Sign up now for Whidden’s Back Bay Tournament

Get ready to fish and eat some chili, all to benefit a beautiful local museum.

This Sunday, Nov. 18, two events will be held to benefit the Gasparilla Island Maritime Museum. The Whidden’s Back Bay Tournament fishing will begin at 9 a.m. and end at 1 p.m. The tournament is held in memory of Barbara Chatham, Midge Calahan, John Bottjer, Mary Alice King, Capt. Joe Sturgess and Paula Johnson. Be on the lookout for redfish and trout.

The entry fee is $350 per four-angler team (and yes, the captain may be one of the anglers). There will be cash and prizes, and Italiano Insurance and the Boca Beacon are sponsoring the team T-shirts.

The Captain/Rules Party will be held Saturday evening at Sisters Restaurant.

“We anticipate at least 15 boats in the tournament, since almost everyone who entered the last tournament is in and we have several new entries,” said coordinator Becky Seale Paterson. “We will also be asking local merchants to help us with tournament prizes, goody bucket and silent auction items.”

The tournament awards party will be held at 4 p.m. the afternoon of the tournament at the Pirate Coast Chili Cook-off.

This will be the first year that the cook-off will be held at Whidden's Marina. Through a grant from the Boca Grande  Woman's Club, the museum has purchased an event tent, tables and chairs.

“The public is always invited to the Pirate Coast Chili Cook-off, where island chefs and chili champions will compete for braggin’ rights,” Paterson said. “There will be an additional competition for side dishes and desserts. We need to hear from the competitors as soon as possible. We might have a mullet toss if anyone wants to volunteer!”

Tickets are $20 for adults and $5 for kids under 12.

Call Melissa or Leslie at Whidden’s, 964-2878, to fish or donate to the tournament, Call Dave Arner at Pirate Coast, 964-0222, to fish, donate or enter the Chili Cook-off. Entry forms for both events may be picked up and prizes may be dropped off at The Seale Family in downtown Boca Grande or at Whidden’s Marina.