The long-awaited return of the World's Richest Tarpon Tournament gains the most attention this weekend as the kingpin of the unprecedented grouping with the Gasparilla Island Kids Classic Saturday and the Ladies Day Tarpon Tournament Sunday.
Lew Hastings, executive director of the Boca Grande Area Chamber of Commerce, orchestrated this four-day crush of competition as the backbone of the Downtown Tarpon Festival, which will feature everything from educational recreational movies at the Boca Grande Community Center to kids games and appearances from country music star Colton James and the duo Sean and Brooks Paxton.
At least 33 teams will compete for more than $60,000 in prize money in the return of the World's Richest Tarpon Tournament in Boca Grande Pass Thursday and Friday.
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Spots remain, said Lew Hastings, Boca Grande Area Chamber of Commerce executive director, who resurrected the WRTT.
"I'm told by local captains we should be at 40 teams by Wednesday," Hastings said.
The complete listing of teams as of Tuesday:
Fact Box
Boca Grande Tarpon Festival schedule
Today: World's Richest Tarpon Tournament fishing lines in water 3-7 p.m.
Friday: WRTT competition concludes 3-7 p.m. Awards Party: 8:30 p.m. on stage on downtown Boca Grande.
SATURDAY ATTRACTIONS
n Downtown Tarpon Festival, 10 a.m.-6 p.m., with Carroll Swayze's Boca Grande International Art Festival.
Second annual Gasparilla Island Kids Classic: 4:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. Awards party: 8:30 p.m. in downtown Boca Grande
n Specials appearances by Sean and Brooks Paxton and Colton James
Meet Ladies Day artists Brendon Coudal of Osprey for personalized poster signing.
Mote Marine Laboratory exhibit.
Boca Grande Community Center Auditorium WGCU/PBS movies: "The Fisherfolk of Southwest Florida," "Fish Fever: Sport Fishing in Southwest Florida," "Silver King: The Birth of Bog Game Fishing" and "Conserving Florida's Marine Fisheries," FWC.
Kids games downtown 11 a.m.-3 p.m.
SUNDAY ATTRACTIONS
Ladies Day Tarpon Tournament, 3-7 p.m. Awards party at South Beach Bar & Grille, 8:30 p.m.
Downtown Tarpon Festival, 10 a.m.-5 p.m. with Carroll Swayze's Boca Grande International Art Festival.
Meet Ladies Day artists Brendon Coudal of Osprey for personalized poster signing.
Mote Marine Laboratory exhibit.
Kids games downtown 11 a.m.-3 p.m.
Anejo: Capt. Tater Spinks, team leader Dan Doerr, angler, James Sendecke.
Blaze: Capt. Waylon Mills, team leader Roger Otto, anglers Don Bell, David Lafevers and Jeff Fry.
Boca Boats: Capt. Ralph Young, team leader R. Scott Fails, anglers Greco McPherson, James MacDonald and Brent Pinkham.
Budweiser: Capt. David Hutcherson, team leader Chris Slattery and angler Chris Wenzel.
Cannon's Marina: Capt. Mike Adams.
Casuarina: Capt. Charlie Coleman, team leader Howard Wise.
Cat Country: Team leader Todd Nixon and angler Jim Metzger.
Cavana Classic Charters: Capt. Steve Futch, team leader Caroline Clark and anglers Jeanette Clark and Lila Sessums.
Chorizo: Capt. Marcus Poffenberger, team leader Marcus Poffenberger, anglers Carrie Poffenberger, Treavor Barnett and Henry Clarke.
Chris RIP: Capt. Lamar Joiner Jr., team leader Dixie Hollins, anglers Robyn Hollins, Harold Ross and Terra Ross.
Delfino: Shannnon Hoeckel, team leader James Corcoran, anglers Richard Fizer and Richard Robinson.
Gasparilla Outfitters: Capt. Sandy Melvin, team leader Bob Melvin, anglers Ron Walker and Michael Vaughn.
Graphic Solutions: Capt. Matt Coleman, team leader Don Cayo, anglers Chuck LeClercq and Bobby Cayo.
GoCo: Capt. Chris Hunter, team leader Pat Gilligan, anglers Matt Howland, Jon Howland and Dave Hayden.
Hey Momma: Capt. Wayne Joiner, team leader Alex M. Shouppe, anglers Preston Hearn, Chris Sanders and Trey Starling.
Jill Marie: Capt. David Chatham, team leader Dan Erb, anglers Greg McBrayer, Ron Strich and Palmer Lona.
Lil Spook: Capt. Nelson Italiano, team leader Jeff Pflugner, anglers Richard Baron, Dan Hansen and Jason Lessinger.
Lucky Strike: Capt. Bill Miller, team leader Bill Caldwell and anglers Vaughn McCarthy, Rick Wotley and Ed Medley.
Magic: Capt. Cappy Joiner, team leader Paul Eckel, anglers Raymond Rosser and Robert Hehenberger.
Miss Sarah: Capt. Lamar Joiner Sr., team leader Richy Edwards, anglers Keith Farlow and Albert Joerger.
Mona Leslie: Capt. Dickie Coleman, team leader-Ray Pilon, anglers Ken Edwards, Tom Bechard and Carl Thibodeau.
Muskie: Capt. Tim Smith, team leader-Mark Berry and angler John Zern.
Native: Capt. Frank Davis, team leader Dean Petitpren, anglers Billy Jordan, Marlin Parks and Greg Krueger.
Phil Jack: Capt. Mark Liberman, team leader James M. Christensen, anglers Jim B. Christensen and John P. Christensen.
Reel Reel Reel: Team leader Lawrence Leszczynski and anglers Dave Robinson, Jeremiah Acevedo and Shawn Durrant.
Sea Hawk: Capt. Babe Darna, team leader Susanne Darna-Dudley, anglers Chris Dudley, Stanley Darna and Lois Darna.
Shooter: Capt. William "Dumplin" Wheeler, team leader Tori Kittredge.
Sitarah: Capt. Mark Futch and team leader Jeff McMillin.
Spellbound: Capt. Jackie Bylaska, team leader Rob Kunisch and angler John Kunisch.
Spook: Capt. Nat Italiano, team leader Philip Carroll, anglers Howard Franklin and Darryl Minardi.
Tracy Lynn: Capt. Willie Mills, team leader Bruce Aikens and angler Scott Adams.
Twilight Affair: Capt. Ken Marsch, team leader Andy Marsch, anglers Kenny Marsch, Scott Marsch and Billy Marsch.
Wonderful: Capt. Steve Ahlers, team leader Kevin Fink, anglers Tucker Boyer, Rory Fink and Breton Boyers.
