By Virginia Lascara
virginia.lascara@insidebiz.com
If you like wine, you might want to participate in this fundraiser.
Wine, Women & Fishing, an annual charity fishing tournament held by the Chesapeake Bay Wine Classic Foundation, will celebrate its 13th year Aug. 15 and 16 at Southside Marina in Virginia Beach.
So far, the women's charity fishing tournament has raised nearly $400,000 toward breast cancer research at Eastern Virginia Medical School.
The women travel about 70 miles offshore, and lines are cast at 8:30 a.m. and must be out of the water by 3 p.m.
If you've never fished before, or haven't been offshore fishing, it's not a problem.
"The first time I participated, I had never fished offshore," said Linda Church, chairwomen of Wine, Women & Fishing. "It's a great way to learn to fish."
It's not just the women who look forward to the tournament.
"The captains call me and tell me that they'll volunteer their boat for the tournament," she said. "They really look forward to taking the women out."
The tournament is graded on a point system for marlins and based on weight for the other meat fish.
Once a fish is caught and recorded, it's released back into the water.
Up to six lady anglers are allowed on each boat. And of course, wine.
Church said she'd be lying if she said the women didn't throw back a few glasses while throwing out their lines.
Once the fishing lines are reeled in, the women are ready to go back to shore. But not before putting on their "crazy crew" costumes.
As the boats pull up to the marina, the women are waiting on the stern of the boat, dressed to impress the judges of the crazy crew costume contest.
In the past, the ladies have dressed up as hippies, mermaids, pirates and pink chefs.
"Everyone's always so original," Church said.
Other trophies are awarded such as largest tuna, dolphin and wahoo, and Top Lady Angler.
Women of all ages and skill level are invited to participate in the tournament.
In fact, a past recipient of the Top Lady Angler was a remarkable 85-year-old woman.
Top Lady Angler is an award that recognizes an angler's accomplishment during the tournament.
"Her accomplishment was that she caught a white marlin at her age," Church said.
The lady anglers' day on the water will be followed by a dock party featuring wine and bourbon tastings, a silent auction and handcrafted goods by local artisans. An awards dinner will be catered by Patrick Martin of Martins' Bar-B-Que in Nashville and will feature a performance by the band Guava Jam.
"[Patrick] had so much fan last year that he wanted to come back again this year," Church said.
For those who didn't participate in the fishing but still want to come to the dock party, tickets are on sale for $65.
"It's for a great cause," said Jennie Capps, executive director of the Chesapeake Bay Wine Classic Foundation. "And it's the best party in town."
This year, the party will be capped at 600 people due to catering restraints.
"We used to have less than 100 people," she said.
"Each year, we just get bigger," Church said. "We're starting to have more people hear about it and hear how much fun it is."
The women believe it to be the largest women's charity fishing tournament on the East Coast.
So far, 18 boats have pre-registered for the event. They expect it to be the largest year yet for the tournament and the party.
This year, the charity event has set a goal of raising $112,000, meaning that it will have donated half a million dollars toward EVMS over the past 13 years.
Church said the inaugural event raised $7,000.
Last year, that number rose to about $80,000 with 36 fishing boats participating in the tournament.
Registration costs $800 per team for up to six lady anglers per boat.
Each team will receive six tickets to the all-inclusive awards banquet on Aug. 16 as well as a goodie bag and T-shirt for each angler.
The tournament kicks off with a number of pre-events, men allowed.
On Aug. 13, the Chesapeake Wine Classic Foundation will host a "Napa in Norfolk" wine dinner with food from Zoe's restaurant in Virginia Beach. On Aug. 14, the foundation will sponsor a Fabulous Peay Vineyards/Steve McHugh Wine at Terrapin in Virginia Beach.
For more information, visit http://cbwc.org/chesapeake-bay-wine-classic-events/wine-women-fishing/