Key West’s VFW Fishing Tournament Features Five Species and ‘Super Prize’ Purse
More than $65,000 in cash prizes awaits the top competitors in the 12th annual VFW Fishing Tournament scheduled Friday through Sunday, June 14-16, in the waters off Key West and the Lower Florida Keys.
The purse includes a “super prize” of $50,000 cash for the angler who catches the heaviest dolphin fish over 50 pounds.
The family-friendly tournament features categories for active-duty military members, veterans and first responders as well as lady, pee-wee (age 10 and under), junior (ages 11-15) and senior anglers (age 65 and above).
Participants can fish inshore and offshore and can target dolphin fish (also called mahi-mahi), wahoo, tuna, snapper and grouper. Cash prizes are to be awarded to the boat team scoring the heaviest catches of each including a $5,000 first-place prize for the heaviest mahi-mahi.
Angler awards of $400 cash are slated for the first-place competitor in each of the seven fishing categories. Cash prizes also await the angler who scores the heaviest combined weight of three of the five eligible species, and the angler with the heaviest combined weight of four dolphin fish — including at least one bull and one cow.
Registered participants also can choose to compete in optional entry divisions to be eligible for additional prizes.
Plans call for tournament participants to gather at VFW Post 3911, located at 2200 N. Roosevelt Blvd. in Key West, at 5 p.m. Friday, June 14, for final registration. A captains meeting is set for 7 p.m.
Anglers can fish from 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. either Saturday, June 15, or Sunday, June 16 — or both if they register separately for each day.
A 2-4 p.m. weigh-in is scheduled each day at Stock Island Yacht Club and Marina, 6000 Peninsular Ave. on Stock Island; and Big Pine Key Resort, 33000 Overseas Highway on Big Pine Key.
A dinner and awards ceremony are to be held at 6:30 p.m. Sunday at the American Legion post at 5610 College Road.
Tournament registration is $350 per boat and four anglers by May 31 and $400 per boat thereafter, plus a 4% credit card processing fee. Each additional angler on a boat must pay $50.
All proceeds are to benefit needy veterans and active-duty personnel in the Florida Keys’ Monroe County.
Tournament information and registration: vfw3911.org
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