Second annual event will feature cash prizes, junior divisions and a day of shoreline fishing along Siesta Key beaches

By Jane Bartnett

The second annual Tunaskin Siesta Key Coastline Cast Beach Fishing Tournament will be held Saturday, June 13, on the public beaches of Siesta Key.

Sponsored by Tunaskin Aquatic Apparel, last year’s inaugural event, held in July, attracted 42 adult anglers competing on 21 two-person teams. Following the success of the 2025 tournament, Tunaskin founder Bill Bronsord promised this year’s Siesta Key competition would be “even bigger and better.” The Siesta Key event mirrors Tunaskin’s annual Mid-Mayhem Beach Fishing Tournament on Fort Myers Beach.

The tournament registration deadline is Saturday, June 6, one week before the event.

Open to anyone with a fishing rod and a partner, the tournament will focus on what Tunaskin calls “The Southwest Florida Slam,” featuring trout, snook and redfish.

Adult teams of two may register for $75 per team. Junior teams of two anglers ages 5-15 also may participate, with a registration fee of $50 per team. Each adult and junior participant will receive a limited-edition commemorative Tunaskin Coastline Cast 2026 hoodie.

Following the tournament, an afterparty and awards ceremony will be held at a Siesta Key restaurant in Siesta Village. The restaurant location will be announced at tunaskin.co.

Prizes will be awarded for first, second and third place. The first-place team in the adult division will receive $750. The second-place team will earn $500, while the third-place team will receive $250.

First-place winners in the junior division will receive $250, while second-place junior winners will receive a $100 Tunaskin gift card.

Additional awards will be presented for the biggest fish overall and the largest “fun fish.” The winning team for biggest fish overall will receive a $250 Tunaskin gift card. The prize for the largest fun fish — identified as a jack crevalle — will be a $100 Tunaskin gift card.

According to the Florida Museum of Natural History, the jack crevalle is a member of the jack family commonly found in the Gulf’s inshore and open waters during spring, summer and fall. It is among the most common large jack fish caught off Florida’s west coast. Although often referred to by anglers as a “trash fish” because of its strong flavor, jack crevalle are commonly used for bait or chum and can grow to more than 20 pounds.

The Saturday, June 13, tournament will begin at 6:30 a.m. Anglers will meet at the Tunaskin Siesta Key store, located at 5125 Ocean Blvd., where participants will check in and receive their official tournament hoodies.

Tournament officials also will review competition rules, fishing boundaries and the fish submission texting process.

Boundaries for the 2026 Tunaskin Siesta Key Coastline Cast Beach Fishing Tournament will stretch from the Gulf side of Big Sarasota Pass on the north end of Siesta Key to the southern end of public parking at Turtle Beach. A boundaries map will be distributed at check-in and emailed to registered participants before the tournament.

Only one rod per angler is permitted, and shoreline fishing is required. Fishing is prohibited between the swim buoys at the Siesta Beach public beach pavilion. Fishing from boats, kayaks and stand-up paddleboards is not allowed.

In accordance with Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission regulations, dock fishing is prohibited, and all anglers must possess either a Florida Saltwater Fishing License or a Shoreline Fishing License.

The tournament is catch-and-release only, and all fish sizes count toward scoring. Artificial lures, fly fishing and live bait are permitted, and fish may only be caught by hook and line. Cast-netting for fish is prohibited, though cast-netting for bait fish is permitted only after the tournament begins.

Each fish must be measured in the sand using rulers provided during check-in. No fish submissions will be accepted after 11 a.m. on tournament day. In the event of a tie, the tiebreaker will go to the angler who submitted the final fish earliest.

Additional rules and tournament details are available at tunaskin.co.

Tunaskin Aquatic Apparel is located at 5125 Ocean Blvd., Siesta Key. For more information, call 941-363-6877. The store also can be found on Facebook and Instagram. Store hours are Monday through Sunday from 9:30 a.m. to 8 p.m.