Pine Island Fishing Tournament & Derby scheduled for May 18
Once again, the Matlacha Hookers will be hosting the 24th Annual Pine Island Fishing Tournament & Derby at Jug Creek Marina on Sunday, May 18. This long held tradition is open to anyone, even those who may have elementary school aged children who would like to fish, although it is open to the whole family and it’s also free of charge.
Former Matlacha Hookers’ Madame Donna Jo Ruscik said this event still has room for sponsors and that it is especially good for Pine Islanders who are more than ready for the Annual Fishing Derby, since the previous hurricane season pushed the event forward from November 2024 to this coming May.
“The Fishing Tournament is on Saturday. The Pine Island Elementary (PIE) Fishing Derby is on Sunday — along with the payouts and the raffles and we’ll award bicycles to some of the kids,” Ruscik said.
The event will be very family-friendly, she said, with much celebration and awards to go around. Typically, this event has been held in the fall, Ruscik said, but the spring has shown to be a better season for attendance.
The Matlacha Hookers organization has hosted this event since its beginning and since then, it has raised more than $220,000.
“I want to make it clear that the proceeds go to Pine Island Elementary for educational tools and to offset out-of-pocket costs to teachers, but any elementary school student can participate. So, if people have grandkids or nieces and nephews that are off-island, they can participate,” Ruscik said.
Every child fishes, she said, adding that sponsorship of a child is $35 and that child will receive a brand new rod and reel, lunch and beverages throughout the day, a Derby shirt and organized crafts and activities. Registration begins at 8:30 a.m., she said, and the whole event ends at 3 p.m. A parent or guardian is expected to stay with the child or children for the duration of the event.
“I think it’s just really special, the way a lot of things on the island are special,” Ruscik said.
How it all started, Ruscik explained, was the library for the entire school at PIE consisted of a book case with some books. The Matlacha Hookers took note of the veracity by which students consumed books. It wasn’t long until it was decided that the organization would begin funding the library.
“Depending on how much we raised each year, we asked teachers for a wish list or the school what they really needed. We’ve rebuilt the playground, one year we put whiteboards in every classroom. We kicked off their IPad lab, we helped really start the STEM Program, and the Steam Program and that is all in addition to helping the teachers with whatever they needed,” Ruscik said.
She said they have learned not to expect or anticipate anything from year to year, as anything could change or come up without a moment’s notice. The more kids they can get sponsored and the more sponsors they have to help offset the costs at school, the better.
“The more costs we can offset, the more funds go to the students, the teachers and education on the island,” Ruscik said.
If it’s a very successful year, she said, there’s a chance the organization may use the extra money to award a scholarship for higher education, with the focus being a PIE graduate.
“We haven’t been able to do that every year. It really just depends on the amount raised. Our focus is education, community and taking care of what’s in our own back yard. It does include individuals and families — it does include helping other organizations achieve their goals, too. Just being able to do that takes volunteers to make events successful, and frankly, we need volunteers until no more volunteering is needed,” Ruscik said.
Want to Help?
Interested in donating an auction item or sponsoring a child to fish? Learn more at www.matlachahookers.org.
For more information, contact Kelly LaMagna at kellylamagna@icloud.com or 239-841-4376; or contact Ruscik at 239-910-3829.
To reach PAULETTE LeBLANC / pleblanc@breezenewspapers.com, please email