Former champ leads field with 5-fish slam after

Day 2 of the IGFA Inshore World Championship

Needs two fish for second slam in prestigious tournament of champions

ISLAMORADA, In-the-Florida-Keys, U.S.A.  –  Joe “Pepe” Lopez, Coral Gables, Fla. the 2006 winner of the IGFA Inshore World Championship, became the leading angler after two days by catching and releasing all five tournament species to complete his first slam towards again reigning in the grand champion title.            

The International Game Fish Association’s celebrated catch-and-release tournament, nicknamed the “super bowl of inshore fishing,” features 32 anglers from around the world stalking Florida Bay waters for bonefish, tarpon, permit, snook and redfish.

The three-day eighth annual IGFA IWC concludes on Wednesday, July 2.

Adding to his Day 1 total of two redfish and a snook both on bait, Lopez on Tuesday, guided by Capt. Bruce Stagg, Islamorda, caught and released one permit, two tarpon and three bonefish, all on bait to round out his scoreboard leading slam. “He needs a permit and a snook to complete his second slam,” said IGFA IWC tournament director Mike Myatt.

That’s what defending champion Robert Collins, of Naples, and Islamorada, Fla., is hoping for as well.  Collins, who Monday had a 300 point day on two species (two redfish and a snook) had a better day Tuesday catching-and-releasing two tarpon on artificial, one permit on crab and three redfish all on bait. He’s the only other angler with four species for a 925 point total. 

“I’m hoping to get doubles on Wednesday of the remaining species we need to pull together two slams,” said Collins, who was guided by Capt. Steve Friedman, Islamorada. Collins also won the this tournament in 2005 added, “I think with this deep field of competitors it will take at least two slams, maybe three to win the grand champion title.”

Also in contention is Greg Zaepfel, Williamsville, New York, who was “on fire”  with Tavernier guide Capt..Steve Thomas, releasing three permit, three snook and three redfish on a variety of baits and artificial lures.  Zaepfel, who won the Redbone @ Large Greater Niagara Bass-eye Celebrity Challenge in Buffalo last year to qualify said ”they were in the right places at the right times.” 

“Yesterday I was looking for permit but never found them, but today we were looking for redfish and snook, but also found the permit.”  Zaepfel who didn’t catch a fish Monday now has 975 points on the triple catches of the three species.  

Mark Cooper, Aurora, Colo., widened his lead to three species in the fly division catching a redfish and a tarpon to add to his three snook on fly Monday.  The former NFL lineman for the Denver Broncos and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers was guided Tuesday by Capt. Eric Herstedt, Homestead, Fla.

After releasing three snook and three redfish for 600 points Monday, first day leader John Timura, Islamorda stumbled in his goal of two slams, catching a single permit Tuesday. 

The 32 anglers gained entry winning one of over 55 fly and light tackle IGFA tournaments during 2007 held in eight countries around the world representing nearly 3,000 anglers on four continents, vying to be in the “tournament of champions.”  Of the champions, 15 are first time invitees including anglers from Sweden, Uganda, Africa and Darwin, Australia.

The anglers fish with a different guide each of the three days based on a drawing the opening night. Myatt, said, “The rotating guide and angler format relieves the ‘home field’ advantage to a degree and lends itself to maximizing not only the angler’s strengths, but also the guide’s.”

The anglers are vying for timepieces in the prestige tournament. The four major award categories include: Grand Champion (the angler who accumulates the most points for all five targeted species); and first places in the fly, artificial lure and bait casting divisions. Trophies and merchandise for second and third place divisional winners as well as to the top three guides. The point value of the fish is determined by species and the angler’s fishing preference. 

The daily results of the IGFA IWC along with photos of the previous day’s round is being posted each morning on the IGFA’s home page at igfa.org.

Sponsors this year include Mercury Outboards,  Bacardi, Costa Del Mar, G. Loomis, Hook and Tackle, Islamorada Fish Co., Islander Resort, King Sailfish Mounts, Rapala, Shimano, Stiffy Push Poles, 3M Scientific Anglers, Reel Life Art by Pasta, World Wide Sportsman, Zane Grey Lounge, KD & G Sea Life Masterpieces, Redbone Gallery, Image Graphics 2000, Momoi, Diamond Illusion and  Daiichi.

The Islander Resort is the tournament headquarters, while fishing and daily scorekeeping takes place from the World Wide Sportsman marina. Both are located near mile marker 82.

The International Game Fish Association is a not-for-profit organization committed to the conservation of game fish and the promotion of responsible, ethical angling practices through science, education, rule making and record keeping.  It was founded in 1939 and has members in over 125 countries. The association welcomes visitors to their 60,000 square foot IGFA Fishing Hall of Fame & Museum in Dania Beach, Florida. The IGFA web site is igfa.org.

