Register for the Ladies Day Tarpon Tournament at the Captain’s Party! There, you will pick up your team bag and have the chance to pick up the tournament gear as well as some pretty awesome raffles! You can expect food, refreshments, music and more! See you there!

Register for the 2019 tournament. Saturday, May 11, 2019 is the official tournament date. Please check back for regular updates. The registration fee is $700 per team of 4 anglers. Thank you for supporting the best all-release tournament for the Ladies.

Contact the Chamber at (941) 964-0568 for more information.

The award ceremony for the 2019 Ladies Day Tarpon Tournament will be held at the Boca Grande Area Chamber of Commerce Courtyard immediately after the event. Join us in celebrating our winning anglers!

Event Date:  Saturday, May 18th, 2019

Event Time:  8 p.m. – 11 pm

Capt. Sandy Melvin of Special Effects/Gasparilla Outfitters has announced the date for the traditional “Howl at the Moon” Open Invitational Tarpon Tournament on Saturday, May 18th, 2019 from 8 p.m. – 11 pm. The entry fee will be $600 per team.

Long time local fisherman Dave “Smitty” Smith will be the head judge for the events. Winners will be determined by the most releases, and an observer will be placed on every boat.
Many other prizes will be awarded as well.

The rules for the tournaments have been designed to release our fish as quickly and healthy as possible while showcasing the traditional methods that local fishing guides use in Boca Grande Pass. We also strive to show the quality of the evening and nighttime fishing.

“Tarpon season has been so good the past few years, especially at night, we want to continue to let people know that,” Melvin said. “This will be our 15th year and the tarpon we have caught number in the hundreds. Fishing has been great, with lots of fun and excitement.”

“We want everyone to come on down and celebrate the season with us. We’re trying to just have some fun, and we want people to get their teams together, to enjoy the parties with food and entertainment, and even if people don’t feel like fishing they can come down to the Lighthouse and support the local fishing guides.”

The monies raised from the Howl at The Moon event will benefit the Boca Grande Chamber of Commerce’s web cam project.

“We enjoy making these tournaments a community-involved tradition,” Melvin said. “We want as much support and involvement that we can get, and for everyone to have a great time.”

The Gasparilla Island Kids Classic Tarpon Tournament is the world’s greatest kids fishing tournament for children ages 15 and under.

100% of all entry fees from this event are donated to our charitable partners and benefit children’s health and educational programs throughout Southwest Florida.

With great support from our sponsors and contributors, in just eight short years we have now raised over $225,000 for institutions and programs such as:

Moffitt Cancer Center, All Children’s Hospital, The Englewood Community Care Clinic, The Island School, Lemon Bay Conservancy, the Charlotte County School System’s S.T.E.M Camp program, EasterSeals SW FL and Dee Wheeler Scholarship Fund.

The World's Richest Tarpon Tournament is a Grande Tradition that has marked the history of the Boca Grande fishing culture for 37 years.  The Grande Tradition event is sponsored by Grande Aire Services, a company that is passionate about preserving Boca Grande's History. Join us in reflecting on the different eras of the World's Richest Tarpon Tournament with speakers from over the years.  We will be honoring Capt. Jimmy Robertson for his contribution as a local legend, tournament captain, and his involvement in the Boca Grande Fishery.  We hope to see you on this special evening of local island history! 

The Boca Grande Area Chamber of Commerce thanks all of the generous sponsors who supported the 2019 World’s Richest Tarpon Tournament. There will be an educational program by our conservation partners: Bonefish Tarpon Trust and Captain’s For Clean Water, as well as food, refreshments, and a presentation by the tournament committee.

Call the Chamber office for more information: (941) 964-0568

Private Event for WRTT Anglers, Captains, Sponsors, and their Families.

Register for the 2019 World’s Richest Tarpon Tournament at the Captain’s Party! There, you will pick up your team bag, hear the reading of the rules, and have the chance to purchase the tournament gear as well as win some pretty awesome raffles! You can expect food, refreshments, music and more! See you there!

Call the Chamber office for more info: (941) 964-0568.

(Venue TBD)

DAY 1 of WRTT

Anglers compete in the 37th Annual World’s Richest Tarpon Tournament in the legendary Boca Grande Pass. It is a live-bait only, catch and release, no-weigh, no-kill, traditional drift-fishing tarpon tournament that represents what Boca Grande’s fishing culture was build on. Join us as we witness these sportsmen go head to head in a Grande Tradition, The World’s Richest Tarpon Tournament.

Call the Chamber office for more information: (941) 964-0568.