hosting FLW Foundation Unified Fishing Derbies all over the country and inviting children battling cancer to attend for a day of fun on the water.

“I encourage all anglers to get involved with this campaign,” Kelley said. “Together we can engage the spirit of anglers to apply their love of fishing to help kids with pediatric cancer.”

For more information about FLW Foundation Unified Fishing Derbies, visit FLWfishing.com/foundation.

Visit NationalPCF.org/Fishforacure for more information on how you can Fish for a Cure. The program includes great prizes, including a VIP trip to the Forrest Wood Cup, for anglers that raise the most money.

“While most cancer research focuses on adult treatments, NPCF funds clinical trials to fast track less-toxic, more targeted treatments for children,” said David Frazer, CEO, National Pediatric Cancer Foundation. “For NPCF, this natural partnership reinforces that raising awareness and funding cures for cancer is something anyone and everyone can participate in. We’re also very excited to have Evinrude’s support as the official outboard motor partner for this program.”

The post FLW and Evinrude Partner with National Pediatric Foundation to “Fish for a Cure” appeared first on Florida Sportsman.

Weigh-in from the last Battle of the Bay event.

My Warrior’s Place Retreat Center presents Battle Of The Bay: By Land, Sea, & Air Feb. 9-11. All proceeds from the event benefit My Warrior’s Place and it’s programs for military and first responder families. This three-day, four-sport event will be at various venues in Lake Wales, Apollo Beach, and Ruskin; with a fishing tournament covering the entire Tampa Bay area.

The Battle of the Bay includes four competitions including an Adventure Race, a Fishing Tournament, a Skydiving Competition and a Shooting Competition. Additionally, there will be a Kickoff Dinner to start the event and an Awards Dinner to end the event with live entertainment provided by a Nashville recording artist.

Entertainers & Celebrities who will be participating in this epic event are as follows:

Nashville Recording Artist – Barry Michael

Host of A Fishing Story TV Show – Ronnie Green

Three Time Guinness World Record Holding Skydiver – Ernesto Gainza

Channel 10 News Anchor and Retired Police Officer – Reginald Roundtree

2017 Winners of the TV Show “Spartan” – Jonathan Ruiz, Mack Roesch, & Sarah Harrison.

Tickets for the dinners are $10.00 each. Entry fees for the four different events range from $50 to $170 dollars.

The fishing tournament has a $120 entry fee per two-angler team and the format is Catch-Photo-Release powered by the I-Angler Tournament app. Catch as many saltwater species as possible in thirty non-stop hours of fishing in the Tampa Bay area. Divisions include motor boats, kayak/wade fishing, and fly fishing. Prizes include trophies, Florida-based charters and fishing tackle.

The public is invited to attend the Adventure Race on Saturday, Feb. 10 from 9am to 4pm at Little Harbor Resort in Ruskin. Come cheer on the contestants and enjoy wine tasting and shopping with the vendors who will be set up for the day.

For more information on the Battle Of The Bay: By Land, Sea, & Air, visit the event webpage at www.botbmwp.org. For more information on My Warrior’s Place, go to www.mywarriorsplace.org.

The post Battle Of The Bay Event to Benefit My Warrior’s Place February 9-11 appeared first on Florida Sportsman.

Press Release B.A.S.S.

Mobility and versatility were the keys ingredients for Lakeland, Fla., pro Bobby Lane who completed the wire-to-wire win at the first Bass Pro Shops Bassmaster Eastern Open at Big Lake Toho Marina with a three-day total weight of 60 pounds.

After buoying his performance with a massive Thursday limit of 31 pounds, 7 ounces, Lane entered Friday with a 10 1/2-pound lead. Adding 10-9 pushed him to 42 even, with a 12-pound lead going into the final round. Saturday saw Lane slam the door shut by nabbing his third limit catch, this one totaling 18 pounds and leaving him with a 12-pound, 5-ounce winning margin.

“From start to finish, this has been amazing,” said Lane, who notched his first win since winning a 2009 Elite Series event on Kentucky Lake. “It was my time to catch a big sack. I’ve been so close before.

“To have grown up on Lake Kissimmee and Cypress, Hatchineha and Toho and to have my family here, it means the world to me. Man, this has been a long time coming.”

Thursday and Friday saw Lane locking down to Lake Kissimmee, where his first-round catch included a 9-pounder and an 8-7. Both of these fish qualified for Florida’s TrophyCatch program, which recognizes photo release largemouth bass of 8 pounds or more.

Lane said he would have preferred another shot at this chain’s southernmost lake, but the shorter Day 3 schedule, plus windier conditions, made him adjust his game plan.

