by Steve “Tuna” Tornovish
Certain birthdays are bigger milestones than others. When a kid hits double digits, for example. That tenth birthday party should have just a little more juice on the fastball, right? Same for the 65th birthday (I’ll tell you all about that one in a few months if, as they say, the creek don’t rise and the good Lord’s willin’).
On August 1 this year, I am hereby inviting everyone reading this to join the August Blues Fishing Tournament crew at the Cisco Brewery to help us celebrate the 30th birthday of August (Augie) Chotkowski. Augie is an amazing spirit. He lifts up everyone who meets him. He’s a good friend, brother, and son. And Augie is turning 30 on August 1. Augie has lived with Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy for his entire life. This may have slowed him down a little, but not by much. Augie is still on the go in his motorized wheelchair. Here’s hoping that everyone will come say hello to Augie on August 1, the August Blues Cast Off party. The party will have a Hawaiian theme and should be epic!
Augie’s dad, Dr. Greg Chotkowski, put this tournament together with the help of his good friend Rick Ramos and a host of others. This ambitious effort has been hugely successful. The August Blues website (Augustbluesnantucket.com) says this: “In the spirit of unity and resilience, the August Blues tournament is more than a fishing competition—it’s a collective effort in the fight against Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy. Every entry fee, every sponsorship, and every bluefish caught supports this mission, as all proceeds are directly channeled to Parent Project Muscular Dystrophy, a dedicated non-profit focused on finding a cure for his disease.” Last year’s tournament raised $60,000 for PPMD.
The concept of the tournament is straightforward. Again, from the website, “August Blues was created to offer a summer fishing tournament to locals and island visitors alike. Whether you live here year-round or only visit for a few days, this tournament is for you. A chance to win great prizes whether you catch 100 fish or only one. Backed by great sponsors, there will be plenty of prizes to go around in this summer classic.”
One thing that I really love is that junior anglers can enter the tournament for free! A kid aged 17 and under is automatically eligible for a prize when they submit a fish. It’s that simple. Fish are scored by length. Anglers place their catch on a tape measure and capture a picture of it. That allows for the fish to be released. The picture is then uploaded to the August Blues tournament link and you’re eligible to win some great prizes.
There are some very fun events scheduled this year. Our beloved fishing guide and beach ambassador Tammy King will be hosting a ladies fishing fundraiser on August 18 (see website for details). If you know Tammy, you know this will be fantastic. And ladies, if you don’t know Tammy, well here’s your chance to meet her.
Another great family event is scheduled for August 22. This will be the Derby Day. This event will be a day of instruction, competition, demonstration, and prizes. There will be grills cooking burgers and dogs as well as sponsors showing off their fine products. This is an event for the whole family.
My favorite new prize for the 2026 tournament is called the John Robinson award (John from Maine). All of us beach regulars know John: he’s a wonderful person and a great fisher. John is donating a trophy for the junior angler who submits the longest beach-caught bluefish. Furthermore, this prize will also begin with a three-year look back to honor the beach juniors who submitted the biggest bluefish in the three previous August Blues tournaments. Rumor has it that the junior angler who lands the prize-winning beach blue this year will leave the September 1 awards ceremony holding a brand-new rod and reel combo donated by Steve Tuna’s Fishing Adventures! Get out there and catch, kids!
Another very cool new competition for the 2026 tournament is the fundraising contest. Think of the way that folks running marathons collect support from their friends: this will be just like that. The setup is simple and allows friends to donate to PPMD very easily. There will be a prize awarded to the highest fundraiser. (If you’re unsure which angler to support, might I suggest your buddy, Stevie Tuna.)
I know that we are warned about coveting things, but I assure you that I covet the biggest beach bluefish prize. The winner of that prize will take home an autographed New England Patriots jersey signed by the Patriots world champion and Hall of Fame linebacker Tedy Bruschi! There will be late hours put in on the beach, spurred on by the thought of holding the #54 jersey signed by this great player, broadcaster, and fisher!
Year four for this tournament promises to be a great time for everyone involved, and all for a great cause. Registration is now open for anglers.
Here’s hoping that we will have a huge turnout on August 1 for the Cast Off and 30th birthday party. Put on your hula skirt and head to Cisco Brewery. And please support our efforts to fund research to end Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy. And finally, take a kid fishing—you can change their lives!
Steve “Tuna” Tornovish is a Nantucket native who has spent his life fishing from the beaches of his beloved island. He loves to introduce clients to the joy of fishing with his Nantucket Island Fishing Adventures: stevetuna.com
