After Keith Overton’s infant daughter underwent a successful heart transplant, he mentioned to her cardiologist how difficult it must be waiting for a new heart for young patients in such desperate …
Just because the kiddos have gone back to school doesn’t necessarily mean the end of vacation season. Families can extend their summer fun into fall with some terrific Florida weekend getaways. …
When Bradenton, FL. mortgage broker Courtland Hunt competes in the St. Pete Open, he doesn’t fool around. The 2015 winner of the spearfishing tournament’s pelagic division with a 73.3-pound …
Snook: it’s one of Florida’s most popular game fish for several really good reasons. You can catch a really big one close to shore–sometimes literally right in your backyard–in …
Kayaking the shallows of Shell Key Preserve near St. Pete Beach, our group of 11 is being shadowed by some very determined cormorants. The black water birds with jade-green eyes paddle only a few feet …
He’s one of the most recognizable and successful figures in sport fishing today–inshore guide extraordinaire; tournament champion; television host; and seminar leader. And YOU have a chance …
Each year we honor our planet with Earth Day. Many of us participate in organized activities. Organized or not the most important thing to do is, get off the couch, get outside and get into nature! Ideally, …
ISLAMORADA FL— SEPTEMBER 17, 2014— Islander Resort, a Guy Harvey Outpost, was officially unveiled this week by Dr. Guy Harvey before a crowd of Islamorada village officials, civic leaders, media representatives …
Sept 6 Lionfish Spearfishing Tournament, Sept 7 Tournament Weigh-In & Family Fun Day Guy Harvey Outpost, along with Reef Monitoring, Inc. and the Fishing Rights Alliance, is hosting a Lionfish …
Guy Harvey’s RumFish Grill opens Friday May 16th on St Pete Beach. The Grand Openning coincides with Animal Planet’s show “Tanked,” featuring the massive tanks installed at RumFish. …
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![](mailto:?subject=Fishing for Hearts: Fun and Worthy Cause&body=After Keith Overton's infant daughter underwent a successful heart transplant, he mentioned to her cardiologist how difficult it must be waiting for a new heart for young patients in such desperate need.
But the doctor surprised Overton by telling him that isn't the hardest part.
"He said, 'Giving a heart to a kid whose family doesn't have the wherewithal to keep up the treatment,' " Overton recalled. "In many cases, one parent has to stop working to go to the hospital for follow-up care."
The conversation stuck with Overton, president of Guy Harvey Outpost St. Pete Beach. Grateful his family had the means to care for daughter MacKenzie, he wanted to give back by helping other families who aren't so lucky.
So in 2009, he founded the Guy Harvey Fishing for Hearts Tournament-- a catch, photo, measure, and release contest that raises funds for Athletes for Hearts -- the Overtons' charity to assist parents of kids with heart conditions and boost medical research on heart disease. The ninth annual tournament, to be held Sept. 21-22, also benefits the Ronald McDonald House, a home-away-from-home for families of pediatric patients in the Tampa Bay area.
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The 2016 tournament hosted a record 44 boats and raised $155,000 for its two charities. This year, Overton is expecting upwards of 50. The target species are redfish, snook and sea trout, with prizes awarded for greatest total length of individual and aggregate fish.
Captain Mike Anderson, host of the popular Reel Animals television show, will handpick the best inshore guides in the Tampa Bay area and assign them to each angling team. The event includes a kick-off gala at the RumFish Grill on Sept. 21 with dinner, drinks and a silent auction and a day of inshore fishing followed by an awards presentation Sept. 22.
As for Fishing for Hearts' inspiration? MacKenzie Overton is an athletic, 22-year-old student studying hospitality at St. Petersburg College who works part time at a local winery and at the Outpost's water sports concession. Her heart is just fine.
For tournament registration and information, go to the tournament's <a href="https://rmhctampabay.org/fishing-for-hearts/">web site</a>, or call 813.258.6430, ext. 2.
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 to put you on a limit, like he did with my dive buddy and me two weeks ago. Then have your scallops expertly prepared at either Katch Twenty Two in nearby Lecanto (352-746-6691) or at West 82 Bar and Grill at the Plantation on Crystal River resort (<a href="https://www.plantationoncrystalriver.com/">www.plantationoncrystalriver.com</a>), which is also a great place to stay. Another fun water activity is to snorkel with Crystal River's resident manatees. Book a tour with Colin's mom, Captain Cindi Guy of Majestic Manatee Tours (<a href="http://www.majesticmanateetours.com/">http://www.majesticmanateetours.com</a>) who will put you up close to the huge, friendly marine mammals. And if you're thinking about getting hitched while you're in Crystal River, talk to Cindi. She's licensed to perform weddings and even operates her own wedding chapel.
