Presented by BTT Platinum Sponsor Costa Sunglasses, the triennial event will bring together stakeholders from across the world of flats fishing—anglers, guides, industry leaders, government agencies, scientists, artists and writers—to celebrate the resource and advance conservation.
PGA National Resort in Palm Beach Gardens, Florida on Nov. 4th – 5th 2022
The Cowford is a tournament to highlight the pristine spartina estuaries of the Lower St. Johns River, now increasingly threatened by industrial expansion, sedimentation, over-development along the river’s banks and excess nutrient loading from a multitude of sources upstream. ENTRIES WILL BE LIMITED TO 100 (OR 50 BOATS).
Everyone that registered for the Islamorada Owners event we are excited to see you on September 14th & 15th, 2022 for our annual Hell’s Bay Boatworks Owners Event. We’ll kick off this exciting fun-filled event on Wednesday with a welcome gathering that includes refreshing cocktails and delicious appetizers. The captains meeting will be held after the welcome gathering to go over the rules. The tournament starts early Thursday morning with a nice breakfast and box lunches for each of the anglers. We will finish the day with cocktails, dinner, and awards.
David Wirth with be creating the awards again this year, displaying his unique design and artistry.
This year’s owners event will be hosted at Fisher Inn Resort & Marina, located at Oceanside MM84.9, 84951 Overseas Hwy, Islamorada, FL 33036.
The resort offers a boat ramp with trailer parking exclusively for its guests, and slips available at the resort for those wishing to keep their boat in the water.
Thursday- Sept. 15, 2022 6:00 – 7:00 am HB Tournament Team Check-in (Fisher Inn) 7:00 am – Lines in 3:00 pm – Lines out 3:00 pm – 5:00 pm Team Check-in and Scoring 6:30 pm Dinner and Awards Ceremony
Today, Governor DeSantis proved that he heard the voices of thousands of fishing guides, boat captains, business owners, and concerned citizens throughout Florida by vetoing Senate Bill 2508. In early February, the Florida Senate filed SB 2508 late on a Friday night as a budget conforming bill intending to quietly fast track major policy changes that would write into law the preferential treatment of the industrial sugar industry. This sneak attack undermined the proper legislative processes and short-circuited the opportunity for public input. Captains For Clean Water organized and responded with massive public awareness campaigns and public action opportunities, leading the groundswell of opposition against the bill. Over 50,000 Captains For Clean Water supporters like YOU expressed opposition through 156,000 emails to legislators, 1,500 phone calls to legislators, 50,000 petition signatures, and multiple trips to the State Capitol, forcing the Florida Senate to amend the bill twice removing most of the harmful Everglades language and the proviso language that held hostage $300+ million in state Everglades funding contingent on passage of 2508. Dozens of fishing guides canceled booked charters and lost thousands of dollars of income to travel to Tallahassee to publicly oppose Senate Bill 2508. At the first committee hearing for the bill, Senate leaders used intimidation tactics claiming guides had been misinformed, misled, and did not understand the nuances of legislative language. When we produced videos and social content to inform the public about the corruption unfolding, proponents of the bill attempted to censor us, threatening legal action. They deployed slander campaigns against Captains For Clean Water and targeted Floridians with misinformation materials. Time and again, they tried to silence our voices and tip the scales against us. This only made us stronger. Together with our supporters, we kept going and we fought harder. Capt. C.A. Richardson said it best in his remarks to the Florida Senate Appropriations Committee, “They don’t quit when they’re tired. They quit when they’re done…and they are not done.” To Capt. Richardson and all of you, your efforts have absolutely paid off. Today, we are “done” with the SB 2508 battle. Thank you to our supporters—every fishing guide, boat captain, outdoor brand, business owner and citizen that signed our petition, contacted lawmakers, traveled to Tallahassee and came together to urge Governor DeSantis to oppose Senate Bill 2508. You were the groundswell that finally swamped Senate Bill 2508.