Press Release:

51st Annual Don Hawley Tarpon Tournament 
June 2-6, 2025
Islamorada, FL

The 2025 Don Hawley Tarpon Tournament celebrated its 51st year with a total of 73 tarpon released. Anglers and guides endured tough weather conditions with white-out rainstorms and high winds during the five day event, which made the fishing difficult. The final days were close amongst the fleet, but the top three teams pulled through with great fishing considering the conditions.

Angler Evan Carruthers from Maple Plain, MN, and Capt. Greg Dini took home Grand Champion with 11 total release fish for the week. Their team’s tenacity pulled them through with Carruthers affirming “Greg did a fantastic job putting us on fish during a difficult weather week. We caught fish everyday day which was no small task given the conditions.” Capt. Greg Dini also emphasized “The 2025 Don Hawley was a grind of a week with the weather. As always the tournament had a very competitive field, Evan and I were fortunate to catch the fish we did and come out on top at the end of the week. Already looking forward to 2026.”

1st Runner-Up Angler Wes Ball and Capt. Charlie Tindall brought in a total of 7 release fish on time. Just behind Ball & Tindall was 2nd Runner-Up team Angler Baker Bishop and Capt. Perry Coleman with 7 release fish to finish the week.

The 52nd Annual Don Hawley Tarpon Tournament will take place  June 8-12, 2026.

Press Release:
Angler Evan Carruthers and Guide Greg Dini win 49th Annual Don Hawley Invitational Fly Fishing Tarpon Tournament

49th Annual Don Hawley Invitational Fly Fishing Tarpon Tournament
June 5-9, 2023

Islamorada, Florida Keys

The 49th Annual Don Hawley Invitational Fly Fishing Tarpon Tournament, one of the “Big Three” tarpon fly tournaments, started out with two great days of catching fish (38 and 39 releases) followed by a decline in numbers of fish caught over the following three days (17, 21, 9, respectively.) A total of 124 tarpon were caught and released during the 5-day Tournament, comparable to the 119 fish caught in 2022.

Ocean tarpon fishing proved more difficult than the backcountry during the week. Locating where the fish are is one of the biggest talents that Guides bring to the team. The Don Hawley attracts some of the best fly anglers from around the world who are all competitive and passionate about catching the silver king.

The Don Hawley was the first tarpon tournament to stop the killing, in 1987, of tarpon. Anglers receive 1000 points for each fish measuring four feet or more caught and released on 12lb tippet, in accordance with International Game Fish Association rules. The Grand Champion title is awarded to the Angler and Guide with the most fish caught and released during the five-day competition. In addition to other awards, Grand Champion names will be added to the Perpetual Trophy showcasing the names of all past champion Anglers and Guides. The perpetual trophy resides at Florida Keys Outfitters in Islamorada, Florida.

Angler Evan Carruthers from Maple Plain, MN and his Guide, Captain Greg Dini, won the Grand Championship with 16 releases. Most of their fish were caught during the first two days, 6 fish on Day 1 and 7 fish on Day 2 when the daily average was only approximately 1.5 releases. As fishing declined over the next three days, the team added three more releases, keeping their score steady and strong with a total of 16,000 points. Carruthers said, “It’s an honor to fish alongside the great anglers and guides that participate in this tournament. To be able to compete and win is a great accomplishment and is a testament to Greg’s skill as my teammate and guide. I am also thrilled to continue to support the Guides Trust Foundation and participate in a conservation minded all-release tournament that holds the fish and the fishery in such high regard.” Carruthers and Dini proved their win was based on talent, and not luck, by increasing their rank over the past three years. In 2020, the team earned 2nd place runner-up; in 2021 and 2022, the team earned 1st runners-up. There’s no argument this team has worked hard to continue their progression to Grand Champions!

Coming in second place was Angler Ron Anno from Sarasota, FL and his Guide, Jason Sullivan, with 13 releases. As one of only three teams who kept zeros away from any given daily score, this team kept steady numbers, including a whopping 5 releases on Day 4, when the daily average was less than 1 fish!

Third place was won by Angler Rich Garcia from Islamorada, FL and his Guide, Luis Cortes with 10 releases. It was a close call, as they caught their last fish before Angler Thane Morgan and Guide, Dustin Huff. Rich Garcia and Captain Luis Cortes are holding strong in their talent and consistency, as they also took 2nd place runners-up title last year.