Fish, Dive St. Pete Beach
Fishing is excellent both inshore and offshore in the St. Petersburg area in late summer and fall. And Captain Tim Kehoe, the water sports guru at Guy Harvey Outpost St. Pete Beach, can hook you up. Wade the resort's beach and catch a hard-fighting snook, or further out, a black drum using live shrimp for bait. You might also bump into pompano and flounder. If you'd like to explore the offshore Gulf for red and gag grouper, Captain Tim will arrange a charter or party fishing excursion for you. And you can have your catch cooked deliciously at the resort's RumFish Grill.
If you make it to the area Sept. 7-10, you can compete in a Lionfish Safari hosted by the non-profit Reef Monitoring, Inc. at North Straub Park in St. Pete. The event combines a spear fishing tournament with an educational, fun festival featuring lionfish tastings, live music, kids' activities, marine conservation programs and cash prizes for the Safari winners. Register at <a href="https://www.reefmonitoring.org/">www.reefmonitoring.org</a>.
To book your stay, visit <a href="https://guyharveyoutpost.com/">www.guyharveyoutpost.com</a>.
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Slam Fish, Golf Balls, and Shake Flippers with a Sea Lion in Islamorada
There is no better place to score flats fishing's big three --bonefish, tarpon, and permit-- than Islamorada on the cusp of summer and fall. From first light to late morning, you may encounter tarpon in the 30-to-50-pound range slow-rolling in Florida Bay that will eagerly gulp a fly or live bait. Bonefish-- some as large as eight pounds--can be found tailing on ocean side flats on the incoming tide, and they are happy to devour a live shrimp or a fly pattern that mimics one. To complete the slam, look for permit on rocky flats near channel edges mainly in the back country. They can be extremely tough to catch on fly rod, but hardly ever refuse a live, silver-dollar crab if it lands anywhere near them. Permit, tarpon and bonefish all are for catch-and-release only, so capture just their images for your Facebook page. To book a fishing charter, check out Bud n' Mary's Fishing Marina at <a target="_blank" href="https://www.budnmarys.com/" rel="noopener noreferrer">www.budnmarys.com</a>.
Visitors who enjoy both boating and golf can combine their hobbies in the Conch Scramble charity golf tournament Sept. 30 in Islamorada. Teams of four, plus a designated boat driver "caddy", stop at nine waterfront venues where they come ashore to tee off. Each player gets two shots at floating holes using biodegradable golf balls that dissolve into fish food after a few days in the water. Proceeds benefit athletic programs and facilities for Keys students. To register, visit <a target="_blank" href="http://www.conchscramble.com/" rel="noopener noreferrer">www.conchscramble.com</a>.
A favorite family destination in Islamorada is Theater of the Sea-- one of the oldest marine mammal facilities in the world--open since 1946. Here you can watch dolphins perform aerobatics, become acquainted (and paint a picture) with a sea lion, swim with nurse sharks, and visit Quasimodo-- a green sea turtle who wears a special custom life jacket. For more information, go to <a href="https://theaterofthesea.com/">https://theaterofthesea.com</a>.
Book your stay at the Islander Resort, a Guy Harvey Outpost at <a href="https://guyharveyoutpost.com/">www.guyharveyoutpost.com</a> or call 1-800-513-5257.
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![](mailto:?subject=Nature, Notoriety Highlight St. Pete Kayak Tour&body=Kayaking the shallows of Shell Key Preserve near St. Pete Beach, our group of 11 is being shadowed by some very determined cormorants. The black water birds with jade-green eyes paddle only a few feet away, then dive down and follow us underwater.
"They're looking for fish that the paddles stir up," explains guide Ross Heintzelman of Coastal Kayak Charters.
The cormorants accompanied us for probably a half-mile to a mangrove island that serves as a rookery for pelicans and other birds, then faded off as we paused and floated.
Heintzelman and fellow guide Doug Allen noticed a long strand of heavy monofilament fishing line trailing from one of the pelicans roosting in the trees. The line was tangled in the boughs, tethering the pelican to its perch. The guides tried to retrieve the tag end of the line and bring the bird down to untangle it, but the pelican managed to pull free and flew away-- still trailing the fishing line.
Heintzelman and Allen were disappointed, but decided to come back later and try again.
"We've probably rescued 18 pelicans like that," Allen said.
We continued on, paddling over rich sea grass meadows teeming with jumping mullet as graceful herons and fierce-looking ospreys passed overhead.
