The 20th annual Fishing for Kids Saltwater Trout Tournament made a splash at the Sea Hag Marina in Steinhatchee, Fla. The event brought together a record-setting 110 boats for a day of sunshine and sport on Saturday, April 26.
With clear skies and a refreshing breeze, anglers of all ages cast their lines for a cause and helped raise over $83,000 to support critical research, life-saving medical equipment, and other patient-centered services at UF Health Shands Children’s Hospital.
The weekend kicked off with a low country boil on Friday evening, setting the stage for an action-packed Saturday on the water. After a full day reeling in their best catches, participants returned for a fish fry hosted by UF Health Shands engineers, followed by a lively raffle and awards ceremony.
2025 Tournament Winners
- 1st Place: Boat 39 – Remediation Specialists (Norma Lope & Matt Herndon): 12.93 lbs.
- 2nd Place: Boat 31 – TKE (David Hedrick & Randy Hartley): 11.83 lbs.
- 3rd Place: Boat 76 – Chad & Levi Howard: 11.36 lbs.
- 4th Place: Boat 51 – Andy Phillips & Dale Nichols: 11.34 lbs.
- Biggest Trout: Boat 51 – Andy Phillips & Dale Nichols: 4.73 lbs.
- Biggest Redfish: Boat 31 – TKE (David Hedrick & Randy Hartley): 6.83 lbs.
- Redfish with Most Spots: Boat 5 – Bruce & Shane Bergman: 13 spots
Young anglers also got in on the fun, with trophies and prizes awarded in the kids’ category, encouraging the next generation of fishing enthusiasts to support their community.
The success of this milestone event wouldn’t have been possible without the generous support of our sponsors:
Presenting Sponsors
- D&C Foods
- WH Construction
- WW Gay
Star Sponsors
- Brasfield & Gorrie
- OEC Business Interiors
- Sciens Building Solutions
Miracle Sponsors
- Affiliated Engineers Inc.
- Ajax
- BBI Construction
- CED Raybro
- DH Pace
- Dowling Signs
- In memory of J. Jones
- Merrill Lynch
- Nelson & Company
- Resa Power
- Scorpio
- TKE
- Tom Barrow
- Trane
Champion Sponsors
- CDW – Healthcare
- CIS
- Duct Doctors
- Hope Sponsors
- MDM Commercial
- Miller Electric
- Momar Inc.
- MTA
- National Fire Stopping Solutions
- Remediation Specialists
- Southern Waters Company
- UniFirst
The 2025 Fishing for Kids tournament marked its 20th anniversary with record-breaking participation and fundraising, highlighting the community’s strong support for its youngest patients. Thank you to every angler, sponsor and volunteer who made this milestone event a success.