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RedSnook Catch & Release Charity Fishing Tournament

October 25-27, 2024

The RedSnook Catch & Release Charity Fishing Tournament, hosted by the Conservancy of Southwest Florida supports efforts to protect our most valuable natural resource, our water. Without clean and abundant water, recreational and sport fishing would not exist.

RedSnook online auction now open

Take a look at the items offered and place your bids today, all for the benefit of the Conservancy of Southwest Florida and the fight for clean water.

Launch Sites

Naples

Bayview Boat Ramp
Danford St
Naples, FL
Map

Goodland

Safe Harbor Calusa Island
385 Angler Drive
Goodland, FL
Map

Chokoloskee

Outdoor Resorts of Chokoloskee
150 Smallwood Drive
Chokoloskee, FL
Map

October 25

Kick-Off Celebration | 6:30 PM

Conservancy Nature Center

RS Kickoff2022
Matt McLean & Jon Kukk

October 26-27

Fishing Tournament

October 27

The Chris Campbell Awards Reception, hosted by Northern Trust | 6:30 PM

Northern Trust

RedSnook Awards Ceremony

RedSnook Tournament Rules

*All angler teams need to have a phone and the iAngler app for scoring*

  1. At least one member from each team is required to attend the rules meeting.
  1. Measuring and photographing the fish on the tournament measuring board and releasing a live fish constitutes a catch. The fish must face left on the measuring board. Tarpon are to be measured and photographed boat side and not brought in the boat. Any deviation from the above photographing techniques will result in no points for that catch. To assure a successful release, please make every effort to return each fish back to the water as soon as possible.
  1. IGFA Rules and tackle specifications apply. The guide is not allowed to cast for their angler or cast an “attracter” to assist an angler. Circle hooks must be used for live bait. Fishing is intended to be inshore at a depth not to exceed that of a push pole. No fishing is permitted within 200 yards of a facility that sells bait and/or fuel.
  1. No heavier than 20-pound test line (Manufacturer Stated Test) may be used in all divisions.
  1. Only 1 working rod per Angler is allowed in the water at any time.
  1. There must be two Anglers on every participating boat. In the absence of a Teammate, the Tournament Committee will appoint a Substitute Angler. Professional guides may not register as an angler.
  1. Boats must depart from and return to Tournament Launch Sites by water. Please leave the dock by 7:00 AM each day. Lines in the water at 7:30 AM and you must return to the Launch Site no later than 3:00 PM each day. If you are late, no points will be awarded for that day. Slow zones and other boating regulations must be observed. Anglers must sign out before departure each day and sign in upon returning, regardless of catch. No trailering during tournament hours. It is recommended that anglers wear Personal Flotation Devices while the boat’s motor is moving.
  1. Teams may wade fish, however, the boat must be at anchor the entire time any angler is fishing outside the boat.
  1. The tournament is a team format with each team allowed to enter a maximum of three redfish and three snook per day. Each team may photograph as many fish as necessary but only the three largest of each species will be counted. An individual angler on each team may only enter a maximum of two snook and two redfish per day. Teams are responsible for uploading their fish to the iAngler app by 5:30 PM each day.
  1. There will be five divisions. The divisions are guided and unguided bait, guided and unguided artificial and fly. The Bait and Artificial divisions will have a guided and unguided teams and the Fly division will be treated as one division whether or not the teams are guided. All guides fees will be paid by the anglers using a guide. Each team is required to choose the division they will be competing in prior to the tournament.
  1. The Artificial and Fly divisions are artificial lure categories. No tipping is permitted. Bait or tipping is permitted only in the Bait Division. No chumming is allowed in any division.
  1. The tournament will be scored using length of fish with ten (10) points per inch of fish the first day and fifteen (15) points per inch the second day. All lengths will be rounded up to the nearest inch (i.e. a 24 3/8” fish will be rounded up to 25” and will be scored accordingly). Pinching the tail is required for snook. Team Champions will be the anglers with the most total points for the two days within each division.
  1. There are no minimum size restrictions for either species and it is not necessary to have caught a redfish and snook to be eligible for awards except to be eligible for the RedSnook Slam award. See rule 14 below.
  1. All registered teams are eligible for the Grand Slam Award. To qualify, the team must catch a tarpon, snook, and redfish on the same day with each individual angler on the team catching at least one of the three fish entered. The tarpon must be 30 inches or more measured from the snout to the fork of the tail. If a tarpon is larger than 50 inches, 50 inches is the maximum allowed for scoring. The snook and redfish must be at least a “slot” size (Snook 28 inches/ Redfish 18 inches). The total combined inches of the entered tarpon, snook, and redfish will determine the winner. The tarpon can be taken using any of the three methods (bait, fly or artificial) regardless of the division the team is fishing within. If a team elects to enter the Grand Slam, the snook and redfish entered for the slam will be removed from the point’s calculation for their division. Anglers must submit photos via fishing app and self-identify a Grand Slam by contacting the Tournament Director Paul Seifert at 239-403-4200 by 5:30 PM on Saturday or Sunday.
  1. Ties for each of the tournament categories will be awarded to the Team that caught their last fish entered within the division for that award, earliest in the Tournament. In the event of a tie for the Slam Award, the award will go to the team that completes the Slam the earliest in the day, regardless of what day.
  1. There will be an award for the Trash Can Slam. The Trash Can Slam award will be given to the individual angler who catches a catfish, ladyfish, and jack with the longest combined total length in one day.
  1. Good sportsmanship is expected, however, the penalty for any violation of the rules is NO POINTS for the day’s catch. All protests must be signed and in writing and given to the Site Director by 4:00 pm the day of the violation. If you see another team behaving improperly, please photograph/document and bring to the officials attention right away. The Site Director will contact the Tournament Committee for a decision. All decisions by the Rules Committee are final.
  1. If within 48 hours of the start of the tournament, the National Hurricane Center issues a Tropical Storm Warning that affects any of the launch areas, the tournament will be postponed. The Tournament Committee also reserves the right to postpone the tournament for any reason if they feel the conditions are unsafe. If the fishing on the day of the tournament is completed prior to the postponement, the tournament will be considered complete. If the tournament is postponed, a rescheduled date will be announced within 96 hours. If an angler cannot fish the rescheduled date, the registration fee will either be returned or applied to the next year’s event. All other weather decisions will be made by the Tournament Committee and communicated to the guides by phone. It is the responsibility of the guide to notify his or her anglers.
  1. Teams must declare their division and launch site when they register. Changes to division and/or launch site will not be permitted after October 20, 2022.
  1. All anglers will fish at their own risk. All anglers agree to indemnify and hold harmless all members of the Tournament Committee, Directors, Sponsors and their agents and employees from any and all liability, loss or damage they may suffer as a result of this fishing tournament.
  1. Have fun and be safe out on the water!

