Northshore magazine showcases the best that the North Shore of Boston, MA has to offer.
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NORTHSHOREMAG.COM 50 JUNE + JULY 2018 CONTACT bluefinblowout.com 2012 as the project of local businessmen and fishing enthusiasts Drew Hale and Rob Bouley. Over the years it grew in popularity and scale, and by 2016 it was generating $8,000 for charity. "It was started really out of their passion for fishing," Schwartz says. "ey did a great job with it for many years." Lyon-Waugh Auto Group, which has locations in Peabody and Burlington, and Nashua and Bedford, New Hampshire, has been a sponsor from the start and took over the planning last year with the aim of making the event bigger and raising even more money for the Alzheimer's Association. e funds come from auctions during the event, community donations, registration fees, and business sponsorships. is year's sponsors include ree Lantern Marine & Fishing, Tito's, Bluefin USA, and Gloucester's Tonno restaurant, among others. Look for delectable bluefin tuna dishes served up by Anthony Caturano at Tonno during the tuna season. e event begins on ursday with a meeting of all the participating captains. Boats come from as near as Gloucester and as far away as Florida to compete. At 10 p.m. the first night, the contestants head out. For the next day and a half, contestants ply the waters using every strategy they know to catch the biggest tuna they can. Last year's winner weighed 540 pounds; the biggest in the tournament's history was over 900 pounds. When a crew thinks they've landed a fish big enough to be a contender, they head back to the dock for a weigh-in. "It's a big specta- cle," Schwartz says. "e boat backs in, the crowd is on the pier, everybody's cheering." Cape Ann Marina Resort is the home base for the event and has been since its incep- tion, hosting the official weigh-in station and other land-based activities. "There's a lot happening on land to keep the interest of the tournament going," Schwartz says. Last year's event had more spectators and raised more money than any previous year, she notes. First prize included $15,000 in cash, a two-year lease on an Audi A3, and other prizes. To boost fundraising this year, organizers planned a 5K family fun run in Gloucester's Stage Fort Park. Helping lead the event is Becca Pizzi, a Massachusetts native / L I V E + P L AY / Sandy pines glamp tents PHOTOGRAPH BY ELISE SINAGRA The winning fish at the 2017 Bluefin Blowout was 540 pounds, caught by captain Alan Murray aboard Sweet Caroline III. + Lyon-Waugh Auto Group + Cape Ann's Marina Resort + Tonno Restaurant + Three Lantern Marine & Fishing IN THE KNOW 2018 Sponsors + Maui Jim + Tito's Vodka + Goslings Rum + The Botanist + Bud Light + Glasstech + Bluefin USA + Alutecnos + Durabrite Lights + Cars.com + The Connolly Principe Group | Morgan Stanley who has twice completed the World Mara- thon Challenge: running seven marathons in seven days on seven different continents. Interested fishermen can register at bluefinblowout.com and everyone can follow the action on the competition's Facebook and Instagram pages of tuna being brought in and estimated weigh-ins.