Alaska Combat Fishing Tournament

Long before daylight reaches the harbor in Seward, Alaska, crews are loading coolers and bait for the Armed Services YMCA of Alaska Combat Fishing Tournament, a yearly event held the Wednesday before Memorial Day. More than 160 junior enlisted service members participate aboard volunteer charter boats to fish Pacific halibut, rockfish and salmon in Resurrection Bay and the Gulf of Alaska. Founder Bob Candopoulos started with two boats and has helped grow it into one of the state’s largest volunteer-driven tournaments. Local operators donate boats, fuel and time, with community support from the American Legion and the Alaska Vocational Technical Center aiding logistics. Participants fish at no cost; the event covers transportation, fish processing and freezing, while Alaska Airlines assists with moving thousands of pounds of fish. The tournament has evolved into a significant Alaska fishing tradition, culminating in weigh-ins, a community barbecue and an awards ceremony that bring hundreds of people together in Seward each year.