Tag: World’s Richest Tarpon Tournament

IN THE SPOTLIGHT: Jake Poepl

May 28, 2026
Anna Ridilla
Profiles

On the winning team Blaze This year, for the first time since Jake Poepl has been on the team, Blaze, captained by Waylon Mills, won the World’s Richest Tarpon Tournament. Poepl will be back...

Firsthand Report: 2026 World’s Richest Tarpon Tournament

Two minutes before the final horn, we landed a fish BY JAKE POEPL Day 1 started slowly for our squad. One boat (Jill Marie) had already landed three tarpon and at least two other boats...

Team Blaze wins ‘World’s Richest’

One of the team’s eight tarpon released during the 2026 Boca Grande Area Chamber of Commerce ‘World’s Richest’ Tarpon Tournament won it for Team Blaze last Thursday as several other boats kept the...

The contrast between the large silver fish and the clear blue Gulf

I was able to enjoy up-close observations at this year’s tarpon fishing events. Smitty from Hudson’s was my teammate on our committee boat. Capt. Charley Coleman was generous and donated his 23...

World’s Richest Day One

Day One of the Boca Grande Chamber’s World’s Richest Tarpon Tournament had 44 tarpon caught and released. Boca Blue’s first fish; Outta Line’s jump; Dusty McGonigal trying to stay upright;...

World’s Richest Grande Tradition honors Knights

Above, Capt. Johns Knight addresses the crowd. The Grande Tradition celebration is one of the signature events surrounding the annual World’s Richest Tarpon Tournament. Each year, the “Grande...

TARPON SCHEDULE 2026

Ladies Day Fishing The annual Ladies Day Tarpon Tournament will be held on Saturday, May 9 from 4:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. An open awards party to follow at Scarpa’s Coastal from 8 to 10 p.m. This...

Capt. Wayne Joiner’s record stands tall in Boca Grande Pass

With this year’s back-to-back winning of the World’s Richest Tarpon Tournament, the Boca Beacon has compiled a list of historical winners of the tarpon season below. One name that has come up over...

Hey, Moma! wins ‘World’s Richest’ second year in a row

T he World’s Richest Tarpon Tournament kicked off on Wednesday afternoon, May 14. There were 28 releases on the first day of fishing and 60 fish caught in total. “The wind stirs the...

Grande Tradition and Captains party kicks off the ‘World’s Richest’

The 2025 Grande Tradition honorees were the late Freddy Futch and Capt. Wayne Joiner. Freddy Futch was local fishing guide and grew up at Gasparilla Village, north end of island. He was born in...