Kingfish Connection: Tony, why did you decide to bring a sanctioned king mackerel event back to Miami? What problems have existed with this venue in the past? How did you fix them?

Tony Albelo: I am a Miami “homer.” I love this city. When I first started running tournaments, I wondered, “Why isn’t there an SKA tournament in Miami?” It really bothered me that this great city with incredible fishing didn’t have a kingfish tourney, so I started researching why that was. During a lot of conversations and fact finding “missions” I found that in fact there was an SKA event here in Miami in 1999 and 2000, but they were riddled with problems. One of the issues was trailer thefts. To combat this, we are offering on-site 24-hour secure trailer parking. Another issue in ’99 and ’00 was that there was not enough dock space and car parking. To solve this we chose a venue with space for hundreds of boats and thousands of cars. The location, Haulover Park and Marina, is probably one of the biggest and best decisions I have made with the Kingfish Masters. There were other smaller issues with the 1999 and 2000 tourneys, but we have set out to make sure we deliver the best possible tournament to SKA anglers.

When did you start thinking about making this tournament a reality?

I had a conversation with Jack Holmes at the Miami Boat Show in 2005. We talked about the SKA and Miami and some of the problems Miami had. We also discussed the tournament industry and conservation. This really got the ball rolling for me. So in essence, I have been working on getting this sanctioned and it becoming a reality for close to two years.

How will this event be different from the other mackerel events that anglers fish now?

We focus on the anglers. We know that we need anglers to help sell sponsors, so anglers are first on our priority list. We make sure that in the end, all anglers have fun and feel that they got a good value. We all know that everyone can’t be a winner, so we want the other teams to come back year after year.

Your other events, like the Grove Slam, are known for your incredibly festive atmosphere. Will this event parallel that atmosphere, or will you modify it to fit the mold for other mackerel events? What should anglers expect?

We are known for our parties. And the Kingfish Masters will be no different. I can’t really point to one single aspect of our tournaments which makes them unique. I’ve always though that it’s a combination of a lot of little things. One thing is for sure, our tournaments have become a social scene as much as a top-notch fishing tournament. You want to make sure you are there.

Many people are amazed at what their entry fee really gets them at your events. What can teams expect to receive from this tournament for their entry fee? Why have you decided to do this?

For the entry fee teams will get 4 long-sleeve, top quality shirts, captain’s bag, 4 social bands (entry for each of 3 parties with open bars and food), plus plenty of sponsor goodies. We give everything away. As I said before, anglers really deserve this and more. I know that it take a lot to fish a tournament, so this is a small way to say “thanks for fishing.”

Do you have any plans to possibly start more king mackerel tournaments in the near future? Would you ever consider having a Pro tournament “piggy back” with your event?

I have though about other kingfish tournaments. But I want to make sure that everything goes smoothly before I even start thinking about a second event. I would love to host a pro event. In reality I would love for Miami to be host for the nationals. Like I said before, I am a “homer!”

As a tournament director, what do you anticipate will be different from the other tournaments you currently run?

I think most tournaments have a similar core. I still believe that it’s about the camaraderie and competition. I also believe that there will be some sort of “courtship” between the anglers and me. What I mean is that with our other tournaments, I have already built a reputation for putting on a great event, being fair, and being honest. With the Kingfish Masters I am going to have to prove myself to a whole new group of anglers. Actually I am looking forward to it.

What aspect of your job, as tournament director, do people not appreciate or realize that you do? What’s the best part of being a tournament director?

Well, there are a lot of behind the scenes action that is constantly happening. Mostly I think that people overlook all the promotion and marketing that goes into making an event successful. Magazine ads, online ads, e-mail blasts, flyers, posters, direct mail, etc. it really takes a lot of work, especially in the beginning, to “get the word out.” I have always said that the best part of being a tournament director is when the last presentation check and trophy is handed out. Not because it’s over, but because you have just witnessed months of work come together and executed perfectly (almost perfectly).

As a new comer to the king mackerel tours, what do you think the sport needs to do to improve in the future?

I really hope that I raise the bar for other tournaments around the different divisions. I think that we have been successful because our anglers recognize the work that goes into our events AND the value of them.

Overall I think the SKA is here to stay. It has done a lot of great things in order to become the largest saltwater fishing circuit in the world. I think that adding new events, like ours, will help the SKA stay young and up-to-date with the tournament world.

Do you think the SKA sanctions too many events?

As long as the SKA can continue to keep the level of its events high, I do not think there is a limit as to how many “good” events the SKA can handle. The right question might be is the SKA sanctioning too many marginal events?

There have been several rumors regarding a possible change in management at the SKA. Since this is your first year working with the SKA, does this concern you at all?

It does not concern me one bit. The way I figure it is that the people in charge are there for a reason. They are not there because they have done a poor job, but because they have excelled at what they do. If they are to appoint successors or new members to the board, I can only think that they would choose capable people. I myself would love to be more involved with the SKA management.

You have had incredible success in luring sponsors from outside the sport to participate in your events. Do you feel that this is pivotal to your success as a tournament? Why do you think you have had this success with non-endemic sponsors, while others have not?

Again, it’s all a numbers game. The more anglers we have, the more appealing an event becomes to a sponsor. I have also been told that I have a great knack for selling, so that may help some too. Having non-endemic sponsors really helps us continue to give a lot back to the anglers.

In a big time tournament like this, how important are major sponsors such as Contender and Yamaha? How does the whole process of finding a sponsor to offer such a great prize begin? Can you let everyone know how that works? Do you have a prize locked up before you even start planning the details of the event? How does that work?

I have to admit that we have been very lucky attracting major sponsors like Yamaha and Contender, but having a good track record has helped. Most of the time, I decide on creating an event, make a budget and start looking for sponsors. Once I decide to create a tournament I go through with it; with or without sponsors. Having this sort of confidence in our events is very appealing to sponsors.

It has been a while since there has been an event in the waters off of Miami. How is the fishery? Is it a beach fishery?

Ahhh, the $45,000 question. The great part about Miami is that big kings can be caught almost anywhere. You can fish the beach, you can run down towards the patch reefs off the upper keys, or you can just drift the edge and live chum. A lot of rodeo-type anglers have a lot of great success kite fishing on the edge. I myself am an average angler and I would hate to have anyone actually listen to my advice!

And finally, what do you expect will win this event?

During our sailfish tournament we often see 40+ pound kingfish; and the anglers mostly use mono. In talking with a lot of local captains, I think a 50+ pound fish is going to win. I myself have caught several 40 pounders off Miami while fishing for sails.