Brice, I got your email with your tshirt size and DVD choice and I have prepared the package to send to you in the mail. Be on the lookout! 

Hi Larry,

If you click on that link above, it will take you to the page that explains the Points System on the site. You can also CLICK HERE to read more about it.

Hello everyone! Thank you for your feedback. You have made some very valid points.

1)  If there is a picture that you, or someone you know, personally took and you want to share it, please post it in the Photo Gallery. This is a place for your photos from the blind, from your feeders, from a day on the lake, etc.

2)  If there is a picture you found on the internet taken by someone else and you'd like to share it with the community, post it in one of the forum categories that relates to the photo. 

HOWEVER, I understand that there is the occassional photo you receive through email or find online and it has a good story to accompany it. Use your judgement with those. See if it's already been posted in the photo gallery before and if it hasn't, go ahead and post it, why not? We just ask that you use good judgement.

I have contacted "udamdan" to clarify what the photo gallery is for and how it is to be used.

Hopefully this will help maintain the quality and integrity of our site.

Terrance, please add this event and any others to our Calendar. You will earn points there too. You can also include the NWTF logo if you want. Thanks for the information!

AJ, add the event to the calendar. That way it will show up on the homepage as a current event and you will earn points for the entry.

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.  

Hey everyone! Don't forget TTHA's 2008 Hunters Extravaganza is in San Antonio this weekend (new location: Alamodome!).

In addition to hundreds of booths, there will be several great speakers, such as Dr. James Kroll and speakers from Bowtech, Nikon Optics, Mossy Oak Biologic, Bad Boy Buggies, and more.

mrbigtexan,

Member referral - 300 points - is given when you "Email this Page to a Friend" and that person ends up registering on the site.

The system documents what email addresses you use to "Email this Page to a Friend" and if any of those emails are used to register and become a member, you will be given the points for the referral.

Hey everyone!!

I have added up the majority of the points and only have a couple more weeks to go. Sorry it has taken so long. I'll have that right out for ya! :0)