The seventh Annual Leo Almeida Memorial North Shore Striped Bass Tournament is scheduled for Saturday, Sunday and Monday, and beyond the lure of catching "the big one," the entry fee goes a long way in the local fight against hunger.
Six years ago, on an ice-fishing trip up to Bowdoinham, Maine, Leo Almeida told his oldest child, Amy, of his plans to begin a fishing tournament to raise money for local food pantries.
Already a very active member of his Danvers community, Leo Almeida's strong virtues stemmed from his parents, a pair who immigrated to America long ago. He believed no one should be hungry if they lived in the United States.
Leo Almeida went about doing all of the legwork — contacting bait shops, soliciting prizes from businesses, spreading the word and basically turning an idea into a reality.
Unfortunately, over the course of that summer, he fell ill, expressing continued exhaustion, and consequently discovered that he had liver cancer at the start of August. He passed away within a week.
As shocked and as saddened as his family was, all of his efforts were not to be in vain.
His five children (Amy, Tony, Beth, John, and Scott) all played their part in maintaining the tourney's legacy, but Amy Almeida, the tourney chairwoman, has played its most integral role.
"It's another way to remember him," she said. "He was always so involved with the community. There was no way we were going to let the tournament fall through."
The first year, the tourney had around 200 entries and was able to raise $2,900 for the Danvers Food Pantry. Each successive year, as Leo Almeida's memory and tradition continued to grow, so did the number of North Shore participants and money raised for food pantries.
Since the tourney's inception, more than 800 local fishermen have entered, and almost $25,000 has been raised for the Our Neighbors' Table in Amesbury, the People to People Food Pantry in Danvers and the Open Door Pantry in Gloucester.
Nearly 200-250 anglers from the Massachusetts waters corresponding to Essex County — from the Lynn/Nahant border to the Salisbury/New Hampshire line — enter annually.
The aim of the tournament is for anglers to catch the heaviest striper in the seas.
There are three categories: boat, shore/surf, and youth (15 and under age group). The top three fish in both the boat and the shore/surf categories will receive prizes of $500, $300 and $150. The grand youth prize will be $100. If a fish's weight exceeds any past records, an additional $100 will be awarded.
For the past two years, Georgetown resident Kevin McGrath, a 46-year-old network engineer and member of the Plum Island Surfcasters, has walked away with the surf/shore's third-place prize.
In 2007, McGrath caught a striper weighing 26 pounds and 13 ounces (44 inches), his personal best. The following tourney, he snagged a fish that weighed in at 25 pounds, 12 ounces (43 1âÑ2 inches).
McGrath generally fishes at night. The location? Good luck finding out.
"I can't tell you that. That's a nice try, though," said McGrath. "Surf guys never give out their spots."
Participating in his fifth Almeida tourney, McGrath explained why this fishing event is one of his favorites.
"It's a good time. I get together with a bunch of guys, and it's just a reason to spend time on the water over the course of Labor Day weekend," he said. "I mean, we're going to fish anyway, but this gives you a little more incentive to get out there.
"I enjoy it because it's a very low key tourney, and it's just more fun than one that's competitive. I don't go out there with any expectations than to just have a good time. If it happens, it happens."
Whether you're an angler or not, you can still donate to this cause by going to http://www.northshorestriper.com. Any donations over $50 will reward the donor with a commemorative glass fishing ornament.
The entry fee is $15; ticket sales end on Friday. Tickets can be purchased in Salisbury at Bridge Road Bait & Tackle and Tim's Bait Shop, and in Newbury at Surfland Bait and Tackle.
