Fish For A Cure
Fishing for Hope: The Heart Behind Fish For a Cure and Team Alltackle
More Than a Fishing Tournament — A Community United in the Fight Against Cancer
There is something special about the Chesapeake Bay in the early morning. The sun begins to rise over the water, engines come to life, and fishing boats head toward the horizon. For most anglers, these moments represent the excitement of another day on the water. But for the members of Team Alltackle, one particular fishing event carries a meaning far greater than the fish they might catch.
That event is Fish For a Cure.
It's a day when the fishing community comes together for something bigger than trophies, bragging rights, or the biggest catch. It's about hope. It's about friendship. It's about remembering those we've lost, supporting those still fighting, and helping families facing one of life's most difficult challenges.
For Team Alltackle, Fish For a Cure represents the very best of what the fishing community can accomplish when people unite around a common cause.
A Fishing Community with a Bigger Purpose
Cancer has a way of touching nearly everyone's life. Whether it's a family member, a close friend, a neighbor, or someone we meet along the way, few of us escape its reach.
Behind every diagnosis is a person with a story. A parent. A spouse. A child. A friend. Someone who deserves another sunrise, another family gathering, another opportunity to make memories.
That understanding is what makes Fish For a Cure so meaningful.
The annual fishing tournament brings together anglers, businesses, sponsors, and supporters to raise money for cancer care and support services through the Luminis Health Anne Arundel Medical Center community.
Every donation represents compassion. Every sponsorship represents hope. And every fishing team becomes part of something that extends far beyond the Chesapeake Bay.
Team Alltackle: Fishing with Heart
At the center of Team Alltackle's Fish For a Cure story are people who understand that success isn't always measured by what you bring back to the dock.
Steve Dodson, Bill Fraser, and Chad Stewart are names that deserve recognition in the story of Team Alltackle and its connection to this important cause.
Their names represent the personal side of an effort that brings together fishing, friendship, community, and a shared desire to make a difference.
For a fishing team, the hours spent preparing tackle, organizing equipment, gathering support, and getting ready for tournament day are all part of the experience. But Fish For a Cure adds something that can't be measured in pounds or inches.
It adds purpose.
A fishing rod becomes more than a tool for catching fish. A boat becomes more than a vessel. And a team becomes more than a group of anglers.
Together, they become a symbol of hope for people who need it most.
Steve Dodson, Bill Fraser, and Chad Stewart: The People Behind the Purpose
Above: Alltackle Team Member Steve Dodson
Steve was one of the original members of Team Alltackle's Tournament Fishing Team. Steve fished in our very first Fish For A Cure event at Podickory Point Marina in the third year of the existence of Fish For A Cure. We entered that tournament because we entered every local tournament back then. We had no idea what it was all about, initially, but we quickly learned at the event. Steve's mother had recently succumbed to breast cancer and Steve became all teary-eyed at the event. We came in 2nd place in the fishing tournament that year, but the best thing that happened is that we learned about the mission of F4AC.
After many years of Chesapeake Bay and Ocean Fishing together, Steve was diagnosed with brain cancer in 2013 and passed exactly 365 days after diagnosis.
Every meaningful charitable effort is built around people willing to give something of themselves.
For Team Alltackle, recognizing Steve Dodson is a reminder that the strength of a team comes from the individuals who stand behind it. Steve was and still is our strength.
Above: Alltackle Supporter Bill Fraser
My father, Bill Fraser, was a big supporter of Team Alltackle and Fish For A Cure. As a regular in some of the establishments in DTA, Dad was a good old guy called Pops to many. He regularly checked on the Team Alltackle boat every Sunday without being asked. He was just that type of person and you could always count on him.
My father passed in AAMC from Leukemia/Lymphoma on New Years Eve, 2019.
It's the friendships and family, the shared experiences, and the commitment to helping others that make participation in an event like Fish For a Cure so powerful.
Above: Alltackle Team Member Chad Stewart
Chad Stewart joined Team Alltackle after we met him at the Captain's meeting. After joining us for Fish For A Cure, Chad became a regular with us. "Snowman" was a natural amount our crew. He helped pass the rods down from the bridge and cranked on some nice fish over the years.
We were fortunate enough to fish with Chad one last time after his diagnosis. Chad is definitely missed and it is just not the same without him on our team.
In a world where life often moves too quickly, the tournament provides an opportunity to focus on what truly matters: family, friendship, good health, and being there for one another. When we think about Fish For A Cure, we are reminded of Chad every time.
And perhaps that is the greatest lesson of all.
We can't always control the challenges life puts in front of us. But we can control how we respond. We can show up. We can lend a hand. We can support a neighbor. And we can turn something we love — like fishing — into an opportunity to change someone's life.
The Most Important Catch of the Day
Imagine the scene as the boats return to the docks.
The afternoon sun reflects off the Chesapeake Bay. Fishing flags flutter in the breeze. Anglers exchange stories about the fish they caught and the ones that got away.
There are smiles, handshakes, and plenty of laughter.
But somewhere beyond the marina, a patient is receiving treatment. A family is navigating an uncertain future. A caregiver is finding the strength to face another difficult day.
And because people have chosen to participate in Fish For a Cure, those individuals and families have a community standing behind them.
That's the real victory.
The biggest catch of the day isn't necessarily a striped bass or another prized Chesapeake Bay fish.
It's the opportunity to make someone's tomorrow a little brighter.
The Alltackle Spirit
For Alltackle.com, fishing has always been about more than equipment. It's about the experiences that bring people together.
It's the excitement of a first catch, the friendship between fishing partners, the stories shared at the dock, and the memories that last a lifetime.
Fish For a Cure reflects those same values.
It reminds us that the fishing community is at its strongest when people look beyond themselves and work together to help others.
Through the spirit of Team Alltackle and the people associated with it, including Steve Dodson, Bill Fraser, and Chad Stewart, the message is simple:
You don't have to change the whole world to make a world of difference to someone.
Sometimes, all it takes is a fishing tournament, a generous heart, and a group of people willing to make an effort.
One Team. One Community. One Cure.
When the final lines are reeled in and the boats are safely back at the dock, the true impact of Fish For a Cure continues.
The money raised helps support cancer care. The friendships grow stronger. The memories endure. And the hope created by a caring community reaches far beyond the water.
For Team Alltackle, that's what makes this event so special.
Because long after the fish are weighed and the tournament results are forgotten, the reason everyone came together remains.
For the patients fighting today.
For the families who never stop believing.
For the loved ones we carry in our hearts.
And for the hope that one day, cancer will no longer steal precious moments from the people we love.
Team Alltackle is proud to celebrate the spirit of Fish For a Cure, the Chesapeake Bay fishing community, and everyone who believes that together, we can make a difference.
Fish for fun. Fish for friendship. Fish for family. Fish For a Cure.
Learn more about Fish For a Cure: https://supportaamc.luminishealth.org/team/840371
Team Alltackle | Alltackle.com
Where a passion for fishing meets a commitment to community.