Evan Carruthers and Captain Greg Dini earned the overall High Point Day award, with highest points on Day 1 and Day 2 (6 and 7 releases, respectively.) Two-time Grand Champions, L. Mark Weeks and his Guide, Captain Andy Thompson, earned High Point Day 3 with two releases. Ron Anno and Captain Jason Sullivan earned High Point Day 4 with five releases. Wes Ball and his Guide, Captain Charlie Tindall, earned High Point Day 5 with two releases on a day that the majority caught zero fish.

The Annual Don Hawley Invitational Tarpon Fly Fishing Tournament began in 1974. Proceeds benefit the Guides Trust Foundation, which assists Florida Keys Guides in times of hardship and provides scholarships to Florida Keys students interested in the marine sciences. Next year’s tournament will take place June 3-7, 2024. For more information on the Don Hawley Tarpon Tournament, the Guides Trust Foundation, our esteemed sponsors, or to apply for the tournament’s waiting list, please visit: www.guidestrustfoundation.org

Press Release:
Angler L. Mark Weeks and Guide Andy Thompson win 48th Annual Don Hawley Invitational Fly Fishing Tarpon Tournament

48th Annual Don Hawley Invitational Fly Fishing Tarpon Tournament
June 6-10, 2022

Islamorada, Florida Keys

The 48th Annual Don Hawley Invitational Fly Fishing Tarpon Tournament, one of the “Big Three” tarpon fly tournaments, had relatively consistent daily fishing compared to some previous years and pulled in a total of 119 releases for the week. Aside from two afternoons of dodging storms, the Tournament lucked out and had a great week after some major tropical winds threatened the area just days beforehand. The best fishing took place on the first and last days of tournament, bringing in 36 and 30 fish, respectively. Afternoon lightening lowered the releases to 14 on Day 2, then 18 fish on Day 3, and 21 releases on Day 4. Ocean tarpon fishing proved more difficult than the backcountry during the week. Locating where the fish are is one of the biggest talents that Guides bring to the team. The Don Hawley attracts some of the best fly anglers from around the world who are all competitive and passionate about catching the silver king.

The Don Hawley was the first tarpon tournament to stop the killing, in 1987, of tarpon. Anglers receive 1000 points for each fish measuring four feet or more caught and released on 12lb tippet, in accordance with International Game Fish Association rules. The Grand Champion title is awarded to the Angler and Guide with the most fish caught and released during the five-day competition. In addition to other awards, Grand Champion names will be added to the Perpetual Trophy showcasing the names of all past champion anglers and guides. The perpetual trophy resides at Florida Keys Outfitters in Islamorada, Florida.

Angler L. Mark Weeks from Tokyo, Japan and Nampa, ID and his Guide, Captain Andy Thompson, won the Grand Championship with 18 releases. This marks the second time the team will have their names added to the historical perpetual trophy. Weeks said, “Five days feels like a lifetime in these tournaments, particularly when you’re getting chased off the water by thunderstorms and are neck-in-neck with several of the best teams to the bitter end. Lucky for us, Andy knows how to find fish and is a wonderful coach when it comes to catching them.”

Coming in second place was Angler Evan Carruthers from Maple Plain, MN and his Guide, Capt. Greg Dini with 16 releases. They earned second place just last year, but this year added an additional 6 releases to their results from the previous year. Third place was won by Angler Rich Garcia from Islamorada, FL and his Guide, Luis Cortes with 15 releases. Scott Christian and his Guide, Chad Huff, earned the High Point Day award with a whopping 8 releases on the first day.

Subsequent days 2, 3, and 4 only had 4 releases each day as the daily high point, earned by L. Mark Weeks and Capt. Andy Thompson, Julian Robertson and Capt. Rob Fordyce, and Rich Garcia and Capt. Luis Cortes, in that order. The final day brought 5 releases as the high point day, won by L. Mark Weeks and Capt. Andy Thompson by time.

The Annual Don Hawley Invitational Tarpon Fly Fishing Tournament began in 1974. Proceeds benefit the Guides Trust Foundation, which assists Florida Keys Guides in times of hardship and provides scholarships to Florida Keys students interested in the marine sciences. Next year’s tournament will take place June 5-9, 2023. For more information on the Don Hawley Tarpon Tournament, the Guides Trust Foundation, our esteemed sponsors, or to apply for the tournament’s waiting list, please visit: www.guidestrustfoundation.org

Angler L. Mark Weeks & Captain Andy Thompson
9 Releases for a total of 9000 points