The 23rd Manhattan Cup is scheduled for Friday, June 7 at Liberty Landing Marina in Jersey City to honor America’s Heroes and bring as many at-risk veterans as possible for a great day of fishing.
The tournament format is all-release and encourages tagging in partnership with Gray FishTag Research. Tags will be supplied, and a special award, a Gray Taxidermy striped bass mount, will be presented to the top tagging team. Winning fish in other categories are determined by a simple length/girth measurement with photo verification to insure maximum survivability.
The Manhattan Cup brings combat veterans to fish the tournament, which includes a special Warrior Division, aboard boats donated by area charter captains, light-tackle guides, and anglers. Warriors in attendance are dealing with visible and invisible wounds such as post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and are too frequently at risk of taking their own lives. Veterans Administration statistics reveal that 22 veterans take their lives every day as a result of combat trauma, which is why the Manhattan Cup instituted its “Catch 22” goal to take at least that many warriors fishing each year. In 2023 the Manhattan Cup hosted 51 veterans, and organizers are hoping to improve on that number this year, with help from Tsunami Tackle who is giving a rod and reel to every participating hero at the event.
The Manhattan Cup includes a buffet breakfast, gourmet box lunches and an awards dinner at the Liberty House Restaurant with its breathtaking view of the New York skyline. Celebrity guests will all be in attendance including the crew of Pinwheel from the show Wicked Tuna, Captain Tyler and his sister and first mate, Marissa, as well as former Rutgers standout and long-time Cincinnati Bengal Clark Harris. The live auction will include charters aboard several of the Wicked Tuna boats in addition to many other items.
The Manhattan Cup is proud to honor the life and accomplishments of FDNY hero firefighter and warrior helicopter aviator MSgt. Christopher J. Raguso. The Christopher J. Raguso Memorial Cup is presented to the warrior who catches the largest striped bass during the event.
There are several ways you can enter or support the event. Captains can donate their boat and services for the day; anglers can enter as a team and fish from their own boats in the Sportsman Division; angler teams without a boat can purchase a professional captain and boat for the day with that money going to the Cup for veterans causes; or you can enter as an individual and be assigned to a donated boat.
Anglers can compete in any of three categories; Fly, Artificial Lure or Bait (live or dead) with trophies presented in each category. For information call Frank Crescitelli (917-468-4817), Gary Caputi (732-740-9982), Mike Dean (917-873-6651) or John DePersenaire (609-576-4421). You can sign up by visiting manhattancup.com.
