Takoda Ott of Fort Myers came to the Florida Keys to learn how to fish. Ott went home with a first sailfish release and a tournament award.
Ott was one of the women from Florida and beyond who hooked 85 fish aboard seven boats at the award-winning Ladies, Let’s Go Fishing! Keys University and Fishing Fever Tournament, held Oct. 16-18 at the Elks Lodge in Tavernier. The three-day event pairs a day of classroom instruction with guided trips inshore and offshore.
Ott’s sailfish, released aboard Poppa Wahoo, earned Top Offshore Release. The same boat produced the offshore winner, a 10.4-pound kingfish caught by Mary Ann Dineen of Fort Myers, and the third-place fish, a 10.1-pound mutton snapper from Jane Koppenaal of Key West. Anna Tassia Butler of Islamorada took second with a 10.1-pound blackfin tuna aboard Sea Horse.
Inshore, Blackwater Charters took all three places. Zaida Diaz of Miami won with a 20-inch ladyfish and Ana Bardales of Miami took second with a 19.5-inch sea trout, both fishing with captain Eric Scoble. Pat Kucera of Clearwater finished third with an 18-inch jack crevalle alongside captain Dylan Scoble.
“Almost every fish in the sea counts in the Fishing Fever competition,” said Betty Bauman, founder of Ladies, Let’s Go Fishing! “It’s a fun way for beginners and casual anglers to learn, build confidence and have a chance to bring home a prize.”
The weekend opened with a meet-and-greet. Saturday’s class put rods in hands. Participants tied knots, rigged bait, threw cast nets and worked spinning and fly rods. They practiced releasing fish. They practiced gaffing on grapefruits. Fish captain Lee Lavery taught fishing basics, captain Jeanne Towne covered offshore techniques and captain Rob Modys handled inshore fishing. The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission led a conservation session. A second networking gathering followed at the Islamorada Shrimp Shack.
On the water Friday and Sunday, professional captains and guides put the lessons to the test. The fleet brought in sailfish, mahi-mahi, blackfin tuna, mutton snapper, kingfish, cero mackerel, amberjack, yellowtail snapper, seatrout and mangrove snapper.
