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By JACQI LEYVA-HILL
Special to the PRESS
The 86th annual Texas International Fishing Tournament (TIFT) will return July 29 through Aug. 2, bringing anglers, families, volunteers, sponsors and spectators to Port Isabel and South Padre Island.
Organizers describe TIFT as Texas’ largest saltwater fishing tournament. The event is expected to attract as many as 1,500 anglers and more than 500 boats during its two days of fishing activities in the Laguna Madre Bay and Gulf of Mexico.
Tournament Director Kristi Collier said the event’s lasting appeal extends beyond the fishing competition.
“One of the things that makes TIFT so special is that it’s often described as a family reunion,” Collier said. “Every summer, families and friends travel from across Texas and beyond, and for many, this is the one weekend each year they reconnect with their ‘TIFT family.’”
Collier said lifelong friendships have been built through the tournament, and it is not uncommon to see three or four generations fishing together. She said she is especially excited to see young families become involved through the Kids 12 & Under Fish Free program, which helps parents introduce their children to fishing and TIFT traditions.
Many of today’s volunteers, committee members, scholarship recipients and board leaders first experienced the tournament as children and are now bringing the next generation with them, according to Collier.
TIFT will award 34 college scholarships this year, Collier said. Recipients are recognized not only for academic achievement but also for their tournament involvement through fishing, volunteering and giving back to the organization. TIFT has also highlighted individual scholarship recipients on its Facebook page, including Kendall Dunkin, daughter of Robert and Robyn Dunkin of Port Isabel.
The tournament schedule begins Wednesday, July 29, with registration from 3 to 7 p.m. and a VIP Sponsor Party at 6 p.m. Registration continues Thursday, July 30, from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Thursday’s activities also include Playday from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m., the Captains Meeting at 5 p.m. and a Hospitality Social at 6 p.m.
The first day of fishing is Friday, July 31, followed by the second day Saturday, Aug. 1. The tournament concludes with an awards ceremony at 11 a.m. Sunday, Aug. 2.
Collier said TIFT welcomes thousands of anglers, families, volunteers, sponsors and spectators to the area each summer. She said the event fills hotel rooms and brings customers to restaurants, marinas, bait shops and local retailers while also creating business for fishing guides. Some participants arrive several days before the tournament or extend their stays afterward, she said.
Each tournament also brings the possibility of records being challenged.
“With the outstanding fishing opportunities on the Texas coast, there’s always excitement to see what comes across the scales,” Collier said.
Registration, rules and additional tournament information are available at tift.org or by calling the tournament office at (956) 943-8438.