“I couldn’t get down to Kissimmee because you run out of time on Day 3,” he said. “I didn’t want to take any chances, especially with the weather.

“I fished Lake Hatchineha, caught a few decent ones early and then the bite just quit on me. I ran into Toho at noon and ended up catching three quality fish.”

With the Kissimmee Chain unsettled by fluctuating temperatures before the tournament, plus a cold front arriving the afternoon on Friday, Lane mostly targeted hydrilla in 2 to 4 feet. The dense habitat allowed fish to move in and out with changing weather, while remaining in the same general area.

Lane caught his Day 3 fish on a 3/4-ounce Duel Hardcore lipless crankbait, a Texas-rigged Berkley Powerbait Max Scent The General stickworm and a Berkley Powerbait Max Scent Creature Hawk. With all of his presentations, Lane said his SpiderWire braid played a critical role in getting his fish out of the thick vegetation.

“I got nine keeper bites today, as opposed to 20 yesterday and 30 the day before,” he said. “I fished clean today and that’s what it takes to win one of these.”

Lane also won the Power-Pole Captain’s Cash Award of $500 for being the highest-placing angler who is registered and eligible and uses a client-approved product on his boat.

Brandon Lester or Fayetteville, Tenn., finished second with 47-11. The Elite Series pro said the key to his success was making a key adjustment from fishing a popper around lily pads, to punching into the cover.

“What I’ve learned is that when you’re catching them around the edges of those pads and they stop biting, a lot of times, they’ve moved up under those pads,” Lester said. “That’s when you can punch in there and catch them.”

Drew Cook of Midway, Fla., finished third with 43-3.

Garrett Rocamora of Lithia, Fla., won the $750 Phoenix Boats Big Bass award for the 9-pound, 3-ounce fish he caught on Thursday.

In the co-angler division, Steve Robbins of Piketon, Ohio, made the most of his first Florida fishing experience by claiming his own wire-to-wire win with a three-day total of 26-8.

“I came down here with a buddy of mine who talked me into fishing this with him, and it’s been a great experience,” Robbins said. “I caught an 8-pound, 1-ounce bass — the biggest bass I’ve caught in my life — on Thursday and that was awesome.”

Robbins caught his fish on Senkos, a Keitech Mag Wag swimming worm and a bladed swim jig.

Tony Sears of Dahlonega, Ga., earned the $250 Phoenix Boats Big Bass award for his 9-pound, 4-ounce bass.

The post Bobby Lane Takes Home the Bassmaster Open Win on Kissimmee appeared first on Florida Sportsman.

71 anglers fishing on 19 boats released 130 sailfish over the two-day gripping competition.

Team Mdala clinched First Place at the Cheeca Lodge & Spa 28th Annual Presidential Sailfish Tournament, Jan. 26-28, 2018, in Islamorada, FL. The Overall Champions took the lead by releasing their 13th sailfish one-minute prior to Team Relentless. Mdala team members included Steve and Eric Pfeifer of Sturgeon Bay, WI; Cody Gunther of Tavernier, FL and Tyler Valles of Key Largo, FL.

Captain John Hagen of Tavernier, FL, took Outstanding Captain Award. Outstanding Mate Awards went to Mdala’s Codey Gunther of Tavernier, FL, James Hagen and Alex Rifice of Islamorada.

Overall, 68 sailfish were released on the first day of the tournament and 62 were released on the second day, for a total of 229 hookups and 130 releases by 71 anglers on 19 boats. The majority of the sailfish were hooked in 120 feet of water or less.

The Grand Champion Angler Award, sponsored by Caribee Boat Sales and Marina, went to Debbie David of Hollywood, FL, on Relentless. She released six fish and also earned the Top Lady Angler Award sponsored by Blue Marlin Jewelry. The Top Lady Angler Award is dedicated to the memory of Jay Anna and Kenny Cohan, beloved members of the Islamorada community.

Second Place went to Team Relentless led by Captain Paul Ross of Tavernier, FL, releasing thirteen sailfish with anglers James and Debbie David of Hollywood, FL; Jimmy Hendrix of Islamorada and Paul Ross. With a quadruple hookup at 3:24 p.m. on the first day, team Relentless released all four sailfish putting them in the lead for day one. They would hold that lead until just before the end of the final day when Mdala jumped ahead of them, releasing their last sailfish one minute before Relentless.

The Indigenous earned Third Place honors. Captain Travis Dickens of Islamorada, FL, and Anglers Annie and Wade Stafford of Merritt Island, FL; Mike Walters of Tavernier, FL; and Ryan Krauss of Islamorada, FL, released 12 sailfish.