For further information, contact Ms. Hartman at the IGFA, 300 Gulf Stream Way, Dania Beach, Florida 33004; (954) 927-2628; Fax (954) 924-4299; Email: DHartman@igfa.org.  

Deep diving crank baits and carolina rig

My opinion? I like water 48-60 degrees. I don't fish in "deep" water. I like 1'-5' of water. Fish slow, slower, or slowest. Bait size to me is just as important as color. Don't be afraid to try something new. I have fished for days without my "normal" lures just to force myself to do something different.

Post spawn I'll fish shad schools off points and guts. Summer is tough. I'm currently throwing very small topwaters and doing fair. I'm also using some 4" plastics. Still fishing them slow. Fall I'll be back to buzz baits, frogs and cranks. I'm not good in the month of January. They seem to disappear on me for a month or so.

Croatia jumps to Day 3 lead in ninth annual IGFA Offshore World Championship

Australians also make huge leap with 12 billfish releases to tie Italians for
second place in the prestigious all-release billfishing tournament

CABO SAN LUCAS, Mexico --- Before the start of the day officials predicted there would be more billfish on Day Three of the IGFA Offshore World Championship. It was just that as teams from Croatia and Australia emerged from the back of the pack with double digit release figures to top the leaderboard. 

The ninth annual event, sponsored in part by the Secretaria de Turismo de Baja California Sur, has drawn 63 teams from 27 nations on six continents, the single largest contingent of international teams to compete in a fishing competition. 

Taking the lead with 10 striped marlin releases for 3000 points on Wednesday were the 9th Int'l Big-Game Sportfishing Tournament, from Jezera, Croatia. Team members Dario Marijan, Davor Pliso, Jakov Begovic, and Vinko Radetic collectively have a three-day total of 3900 points.

In second place with possibly a new one day tournament record was the Mooloolaba, Australia team with 11 releases of striped marlin and a sailfish.

Like the Croatians, the Australians had one of those rare moments every angler hopes for in their lifetime and they took full advantage of it to score 3400 points. That brought their three day total to 3700 points after a lackluster two previous days.  Anglers Scott MacDonald, Darren Malaquin, Darren Spackman and Paul Leaman representing their win at the Springwood Marine Sailfish Shootout had 18 attempts at the fish.  They were fishing on the Bill Collector skippered by Julio Gonzalez.

“We were on a huge bait ball and there were bills every where,” said Malaquin describing the unique sight. “It was an unbelievable scene. Once we lost the bait we lost the marlin.”

They are tied with an Italian team from San Benedetto del Tronto who dropped one position from the top of the leaderboard releasing three marlin and a sailfish for 1000 Day Three points. Team members include Sergio de Tommasis, Fabio Gieri, Daniele Tarroni and Carlo Pezzini representing their win in the La Sfida TroFeo M. De Nardis, and are one of the four teams from Italy.

In fourth place with 3400 points is the Islamorada, Fla., USA, Outdoor Channel Offshore Classic team.  The Miami (Fla.,USA) Swordfish Tournament team has 3334.6 for fifth place.

With only one billfish release on Wednesday, the Sinbad Classic team from the Sultanate of Oman in Muscat dropped from a tie for first to a tie for sixth place with a team from the Los Suenos Signature Billfish Series II in Costa Rica. They both have 3000 points.  . 

Making up the rest of the Top 17 among the 63 teams in the Day 3 standings are: 
      8th   Trofeo C.N. Sambenedettese, San Benedetto del Tronto, Italy - 2727.6 pts.
     9th   Marina Rubicon Marlin Cup 2007, Lazarote, Spain - 2726.2 pts.
   10th   YCSS-IMD Fishing Tournament, Porto Santo Stefano, Italy - 2700 pts.
   11th   TTGFA Tobago Int'l Game Fish Tournament, Tobago, West Indies - 2400 pts.
   12th   13th Annual Top Gun Marlin & Tuna Shootout, Oak Bluff, Mass., USA -1837.9 pts.
t-13th   Falmouth Offshore Grand Prix, Falmouth, Mass., USA - 1800 pts.
t-13th   35th Annual Bluewater Tournament, St. Augustine, Fla., USA -1800 pts.
t-13th   XL Campeonato de Pesca Costeira, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil - 1800 pts.
t-13th   Brits vs. Yanks Shark Tournament, Montauk, N.Y., USA - 1800 pts.
t-13th   Desafio Mediterranea Faeton, Spain -1800 pts.

Tournament officials said most boats fished right outside the harbor. The bite was reported strong all day with many of the teams had double and triple hookups.

