Puerto Vallarta, Jalisco, Mexico - It was a dream destination - a competition and a spectacular star-studded event, but its chief purpose was for a greater cause. A cause that garnered a bevy of support from people all over the world and netted $410,000 USD for the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation.

The Eighth Annual Hook the Cure powered by IOTEC; held November 7-10, 2013 in the glow of the Mexican tropical paradise, was much more than a catch-and-release offshore event. Participants enjoyed one of the greatest fishing locales in world.

They also experienced first-class all-inclusive accommodations, gourmet meals, celebrity appearances, spa treatments, and exciting nightlife. Glamour aside, all participants involved knew that there was a far greater purpose at hand.

"That’s really the beauty of Hook the Cure," said Bob Huston, event co-chairperson along with Jeff Jennison. "Obviously, Puerto Vallarta is such a beautiful place and we're here to enjoy ourselves with the best of everything you could possibly imagine. But there is an underlying purpose, and that is to raise money for this worthy foundation. We did exactly that, and that's the most beautiful thing we all should take away from this incredible experience."

Hook the Cure, an official event of the Redbone Tournament Series, has raised $2.8 (USD) million since its inception. This event could not be a success without the immeasurable worth of its mission and the many invaluable participants.

This year's event – sponsored by IOTEC Integrated Office Technology, Watson Land Company, BJ's Restaurants, William Martin, Jr. Family, O'Connell Family Foundation, American Airlines, Norm Wilson & Sons, Inc., Skipper & Duke's Offshore Fishing Series, Hallagan Family, William Close Family, Hunter Landscape, Millie & Severson, and Redbone Tournament Series - kicked off with the Welcome to Puerto Vallarta Fiesta hosted by the Villa Premiere Hotel & Spa on Thursday, November 7th. The welcoming event featured a diverse selection of gourmet food, Mariachi and casino action.

Friday arrived, and a parade of boats departed from Charter Dreams at Marina Vallarta for the first day of fishing. It was capped off with a weigh-in party featuring Nashville recording artists, Lucas Hoge and Thomas Becker.

On Saturday, the anglers returned to the Marina for another day of fishing and golfers hit the links at Vista Vallarta Club de Golf. Vista Vallarta, featuring signature courses developed by Jack Nicklaus and Tom Weiskopf, offers some of the most breathtaking views of Puerto Vallarta.

Later Saturday, after the anglers returned to the Villa Premiere Hotel and Spa, the results were tallied and the catch-and-release tournament winners were announced. The night was capped off with a silent and live auction, hosted by national radio personality, Shawn Parr, which featured over 150 items from sports memorabilia and American Airlines vacation packages and more.

Overall champions were Rob and Bill Ott. Jerry Sabino and Ronny Wilson captured the ‘Most Released Billfish' honors, while Jeff Jennison and Bob Huston received accolades for the largest dorado. Along the way, there were appearances by the likes of sports stars Matt Young, best known for his no-hitter as a member of the Boston Red Sox against the Cleveland Indians. The left-handed pitcher's career spanned 21 years with the Seattle Mariners, Texas Rangers, Los Angeles Dodgers, Oakland Athletics, New York Yankees, and the St. Louis Cardinals.

Also joining the Hook the Cure celebrity list was Rick Honeycutt who played with the Seattle Mariners, Texas Rangers, Los Angeles Dodgers, Oakland Athletics, New York Yankees, and the St. Louis Cardinals. He pitched in 30 post-season games, including 20 league championship series games and seven World Series games, including the Oakland Athletics 1989 World Series championship team. Jim Lonborg rounded out the VIP trio. Lonborg was the starting pitcher for the Boston Red Sox, Milwaukee Brewers and Philadelphia Phillies.

The Ninth Annual Hook the Cure powered by IOTEC will return to the Mexican Riviera from November 6-9, 2014. For additional information, contact Gary Green at (714) 494-4623 or through email at ggreen(at)cff.org.