Sugarloaf Showdown to Target Three Catch-and-Release Species in Lower Keys

SUGARLOAF KEY, Florida Keys — Angling teams can vie for victory by targeting bonefish, permit and barracuda while benefiting the charter fishing community during the eighth annual Sugarloaf Showdown. Presented by the Lower Keys Guides Association, the catch-and-release challenge is scheduled Thursday through Saturday, Nov. 4-6.

The tournament is a fundraiser for the Guides Trust Foundation, which assists fishing guides who are recovering from an illness or injury. 

Participants in the team event earn points by catching and releasing fish in the target species on either fly or spin tackle. Awards await the three teams in each tackle division with the highest total points that represent catches of all three species. 

If no team catches all three, the team with the highest point total representing two species will be declared the winner. Additional awards are to be presented to the top three teams in the youth division for anglers age 12 and under.

Registration and check-in for the Showdown are slated for 4 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 4, at the Sugarloaf Marina, located at 17015 Overseas Highway adjacent to the Sugarloaf Lodge. A silent auction and “Papa’s Pilar Rum Bar” are planned as well. 

Fishing is set for 7:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. Friday and Saturday. All boats must be back and teams checked in with the scorekeeper by 5:30 p.m. each evening. 

The tournament awards celebration is scheduled after Saturday’s fishing at the Sugarloaf Lodge grassy point. The awards dinner is set for 6 p.m., with the silent auction concluding at 7 p.m.

The entry fee is $250 for a two-person team or a team consisting of two anglers plus a guide. Competition is open to all anglers and guides, but rules mandate that only two people on each team are allowed to fish.  

Event information and registration: sugarloafshowdown.com