Anglers can test their skill at catching tarpon, permit and bonefish during the annual Robert James Sales S.L.A.M. Celebrity Fishing Tournament scheduled Friday through Sunday, Sept. 11-13.
The catch-and-release event pits participating anglers against the species dubbed the “big three” game fish of the flats. Releasing all three on the same day is called a flats grand slam.
The S.L.A.M. is the first in an annual Florida Keys autumn tournament trilogy that benefits the fight against cystic fibrosis, a life-threatening chronic lung disease that is the United States’ leading genetic killer of children and young adults.
Scheduled celebrity participants include Major League Baseball Hall of Famer Wade Boggs, former Denver Broncos football player Mark Cooper and former NASA space shuttle astronaut Bruce Melnick.
Anglers and teams earn points by catching and releasing fish in the tournament’s fly, spin/plug or general/bait categories. Awards are based on the most points accumulated representing all species of a slam.
Preceding the main event is The Angling Company’s Superfly, a one-day, one-fly tournament based at Hurricane Hole Restaurant & Marina, mile marker 4.5 oceanside. Fishing is scheduled Friday, Sept. 11.
Registration for the S.L.A.M. is slated for 4-6 p.m. Friday at the DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel Grand Key Resort, 3990 S. Roosevelt Blvd., followed by a kick-off reception, silent auction, rules meeting and live auction.
Fishing in the S.L.A.M. is set for 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 12, and 6 a.m. to 2 p.m. Sunday, Sept. 13. The public can join anglers and celebrities at a dockside party scheduled for 3-5 p.m. Saturday at Hurricane Hole.
The tournament awards party is planned for 3-5 p.m. Sunday at Hurricane Hole.
Entry for the S.L.A.M., which includes two days’ charter fees with a professional guide, is $3,700 for a two-angler team. The Superfly entry fee is $350 per angler who also fishes the S.L.A.M. or $500 per angler who only fishes the Superfly.
Event information and registration: www.redbone.org or 305-664-2002
