Captiva Fishing: Fingers O’Bannon Tournament

Posted by Charlie & Tim Landon
23rd Annual Fingers O’Bannon Invitational Memorial Snook Tournament, Catch & Release, Sanibel Fishing & Captiva Fishing, Sunday, May 1, 2016.
Jimmy Burnsed 6th Place Team, Cabbage Key Fingers O’Bannon Invitational Memorial Snook Tournament, Sanibel Fishing & Captiva Fishing, Sanibel Island, Saturday, April 29, 2017.
Jimmy Burnsed 6th Place Team, Cabbage Key Fingers O’Bannon Invitational Memorial Snook Tournament, Sanibel Fishing & Captiva Fishing, Sanibel Island, Saturday, April 29, 2017.

O’Bannon Tournament Wraps Up Today!

The 23rd Annual Fingers O’Bannon Invitational Memorial Snook Tournament
The 24th Annual Fingers O’Bannon Invitational Memorial Snook Tournament

The 25th Annual Cabbage Key Fingers O’Bannon Invitational Memorial Snook Tournament Thursday – Saturday!

Fingers O'Bannon & Ogden Phipps, Quail Hunting, Clewiston Florida, January 1970. Source: New York Social Diary.
Fingers O’Bannon & Ogden Phipps, Quail Hunting, Clewiston Florida, January 1970. Source: New York Social Diary.

The 2018 Fingers O’Bannon Snook Tournament wraps up today!

“The Fingers O’Bannon Memorial Fishing Tournament is a prestigious invite-only tournament dedicated to the life and memory of the late Floyd ‘Fingers’ O’Bannon and devoted to raising money for AMI Kids on Fort Myers Beach and the Marine Science program at FGCU.

Fingers O'Bannon Snook Tournament, April 27, Cabbage Key, Sanibel & Captiva Islands & Fort Myers Charters & Fishing Guide Service.
Fingers O’Bannon Snook Tournament, April 27, Cabbage Key, Sanibel & Captiva Islands & Fort Myers Charters & Fishing Guide Service.

Born October 10, 1926, Fingers O’Bannon (please click here for Fingers’ background) became famous for fishing our pristine local waters.  His death on September 27, 1993 prompted many to take action to remember his legacy.

On behalf of Cabbage Key and the O’Bannon family, we would like to thank all past and present sponsors and congratulate previous

Fingers O'Bannon & Ogden Phipps, Quail Hunting, Clewiston Florida, January 1970. Camp. Source: New York Social Diary.
Fingers O’Bannon & Ogden Phipps, Quail Hunting, Clewiston Florida, January 1970. Camp. Source: New York Social Diary.

winners and anglers that have made the tournament such a success year after year.  As always, we look forward to your participation again this year!

Like all Cabbage Key tournaments, the tournament is a catch and release tournament that follows all state of Florida fishing rules and regulations.

Thanks again to all of the Anglers that participate in the Fingers O’Bannon Invitational.

Earlier In The Week, Warming Up For The Cabbage Key Fingers O’Bannon Invitational Memorial Snook Tournament , Sanibel Fishing & Captiva Fishing, Sanibel Island, Saturday, April 29, 2017.
Earlier In The Week, Warming Up For The Cabbage Key Fingers O’Bannon Invitational Memorial Snook Tournament , Sanibel Fishing & Captiva Fishing, Sanibel Island, Saturday, April 29, 2017.

Winners from the last several years include:

2017

  1.   Ayers, Williamson, Trammell & Lolly”  83.0″
  2.   Wells, Kelley & Hatten:  78.5
  3.   (Joey) Burnsed, Williams, Field & Stute:  78.0″
  4.   Fischer, Bresouits & Barker: 76.5″
  5.   Rinehold, Knight & Wear:  75.0″
  6.   (Jimmy) Burnsed, Strayhorn, Edwards, Persons & Buckingham: 74.0″
  7.   Cooke & Baker:  73.5″
  8.   Krejci, Downes & Ewald:  73.25″
  9.   Glass, Glass, Dooley & Dooley:  71.75″
  10.   Johnson, Marley & Handley:  71.5″

Rob Wells, Sr. and Tracey Stute won the medallions for the biggest men’s and women’s fish.  Rob’s snook was 42.25″ and Tracey’s snook was 40.0″!

