Sunshine Ace Hardware’s 10^th annual Reel in the Sunshine fishing expo will be held Feb. 7 in Bonita Springs, where amateur and pro anglers will gather to learn fishing tips directly from Southwest Florida’s top fishing guides and boat captains.

The free family-friendly event will include vendor-led demonstrations, product giveaways and exclusive discounts on a wide range of fishing and lifestyle gear, including fishing apparel, rods, reels, lures, hats, sunglasses and other outdoor accessories. A pair of local fishing guides and industry experts – Captains Justin Menendez and Mike Anderson – will also share their expertise and stories in keynote seminars.

“Reel in the Sunshine is a family-oriented event for anglers of all skill sets to learn from each other and prepare for their next day on the water,” said Michael Wynn, president of Sunshine Ace Hardware. “People often head out fishing hoping to catch the ‘big one,’ but fishing isn’t easy. Our product experts and captains will help attendees get the right gear and learn the right techniques to catch something worthy of a social media post, and maybe even dinner.”

Anglers who donate $5 to Captains for Clean Water will be entered into a giveaway for the chance to win various prizes. The grand prize will be a Penn Authority Reel Black/Gold 5500, which retails for $669.95.

Other giveaway items include:

Florida Tackle Supply

- PRO series cast net (8' radius, 3/8 mesh)

- Retail Price: $159.99

PureFishing Inc (PENN)

- Battle IV 4000 combo

- Retail Price: $199.99

Folsom (Tsunami) rod & reel ($259.98)

- Rod: Carbon Shield II 7’ Fast Action ($99.99)

- Reel: Tsunami Evict spinning 3000 ($159.99) 

Quantum

- BENCHMARK combo (Winner's choice of size: 2500, 3000, 4000 or 5000)

- Retail Price: $209.99 – $239.99

NLBN (No Live Bait Needed)

- A Mystery Box valued at $500

Costa Rincon II Sunglasses

- Black Matte with Blue Mirror Lenses

Reel in the Sunshine will be held from 8 a.m. to noon on Saturday, Feb. 7 at Sunshine Ace Hardware in Bonita Springs, 9100 Bonita Beach Road SE. Admission is free, but guests can participate in a charity luncheon and charity giveaway to support Captains for Clean Water, a nonprofit with a mission to restore and protect aquatic ecosystems for the use and enjoyment by all.

Participating vendors and speakers will be announced in advance of the event.

About Sunshine Ace Hardware

Founded in 1958 by Don Wynn and led today by his grandson, President Michael Wynn, Sunshine Ace Hardware operates 16 hardware stores, two paint stores and two gift stores in Southwest Florida. The Naples-based company is among Florida’s largest family-owned home improvement retailers and one of Ace Hardware’s top franchisees in America. Sunshine Ace is recognized for its helpful, red-vested associates, generous community support and vast selection of signature brands in grills, tools, hardware, plumbing, paint and supplies, lawn and garden supplies, fishing gear, gifts, propane and supplies for contractors and DIYers. The Sunshine Ace Hardware B2B Division provides commercial customers with bulk purchase savings and value-added services. Through its Helpful Hub, Sunshine Ace provides professional services such as screen repair, key cutting, color matching, delivery coordination and assembly. The company’s Ace Handyman Services of Southwest Florida helps residents tackle home maintenance projects like mounting TVs and ceiling fans, repairing lanai screens, painting interiors and exteriors, updating cabinets, installing drywall and completing general carpentry services. For locations and operating hours, please visit SunshineAce.com.