“The marlin were thick right outside the harbor,” reported local dockmaster Mario Banaga. “There were more than 40 boats fishing Gray Rock.” 

“Amazing fishing in an amazing fishery,” smiled IGFA OWC tournament director Mike Myatt. “If the fish remain out there it could be any team’s tournament to win.”

Each catch-and-release of a marlin (blue, black and striped) or a swordfish equals 300 points. Sailfish count for 100 points. The billfish, all caught on circle hooks, are scored and released alive at the boat in accordance with IGFA tournament rules.

IGFA Conservation Director Jason Schratwieser said, “The IGFA Offshore Championship proves that you can have a prestigious and competitive tournament without killing billfish. Our mandatory use of circle hooks, with natural baits, demonstrates that they are beneficial to fish and angler alike. As evidenced by the number of fish caught in our tournament.”

A total of 118 striped marlin and two sailfish were released on Wednesday.

Most of the anglers experienced rough seas, mild temps of 90 degrees and light winds.

The top male angler after three days with 3000 points is Dario Marijan with the Croatia team. Randy Towe of the Miami Swordfish team has 2700 points. Leading the women is Joan Vandergriff of the IWFA Billfish Tournament team with 1200 points.

The top boat captains after three days are Julio Gonzales on the Bill Collector of the Pisces Fleet at 4300 points, and Victor Sandes on the Dream of the Picante Fleet with 3900 points.  Seven boats are tied for third at 2700 points.

The final results of the four-day event will be made on Friday at noon PDT.

Countries and territories represented include teams from Angola, Australia, the Bahamas, Bermuda, Brazil, Canada, Costa Rica, Croatia, Grenada, Guatemala, Italy, Jamaica, Kenya, Mexico, New Zealand, Panama, Papua New Guinea, Portugal, Puerto Rico, St. Lucia, Spain, Sultanate of Oman, Trinidad & Tobago, Turks and Caicos, the United States, Vanuatu and Venezuela. Many of the teams in the ninth annual tournament will be represented by anglers from a number of additional countries.

The teams previously qualified by winning one of 130 IGFA sanctioned tournaments held in 38 countries worldwide during 2007. Each team fishes from four different boats captained by local Cabo guides. The teams also receive “weight” points (per pound) over 25 lbs. for tuna, wahoo and dorado.  Local charities receive the donations of all fish weighed at the Cabo docks. 

The top team wins engraved watches along with trophies and merchandise.  Awards are presented through to the third place finishing team.  
Partners and sponsors for the IGFA Offshore World Championship are Secretaria de Turismo de Baja California Sur, Costa Del Mar, Hotel Finisterra, Guy Harvey Inc., Shimano,  Picante Sport Fishing and Yacht Sales, Cabo Yachts, K D & G Sea Life Masterpieces, Hook & Tackle, Momoi Hi-Catch, Murray Products, AFTCO BlueWater, Bodo Muche, Minerva’s Baja Tackle, Señor Greenberg’s, IWS Scales, King Sailfish Mounts, Pompanette, Pisces Sportfishing, Corona and Modelo S.A DE C.V. Mexico, Don Tyson, Trans Cabo, Eagle Claw, MoldCraft Products, Inc. and API Dock.
Daily results of the previous day’s round are posted each morning on the IGFA’s home page at www.igfa.org .  A list of registered teams can also be found on the web site under the fishing tab on the home page by clicking “tournaments.”

Founded in 1939 the IGFA is a not-for-profit organization committed to the conservation of game fish and promotion of responsible, ethical angling practices through science, education, rule making and record keeping.  IGFA members are located in over 125 countries and territories. The IGFA welcomes visitors to its 60,000-square-foot interactive Fishing Hall of Fame and Museum in Dania Beach, Florida.

If your going during the week, try Traylor Island, or the outside of Mud Island. Also Ransom Island.  Use croaker if you want to spend some money or piggy perch. Live shrimp will work under an Alameda rattlin  cork, you'll lose a lot of bait to bait stealers. Target 3-4 foot depths. If using lures can't go wrong with Norton Sand eels, regular or JR's. Pumpkinseed/Chartruese tail is a good choice. 1/8 jighead if not too windy.Try along Lydia Ann Channel when the tide is falling find those sloughs and fish perch outside of them. Good for reds. Wells in the deeper water will produce if light wind. Same baits, lots of trout. Good luck.

It's been a few years but I used to catch some really nice channel cats (3-5 lbs.)  fishing worms 3-4 feet under a cork. I fished right below the dam on the rocks and casted across to the rocks on the other side. The closer the better, it drops off immediately.

You can always fish for rainbows in the same place with corn, salmon eggs or Power Baits (I'm assuming it's still legal to use natural baits for trout). I've just never caught anything longer than 10-12 inches.

Good luck.