Anglers sought to ‘get hooked on education’
Members of the Matlacha Hookers are seeking participants for this year’s Pine Island Elementary Fishing Tournament. For the 12th year, anglers can compete for cash prizes while helping to raise funds that will benefit programs at Pine Island Elementary School.
In years passed, proceeds from the annual fishing tournament have help Pine Island Elementary School with new books for the school library, install new playground equipment and provided the latest in educational technology.
The tournament will take place on Sunday, Oct. 17, from 7 a.m. to the final weigh-in at 3 p.m.. As in years passed, the tournament will be staged at the Olde Fish House Marina in Matlacha and all proceeds will benefit the island elementary school. The entry fee is set at $50 per angler with up to four adults per boat. Children will be allowed to fish along with adult teams, but also will be counted among the adult contestants. In addition to the opportunity to vie for cash prizes, the $50 entry fee also will include an official tournament T-shirt and a fish fry.
Categories for this year’s event will include a $500 prize for the heaviest legal snook as well as $500 for the heaviest legal redfish, $500 for the heaviest legal trout and a $1,000 cash prize for the individual or team to weigh-in the heaviest legal slam. In the event that snook season may be closed at the time of the tournament, officials will substitute mangrove snappers for that slot. All fish will be measured by an official weigh-master and weighed on a certified scale. All decisions rendered by the weigh-master will be final.
On tournament day, fishing will begin with an honor start at 7 a.m. and last call for weigh-ins will take place no later than 3 p.m. A fish fry for all anglers will be served following the weigh-in and prizes will be awarded at the Olde Fish House Marina at as soon as all weights have been tallied.
Adult anglers will be provided three ways to pre-register to compete in this year’s tournament. Fishermen can register anytime prior to Oct. 17, at Seven Seas bait and Tackle in Matlacha, Old Pine Island Marine and Tackle in St. James City or at Four Winds Marina in Bokeelia during regular business hours. When registering at any of these locations, anglers can also pick up tournament T-shirts and meal tiles to claim a fish dinner at the tournament. Those preferring to register my mail can send entry fees to The Matlacha Hookers, Inc., P.O. box 111, Matlacha, Fla, 33933 and are asked to include a note stating that the participants will pick up T-shirts and meal tiles on the day of the event. When registering by mail, anglers are asked to make checks payable to the Matlacha Hookers and to write “PIE” on the check memo line. Pre-registration also will take place on Saturday, Oct. 16, at the Olde Fish House Marina. Members of the Matlacha Hookers will be on hand from 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. to assist in filing registrations forms, collecting entry fees and handing out T-shirts and meal tiles.
For more information about the adult division of the 12th annual Pine Island Elementary School Fishing Tournament and Derby, contact Karen Burns at 440-3875.