Fishermen to unite to find a cure

After the passing of his aunt, Jason Biddy joined in the fight against breast cancer. Since then he’s made a way for you to join, too.

The 5th annual Casting for the Cure fishing tournament will be held Sept. 12 on Logan Martin Lake in Pell City. This event is a fundraiser that benefits the Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer 3-Day walk in Atlanta.

Biddy is the coordinator and organizer of the event. His inspiration behind the creation of the fishing tournament was to find a way to honor the memory of his aunt, Rena Sams, who passed away from breast cancer.

“We wanted to find a way to honor her memory and help find a cure,” Biddy said. The competition provides both a memorial for Sams and a way to raise funds to find a cure for the disease.

Biddy’s wife, Brooke, is one of the participants who will travel to Georgia for the 60-mile walk, taking place Oct. 16-18. Family ties are the inspiration for completing that endeavor, as well.

“Both her mother and grandmother are breast cancer survivors, making the cause very near and dear to our hearts,” said Biddy.

To enter a participant in the three-day walk, $2,300 must be raised in advance.

“The tournament is the way we raise money to allow people to walk,” Biddy said. “All of the registration fees from the fishing tournament go directly to pay that fee.” The walk is a Susan G. Komen event, which is the largest grassroots organization that links breast cancer survivors and activists in the quest to find the cure. The money raised at the walk is put towards research and community programs.

Casting for the Cure is a family-friendly fishing tournament that begins at sunrise and goes until the final weigh-in at 2 p.m. This event is open to people of all skill levels and ages.

“The event is a competition that is open to anyone who wants to participate and help support a great cause,” Biddy said.

The tournament winner will be the team that catches the five fish that weigh the most. There will also be a Big Fish prize awarded to the boat with the heaviest single fish. The only species that will be counted in the competition are large-mouth bass and spotted bass.

The first-place winner will receive a prize of $1,000. Prize money is awarded all the way down to the 10th-place finisher. Majestic Outdoors, an organization that has partnered with the competition throughout the years, will judge the weigh-in.

Registration is currently open and will be until the morning of the event or when the 100-boat limit is reached. Entrance fee is $100 per boat. For more information, visit castingforthecure.wufoo.comor find the event on Facebook at facebook.com/CastingForTheCure.

For more, contact Biddy at (205) 901-0922 or via email jasonbiddy@gmail.com.