Michael Shields Memorial Inshore Open Raises Crucial Funds for Project LIFT

The 15th Annual Michael Shields Memorial Tournament takes place September 22nd and 23rd, 2023 in Jensen Beach. The Open is named after longtime Martin County resident Michael Shields, who spent much of his life fishing on the St. Lucie River. After Mike died at the age of 23 from bone cancer, his fishing friends created the Michael Shields Memorial Inshore Open. The event has raised nearly $500,000 for non-profits over the years. The tournament follows a catch and release format, with separate categories for snook, tarpon, trout, and redfish. There are guided and unguided divisions, and iAngler will be used for registration and scoring.

The hosting sponsor is River Palm Cottages, but there are no restrictions as to fishing locations, and unguided anglers can fish from a boat, the shore, or anything in between. Lines in for unguided anglers is at 3:00pm on Friday, September 22, while guided teams can begin fishing at 5:00am on Saturday, September 23. Guided teams consist of up to 3 anglers and an assigned guide. The guide is considered the Team Captain, and may fish if the team chooses.

 All fish complete with a photo must be logged into the Michael Shields Memorial iAngler Tournament Page/App by no later than 3:00pm on September 23, 2023.

For more information, or to register as an angler, visit fishforthekids.org, or contact sam@projectlift.org.  

All proceeds benefit Project LIFT, a program that reimagines counseling for teens by disrupting traditional mental health service delivery systems. Program participants choose from one of 13 skilled trades to learn on site, using industry standard equipment. By getting the teens into a hands-on working environment, trust is built alongside work ethic, and teens gain tools for a healthy, productive future.

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