The Belt Buckle is an island tradition that has been around since Captain Jay Joiner died in October of 1992, when he was just 25 years old. He was the first captain to win back-to-back major tarpon tournaments (the 1990 Boca Grande Club Invitational Tarpon Tournament and the 1991 Boca Grande Area Chamber of Commerce “World’s Richest” Tarpon Tournament) two years in a row.

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   The first Jay Joiner Memorial Belt Buckle was given out the year after he passed away, in 1993. The Buckle is engraved with an eagle – which represents the best fisherman nature has to offer – and a ruby, Jay’s birthstone.

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   For many years it was the captain who won the World’s Richest who won the Buckle. 

In 2018 the format to award the belt buckle changed. The late Cappy Joiner, Jay Joiner’s uncle, who was the president of the BGFGA until his death in 2019, changed the winner of the belt buckle to the captain with the most tarpon released in each year's qualifying tournaments, in a regular season.

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Past Winners:

2023 - Capt. Charlie Coleman

2022 - Capt. Waylon Mills

2021 - Chad Bombenger

2020 - Capt. Charlie Coleman

2019 - Capt. Lamar Joiner, Jr.

2018 - Capt. Waylon Mills

2017 - Capt. Wayne Joiner

2016 - Capt. Timmy Smith

2015 - Capt. Steve Ahlers

2014 - Capt. Frank Davis

2013 - Capt. Steve Ahlers

2012 - Capt. Willie Mills

2011 - Capt. Sandy Melvin

2010 - Capt. Waylon Mills

2009 - Capt. Sandy Melvin

2008 - Capt. Tater Spinks

2007 - Capt. Lamar Joiner, Jr.

2006 - Capt. Lamar Joiner, Jr.

2005 - Capt. Timmy Smith

2004 - No Winner

2003 - Capt. Frank Davis

2002 - Capt. Jon Zorian

2001 - Capt. Cappy Joiner

2000 - Capt. Buster Herzog

1999 - Capt. Waylon Mills

1998 - Capt. Ed Walker

1997 - Capt. Chris Klingel

1996 - Capt. Tommy Locke

1995 - Capt. Ned Van Deree

1994 - Capt. Marty Scott

1993 - Capt. Mark Futch

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