The South Haven Steelheaders Sport Fishing Association (501c3) is excited to present the 40th Annual South Haven Pro Am presented by The Lodge for 2025! The tournament is fast approaching and anglers from all over the Great Lakes are gearing up for this highly-anticipated event. The tournament will be held Friday - Sunday, May 16th - 18th, 2025 and promises to be bigger and better than ever before. In 2024, 52 boats participated in the 2 day PRO AM formatted tournament with payouts totaling just over $35,000!
The weekend kicks off Friday May 16th with a welcome party and registration at The Lodge in South Haven. Join us for great conversation, delicious food, and plenty of fun as we set the tone for an unforgettable weekend ahead! The next two days will be all about fishing for top cash awards, prizes and trophies in the Pro Am and 333 Tournament Trail events. Additional events include the first half of the South Haven & Saugatuck Dual Port Tournament, a Big Fish Contest and a 2nd Chance Pot on Sunday. The Pro Am Tournament event culminates Sunday afternoon with the final day tournament weigh-in; followed by the awards ceremony on the deck at the SouthSide Municipal Marina.
Anglers can join us in South Haven all week to pre-fish by calling the South Haven Municipal Marina at 269-637-3171, which offers a convenient short trip to the pier along with nearby fuel docks and also offers very short walks to downtown dining, shopping, and public beaches. Special dock pricing is available for Pro Am participants by calling the South Haven City Marina at (269)637-3171. Purchase 4 nights at $20, get 3 free during the period starting 6 days before the tournament through the end on Monday. Any additional nights within that period would be charged $20/night.
Anglers can submit their registration along with payment online before May 9th, 2025, to avoid a late fee. Questions regarding the tournament can be directed to Chad Bard, the tournament director at 269-214-6934.
The primary purpose of the South Haven Pro Am Tournament is to obtain fish for our Annual Blueberry Festival Fish Boil held in August, which is the chapter’s biggest fundraiser and it provides money with the goal of educating the general public on improving, preserving and promoting sport fishing in the Great Lakes and their tributary streams and rivers. The Chapter is significantly involved in a number of other activities such as several Salmon in the Classroom programs and also all fundraising and support to deploy the South Haven near-shore data buoy station #45168. If you find the buoy provides you with helpful data, please consider making a donation on our GoFundMe page or see one of our Association officers for more information. All donations are tax deductible.
South Haven is also host to some great events throughout the year such as Harbor Fest in June, Independence Day Fireworks in July, Blueberry Festival and Salute to Heroes Boat Parade in August, and IceBreaker Festival in February. The town has a great network of bike and walking trails, canoe and kayak launch sites including a brand new kayak launch located 2 miles east of town on Phoenix Road, that make the river and lake very accessible for all types of watercraft.
The South Haven Steelheaders invite anglers to explore the beautiful town of South Haven and participate in their annual tournament or any of their other chapter tournaments. Please check the website and Facebook for updates as the tournament gets closer. We look forward to seeing you “on the water” in South Haven!
