Sarasota- The Bearded Clam Restaurant and Tiki hosts Huge Spearfishing Tournament

Saturday, July 9, was a perfect day for the third annual Gene Cloud Memorial Spearfishing Tournament hosted by The Bearded Clam Waterfront Restaurant and Tiki bar. This was an excellent venue with hundreds of people attending giving their support in the shaded trees of the parking area.

This year’s Spearfishing charity event was one of the largest in the country with 170 participants coming from as far away as Texas vying for first place in these categories, gag grouper (Jarred Mong 19.8 lbs.), red grouper (Jason Gray 15.05 lbs.), mangrove snapper (Mark Jean 8.9 lbs.), hog snapper (Tyler Gauthier 6.3 lbs.), snapper trifecta (Mark Jeans 25 lbs.), shovel nose lobster (Rick Gauthier 2.1 lbs.), flounder (Devin Moran 3.2 lbs.) and the invasive, predator lion fish (James Taylor 58 total speared), sheepshead (Rob Kohnen 3.8 lbs.) all from Bradenton, Fl.

Elea Nellis 14 years old from Orlando, Fl. took second place with a Sheepshead fish weighing 3.55 lbs.

Thanks to all the Sponsors who made this Event possible, this year exceeded the previous year in monies raised accumulating $16,000 divided equally for

It was a huge effort by everyone from fishing to organizing to cleaning up but what a wonderful feeling to be part of an event of this magnitude that will change lives for the better!

photos by Bearded Clam Restaurant and Tiki