Join us in June for the Tampa Bay Watch Tarpon Rodeo, Honoring TBW Founding Board Member Ed Alber. The Tarpon Rodeo is an all catch-and-release tournament on Tampa Bay to benefit our restoration projects and education programs. Anglers launch from the starting point at the Fort De Soto boat ramp for the half day tournament. Fish are called in by the boat captain and logged by professional CCA judges. The exciting post-tournament Castaway Soirée includes a silent auction, live auction, vendors, and great food and drinks at the TradeWinds Island Resort on St. Pete Beach. It’s your turn to bring home the trophy. Are you ready to join the hunt for the Silver King?
Save the date for this year’s Tarpon Rodeo: June 5-6, 2020
Enjoy this recap of the May 31-June 1, 2019 Tarpon Rodeo, below:
Thank you to all our sponsors, donors, volunteers and guests that supported this year’s Tarpon Rodeo and Castaway Soirée! we raised $120,000+ for our education and restoration programs.
With 24 teams, a record of 23 tarpon were caught and released successfully in this year’s tournament.
Our winners:
The 1st place Guardian Division goes to Bonefish Grill! As proud partners with Tampa Bay Watch, we are thrilled that this team took the prize with Captain Jared Simonetti.
The 1st place Sport Division went to Wise Rhino/Gale Force Consulting.
Sustainability:
Tampa Bay Watch took another step toward sustainability and introduced mobile bidding. Cutting down on paper waste, this action also allowed everyone to participate in Tarpon Rodeo’s Castaway Soirée auction. Thank you to all who participated! We raised $30,000+ for our education and restoration programs through the silent and live auctions.
Fund-a-Need:
With our Fund-a-Need auction, our education team secured crucial funding. This will allow them to purchase supplies for this season’s summer camps, including:
- Ipad Pro (Thank you to Mary Ann Renfrow!) Used for any credit transaction including: field-trip payments, purchases, donations, and incorporating STEM concepts into the curricula.
- Compact Aquarium Filtration System (Thank you, Lynn Broadhurst!) Our aquaria at Tampa Bay Watch hosts unique estuary species, offering daily observation and learning opportunities for all field trip and summer camp students.
- Pop-up Changing Rooms (Thank you to Brian Zmich, Zac Updegraff, Bobby Bussey, and Matthew Bisset!) Students dive into right into the estuary by snorkeling, kayaking, and observing wildlife. These pop-up changing rooms will provide a private space for summer campers to get changed, be comfortable, and get ready to take on the next activity more efficiently.
- AmScope Dissecting Microscopes (Thank you to Brian Zmich, Michael Holtz, Marne Kelleher, Matthew Bisset, and Robert Bussey!) This technology offers our field trip and summer camp students a close look at planktonic forms of life and gain a better understanding of their morphology, function, and significance. Furthermore, students have the opportunity to learn of the pressing issue of marine debris at the microscopic level: microplastics.
Thank you to our volunteers!
Norm Englert & Cathy Addler, Sharon & Mike Baker, Sharon Beaber, Linda Biondi, Julie * Bruce Carta, Steve Edinger, Ed Renkowicz & Mary Jane Herlik, Aubrey Malone, Alex & Debbie Matheson, Jean Treimanis, Lynda Wilson, Melissa West, Susan & Peter Plage, and Susan Wiley.
