The excitement of fishing in tournaments usually has us thinking for days ahead about the big fish I am going to catch, or the fish we will catch as a team. Think of how much more the tournament will mean if you help to organize it. "But what can I do?" you say?

Helping organize a tournament is easy and takes just a few hours. Getting a few friends or business contacts together, and letting the tournament chair person know early on that you would like to help is a great way to start. Attend a few meetings, hit up a few friends for raffle or auction items, donate an extra rod and reel you never use for a raffle item, help sell raffle tickets, get your team and boat organized early so you can help set up the captains meeting/party or man the bar for an hour. You will meet new friends, and fishing in the tournament will mean so much more, as you will be competing against them, in addition to your normal buddies. Plus, you will know you helped raise funds for the charity that is supported by the tournament. Get a few tournaments and years under your belt, and like me you will be co-chairing or being an emcee 3 to 5 tournaments a year because it is so rewarding, and makes every tournament that much more fun. Any of us that can captain a boat or fish have some skills that will help make the tournament more successful, after all successful tournaments do not organize themselves.

Once you are involved it is easy to recruit a friend or two for the committee, making the experience that much more enjoyable.

Dave Powell
"R KA NU"
VP MCAC Artificial Reef Fund and of the Stuart Sailfish Club

The first photo below shows the 2009 Stuart FL, MCAR Artificial Reef Tournament (Reef Builders) Organizing Committee, onboard last year's top boat winner "R KA NU" a 33' rampage. Dave Powell will be co-chairing again in the 2009 tournament, and is the tall man located in the center. Will he bring home the bacon again for Team Rampage, as they did last year with 3 Cobias, two of which were 40 pounds? We will let you know after this July's tournament.

The second photo shows Team Rampage with Karl Wickstrom, Sr. Editor of Florida Sportsman Magazine, handing Dave Powell a Crowder Trolling rod for his top boat award.

Click on the photos below to enlarge