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Ron Riley, the architect behind the incredibly popular Caloosa Tournament Series, which has raised almost half a million dollars for charitable efforts throughout the area, was whisked off to a deserted place Saturday.

“We gotta get out there,” he said with a smile, pointing to the darkening skies over the Port of the Islands marina. “Half hour to get there and a half hour to get back.”

Riley returned from his trip to the isolated strip of land serving as weigh station for the weekend’s Back Country Classic, and even with the somewhat uncooperative weather, the tournament was again a smashing success.

Despite being moved from downtown Naples to the more rustic setting on the edge of Everglades City, the event drew 32 teams to the resort for a weekend of fun and fishing. Some $15,000 was up for grabs in cash and prizes, while Riley again made a sizable donation toward athletic scholarships at Florida Gulf Coast University.

“Perfect,” Riley said of the new site. “The only issue, if you want to call it that, is that we lost Fort Myers anglers and picked up more from Marco Island, Naples, Goodland and so on. That’s OK, though, because the Back Country was always supposed to be a Collier County event.”

In fact, the city’s largest fishing tournament hardly suffered for the longer commute.

Some anglers said that the bites (from snook, redfish and assorted mystery picks) tapered off as the day wore on, but the midsummer event has always been more of a social scene for locals than it has been a highly competitive tournament.

“It’s great,” guide Aron Blaisdell said, “because a lot of these guys, we’re so busy during season that we never actually get out and get to fish for ourselves. You play a little catch-up, and it’s great for all of us to get back together and just hang out.”

Capt. Shane Miller, who cast lines alongside fellow captains Ron Houston and Chuck Lapham, said the group hooked just one 40-inch snook through a long, hot day on the water. Still, the long drive was worth it, he said, considering the charity and the company alike.

“The facilities are a lot better,” Miller said of Port of the Islands. “It’s a great charity, the scholarships at FGCU, and it’s just a lot of fun. It’s not the kind of tournament you expect to go in and win a ton of cash. In fact, you probably spend more coming here now, but it’s just a great, great time and we’ll keep coming back.”

Now, Riley said, if only they’ll get all their friends to come, too.

It wasn’t a challenge moving the tournament 20-plus miles from the heart of the city, but like anything, a smooth trial run can only have a positive affect on the future turnout.

“It’s a sportsman’s paradise, and I’ve heard nothing but great things,” said Riley, whose group will next host the 10th annual Summer Slam on Sept. 12-13 in Fort Myers Beach. “We had another great time and Port of the Islands was just perfect for us.”