Featured Guides

Joey Benko

239-450-7382 
email | web

Robert Walczak

239-514-7377
email 

Adam Mikelson

239-537-6313
email | web

Ron Hueston

239-304-5935
web

Tony Fontana

239-280-6246
email | web

Guides Phone Email Website
Blaisdell, Aron239-595-5326captainaron@comcast.netwww.captainaron.com
Bostick, Andrew239-438-6107bjackfish@comcast.net
Brown, Houston239-695-3272houston@evergladesfishing-charter.comwww.evergladesfishing-charter.com/
Chambers, Ken239-289-0984captkenchambers@aol.comwww.backcountryguideservice.com
Crouse, Geoff239-216-0378captaingeoff@chasintalesfishingcharters.comwww.naplesgonefishin.com
Falkner, Bill239-994-8600inshorefl1@aol.comwww.gulfcoastguideservices.com
Fontana, Tony239-280-6246fishnaples@gmail.comhttps://www.naplessaltwaterfishing.com
Geraghty, Will239-739-0969captwill@naplessportfishing.comwww.naplessportfishing.com
Geroy, Ben239-777-5635bgeroy@gmail.comwww.captainbencharters.com
Gould, Pat239-572-2347fishadv@comcast.netwww.naplesfloridafishing.com
Haley, Phill239-340-3474phil@tarpontamer.comwww.tarpontamer.com
Hitchcock, Bruce239-695-2172captainbah1@aol.comwww.nofreelunchcharters.com
Lee, Casey239-330-5205www.leeguideco.com
Legutki, Jeff239-293-1664www.naplesfloridaflyfishing.com
Maloney, Matt239-777-4885naplesbackwaterfishing@yahoo.comwww.naplesbackwaterfishing.com
McMullin, Colin239-272-4414www.flyfishingmarcoisland.com
McNichols, Connor239-821-4418Mcnconman@aol.comwww.icdfish.com
Merritt, Kevin239-289-7228kevinreddawn@aol.comwww.naplesbackcountryfishing.com
Merritt, Mike877-795-3437snookfishing1@juno.comwww.everglade-angler.com/
Mihailoff, Kevin239-860-2570kevin@snookin.comwww.snookin.com
Mikelson, Adam239-537-6313adammikelson@aol.comwww.adammikelsonfishingadventures.com
Mullendore, Stacy239-793-4442captstayman@aol.comwww.biminitwistcharters.com
Nocifora, Paul239-206-0177PaulNocifora@gmail.comwww.gladesflyfishing.com/
Prescott, Mike239-825-4418fishing@priority1charters.com
Stark, John239-248-5142naplesguidedfishing.com
Stoner, James954-444-9995snook4341@yahoo.com
Strickland, Justin239-290-0811jstrick0829@gmail.com
Taylor, Wright239-821-9203wright@flyfishmarco.comwww.flyfisheverglades.com
Turner, Chris239-253-1036ndr94@comcast.net
Zumfelde, Roan239-269-4426roanz@comcast.netwww.naples-fishing-charters.com

