January 20 to January 22 in Key West
Big king mackerel migrate to the waters around Key West each winter, and a fittingly large prize awaits the winner of this challenge. The angler who weighs in the heaviest mackerel, also known as kingfish, is to go home with $10,000.
Contact: Lee Murray 305-296-0364
Email: lee@murraymarine.com
February 03 to February 04 in Key West
Shallow water flats anglers and guides are invited to hook-up and fight their barracuda rivals. Event is to be headquartered at Hurricane Hole Marina, Stock Island. Prizes are to be awarded for top angler and guide in light tackle spin and fly divisions, including a substantial gift certificate to Hurricane Hole Restaurant & Bar plus a trophy. Entry fee is $250 for one angler, $300 for two anglers.
Contact: Justin or Loren Rea 305-744-0903
Email: info@cudabowl.com
March 11 to March 15 in Key West
A charity flats-and-fly-only tournament with a twist – in addition to catch and release, anglers earn extra points for tagging their caught fish. Held at the Key West Harbour Yacht Club on Stock Island.
Contact: Jon Ain 303-888-4546
Email: falcatusdude@gmail.com
July 18 to July 21 in 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, 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.
Contact: Jane Greene 305-292-2710
March 16 to March 18 in Key West
Fifteen target species and $5,000 in cash prizes highlight this open-to-the-public event, heralding the beginning of more than eight months of exciting Keys fishing. Cash awards await individual participants who catch the heaviest dolphin, kingfish, cobia, blackfin tuna, mackerel, mutton snapper, wahoo, mangrove snapper and grunt, and for boat teams that score the most releases of tarpon, permit, bonefish, barracuda, marlin and sailfish. Junior anglers under age 15 can also fish. Entries in the kickoff also are eligible for the Key West Fishing Tournament, which runs through Nov. 30, 2012.
Contact: Doris Harris 305-295-6601
Email: kwft@comcast.net
April 17 to April 21 in Key West
With a guaranteed top prize of $100,000, the prestigious sailfish challenge draws top teams and benefits the Don Shula Foundation for Breast Cancer Research, Camp Boggy Creek for youngsters with chronic and life-threatening illnesses, and other national and local charities.
Contact: Chris King 727-631-0072
Email: cking@csmgroup.net
March 17 to November 30 in Key West
More than 40 species of fish are targeted during these months, with divisions for men, women, junior anglers (ages 10 to 14) and Pee Wees (under 10 years old). In a March kickoff event, anglers target 15 species and $5,000 in cash prizes is split between the top anglers.
Contact: Doris Harris 305-295-6601
Email: kwft@comcast.net
July 15 to July 18 in 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.
Contact: Justin or Loren Rea 305-744-0903
September 07 to September 09 in 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.
Contact: Gary or Susan Ellis at 305-664-2002
Email: susan@redbone.org
September 07 to September 09 in 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.
Contact: Gary or Susan Ellis at 305-664-2002
Email: susan@redbone.org
May 26 in Key West
Headquartered at Key West’s Historic Seaport, competitors vie for first-place honors and more than $13,000 awaits the angler scoring the highest total combined weight of three dolphin catches. Other prizes include four-night tropical fishing vacation for four, among many more. The tournament is open to all anglers, entry fee is $750 per boat. There is no limit on the number of boats that can register.
Contact: John Stuempfig 305-304-7674
Email: wave.whacker@hotmail.com
May 26 in Key West
Headquartered at Key West’s Historic Seaport, competitors vie for first-place honors and more than $13,000 awaits the angler scoring the highest total combined weight of three dolphin catches. Other prizes include four-night tropical fishing vacation for four, among many more. The tournament is open to all anglers, entry fee is $750 per boat. There is no limit on the number of boats that can register.
Contact: John Stuempfig 305-304-7674
Email: wave.whacker@hotmail.com
This ongoing, months long annual tournament, features anglers targeting more than 40 species of fish with an emphasis on catch and release.
Includes divisions for men, women, junior anglers (ages 10 to 15) and Pee Wees (under 10 years old). Participating anglers also receive certificates marking their catches and then qualify for a variety of prizes.
contact: Doris Harris 305-923-5934
email: director@keywestfishingtournament.com
Permit caught on a fly is a real challenge and Del Brown caught and released more than 500 off the Keys. In his honor, anglers, guides and professionals fly-fish on the flats in this skillful competition.
contact: Justin or Loren Rea 305-360-6969
email: lorenrea@icloud.com
This exciting event is held during the Key West annual Hemingway Days. An avid marlin fishermen, Hemingway, Sloppy Joe and others spent countless days marlin fishing the waters off Key West.
In honor of this tradition, current marlin fighters now vie for $50,000 in guaranteed cash prizes. This Key West fishing 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.
contact: Tim Greene 305-304-0317
email: tim.greene@keywestmarlin.com
