Key West’s VFW Fishing Tournament Features Five Species and New ‘Super Prize’

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KEY WEST, Florida Keys — More than $50,000 in cash and prizes await the top competitors in the 10th annual VFW Fishing Tournament scheduled Friday through Sunday, June 17-19, in the waters off Key West and the Lower Florida Keys.

The purse includes a “super prize” of either $20,000 cash or a new Toyota Corolla automobile 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. 

Cash prizes of $300 are slated for the first-place competitor in each of the seven angling categories.

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 17, for a final registration. A captains meeting is set for 7 p.m.

Anglers can fish from 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. either Saturday or Sunday, but not both. A 2-4 p.m. weigh-in is scheduled each day at Murray Marine, 5710 Overseas Highway on Stock Island; Key West Yacht Club, 2315 N. Roosevelt Blvd. in Key West; and Big Pine Sea Center, 29740 Overseas Highway on Big Pine Key.

A dinner and awards ceremony are to be held at 6:30 p.m. Sunday at VFW Post 3911.

Tournament registration is $325 per boat and four anglers through May 20 and $375 per boat thereafter, plus a $10 credit card processing fee. Each additional angler on a boat must pay $30. 

All proceeds are to benefit disabled or needy veterans and their families in the Florida Keys’ Monroe County. Tournament information and registration: vfwpost3911.org/fishing/ 

This article was updated on June 10, 2022 at 10:39 AM
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