The Islamorada Fishing Club welcomed 60 anglers fishing on 21 boats for the recent Islamorada Fishing Club Captain’s Cup Sailfish Tournament. The single-day fishing tournament boasted $21,000 for the winning boat. The tournament was the final leg of the Florida Keys Gold Cup Sailfish Championship.
It would be a day of multiple hookups for many boats. The first double-header was called in by Capt. Roy Lindback aboard his charter boat Tiki. Anglers Craig and Seanna Lindback, of Islamorada, released both fish just after 9 a.m. Contagious called in a double, as did Que Mas, My Sea Cin, Smile Maker and the Still Right. With only 20 minutes to go, Capt. JC Cleare called in a double on his boat Remix. One fish was released, and then the team hooked two more, making it a triple header.
When the committee boat called lines out at 4 p.m., Remix was still hooked up to three fish. Tournament rules allow the angler to fight fish after lines out, as long as they have been acknowledged by the committee boat. These fish changed the standings for the Fishing Club tournament as well as the Gold Cup series.
Tiki would be guaranteed the win at the Fishing Club with mates Mike Pinckney, Tommy “Spanky” Bressler and Charlie Lane taking the leaders and releasing five sails. The team took home Pasta Pantaleo prints sponsored by Caribee Boat Sales and Yamaha Outboards along with the check for $21,000. Remix anglers Bill Danko, of Cincinnati Ohio, fishing with Jorge Corozo, of Miami, and Doug Mientkiewicz, of Islamorada, landed in second place with four fish.
Third place anglers Mark Mitchell and Kenneth Padgett, of Charlotte, North Carolina, along with Travis Bennett, of Islamorada, took third place. The team was fishing on Brian Cone’s charter boat Contagious and released three fish before any of the other teams.
Remix was crowned the Florida Keys Gold Cup Champions. Their release of the last two fish of the tournament propelled them into first place in the series with a total of 19 releases. Anglers Nick Carullo and Sarah Melina, of Miami, competed with the team. Along with their four releases in the Fishing Club tournament, the team released six sails in the Islamorada Sailfish Tournament and nine in the Cheeca Lodge and Spa Presidential Sailfish Tournament.
Gold Cup Series top angler and winner of the Gold Cup Championship Ring went to angler Mark Mitchell aboard the Contagious. Mitchell released eight sailfish over the series.
“The Islamorada Fishing Club Tournament created a great ending to the Florida Keys Gold Cup Series,” said Dianne Harbaugh, tournament director. “It was a tight race, not only for the teams but for the champion angler ring.”
