The Westin Fort Lauderdale Beach Resort
321 N Fort Lauderdale Beach Blvd, Fort Lauderdale, FL 33004
October 31, 2024
The IGFA Tommy Gifford Awards Ceremony celebrates the captains, guides, and crew that have made extraordinary contributions to the advancement of sportfishing through innovation, outstanding catches, and other noteworthy examples of leadership in their trade.
Named for one of the greatest saltwater charter skippers of all time, Tommy Gifford Award recipients are selected through a rigorous nomination and vetting process conducted by the IGFA Legendary Captains and Crew Committee.
This year’s recipients include Captain Bobby Buswell, a pioneer of charter boat fishing on the Florida Gulf Coast; Captain Charlie Chambers, renowned for helping put the Cairns fishery on the map; Captain Jerry Black, a pioneer in the U.S. Virgin Islands, establishing the famed Lagoon Fishing Center; Captain Steve Huff, a legendary figure in saltwater inshore fishing, known by many as the “Godfather of Guides”; Captain Arch Bracher, widely regarded as the best white marlin captain in the Mid-Atlantic; and Captain John Batterton, whose global fishing experiences and record-breaking achievements showcase a lifelong dedication to the sport.
These industry legends will be honored later this year at the IGFA Tommy Gifford Awards Ceremony, taking place Thursday, October 31, 2024 at the Westin Fort Lauderdale Beach Resort in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. Additional event details will be released in the coming weeks.
For more information about the event, please or contact IGFA at [email protected] or 954-927-2628.
The 2024 IGFA SoCal Swordfish Open
November 8 – 10, 2024
This exclusive two-day tournament will take place during prime swordfish season in the famed waters off Southern California, the birthplace of big game sportfishing! The tournament is open to the public and will include three tournament weigh stations: San Diego, Newport Beach, and Catalina Island, making this truly accessible to anglers throughout Southern California.
The entry fee for the IGFA SoCal Swordfish Open is $300 per angler, when paid before September 1, 2024. After September 1, 2024, the entry fee per angler increases to $350.
Your registration fee covers your tournament angler bag, as well as food and beverages at the awards ceremony on Sunday, November 14, 2021.
Guest tickets to the awards ceremony can be purchased at a fee of $75/ticket. The deadline for purchasing guest tickets is November 6, 2024. Guest tickets will not be available at the door. To purchase guest tickets, please contact IGFA at [email protected] or 954-927-2628.
Anglers/Teams are responsible for chartering or providing their own boats for the tournament.