Captiva Fishing, Fingers O’Bannon Invitational Memorial, Ben, Nice Snook, 4-25-15, Sanibel Fishing & Captiva Fishing & Fort Myers Fishing Charters & Guide Service.
Captiva Fishing, Fingers O’Bannon Invitational Memorial, Ben, Nice Snook, 4-25-15, Sanibel Fishing & Captiva Fishing & Fort Myers Fishing Charters & Guide Service.

2016

  • 1st Place – Shane Dooley, Sherry Dooley, Billy Glass & Jennifer Glass
  • 2nd Place – Dave Hoke, Charles Edwards, Jim Thompson & Nick Thompson
  • 3rd Place – Patrick Ewald, Jason Krejci & John Downes
Captiva Fishing, Dan & Ben, Fingers O’Bannon Invitational Memorial Snook Tournament 2013(?), 4-24-15, Sanibel Fishing & Captiva Fishing & Fort Myers Fishing Charters & Guide Service.
Captiva Fishing, Dan & Ben, Fingers O’Bannon Invitational Memorial Snook Tournament 2013(?), 4-24-15, Sanibel Fishing & Captiva Fishing & Fort Myers Fishing Charters & Guide Service.

2015

  • 1st Place – Shannen Ayers and Joe Williamson
  • 2nd Place – Dan Stegmann, Ben Stegmann, Joe Szalay & Joey Burnsed
  • 3rd Place – Ozzie Fischer and Adam Bresouits
  • Saturday Snook Length – Mike Duff”
Cabbage Key Fingers O’Bannon Invitational Memorial Snook Tournament , Sanibel Fishing & Captiva Fishing, Sanibel Island, Saturday, April 29, 2017.
Cabbage Key Fingers O’Bannon Invitational Memorial Snook Tournament , Sanibel Fishing & Captiva Fishing, Sanibel Island, Saturday, April 29, 2017.

2014

  • 1st Place – Cooke, Berman, Baker 80.5
  • 2nd Place – Edwards, Edwards 80.25
  • 3rd Place – Wells, Kelley 79.25
Snook In The Passes, Sanibel Fishing & Captiva Fishing, Saturday, 9-12-15 ~ #Sanibel #Captiva.
Snook In The Passes, Sanibel Fishing & Captiva Fishing, Saturday, 9-12-15 ~ #Sanibel #Captiva.

If you have questions about tournament entry or sponsorship please contact Robert A. Wells III at Rob@tarponlodge.com or call 239-283-3999.”

We’ll be fishing the tournament on Thursday, Friday, and Saturday, but we’re available for Snook fishing lots of other days.  We’re located at Castaways Marina, Santiva, Sanibel Island, just before the Blind Pass bridge to Captiva Island.

Captiva Fishing, Dan & Ben, Fingers O’Bannon Invitational Memorial Snook Tournament 2013(?), 4-24-15, Sanibel Fishing & Captiva Fishing & Fort Myers Fishing Charters & Guide Service.
Captiva Fishing, Dan & Ben, Fingers O’Bannon Invitational Memorial Snook Tournament 2013(?), 4-24-15, Sanibel Fishing & Captiva Fishing & Fort Myers Fishing Charters & Guide Service.

For more photos and/or fishing reports from our other Captains’ boats from other marinas, please also visit our Sanibel, Fort Myers, Seashell & Shelling, Florida Fishing Report and Cuban Fishing sites. Please check here for Live Sanibel Traffic Cams. Click here for College Of Fishing Hats & Apparel.

We’re big advocates of catch and release, particularly for snook, but pretty much for most species.  Only take what you are going to eat, and a lot of fish are better off as sportfish, even if they are in season.  Our motto is let ‘em get bigger and catch ‘em again!

Please click calendar at upper right or call 239-472-8658 to book a charter.

Whether you’re a longtime customer who has fished with us for many years or a first-time customer, expert fisherman or just a family with young children out to catch fish and have fun, you are going to enjoy being out in the boat with Hank and me!  We greatly appreciate your friendship and business!

We grew up on Sanibel and Captiva fishing and shelling every day! It is what we know and do well!

If you had a good time fishing with Captain Joey Burnsed on a Sanibel & Captiva charter, please post an “excellent” review on Google Places, TripAdvisor, Yelp, or Facebook!  If you had any issues at all with your charter, please let us know immediately and we’ll do everything we can to make it right!  Huge thanks for doing this!

And you can like us on Facebook.

Fair winds and following seas,

Captain Joey Burnsed ~ please click calendar at the upper left or call 239-472-8658 to book a Sanibel & Captiva Islands, Boca Grande or Fort Myers fishing guide trip or shelling charter.