Seventeen anglers ages 16 and younger took to the waters off Islamorada in search of sailfish for the inaugural Keys Kids Sailfish Tournament on Jan. 13.
In the one-day tournament, anglers – up to age 10 in the small fry division and from 11 to 16 in the junior division – competed for prizes. The kickoff party started at Angler House Marina the night before the tournament with burgers and dogs for the kids and parents. Lines were in at 8 a.m. the following morning.
Fishing was slow with a south-southwesterly wind, but the first hookup was called in by Capt. Benny Spaulding aboard his charter boat Playbaby just before 9 a.m. Angler Dallon Morjon, from Pompano Beach, released the fish 14 minutes later. Heavy Guns called in the next hookup but the fish was lost.
Tackle Center’s Capt. Charlie Scoble called in a hookup later in the morning. Angler Layton Lange, of Tavernier, would release the sailfish 45 minutes later. It wouldn’t take long before Dallon Morjon had a second fish on. Morjon released the fish, putting his team in first place. Tackle Center hooked another fish, this time by angler Zane Wampler, of Tavernier.
When the committee boat called lines out at 3 p.m., it would be team Playbaby with Morjon, 16, and small fry angler Hunter Spaulding, 6, taking home first place with two releases on time. Second place went to Team Tackle Center. Most outstanding catch went to small fry angler and Islamorada resident Gauge Nopp, 10, who caught a blackfin tuna.
“The awards ceremony at Lorelei was fantastic,” said Donny Lange, tournament founder and owner of Tackle Center Islamorada. “It was great to see all the kids sitting at one table and having such a great time. This is our first year and we look forward to making it bigger and better next year.”