The guides stopped near an opening in another mangrove island and led the group single-file down a narrow tunnel through the tree cover. Tiny mangrove crabs scuttled up and down the prop roots, but no one was startled because Heintzelman had briefed us ahead of time.
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Emerging into open water, we paddled a short distance before entering our second tunnel. This natural architecture reminds me of a darkened cathedral, but with a leafy canopy instead of a granite ceiling. Surprisingly, there were no mosquitoes.
The third and longest mangrove tunnel was through Sawyer Key which, according to Allen, once served as a drug and money cache for celebrated former marijuana smuggler Steve Lamb of St. Pete Beach. The affable Lamb and his Robin Hood-like band made numerous midnight runs between Jamaica and Florida's west coast in the 1960s and early 70s.
The smugglers were arrested in 1973 in Steinhatchee, Fla. in what was then the largest marijuana bust in U.S. history. Once out of prison, Lamb wrote a book about his exploits entitled "The Smuggler's Ghost". Allen said rumors persist that coolers stuffed with currency may still be buried somewhere in the sand mounds of Sawyer Key. I couldn't help staring hard at those mounds as we passed by.
Departing the shady gloom of Sawyer Key, we headed back across open water toward the put-in at Tierra Verde Bayway. The faithful cormorants accompanied us nearly all the way, skillfully dodging our paddles as they swam alongside us.
Heintzelman and Allen escorted a second group of kayakers in the preserve later that afternoon. But this time, they reported success in cutting the line from the tethered pelican we had encountered in the morning. They named it "Lucky 19".
If you would like to book a kayak trip with Coastal Kayak Charters, visit <a href="http://www.coastalkayakcharters.com">www.coastalkayakcharters.com</a>, or call 727.207.6342.
Check out St. Pete Beach package deals here: <a href="http://guyharveyoutpost.com/special/">guyharveyoutpost.com/special</a>, or call the Guy Harvey Outpost Travel Desk at 800.513.5257.
Photos courtesy of Coastal Kayak Charters.
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![](mailto:?subject=ENTER TO WIN: Fish for Tarpon in Tampa with Captain C.A. Richardson&body=He's one of the most recognizable and successful figures in sport fishing today--inshore guide extraordinaire; tournament champion; television host; and seminar leader. And YOU have a chance to go fishing for tarpon with him for free!
The grand prize in our "Tarpon in Tampa" contest includes a May 12th tarpon trip with Captain C.A. Richardson-- host of the popular Flats Class TV show--plus many other valuable giveaways: two nights' accommodations at Guy Harvey Outpost St. Pete Beach; Fish Hippie Yeti Cooler filled with Fish Hippie gear; three Williams Knife Co. specialty knives along with tee shirts and hats; a Hook & Gaff Sportfisher II MP watch with extra straps and accessories; Z-Man tackle bag filled with baits; and Hell's Bay/Yeti tumblers and accessory gear. Second- and third-places win prize packs stuffed with gear from our sponsors.
The contest is free to enter; it closes April 14. Go to <a href="http://www.tarponintampa.com">www.tarponintampa.com</a> and sign up for your chance to win.
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![](mailto:?subject=What Are Your Earth Day Plans?&body=Each year we honor our planet with Earth Day. Many of us participate in organized activities. Organized or not the most important thing to do is, get off the couch, get outside and get into nature! Ideally, get wet, but GET OUTSIDE!
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Here are some Earth Day suggestions:
Get out early and listen to the birds. They have lots to say first thing in the morning.
Go for a sunrise beach walk. Take a bag with you and fill it with trash on your way back.
Take the dog to a new park. Heck, take the kids to the park too!
Go snorkeling in the nearest body of water. What is there to be discovered?
Count the turtle nests at <a href="http://www.guyharveyoutpost.com/destinations/florida/st-pete-beach.html">Guy Harvey Outpost, St. Pete Beach</a>
Lie on your back in the sand and let it the grains fill the voids to support you.
<a href="http://ghofish.com/">Go Fish</a>!
Enjoy your church’s Earth Day activities.
Bike a new trail, take a different route.
Watch for the Green Flash at sunset from <a href="http://www.guyharveyoutpost.com/destinations/bahamas/west-end-grand-bahama-island/overview.html">Old Bahama Bay</a>, <a href="http://www.guyharveyoutpost.com/destinations/bahamas/bimini-bahamas/bimini-sands-bimini.html">Bimini Sands</a>, <a href="http://www.guyharveyoutpost.com/destinations/florida/islamorada-fl/rest.html">the Islander Bayside</a>, <a href="http://http://www.guyharveyoutpost.com/destinations/florida/st-pete-beach.html">St. Pete Beach</a>, or the <a href="http://www.guyharveyoutpost.com/destinations/beyond/southern-cross-club/overview.html">Southern Cross Club</a>.