In a long-standing Presidential Tournament tradition of conservation, the Challenger team won the Most Tagged Fish Award for the second year in a row. Captain Rob Dixon of Islamorada, with Anglers Brian DeVries and Mike Marz both of Grand Rapids, MI; Matt Guthrie of Islamorada and Travis Butters of Tavernier.

“We were honored to host this esteemed competition, with incredible fishing in sporty seas, and appreciate the tremendous support of our sponsors,” says Bob LaCasse, general manager of Cheeca Lodge & Spa. “We were pleased to be able to host the event at Whale Harbor and look forward to reopening Cheeca on March 30 with fully refreshed rooms and some exciting new features,” he added.

Tournament trophies were created by famed Keys marine artist Pasta Pantaleo, whose artwork was also featured on the tournament shirts and towels.

The 28th Annual Presidential Tournament Title Sponsors included Caribee Boat Sales and Marina, Yamaha Outboards, Bacardi, Tito’s and SERVPRO. Partner sponsors include BlueFin USA, Tunaskin, Pasta Pantaleo, Blue Marlin Jewelry, Executive Printers of Florida, Skeleton Offshore, Florida Keys Brewing Company, Southern Glazer’s Wine & Spirits, Breakthru Beverage Florida, Keys Audio Visual, Smoove and RideStarRX.

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The third leg of the Quest for the Crest, Sailfish Challenge, makes its way back to Fort Lauderdale for its 15th year and has teams fired up for big payouts and their next chance to gain points towards a series win. The purse is expected to be higher than it’s ever been, estimated to reach over $625,000, coupled with a winner-take-all optional entry category called the Release Round Up.

The Release Round Up has rolled over from the second leg in the series, Sailfish 400, and is estimated to pay out $250,000 to one winner. This hefty jackpot has teams fired up at the chance to take home more money than has ever been paid out in a single category in the six year history of the Quest series. The Round Up has four rounds of fishing that spread evenly over the two-day competition. A random number between one and six is drawn at the start of each round and represents the minimum number of sailfish a team must release during that round in order to advance to the next. Whichever team makes it through all four rounds wins the pot!

With a 3-inlet format, teams have the challenge of choosing to fish out of Lake Worth Inlet, Hillsboro Inlet or Government Cut during the Sailfish Challenge. The combination of three inlets and a large boundary allows teams to capitalize on every opportunity to find the fish and cash in big. Last year, team Miss Britt/Contender did exactly that. They fished out of Hillsboro Inlet and released 16 sails on their way to victory and a $174,310 payday!

Another side bet has teams fired up for this year’s tournament and it has nothing to do with sailfish releases! The Big Fish Bonanza is always a go-to choice for competing teams and is based on the heaviest qualifying meat fish of the tournament. Last year, team Outnumbered took home over $16,000 for weighing in a 44.5lb kingfish. Qualifying fish include: dolphin, wahoo, kingfish, cobia and tuna.

There’s also a Non-Pro Division that is only featured during this third leg of the Quest. In order to qualify for this category teams cannot have anyone on board that has earned any part of their living as a full-time or part-time fishing captain, guide or mate in South Florida within the past 10 years. There can also not be anyone on board that has placed in the top eight of a Quest for the Crest tournament within the past 10 years. Team REHAB beat out the other Non-Pro teams to take the top title and some extra cash during last year’s Sailfish Challenge.

Final registration for the Sailfish Challenge is Wednesday, February 21st at the kickoff party, where you can come by boat to the host location at Blue Moon Fish Company in Fort Lauderdale. Competition days are Friday, February 23rd and Saturday, February 24th. The awards ceremony returns to Blue Moon on Sunday, February 25th where the top team of the tournament will be served a delicious VIP meal fit for a king. For more information on the Sailfish Challenge, visit www.sailfishchallenge.com or call (954) 725-4010.

The grand finale of the Quest for the Crest, Final Sail, takes place April 17th – 21st in sunny Key West, FL at the Margaritaville Resort & Marina where a world champion will be crowned. For current series standings, visit http://www.bluewatermovements.com/quest_for_the_crest_point_standings/

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Women came to learn fishing skills and nailed the fish at the “Ladies, Let’s Go Fishing!” (LLGF) Gulf Coast University March 23-25 at Bass Pro Shops, Fort Myers, FL.

The University offered education, hands-on fishing activities, networking and an optional fishing trip. While the participants were predominately female, some brought husbands and teens for the whole family to learn fishing.

