June
Tuna & Tiaras Ladies Fishing Tournament benefits Women Supporting Women.
The world’s only tuna tournament exclusively for women, the 5th Annual Tuna & Tiaras competition, heats up the Mid-Atlantic, June 13-14. It’s always a blast and benefits Women Supporting Women, a grassroots breast cancer survival organization. Angling teams of up to six ladies can fish one of two days with fishing hours from 7AM to 3PM. All International Game Fish Association (IGFA) rules apply, except hook-and-hand is permitted between registered anglers; mates may assist in transfer but cannot gain line. Register for the tournament in person at the Ocean City Fishing Center in Ocean City, Maryland, by June 12th. Eligible species for cash prizes include big-eye, yellowfin, bluefin, and longfin tuna as well as wahoo and mahi-mahi.
The tournament, owned and operated by women, features a variety of Calcuttas, including categories for the heaviest single tuna, heaviest stringer, and specific awards for mahi-mahi and wahoo. An outboard motor jackpot offers an additional $5,000 for the heaviest tuna caught by a boat with outboard motors entered in the Winner Take All category. Last year’s event included 64 boats and 308 anglers, with 2,900 pounds of tuna brought to the scales.
Women Supporting Women is a nonprofit organization that raises awareness, provides education, and offers support for those affected by breast cancer. The organization works independently of national organizations, ensuring that all funding stays locally to provide free services and support. tunaandtiaras.com
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A History Lesson on the Island
The Gwynn’s Island Festival is a popular event for cruisers during the last weekend of June. The island is off Virginia’s middle peninsula at the mouth of the Piankatank River. Archaeological evidence shows that the island was inhabited as early as 10,000 years ago. In 1642, Hugh Gwynn of Jamestown purchased the island, and his family were the first English settlers there. The island also served as a base for Lord Dunmore, the last royal governor of Virginia after the burning of Norfolk in 1776. Patriots later put an end to Dunmore’s occupation with a barrage of artillery from Fort Cricket Hill. To learn more about the history of the area, a good place to stop by on your visit is the Gwynn’s Island Museum.
This year’s festival is Saturday, June 28th, from 9AM to 4PM at the island’s civic center. Attractions include arts and crafts, live music, historical reenactments, and a kids’ zone. visitmathews.com/gwynns-island-festival
Southside Marina Hosts Virginia Beach Tuna Tournament
Anglers can also battle tuna and cancer in Virginia Beach as its annual tuna tournament returns to Southside Marina from June 18-21. Participants can choose one day to fish between Thursday and Saturday, with the option to depart from any Virginia inlet and return to either Lynnhaven or Rudee Inlet for weigh-ins. The event supports Hooked on Hope VB, an organization that provides fishing outings free to pediatric cancer families.
Anglers of all ages are encouraged to participate, with special recognition for ladies and junior anglers ages 17 and younger who catch the biggest fish of any species, including mahi-mahi and wahoo. Prize money can be substantial. In 2024, with 108 boats participating, the total payout was $242,290, including a first-place payout of $111,385 to anglers aboard Oblivion, a 38-foot Henriques, with a total aggregate tuna weight of 237.6 pounds. Junior winner Connor O’Day collected $750 for reeling in a 31-pound yellowfin. vbtuna.com
By: Chris Knauss
