Key West Fishing Tournaments

For anyone that enjoys fishing, the summer is always the best season of the year. The fish are at their most bountiful and the weather is at its most pleasant. However, these aren't the only benefits that summer offers, as the lengthy summer months play host to a wealth of unique and varied fishing tournaments. In fact, Key West is proud to be the home of 4 spectacular fishing tournaments during the summer months.

Fishing Tournament of Key West

The first of these is the exciting Fishing Tournament of Key West. This tournament is the longest in all of Key West, starting in April and ending in late November. However, some of the best competition and overall fishing happens in the summer months. This 8-month tournament is available to the public, so anyone that is visiting Key West during this period has a chance to participate. Different prizes can be earned depending on the quality of the catch. The tournament is divided into 4 groups, that of men and women, as well as pee wees and juniors, creating fun and exciting times for everyone. There are over 30 different fish species that are eligible for competition in the tournament, many of which can be obtained through Key West deep sea fishing.

Del Brown Tournament

The second of these tournaments is the Del Brown Tournament. This years permit event began on July 13 and ended July 16. A fish species known as permit were the object of attention for competing anglers. This intense competition was a rousing success, with nearly a dozen permit of different lengths and sizes caught by 7 of the 10 eligible boats. The tournament came to a close with Nathaniel Linville from Key West named as the Grand Champion with a total of 5 catches. Only flats and fly fishing are allowed for participants in this tournament.

Drambuie Marlin Tournament

Next up is the Drambuie Marlin Tournament, which, as you might've guessed from the name, is a tournament focused on catching the biggest Marlin. As Marlin can grow to huge sizes, with the tournament winner of 2013 catching a 500 pound behemoth, this competition isn't for the faint of heart. Limited to 75 boats, this daunting tournament involves Key West deep sea fishing and saltwater fishing and runs from July 16-19, with over $50,000 in cash guaranteed to be divided among the winning fishermen.

Robert James Sales SLAM Tournament for Celebrities

The final of these 4 tournaments is the Robert James Sales SLAM Tournament for celebrities, which takes place in the waning days of the summer from September 5-7. This is the first of the annual Redbone Tournament Series and involves the catching of bonefish, tarpon and permit. Likely the best aspect of this exciting tournament is that the proceeds are given to the fight against what is known as Cystic Fibrosis.

No matter what tournament you're interested in, drop by Key West and either watch some of the exciting events from each tournament or participate and maybe even find yourself as champion of one of these pristine fishing events. The choice is yours!