Marathon dolphin tournament raises funds for Habitat for Humanity

A 15.9-pound mahi hauled in by Marathon angler Bill Landi topped the 20th annual Mother’s Day Dolphin Tournament, but the bigger catch was support for Habitat for Humanity of the Middle Keys, which uses the event to help build more affordable homes in Marathon.

The May 8-9 fundraiser centered on a one-day heaviest-mahi competition, with lines in at 7:30 a.m. and weigh-in set for 3:30 to 6 p.m. The tournament was organized around four divisions, Lady, Junior, Weekend Warrior and Pro, and the awards ceremony was held at Marathon Yacht Club after the fishing action on May 9.

Lady Division angler Adelaide Gonzalez added one of the day’s strongest local hooks, landing a 12.4-pound fish and taking home a $2,250 check. The junior field also gave the tournament a family feel, with Justin Toro, Tripp Avera and Ricardo Sheltra among the named winners as parents, kids and guides moved between the docks and the scales in Marathon.

The event has become one of Habitat Middle Keys’ signature fundraisers because the money goes straight into local housing work. The affiliate says it began in 1991 and that homebuyers in its program contribute 350 hours of sweat equity before they move into Habitat homes. That model makes the tournament more than a social day on the water in the Middle Keys; it is part of the financing behind stability for working families who want to stay in the community.

The dollars already show the scale of the tradition. The 18th tournament in 2024 drew 129 anglers aboard 33 boats and raised $60,000 for Bell Haven, a Marathon project planned for nine affordable homes sold to working families with 0% interest loans. In 2025, the 19th tournament drew 108 anglers on 30 vessels and brought in more than $58,000. The 2022 tournament drew 156 anglers on 40 boats and raised $65,000. In a place where fishing and housing pressures both shape daily life, the dolphin tournament keeps turning a Keys pastime into concrete local help.