In a town built on tides, traditions and tight-knit community, few events have as deep a local pedigree as the Marathon International Bonefish Tournament. First held in 1959, it is widely regarded as the oldest running fishing tournament in the Florida Keys. Now heading into its 67th year, organizers are looking for a new wave of anglers, sponsors and local artists to step up and keep that legacy alive.
Barbara and Butch Hewlett have been at the heart of the modern tournament for years. Barbara first arrived in Marathon around 2000, starting as an angler before taking over as an organizer. Butch, however, has roots that trace back to the event’s origins.
“Butch fished it since he was a junior,” Barbara said. “Back then (in 1959) it was huge. There would be like 180 people in the tournament.”
In its early days, the event was a five-day affair held every June. The primary goal was simple: boost the local economy.
“It was designed to bring people to the Keys and spend money in the motels and the restaurants,” Butch said. “You had five nights, so every night would be at a different bar or restaurant with appetizers. It was a main event.”
As the Keys evolved, the tournament adapted. To avoid conflicting with peak tarpon season, organizers shifted the dates to late September and shortened the schedule.
“We moved the tournament to September because all the guides were busy in June and July,” Butch said. “We dropped it down to a three-day tournament, more like a weekend tournament.”
The 67th Annual Marathon International Bonefish Tournament will run Sept. 24-27, with registration Thursday, Sept. 24 at 5 p.m. at Marathon Grill and Ale. While the field has grown smaller over time, the event remains dedicated to release fishing, conservation and community spirit.
Those nightly gatherings regularly draw 50 to 60 people, including captains, spouses and local supporters. Much of that crowd comes via the tournament’s unique trophy sponsorship program. For $200, local businesses or individuals receive two banquet tickets, a T-shirt and the honor of handing out their sponsored award.
“If you sponsor a trophy, you get to come to all the cocktail parties, you get to come to the banquet, you get a T-shirt, and you actually present the trophy to whatever winner you’re sponsoring,” Barbara said. “It’s a lot of fun.”
Tournament categories are structured so anglers of all experience levels have a realistic shot at taking home hardware.
“People think there’s two guys that are going to win every time,” Barbara said. “But we have awards for the largest bonefish, the biggest permit, Grand Slam awards, whoever traveled the farthest, first-time angler, unguided and a lot of other funky awards. You don’t even need a captain. There are so many categories that anybody can fish it.”
Beyond anglers, Barbara is eager to feature Keys creatives by commissioning local artwork for tournament trophies and offering banquet space to showcase their work.
“I’m always trying to spotlight local artists,” she said. “Whether it’s metal art or drawings or bonefish paintings. I’ve got a local artist out of Islamorada this year that’s doing some copper work for me. If there’s an artist out there that has anything related to bonefish that wants to see if it can be a trophy, that would be cool.”
For Barbara, who works tirelessly behind the scenes to keep the tradition going, the message to the Middle Keys community is clear.
“Wouldn’t it be great to be involved in the oldest running fishing tournament in the Florida Keys?” she said. “Be a part of it! You can be a sponsor, or just come to the banquet and see how it works.”
GET INVOLVED
Trophy sponsorships are available for $200, and general donations of $100 or more are welcome. Checks can be made payable to MIBT and mailed to PO Box 500914, Marathon, FL 33050. For tournament entries, sponsorships, or artist inquiries, contact Barbara Hewlett at 305-304-8682 or bbhewlett815@gmail.com. Find tournament information on Facebook under “Marathon Int’l Bonefish/Marathon Tarpon Tournaments.”