The “No Yelling School of Fishing” began with an informal reception on Friday. On Saturday were classroom presentations by Betty Bauman/Fishing Basis/Conservation, Craig Timbes “Snook Cowboy”/Best Times to Fish and Capt. Jon Fetter/Inshore Fishing. The curriculum included hands-on skill practice such as hook removal/release techniques, knot tying, fly casting, spin casting, net casting and backing with Magic Tilt Trailers. The event concluded with a fundraiser.

Women came for many reasons, some to learn so they could take their children fishing, others to learn how to fish on their own boats, some to network with other women interested in fishing.

On Sunday, participants embarked on their chosen fishing adventures from boats where they caught or released snook, snapper, redfish, sea trout and other species.

Featured on national network television and more, the series is supported by major partners including Recreational Fishing and Boating Foundation, Take Me Fishing, Vamos a Pescar, Mercury, Magic Tilt trailers, Penn, Power-Pole and Fish Florida. Annual sponsors are Freedom Boat Club, Coastal Conservation Association, Treasure Cay Beach, Marina & Golf Resort, Sunrise Resort & Marina, AFTCO/Guy Harvey and Future Angler Foundation. Other donors are listed on the website.

The post New Anglers Net Fishing Skills at “Ladies, Let’s Go Fishing!” Gulf Coast University appeared first on Florida Sportsman.

It’s time to shoot some birdies and catch some bass.

Register Here
Mail or email signed waiver to Diana Matthews
2700 S. Kanner Hwy, Stuart, FL 34994
diana@floridasportsman.com
Print Waiver Here

Florida Sportsman magazine is partnering with the American Sportfshing Association in the return of Florida Sportsman’s Bass and Birdies Classic at the 2018 ICAST Convention.

July 10, (the day before ICAST) The Rosen Shingle Creek Hotel and Golf Course, set at the legendary headwaters of the Florida Everglades, will host the fifth annual “Bass and Birdies” event to benefit “Keep America Fishing”. Equally important to this unique format is the abundance of bass in the water hazards, and reports have it, this will be the best year yet for the anglers in the event. “The golf is a Scramble–Best Ball format, meaning teams of four players hit each shot, and the best shot is selected, said Rick Ryals Tournament Director. “The three other players retrieve their balls, and hit from the best position, and the same until the hole is holed out.”

However, on four designated holes, one team member will fish in bass hungry lakes while the other three play the scramble. The total length of bass will result in bonus points taken off the final golf score, so it pays to catch bass and make birdies.

The $110 entry includes: a golf cart, range balls, fishing eligibility, a lunch buffet/ awards raffle to benefit Keep America Fishing. This year’s raffle will be anchored by a dream vacation to Fishing Nosara, Nosara, Costa Rica.

It’s a beautiful course, with first rate fishing, and facilities. We had a great event here in 2017. The event will be limited to 96 golfers. Just as in previous years, the event will sell out. Everyone who participates will be impressed with the facilities and enjoy a great round of golf and fun fishing.

The heavy emphasis on fun will include such contests as “Closest to the pin” “Longest Drive” “Casting Contests” “Beat the Pro” and on and on.

The Florida Sportsman Bass and Birdies Classic will be the best way to kick of your week at ICAST. All proceeds will benefit www.KeepAmericaFishing.org.

For more details and sponsorship opportunities at this event contact Rick Ryals at (904) 334-8808 or e-mail Rick@floridasportsman.com.

Player Information & Rules

The following details cover the golf and fishing rules that will ensure a fun-filled morning of tournament golf on a spectacular course with bass-hungry lakes.

Registration & Golf

• Registration begins at 7 a.m. at the clubhouse The Rosen Shingle Creek Hotel and Golf Course. Upon arrival, go the table and sign in.
• A complimentary locker and locker room services are available.
• Your assigned starting hole for the Shotgun start at 8 a.m. will be provided at registration and shown on your scorecard.
• Golf clubs and shoes are available for rent – please be sure to note such on the Registration form or contact the Tournament Director now.
• Range balls will be provided prior to play on the practice range.
• Players may wear pants or shorts; shirts must be collared.
• Please do not bring any alcoholic beverages.
• Golf shoes must be spike less.
• Play on the Robert Trent Jones New Course will be a Scramble-Best Ball format.
• Lies may be improved in the fairways within one club length of the chosen ball; all regular USGA rules apply.
• Maximum score on any hole is a bogey.
• Up to five Mulligans per person may be purchased at registration for $5 each.
• One Par-5 hole will feature a Longest Drive Contest and a Par-3 hole a Closest To The Pin Contest.

