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With Baited Hook
Summer means fishing tourneys in The Beaches of Fort Myers & Sanibel, so untangle your line and get ready for the big one.
Summer means fishing tourneys in The Beaches of Fort Myers & Sanibel, so untangle your line and get ready for the big one.
  Ladies Day Tarpon Tournament, Boca Grande |
The fish are biting and the days are lazy come summer in Southwest Florida. You may as well grab some bait and try to hook a grand prize. Or at least a good fight. If you’re the competing sort, check out these summer contests:
Kayak Fishing Classic, May 16-17, locations throughout Lee County, 239-671-9347, www.kayakfishingclassic.com. To benefit local Boy Scouts, this event begins May 16 with a 6:30 p.m. captains’ meeting and steak dinner at the Boy Scout Office in Fort Myers. Anglers may launch at first, safe light on Saturday morning, May 17, from any location in any non-motorized watercraft. Lines must be out of the water by 4 p.m., and scorecards and digital cameras (required) turned in by 6 p.m. at Lovers Key State Park in Fort Myers Beach. The International Game Fish Association will present beginning angler seminars several times throughout Saturday at the park, plus there will be fishing displays, exhibits and vendors on hand. Participants share tall tales, and the awards dinner (barbecue is served) takes place at 5 p.m. at the park. The entry fee is $75, and rigged kayaks are available to rent for $40. Species include snapper, snook, redfish and trout, and top-three prizes will be awarded in adult and youth divisions.
Ladies Day Tarpon Tournament, May 10, Boca Grande, 941-964-0568, www.bocagrandechamber.com. In Boca Grande, the mighty tarpon is the most sought-after game fish. The Boca Grande Chamber of Commerce hosts this all-women, all-release tarpon tournament. The fun begins the night before with a captains’ party and ends after an afternoon of fishing, from 3 to 6:30 p.m., with an awards party including dinner and dancing. The entry fee is $500 per four-woman team. Prizes are awarded to the team with most released tarpon, the individual with most released tarpon and the top captain. Winners receive jewelry and cash prizes.
Professional Tarpon Tournament Series, May 17-June 15, Boca Grande, 941-255-1581, www.tarponanglersclub.com. Boca Grande’s summer-long tarpon fishing tournament series begins with a women-only tournament on May 17. A series of five weekend tournaments starts up the following day. Entry fees are $1,000 for each of the five series events. The tournament culminates with the invitational Tarpon Cup Championship on June 14-15. Teams will compete for a boat, engine and trailer rigs, plus cash prizes.
The Caloosa Tournament Series, June 5-Nov. 8, Pink Shell Beach Resort, Fort Myers Beach, 239-671-9347, www.caloosacatchandrelease.com. The four-tournament series kicks off with the Caloosa Catch & Release Tournament June 5-8. With a total purse in excess of $125,000, this 19th annual fishing tournament benefits local charities. Teams vie for a $30,000 purse for the biggest snook, redfish and trout. Divisions also include Ladies and Junior Anglers. Subsequent legs of the series include the 10th annual Summer Slam, Sept. 12-13, and the Caloosa Tournament Series Grand Championship, an invitational tournament on Nov. 7-8.
Fort Myers Beach Lions Offshore Fishing Rodeo, July 11-13, Fort Myers Beach, 239-466-6065. Salty Sam’s Marina hosts this sixth annual tournament. The captains’ dinner takes place on Friday, and launch time is at 7 a.m. Saturday, with weigh-in at 4 p.m. The awards ceremony takes place the following day at about 2 p.m. at Parrot Key Caribbean Grill. Entry fees will be announced.
Read more about fishing in the Fort Myers area.
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