Local Anglers Prepare for 'King of the Reef' Tournament: Cash Prizes, Cleanup Initiative, and Awareness Campaign in Lower Keys

The 2024 Rod & Spear tournament is scheduled for May 17-18 in the Lower Keys, Florida. This competition includes divisions for rod and reel, scuba, and freediving. Cash and prizes will be awarded for the heaviest black grouper, with the grand prize being $1,500. The top two participants in each division will also receive rewards. Additional categories include the heaviest mutton snapper, heaviest pelagic species, and the most lionfish collected.

The tournament, organized by Red Rum International, also features a cleanup initiative targeting polypropylene waste. Participants can collect items such as ropes and containers from the coastal wetlands and waters of the Keys. The participant who collects the most polypropylene will receive a prize.

The event also seeks to raise awareness about decompression sickness and related injuries. This effort is led by Daniel DelGuidice, the founder of Red Rum and organizer of the tournament, who suffered a decompression injury in 2021.

The tournament begins on Friday, May 17, with registration and a meeting at the Red Rum tent outside The Docks Restaurant & Raw Bar on Stock Island. Fishing will take place on Saturday, May 18, from 12:01 a.m. to 4-6:30 p.m. Each participant can weigh only one fish per category, and all weighed grouper must be whole and properly iced.

The awards ceremony will start at 7:30 p.m. Saturday at the seafood market location, followed by a gathering at The Docks. The entry fee is $105 per participant until April 26 and $125 thereafter until May 17. For more information and registration, visit redrumintl.com/red-rum-tournaments/.

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