Sand Dollar Marina:Located on the most eastern edge of Grand Isle, Sand Dollar offers of variety of services that would suit most anglers needs. Sand Dollar has multiple rooms for rent, with daily and weekly pricing. 2 back down boat ramps, and large hoist. Sand Dollar offers live and dead market bait, large tackle store, hardware, food and beverages. With our huge covered pavillion, Swollfest has a nice shaded area to block the sun and stay cool. Certified Scale on site! For more information on Sand Dollar Marina, Please call (985.787.2500) BOOK YOUR HOTEL RESERVATIONS FOR SWOLLFEST NOW!!!
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Frequently Asked Questions?Platinum Sponsors
What's New!
Registration Party will be held at the New Orleans Yacht Club on June 3rd, 2008 from 5-7:30PM. The Swollfest 2008 Design will be posted in the near future, so please check back for updates. Try our FAQ search!Swollfest Fishing Rodeo FAQs
What is Swollfest? A fishing rodeo to benefit American Diabetes Association
What is a fishing “rodeo”? A fishing rodeo is the same as a fishing tournament
Why American Diabetes Association as the major beneficiary of Swollfest? Nick Rauber’s stepfather, Sid Seruntine, is a Type 1 diabetic
How much does it cost? Individual entry is $40 per person, $15 per child 12 years and under. There are also various levels of sponsorships if you are interested. Contact Nick Rauber at swollfest@cox.net about sponsorships.
How does a fishing rodeo work? You go out and fish, after you have paid your registration, throughout Thursday, Friday, and Saturday of the rodeo. You then keep you fish iced and bring them to the Sand Dollar Marina to be weighed in during the designated weigh in times on Friday and Saturday. First place fish from the master board - inshore, coastal, blue water, and spearfishing divisions - get plaques and get to pick from the prize table. Points are then tallied to get the overall winners of each division and then overall best boat of the tournament.
What is the Master Board? The master board includes the 4 main divisions of inshore, coastal, blue water, and spearfishing. Anyone may enter their fish on the master board, men, women, children, and seniors. There are specific divisions for women, children, and seniors outside of the master board. If your fish is entered in the master board, it may not be entered in any other division except overall swollest fish if appplicable.
When does the rodeo start and finish? Swollfest starts at 12:01am Thursday morning (honor system, not a shotgun start) Swollfest ends at 6:30pm Saturday evening
When are the designated weigh in times? Friday from 4:00pm – 6:30pm Saturday from 4:00pm – 6:30pm If you are getting close to the 6:30pm deadline, you must be on the Sand Dollar property or in the Sand Dollar marina, off the pass, and have contacted the weighmaster or a member of the Board of Directors to enter your fish. All others will not be allowed to be weighed in.
What if I do not agree? The weigh masters decision is final and the Board of Directors decisions are final. We are all here to have fun.
Do you have to fish all three days? No. You do not have to fish any of the days if you choose. All profits of this rodeo go to the American Diabetes Association and this is a fundraiser.
How old do you have to be? 12 years old is the cut off age for the childrens’ division and 65+ for the senior division
Where is Swollfest? Sand Dollar Marina in Grand Isle, LA – The very last stop, southern most point of LA Hwy 1
Where do I stay for Swollfest? Sand Dollar Marina also has a motel and apartments to rent for the weekend, as well as RV hook up sites. CALL EARLY TO BOOK! There is also a list of camps for rent on the island the can be found on Grand Isle website, www.grand-isle.com
Where do we eat? Swollfest serves food on Friday and Saturday evening. Other than that, Sand Dollar Marina has a hot food deli and serves breakfast, there is a grocery store on the island, and a few restaurants on the island as well
Where do I find out more on Grand Isle, camps, restaurants, things to do, etc? If you have any questions, please contact the Tourism
Department
Where do I fish? In the water! South of the island is coastal, offshore, and far out blue water North of the island is inshore marshes, bays and bayous You decide
Can I use a charter boat to catch my fish for the rodeo? Yes you can
Who do I fish with? Your friends, family, charters, etc Swollfest does not line up your fishing, no pun intended
Is this just a “guy thing”? Absolutely NOT. All are welcomed and encouraged to come participate. There are open divisions as well as specific women, children, and senior divisions.
How can I sign up? This year Swollfest has enabled PayPal for online registration. All you have to do is have an established account or create a new account with PayPal. Also, we have a registration party on the Tuesday before the rodeo and you may sign up at the rodeo.
When is the latest I can sign up? Registration will be accepted through the weekend of the rodeo, but with a late fee of $10 will be assessed. The last time to sign up is at 3:59pm on Saturday, before the final weigh in begins.
Where can I buy Swollfest hats, visors, embroidered shirts, posters, jackets, stickers, cups, baby products, etc.? Everything will be on sale at the registration party and throughout the weekend of the rodeo
How can I help out? Swollfest is always is need of volunteers as well as donations. Please contact us. Nick Rauber at swollfest@cox.net
How many people go to the rodeo? There will be a few hundred people in the rodeo participating-sponsoring and hundreds more that come out to see the event, listen to music, and see the fish come into the dock
What is the Belly-Buzzard category? It is the award for the oddest-ugliest fish that most resembles Mike Durr Jr and Brian Burger. Belly is the nicknames for a long time friend, Mike Durr, Jr, and Buzzard is the nickname for another long time friend, Brian Burger. It is all in good fun, neither are ugly or odd, the name just stuck.
If I catch a big shark or billfish, can I enter in as Swollest fish? No. Swollfest is during the time of year where the season is closed to keep sharks. Billfish are not allowed either to be entered into Swollfest.
What is considered a billfish? Billfish are pelagic, apex predators that belong to both the Istiophoridae and Xiphiidae families. Istiophoridae family includes the marlin, sailfish and spearfish. Xiphiidae family includes the swordfish. We do not accept either in the tournament.
What if we tag a billfish during Swollfest? We will recognize you at the awards ceremony as long as you have reported to the weighmaster and-or a Board of Director member. We would like a picture as well to keep with our picture records.
What if my fish weighs the same as someone else’s fish on the Board? The first fish entered will keep its place. In a categorical tie, the first fish entered wins and in the event of a divisional tie, the overall weight will win. If there is a tie for Best Boat, overall weight will win as well.
Why do all of you that run Swollfest put in so much time volunteering for nothing in return? If you truly are asking that question, you have missed the boat of life. Once again, no pun intended.
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