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Go paddle boarding on new waters or your favorite water.
Get away from city lights; lie on your back and count stars. (Island beaches are excellent for this.)
Walk through wet grass barefoot.
Paint a picture.
Plant something pretty in your yard.
<a href="http://www.guyharveyoutpost.com/adventures/diving.html">Go Diving!</a>
Feed your senses, close your eyes and smell the plants, the sea and the earth around you.
Get on your hands and knees and grab hold of mother earth. Give her a hug, she deserves one.
Join Guy at Jacksonville Beach this Saturday April 25th 9-11 am for the <a href="http://www.guyharvey.com/">Jax Beach Clean-Up</a>! Registration takes place in front of Seawalk Pavilion at the corner of 1st Street N. & 1st Ave. N. Jacksonville Beach.
<a href="http://www.earthday.org/">EarthDay.org</a> has lots of organized activities for you to choose from.
PLEASE take the time to get outside and enjoy your planet.
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![](mailto:?subject=Guy’s Lionfish Safari, Guy Harvey Outpost St. Pete Beach&body= Sept 6 Lionfish Spearfishing Tournament, Sept 7 Tournament Weigh-In & Family Fun Day
<a href="http://www.guyharveyoutpost.com/">Guy Harvey Outpost</a>, along with Reef Monitoring, Inc. and the Fishing Rights Alliance, is hosting a Lionfish Safari in an effort to collect as many of the invasive fish as possible for research and educate the public on the threat the species poses to reef environments. The event is open to the public.
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September 6 - Lionfish Safari: All registered divers will depart from their place of choice to complete the mission of hunting and capturing as many lionfish as possible. All captured lionfish must be kept on ice and surrendered at the Guy Harvey Outpost the following day. Each registrant will receive a guide to surrounding reefs that contain lionfish, a tournament t-shirt, meal ticket and access to the weigh-in and Family Fun Day on Sept. 7. There will be cash prizes including largest and smallest lionfish and Guy Harvey raffle items and giveaways.
To register for the Lionfish safari, visit <a href="http://www.guyslionfishsafari.com/">www.GuysLionfishSafari.com</a>. Deadline to register is Sat., August 30. Cost is $20 per person. All lionfish will be used for research and food tastings, and proceeds go to Reef Monitoring, a non-profit dedicated to organizing marine scientists and educators as a means of watching over natural and artificial reef systems. <a href="http://www.reefmonitoring.org/">www.reefmonitoring.org</a>.
September 7 - Participants and their families will be encouraged to enjoy a day of family fun at Guy Harvey Outpost after the weigh-in between 11a.m. - 12:30 p.m. All fish will be weighed and measured by Reef Monitoring and then passed to along to students and NOAA biologist Alex Fogg for dissection and food preparation. During this process, the group will explain the anatomy of these fish and why they are so harmful to other species in the Gulf waters. Then the lionfish fillets will be passed along to the chef station where they will be cooked and prepared for the tasting station.
Other family-centric activities will include kid-friendly lionfish education from Ocean Pals, live music, a beachside cookout, drink specials, and beach games. At 2:30 p.m. the tournament winners will be announced and prizes will be awarded.
Open to the public.
Location: Guy Harvey Outpost – a TradeWinds Beach Resort– Beach front: 6000 Gulf Boulevard, St. Pete Beach
Cost: Admission is complimentary.
Parking: Parking for participants will be complimentary; $20 for all others. Parking will be available at the Guy Harvey Outpost and at the neighboring Island Grand.
More Information & Special Room Rates:
For additional information and special tournament room rates, please visit www.GuysLionfishSafari.com or call (727) 259.7404.
MEDIA INFO: Kelly Grass Prieto, APR, Hayworth Public Relations • (813) 318-9611 • kelly@hayworthpr.com
More Information on Guy Harvey Outpost & their other great resorts: <a href="http://www.guyharveyoutpost.com/">http://www.guyharveyoutpost.com/</a>
For the Guy Harvey Outpost Blog <a href="http://www.guyharveyoutpostnews.com/">www.guyharveyoutpostnews.com</a>
For Guy Harvey Outpost on Facebook: <a href="https://www.facebook.com/GuyHarveyOutpost">https://www.facebook.com/GuyHarveyOutpost</a>
For Guy Harvey Outpost on Twitter <a href="https://twitter.com/GHOutpost">https://twitter.com/GHOutpost</a>
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