Mikelson Classic Marlin Tournament

Avalon, CA

Website: http://www.catalinaclassic.com

Taking place on Catalina Island, the Mikelson Catalina Classic Marlin Tournament celebrates its 16th anniversary this year as Southern California's largest billfish tournament. Presented by Mikelson Yachts, the 2008 event will see 100 teams with 600 anglers competing for more than $500,000 in cash and prizes.

The Tournament starts the with a Sunday afternoon kick-off party at the Descanso Beach Club. As always, team members, family and friends are invited. The carnival-type atmosphere features games, product booths, food and entertainment. After check-in teams are welcome to participate in games where $4000 in cash awards can be captured by lucky winners.

The most popular contest is the Casting Competition where points are awarded for casting accuracy as each team's chosen angler casts into a water target. You'll also see who can reel in a "marlin" the fastest in the "Fight the Fish" competition where anglers are seated in a top-of-the-line Pompanette fighting chair and reel a (Classic) Marlin Sled around a series of obstacles. If you have a golfer on board, you'll have the opportunity to "chip" for a $1,000 cash prize. And lastly, the new Berkley knot tying competition will match the best knot tiers with the strongest knot winning another grand.

Monday and Tuesday are fishing days filled with non-stop action. Fishing goes from early morning into the afternoon with hourly radio updates and on-the-air prize drawings for tournament teams. The weigh station on the green Pleasure Pier acts as the tournament headquarters where spectators watch as the day's catch reports arrive and leader boards are updated.