Bradenton man creates fishing tournament. The proceeds are going to a COVID-19 fund
Joe Caputo didn’t have a job and sporting events started getting suspended.
He couldn’t even enjoy one Christmas present — tickets for WrestleMania 36 in Tampa — because of the global coronavirus pandemic.
Yet, the Bradenton native and avid fisherman had the upcoming Crosthwait Memorial Fishing Tournament to look forward to.
But COVID-19 had other plans, and the annual tournament was canceled for 2020.
“It kind of broke my heart,” Caputo said.
Caputo, a fishing captain in his own right, then decided to create his own fishing tournament. Working with his wife Jhona Maria Edita Caputo, they organized a 10-hour charity tournament called the First Annual Fight COVID-19 Fishing Tournament, which took place Saturday.
After expenses and prizes were accounted for, Caputo plans to donate the rest — $2,000 — to the Manatee Community Foundation’s COVID-19 Community Response Fund.
“I wanted to give back to everybody,” Caputo said. “I wanted to give back to the fishermen, so that they could get out and fish for something. … And I was trying to give back to the locals, because I’m born and raised here.”
MCF Executive Director Susie Bowie said “we are very overwhelmed with this gratitude,” in an email.
To keep with recommended health guidelines, Caputo required participants to wear a mask when receiving their rulers and boats could only have a maximum of four people.
Anglers competed in an inshore slam, aiming to secure the biggest snook, trout and redfish. There was also a competition for the biggest flounder caught.
Fishermen then sent photos of their catches over text message and Facebook Messenger for verification, while an award ceremony was done over Zoom, a video conferencing communications service, as well as Facebook Live.
St. Petersburg’s Capt. Marty Slade and his team, which consisted of Vanessa Slade, Chris Wiggins and Bradenton’s Steve Brownlee, won the tournamen, which had 73 competitors. They’re donating $500 of their $2,000 winnings to the COVID-19 relief fund.
“Everything I did was a learning curve,” Caputo said. “None of this I had ever done. It was all just on a whim.”
Caputo put up $4,250 of his own money to put on the tournament, while anglers were charged a $100 entry fee.
“We’re not going to make anything, but we’re going to get a lot back from it,” Caputo said.
The response from the tournament is enabling Caputo to become a full-time fishing guide. He has a boat and license, and can be contacted via email at caputojoseph44@yahoo.com for more information.
But the tournament, which drew anglers from the Bay area, also served as a way for Caputo to give back. He said he didn’t get any sponsors, but he got the trophies from a local Trophy & Sports World as well as Fishermen’s Headquarters in Bradenton where he gets his fishing tackle.
“I was really just trying to boost the economy in any kind of way … and keep some spirits high,” Caputo said.
