In a month, the spot light will be shining brightly on the ladies, and rightfully so. The 35th Annual Alice Kelly Memorial Ladies Only Billfish Tournament gets underway on Saturday August 10 with the registration, kick-off party and all the festivities. The event has grown over the years to become one of the top ladies-only contests in the world. It’s all for a good cause—and fun—yet that popularity has made it more challenging, yet not impossible, for new teams to join in. Fortunately there are some solutions.
“Most of the charter boats are already booked for the Alice Kelly in Manteo and Oregon Inlet,” explains Tournament Director Heather Maxwell. “I do usually get some last-minute alerts for spots on private boats, but you can’t count on those. So teams looking to fish have to expand their horizons.”
The AKM rules have been modified to allow teams to fish out of Hatteras. A recent check with the booking office at the Hatteras Harbor Marina shows three boats still available (48 to 54 feet) there. The other Hatteras marinas might have availability as well.
Denise Fitch and her team of friends fished the tournament for the first time last year out of Hatteras. The team had a great time and are fishing again in 2024.
“We did the pre-registration check-in Friday at Pirate’s Cove, then went back up Saturday for the kick-off party,” Fitch explains. “There were a lot of boats in Hatteras fishing the tournament and it was definitely fun. We didn’t catch anything, but we’re back again this time for another shot aboard Assault Weapon.”
Maxwell says teams competing in Hatteras can use the on-line scoring to report releases. If a team is in contention for either the Dolphin or Billfish Jackpot prizes, however, the captain and angler must travel to the Pirate’s Cove Marina headquarters for an official weight (dolphin) and to do a polygraph test.
“If an entry is a contender in the money jackpots, it needs to be verified in Manteo,” Maxwell adds.
Carole Sykes, a PCBT director and captain of the Sam & Omie’s ladies team, has only missed the tournament one time in 34 years. She was a personal friend of the late Alice Kelly, the event’s namesake, and always enjoys competing with her close friends and co-workers from the popular Nag’s Head restaurant.
“Securing a boat is always a top priority,” Sykes says. “We have fished with the same captain a long time and we always re-book for the next year at the end of the tournament. We’ve fished out of Wanchese and Oregon Inlet in the past. Hatteras is a beautiful spot to fish, too, and it offers a little advantage since it’s a tad closer to the action.”
Sykes says some of her team members have retired or passed away and newer ones are taking their place. Close friendships and a love of fishing for a special cause are important traits, she feels.
“All of us go out to have a good time and share memories,” Sykes adds. “We have our lucky hats, t-shirts, bathing suits, towels, trinkets and charms in our boat bags. It’s all about the food, too. I fry chicken and everyone brings something to eat and we just enjoy the day.”
Team mate Susan Wolf has only missed the AKM two times and she echoes the recommendations of her captain.
“The Alice Kelly has become so popular because it’s such a fun event for a great cause,” Wolf says. “Getting a boat locked in as soon as possible is key. I’d suggest that teams still looking check the Wanchese marinas to see if any might still be available.”
Maxwell also recommends teams looking for boats or anglers look at the Alice Kelly Memorial FaceBook page for the share link for openings.