Fishing

• Four holes will have a designated area for all-release bass fishing with rod and lures provided.
• Each group can decide which one of its four players will fish on any or all of the four fishing holes while the other three play those holes in the Scramble-Best Ball format.
• Each bass must be photographed before release with a digital camera or cell phone, weighted by an FWC volunteer, and measured against a provided Florida Sportsman Lawstick.
• A fishing scorecard will be provided each group at registration.
• An attendant at each of the four fishing holes will have hand-cleaning materials and anglers will be escorted to the next tee by cart to catch up with their group.
• If you will need a Florida freshwater fishing license, contact www.MyFWC.comfor details ($17 for an annual Florida resident license and same for a non-resident 3-day license).

Scoring & Awards

• The size of bass will be deducted from the total score.
• Bring your golf and fishing scorecards to the official scorer at the committee table in front of the Windmill restaurant following the round.
• A private buffet lunch and awards ceremony will take place in the Windmill restaurant immediately after the golf.
• Awards will be given to each player on teams with the three lowest team totals, Longest Drive, Closest To The Hole, Most Bass released and Largest Bass released, casting champion.

The Florida Sportsman Bass & Birdies Classic will be an enjoyable experience. We look forward to your participating in this event as you get ready for the American Sportfishing Association’s upcoming ICAST show.

Feel free to get in touch with any assistance needed or questions.

The post Bass & Birdies Classic 2018 appeared first on Florida Sportsman.

Ladies, Let’s Go Fishing Hosts the LLGF Screamin’ Reels Tournament June 22-23, Islamorada, FL

Women, men and teens are invited to a nonintimidating LLGF Fishing Screamin’ Reels tournament with education June 22-23 in Islamorada, FL. Hosted by the nonprofit Ladies Let’s Go Fishing Foundation, the tournament kicks off on Friday with a class on offshore fishing and conservation conducted by Capt. Skip Bradeen, plus an appetizer contest from 6-8 pm at Seaside Glass Works, Islamorada, FL.

Saturday is a day of fishing, learning on the water and friendly angler competition departing from Whale Harbor Marina, Islamorada. Entry to the tournament is currently limited to those choosing the offshore charter boat option, with license and equipment supplied. It is wait listed for participants fishing from their own boats and from the party boat option.

$1,000 worth of prizes for individual anglers, including a Penn Squall combo, Penn Passion combo, art prints and other fishing items will be presented on Saturday following fishing. Prizes for inshore and offshore species and releases include Heaviest Fish Overall, Offshore Billfish Release, Party Boat award, Longest Inshore Fish, Wild Card prizes and more.

This tournament is perfect for novice anglers. Charter boats fill quickly so early registration is encouraged. Registration is $85 per adult angler, $35 for teens and includes about $20 in gifts. Offshore charter fishing rates are on the website.

Featured on national network television and more, the series is supported by major partners including Recreational Fishing and Boating Foundation, Take Me Fishing, Vamos a Pescar, Mercury, Ranger Boats, Magic Tilt trailers, Power-Pole and Fish Florida. Largest Annual Sponsors are Freedom Boat Club, Treasure Cay Beach, Marina & Golf Resort, Sunrise Resort & Marina and Future Angler Foundation. Local sponsors are Breezy Palms Resort and Saltwater Brewery.

Remaining 2018 LLGF events include:

June 22-23
LLGF Screamin’ Reels Tournament and Education

Oct. 19-21
Keys Saltwater Weekend Seminar: Full day seminar plus the Fishing Fever Tournament.

Contact LLGF

Phone: 954-475-9068
Fax: 954-474-7299
Email: fish@ladiesletsgofishing.com
Website: www.ladiesletsgofishing.com
Facebook: www.facebook.com/ladiesletsgofishing

The post Ladies, Let’s Go Fishing Tournament June 22-23 appeared first on Florida Sportsman.

The Florida Bass Paddlers will be hosting an event this Father’s Day on Lake Okeechobee to raise money for the family of Nik Kayler, who lost his life on the water after an unfortunate accident while fishing the FLW Costa Series. Anglers participating at this event will meet at Lake Okeechobee Fishing Headquarters and we will then launch at Lock 7. There is a $10 fee to participate in this event, $5 of which will go to the FBP “Big Bass” pot and the other $5 will go to the family of Nik Kayler. Join us for an exciting day on the water and help us help the Kayler family. Anyone participating in this event is also eligible to receive a 10% discount at Lake Okeechobee Fishing Headquarters the day of the event!

Sunday, June 17th

Lake Okeechobee Fishing Headquarters
5286 SW 16th Ave,
Okeechobee, FL 34974
7am – 12pm

The post Florida Bass Paddlers Lake “O” Fundraiser appeared first on Florida Sportsman.