Million-Dollar Purse at Stake During Jimmy Johnson Fishing Week in Key Largo

KEY LARGO, Florida Keys - Two-time Super Bowl-winning coach Jimmy Johnson combines two of his favorite sports, football and fishing, during his namesake Jimmy Johnson Fishing Championship Week. The three-way sportfish event, set for March 8-11 in the Florida Keys, is to award $1 million — an amount organizers consider the largest guaranteed purse winnings in sport-fishing history.

The weekend traditionally attracts some of the sport's toughest billfish competitors as well as notable National Football League players and celebrities. Its highlight is the sixth annual "Quest for the Ring" National Billfish Championship. This team event targets sailfish and other billfish species and is characterized by action-packed parties and fishing.

The Big Chill bar, restaurant and cabana complex at mile marker 104 bayside in Key Largo serves as tournament headquarters.

From 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Thursday, March 9, participants paired with a celebrity compete in the second annual charitable fun fish Celebrity Pro-Am Championship. A post-fishing party and awards ceremony is to follow. Pairings are to be announced at the welcome party.

In the main event, the two-day Billfish Championship scheduled Friday and Saturday, March 10-11, over 70 boats are to compete for a guaranteed $1 million purse, with a general entry Division A paying out $310,000.

Billfish tournament fishing is scheduled simultaneously with the one-day Sportfish Championship held Saturday. A cocktail hour, charity auction, dinner and awards ceremony, followed by an after-party featuring a University of Miami championship reunion, concludes the event Saturday night for participants of all three tournaments.

Cash prizes and trophies await the first- through fifth-place boat teams participating in each tournament. In the Billfish Championship, the first-place team is to receive $160,000 and all anglers on the winning boat receive authentic, custom-designed Jimmy Johnson's NBC Championship rings. Second- though fifth-place teams also are awarded cash prizes.

The first-place boat team in the Sportfish Championship is set to receive $3,000 as well as a Jimmy Johnson Sportfish Championship ring for each team member, based on a field of 40 boats. A number of other prize categories offer cash winnings and trophies. Registration fee is $450 per boat and includes two anglers.

Billfish Championship registration for Division A is $5,000 per boat and includes admission to all social events as well as a variety of apparel and merchandise gifts valued at $4,500 per team. There is no limit on the number of anglers per boat.

Anglers who want to participate in the event but do not own a boat, or prefer to travel to the tournament without one, can book a professional charter boat operator in the Upper Keys.

The prestigious weekend of fishing events supports the Community Initiatives Foundation, a 501(c)(3) tax-exempt organization dedicated to supporting various fundraising programs throughout South Florida that include Tranquil Shores Foundation, Walking with Anthony and more.

Tournament information and registration: jjfishweek.com

Key Largo visitor information: fla-keys.com/keylargo or 800-822-1088

Florida Keys fishing information: fla-keys.com/fishing

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