MORE TEAMS MEAN MORE PRIZE MONEY AT BULL AND COW DOLPHIN TOURNAMENT

The 17th annual Tom Thumb Marathon Offshore Bull and Cow Dolphin Tournament will challenge anglers Friday through Sunday, May 5-7.

A grand prize of $10,000 cash will go to the team with the largest combined weight of a bull and a cow dolphin fish. However, the top prize payout grows as more boats register.

With a field of 70 to 89 boats, the first-place cash award would be $15,000, with the amount increasing incrementally with every 10 additional boats. If a field of 100 boats is reached, the first-place cash prize can reach $25,000.

I typically move to several different spots while grouper fishing. If I don’t get a bite in 20 minutes, I move on to the next spot or I make a minor move to get my bait down to a different area of the reef, where hopefully it will fall right in front of the eyes of a hungry grouper.

In order to keep the bite going for another day, consider releasing the fish that won’t fit on your plate for dinner. Depending on the species, these fish take between 4 and 10 years to reach sexual maturity when they can repopulate the reef. Whether they are in season or just a lucky bite, these fish are a fun and hard-hitting fight from the reef to the boat.

Good luck and angling success this grouper season here in the beautiful Florida Keys!

To book a trip with Top Notch Sportfishing, call Captain Bill at 732-674-8323.

Prizes are also awarded for the largest bull dolphin fish, largest cow dolphin, heaviest combined weight of three dolphin fish and for the largest wahoo, blackfin tuna and tripletail. Other awards recognize the top female angler, top junior angler and more.

Final registration and captains meeting for the Bull and Cow is by drop-in Friday, May 5, between 9 a.m. and 6 p.m. at Two Conchs Bait & Tackle at 11499 Overseas Highway.

Fishing is scheduled from 8 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Saturday and Sunday, May 6-7. Weigh-in each day is set for 4 to 6 p.m. at Two Conchs Bait & Tackle.

The awards banquet is planned for 7 p.m. Sunday at Florida Keys Aquarium Encounters, 11710 Overseas Highway. Non-anglers can purchase tickets to attend the banquet for $25 per person.

More information is at marathonoffshoretournament. com. The entry fee is $995 per boat with a team of up to six anglers.

Keys Weekly

By: Tracy and Sean McDonald

The Scoreboard

Savannah Chadic

This Week In Keys Sports

Senior, Key West Track & Field

Key West’s Savannah Chadic has been making a name for herself on the track this season. The senior, whose blazing speed won her two individual district championships last week, is ranked second in the region in the 400 meter event and seventh in the 200 meter. Chadic’s 400 time of 56.02s should open the door for her to compete at the state level later in May. Chadic’s leadership was integral to the success of her sprint relay team and in bringing home district hardware for the entire team.

“Savannah leads on the track by example,” said coach Dave Perkins. “We depend on her to get the team ready to go.”

– Conchs coach Dave Perkins Savannah Chadic carries the baton in a recent relay for Key West. RICK MacKENZIE/ Contributed

For her hard work on the track and the great things she is doing for Key West track and field, Savannah Chadic is this week’s Keys Weekly Athlete of the Week.

By: Tracy and Sean McDonald