The South Haven Steelheaders Sport Fishing Association is excited to present the newly named Lake Arvesta Farms - Jensen’s Excavating Sand Dollar Pro Am for 2023! This is the 38th year of the annual (501c3) Pro Am tournament which is fast approaching and anglers from all over the Great Lakes are gearing up for this highly-anticipated event. The tournament will be held on May 19th - 21st, 2023 and promises to be bigger and better than ever before. In 2022, 41 boats participated in the 2 day Pro/Amateur formatted tournament with payouts for both divisions totaling just under $25,000!
The tournament will be held in the beautiful waters of Lake Michigan off the port of South Haven, Michigan, where anglers will have the opportunity to fish for Lake Trout, Salmon, Steelhead and Brown trout. The Port of South Haven is becoming known for large fish in the early season, especially during tournament weekend. In 2021, 22 kings were weighed in at over 20# with the largest king at 27.53#. In 2022, there were 14 kings over 15# weighed.
The weekend begins on Friday May 19th with the Friday 5 Challenge hosted by South Haven’s Star of the Lake Masonic Lodge #158, followed by Pro Am registration and Friday 5 Challenge payouts at the American Legion Post #49 in South Haven. 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 tournament event culminates Sunday afternoon with the final tournament awards ceremony at Black River Park.
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. Use Code PROAM23 to receive special dock pricing!
Registration for the tournament is easy and can be completed online at https://southhavensteelheaders.profishingtournaments.com. Anglers can submit their registration along with payment online before May 12th, 2023, 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 Steelheaders Pro Am Tournament is to obtain fish for their Annual Blueberry Festival Fish Boil held in August, which is the chapter’s primary 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, College Scholarships, Salmon Net Pen Project, the Black River fishing area 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.
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 Ice Breaker Festival in February. The town has a great network of bike and walking trails, and canoe and kayak launch sites 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!
Good luck and looking forward to a great tournament weekend in South Haven!
Remember to register before May 12th to avoid a $50 late fee!
