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The Caloosa Catch and Release
Now in its 20th year, The Caloosa Catch and Release is the largest single-site public inshore fishing tournament in Florida and one of the largest and prestigious tournaments in the country, having dozens of states represented this past year. This three day event is held at the Pink Shell Beach Resort and Spa on Fort Myers Beach, Florida consisting of over 100 hundred teams with approximately three anglers per team. In addition, many other people participate in a variety of functions offered at this family event. Anglers compete for snook, redfish, trout, and a daily mystery fish-all on a catch and release basis.
More than 45 organizations in Southwest Florida have benefited from over $400,000 dollars that has been distributed as a result of this event including this partial list: The Rotary Club of Fort Myers South, The Imaginarium, Florida Sea Grant Program-Project Redstart, Big Brothers/Big Sisters, Boy Scouts of Southwest Florida, The Coastal Conservation Association (CCA), Outreach, The Children’s Home Society, and Edison Community College. The primary recipient of funding from this event over the past eight years has been Florida Gulf Coast University where donations helped build the math and science building-Whitaker Hall, where The Caloosa Catch & Release name is listed in the atrium in the lobby and the marine and aquarium wing bears The Caloosa name. In addition, the tournament has provided athletic scholarships over the past seven years and is committed to that objective into the foreseeable future.
The Back Country Classic
The largest single-site tournament held in Naples, Florida. Fishing for redfish, snook, and trout, this two-day tournament has over 100 anglers and has provided funds to the Collier County Building Association High School Scholarship.
The Summer Slam Flats Tournament
Now in the tenth year, this two-day tournament consists of seventy-five teams and is held at the Pink Shell Beach Resort and Spa on Fort Myers Beach, Florida. Anglers compete for snook, redfish, and snapper. Net proceeds from this event are distributed to the Florida Gulf Coast University athletic scholarship program.
The Caloosa Grand Championship
The Caloosa Grand Championship is the final event in The Caloosa Tournament Series bringing qualifiers of all tournaments together from all over the country to compete for nearly $50,000 in cash and prize money and the opportunity to bear the coveted title-Caloosa Grand Champion. The champion team wins a 17' Hewes Micro Technical Skiff with a Yamaha Motor and Boatmaster Trailer.
Other Fishing Tournaments
Kayak Fishing Classic presented by Aegis Factors benefited the Southwest Florida Council, Boy Scouts of America. Anglers compete for snapper, snook, redfish, and trout. This two-day event consisted of one fishing day and two dinners at Margarita Grille and Lovers Key State Park. Mangrove Madness is a fundraiser tournament benefiting Hodges University. This IGFA/Rolex Inshore Qualifying Championship Tournament event included one day of fishingand two dinners, lunch, and open bar. Tournament species included snook, redfish, trout, and snapper.
Other Events and Programs
The organization also performs advisory services for The Lee Island Coast Visitors and Convention Bureau. In addition to the above events, the corporate officers of CC & R have also founded, or helped organize and/or managed the following events and programs.
- The Rotary South Four Way Test Awards-20 years
- The Celebrity Connexxion
- The Rotary South Scholar/Athlete Award Program-20 years
- The Thirty Sixth Annual Bank of America City of Palms Classic (the nation's number 1 rated high school tournament in America)
- The Softball Business Challenge- 7 years
Caloosa Tournament Series Founder - Ron Riley
Ron holds a B.A. in English Literature from the University of South Florida and a Masters Degree in Management from Florida Gulf Coast University. He began his professional career as an Investment Banker and further pursued a financial career in wealth management over the next 25 years; retiring from Prudential Securities as a Senior Vice President-Investments in 2003. Ron represented a large clientele comprised of both individuals and businesses and was often a featured speaker at national forums and conferences throughout the United States.
Ron has sat on several boards and has belonged to a variety of organizations including The Rotary Club of Fort Myers South where he served as President and where his interest and passion for fundraising and philanthropy was finely tuned. Ron began event planning in 1985, when he spearheaded a county wide softball challenge tournament comprised of 64 teams representing a wide range of businesses-competing for fun and to raise money for children. In addition, Ron co-founded the Fort Myers Rotary South Scholar/Athlete Program in 1988 which is modeled throughout the U.S. and still in existence today.
Ron is the Founder and President of Caloosa Catch and Release Inc. which creates, markets and promotes the Caloosa Tournament Fishing Series, consisting of The Caloosa Catch & Release (19 years), The Back Country Classic (7 years), The Summer Slam (10 years) and The Caloosa Grand Championship (7 years). These four events represent the oldest and largest single site backwater fishing tournament series’ in Florida and one of the largest multiple tournament events in the country. These four events have provided over $1 million in prize money to anglers and over $450,000 in cash and in-kind services to more than 45 organizations in Southwest Florida. The primary beneficiary is the Florida Gulf Coast University Athletic Scholarship Fund which has received in excess of $250,000 to date.
Ron has also promoted, organized and managed The Kayak Fishing Classic for the Southwest Florida Council-Boy Scouts and Mangrove Madness for Hodges University.
He serves as Executive Director for the Bank of America City of Palms Basketball Classic which is the nation’s #1 one boy’s high school basketball tournaments, now in the thirty sixth year.
In addition, Ron is a Professor at Florida Gulf Coast University teaching Professional Writing.
He has been married to Pat for thirty six years and has one daughter: Kristi.
Tournament Rules.
Top 10 Leaderboard
| 2011 Catch & Release | |
|---|---|
| Renegade | 27.1 |
| Harry - Dicky | 26.4 |
| Yankee Dooley and the Dandees | 25.8 |
| Captiva Rod and Gun Club | 25.7 |
| Get Bit Crew | 25.4 |
| Team Towboat US | 24.0 |
| Lynch Mob | 23.4 |
| Lee Timber Company | 21.9 |
| Suncoast Beverage Sales | 19.9 |
| Royal Shell Vacations | 19.2 |
| Redfish Bonanza | |
| Team Towboat US | 14.8 |
| Renegade | 14.6 |
| Captiva Rod and Gun Club | 14.5 |
