By Kit Mobley
The winter winds have arrived, and with them, the world-renowned sailfish season in Islamorada is officially in full swing.
The bite has been electric, and the recent tournament action proves that the “Sportfishing Capital of the World” is living up to its name.
Highlights from the 62nd annual Islamorada Sailfish Tournament
The docks are buzzing with the results of the 62nd Islamorada Sailfish Tournament, which just wrapped up with some incredible numbers. The fleet faced stiff competition, but two teams separated themselves from the pack.
A huge congratulation goes to Team Killbox, which won the pro division. They dominated the field, clinching the pro division victory with nine sailfish releases. Their consistency in these conditions was nothing short of a clinic. Killbox was led by fish captain Cody Darbie and owner/angler Tyler Kelley. Anglers and mates included KC Spaulding, Corbin Buckley, Digger Rodamer, Joe Marino, Trevor Newman and Jose Boza.
In the non-pro division, Team Kalex took home the top honors, putting five releases on the board to secure the win. Led by fish captain Alex Adler, Team Kalex mates included Hunter Proctor, Justin Baker, Eddit Pullis and Arty Castanols. The anglers included Chris Chastain, Sam Chastian, Allen Kurkowski and Nathan Burns.
Conditions and the ‘shower’
Right now, we are seeing one of the most unusual predatory displays in the ocean. Islamorada remains one of the only places on the planet where you can target sailfish in less than 30 feet of water while sight fishing.
The north winds are pushing massive schools of bait up onto the reef edge and into the shallows. Keep your eyes peeled for “showering” bait — when you see ballyhoo erupting from the surface in panic, a pack of sailfish is likely right on their tails. Watching a massive sailfish illuminate its colors and slash through a bait ball in crystal-clear, shallow water is a bucket-list experience happening right now.