RedSnook Tournament History

The tournament was born out of the need for a new source of fundraising, coupled with the desire to bring a first-class fishing tournament to Southwest Florida. The event drew from the idea that Collier County needed a unique and exciting philanthropic event drawing heavily from the County’s heritage as a fishing resort blessed with an abundance of natural resources.

In 1993, tournament founders Dick Botthof and Tim Parry gave life to the idea that the YMCA could raise money with a fishing tournament, and they set out to create a world-class event. By any measure, they succeeded in doing just that.

Organizers first canvassed the state of Florida to see how other tournaments operated. They learned that a successful tournament blends together philanthropy and fun. Recognizing the need for local expertise, the founders included input from the earliest stages by local guides. The decision was quickly made to feature a two-day guided format, and to target the area’s most popular game fish - snook and redfish.

As a result, the original tournament logo was carefully designed to recognize the principal participants - anglers, guides, and fish. The tournament rules were established and the stage was set for a competitive and fun event.

For the first thirteen years of the tournament, proceeds benefitted the YMCA of Collier County. In 2007, the RedSnook was moved to benefit the Conservancy of Southwest Florida to support its clean water initiatives. The format was changed to allow for both guided and unguided divisions.

The RedSnook silent and live auctions have grown over the years into a major source of revenue for the tournament. The auction team solicits auction items that not only interest anglers, but everyone who attends the event. Their effort can be seen in the excitement generated at the auction that is traditionally held on the Friday night before the tournament begins. Continual improvements in the evening events, awards, and rules have kept the tournament fresh and exciting.

From a humble beginning in 1993 of 40 anglers, the RedSnook now boasts over 90 anglers and is the region’s largest charity fishing tournament.

Just ask any fishing guide in Collier County, and they will tell you that the RedSnook is the most prestigious (and fun!) fishing tournament in Southwest Florida.

RedSnook Tournament logo

RedSnook Sponsors

$30,000 RedFish Sponsor

Lars All Blue Logo
Demkovichlogo
Tompkins Family

$20,000 Snook Sponsor

Kukk Logo Corp Sponsor

$15,000 Tarpon Sponsor

$10,000 Tripletail Sponsor

$5,000 Sea Trout Sponsor

$2,500 Snapper Sponsor

Cogentlogo
Carolinacateringlogo
Diamondcustomhomeslogo
Edie Andrew - RedSnook Sponsorship
Walterlogo
Kellyjoneslogo
Knaufkoeniglogo
Shealogo
Porschelogo
Quarles Corp logo
Sticky
TB Price Corp Sponsor V2

$1,000 Jack Sponsor

Ankrolablogo
Buildlogo
Death Wish Coffee Corp Logo
Dermatologyclinicsflogo
Jim And Laura Nolte Logo
Marinemaxlogo
Morton And Wasmer Corp Logo
Myersonwagnerlogo
Papaspilarlogo
Thepartneringgrouplogo
Susanhearllogo
Tandtlogo
Tarponboatworkslogo
Van And Myra Williams Logo