Veterans, Gold Star Families, and the Heart Behind the Sam Crosthwait Weekend

There are some mornings on Tampa Bay that feel bigger than fishing.

This Saturday will be one of them.

For the eleventh straight year, I’ll be donating my boat, fuel, tackle, and time to take veterans fishing during the weekend of the legendary Sam Crosthwait Memorial Fishing Tournament. While the main tournament has long been one of the grand traditions of Tampa Bay fishing, the veterans fishing portion has become a meaningful side event dedicated to honoring those who served our country — and the families who sacrificed alongside them.

This year’s guests include not only veterans, but also several Gold Star Families, making the day even more meaningful for everyone involved.

Out on the water, titles fade away. Nobody cares about politics, stress, or the noise of everyday life. For a few hours, it’s just saltwater, sunshine, stories, and good people sharing time together on Tampa Bay.

And around here, that matters.

Eleven Years of Service on the Water

This marks my eleventh year volunteering for this special event, and I can honestly say it remains one of the most rewarding days of the entire year.

Every season, local charter captains step up to donate boats and time so veterans and Gold Star Families can spend a relaxing day fishing and enjoying the beauty of Tampa Bay. Some guests are lifelong anglers. Others haven’t held a fishing rod in years. Some simply want to enjoy the peace that only being out on open water can provide.

By the end of the trip, strangers become family.

There’s something healing about the water. The sound of the tide rolling across the flats. Pelicans diving on bait schools. The laughter after somebody hooks a fish that nearly yanks the rod overboard. For many veterans and families, it’s more than recreation — it’s therapy without walls.

Honoring Gold Star Families

This year, having Gold Star Families participate adds a deeper level of meaning to the day.

These families carry sacrifices most people can never fully understand. The Tampa Bay fishing community is proud to honor them the best way we know how — with open boats, open hearts, and a peaceful day on the water surrounded by people who genuinely care.

Fishing has always had a way of bringing people together. No speeches needed. No spotlight necessary. Just respect, gratitude, and fellowship.

A Family Connection to the Event

This event also carries personal meaning for my family.

My son Jacob, a combat-disabled United States Army veteran, serves as a committee member who helped make this event possible. Watching him continue to serve fellow veterans and Gold Star Families after his own military service makes this event especially important to me.

The veterans fishing trip isn’t about publicity. It’s about giving something back to the people and families who gave so much for all of us.

Tampa Bay Captains Answer the Call

One thing I’ve always respected about the Tampa Bay charter community is how fast captains rally around causes like this. These are hardworking men and women donating prime fishing days, fuel, bait, and long hours simply because they believe veterans deserve it.

That spirit still exists around the docks in Palmetto, Bradenton, St. Petersburg, and Tampa.

This isn’t corporate sponsorship.
This is community.

A Special Door Prize Donation

This year, I was proud to partner with Brian Wilson, owner of Palmetto Bait & Tackle, to donate a special door prize for the event.

If you’ve spent any time fishing lower Tampa Bay or Manatee County, you know Palmetto Bait & Tackle is one of those classic local shops where fishermen swap stories, grab bait, and keep up with what’s biting. Brian’s support for this veterans event says a lot about the kind of people involved in the Tampa Bay fishing community.

More Than a Fishing Trip

Sure, we’ll chase fish.

We may hook into mangrove snapper around the structure, wrestle a hard-running jack crevalle across the flats, or fill the cooler with tasty grunts and other reef fish. But the fish are only part of the story.

The real purpose is simple:

To thank veterans.
To honor Gold Star Families.
To show appreciation in the best way we know how.

Out here, gratitude sounds like a drag screaming across the bay at sunrise.

Experience Tampa Bay With a True Local Captain

At Five O'Clock Charlie Tours, every charter is built around authentic Tampa Bay experiences, local knowledge, and old-school hospitality. From inshore fishing charters and dolphin tours to Egmont Key adventures and family trips on the water, Captain John brings decades of local experience and a salty captain’s perspective to every trip.

And this Saturday, it’s an honor to use that boat for something bigger than fishing.