It didn’t take a big fish to win the LLGF Fishing Screamin’ Reels tournament, June 21-23 in Islamorada, FL hosted by Ladies, Let’s Go Fishing. Thirty ladies caught a total of 170 offshore and inshore fish including 145 mahi. Fifty nine mahi were released.
Halley Lazzo, Tavernier, FL took First Place Offshore, fishing on the Big Huie with a 9.7 lb. mahi, winning a Penn 30LD conventional rod and reel combo. She lost a 40 lb. mahi at the gaff. Marion Iglecia, Fort Myers, FL caught a 9.18 lb. mahi on Sea Horse to clinch Second Place Offshore. Maryanne Vondertann, Ft. Lauderdale, FL caught a 14.85 blackfin tuna on Caribsea to clinch the Saturday Top Fish prize, a Penn Battle II combo. As she did not fish the second day, the fish was not included in the two-day awards.
Top Junior Angler award went to Amy Krueger, Parkland, FL on Caribsea for a 4 lb. king mackerel. Erin Pyper, a junior angler from Parkland, FL won First Place Inshore for a 26 inch snook release on Florida Keys Fun Fishing with Capt. Andy Downs. All anglers won Catch Ticket prizes.
The tournament kicked off at the Tavernier Elks Club on Friday with a class on offshore fishing and conservation conducted by Capt. Skip Bradeen, plus an appetizer contest from 6-8 pm. Deb Sekula, Melbourne, FL won First Place Appetizer with Smoked Salmon Dip. Thirty women traveled from as far away as Georgia to compete, with several who had never caught an offshore fish.
Fishing days were Saturday and Sunday for inshore and offshore species out of Islamorada, FL from charter boats or owned boats. As Ladies, Let’s Go Fishing hosts educational fishing events for women, this tournament offered easy rules designed for novice anglers and a chance to learn fishing on the water.
$2,000 worth of prizes for individual anglers, including a Penn Squall combo, Penn Passion combo, art prints and other fishing items were presented.
Featured on national network television and more, the series is supported by major partners including Recreational Fishing and Boating Foundation, Take Me Fishing, Vamos a Pescar, Mercury, Magic Tilt trailers, Penn, Scout Boats, Seven Seas Yacht Sales, Power-Pole and Fish Florida. Largest Annual Sponsors are CCA Florida STAR, TACO Marine, Freedom Boat Club, Sunrise Resort & Marina, Seaguar and Future Angler Foundation.
Local sponsors include Breezy Palms Resort, Jeanne Towne of Fidelity Real Estate Group, the Monroe County Tourist Development Council and Saltwater Breweries.
Remaining 2019 LLGF events, with optional fishing, include:
Sep. 7-8 Tampa Inshore Seminar
Oct.18-20 Keys Saltwater Weekend Seminar
Fishing Report by boat: With calm seas, the ladies caught a total of 145 mahi ranging from 4 to 9.18 lbs. Some 40 lb. mahi were spotted, with one lost at the gaff.
Saturday June 22 Full Day:
Offshore:
Blue Chip Too/Capt. Skip Bradeen: 29 mahi caught, ranging from 4 to 9.18 lbs.
Caribsea/Capt. Kenny Spaulding: 20 mahi caught ranging from 4 to 7 lbs., one 25 lb. amberjack, one large alamaco jack and a 14.85 lb. blackfin tuna clinching Top Saturday fish for Maryanne Vondertann, Ft. Lauderdale, FL.
Big Huie/Capt. Wayne Huizenga: Angler Halley Lazzo, Tavernier, FL caught 16 mahi from 4 to 9.1 lbs. and released two skipjacks. She landed the top fish offshore, a 9.7 lb. mahi and lost a 40 lb. mahi at the gaff.
On The Hunt: Four ladies from Jacksonville, FL caught 3 mahi ranging from 2 to 3 lbs. and released 4 mahi and a barracuda.
Good Times: Two ladies from central Florida caught 7 mahi ranging from 5-8 lbs. and a tripletail.
Marlin Darlin/Capt. Jeanne Towne: Three ladies caught 6 mahi ranging from 21 to 28 inches.
Happy Cat: 2 strawberry grouper, two grunts, all released.
Inshore:
Andy Downs/Florida Keys Fun Fishing: 4 spotted sea trout, 2 snook up to 26 inches, 2 jack crevalle and a bluefish, all released.
Sunday June 23 ¾ day:
Offshore:
Sea Horse/Capt. Rick Rodriguez: 18 mahi ranging from 4 to 7 lbs. Deb Sekula, Melbourne, FL caught a 7.2 lb. blackfin tuna. 28 mahi released.
Caribsea/Capt. Kenny Spaulding: 18 mahi caught ranging from 4 to 8 lbs and a kingfish.
Big Huie/Capt. Wayne Huizenga: Angler Halley Lazzo, Tavernier, FL caught 10 mahi from 5 to 7 lbs. and released two skipjacks.
Marlin Darlin/Capt. Jeanne Towne: Three ladies caught a 28 inch mahi and released another.
Contact: LLGF, phone 954-475-9068, email: fish@ladiesletsgofishing.com, website: www.ladiesletsgofishing.com, Facebook: www.facebook.com/ladiesletsgofishing
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Brief release:
Lazzo Wins Ladies, Let’s Go Fishing Screamin’ Reels Tournament, June 21-23, Islamorada, FL
It didn’t take a big fish to win the LLGF Fishing Screamin’ Reels tournament, June 21-23 in Islamorada, FL hosted by Ladies, Let’s Go Fishing. Thirty ladies caught a total of 170 offshore and inshore fish including 145 mahi. Fifty nine mahi were released.
Winners were:
First Place Offshore: Halley Lazzo on Big Huie – 9.7 lb. mahi
Second Place Offshore: Marion Iglecia on Sea Horse – 9.18 lb. mahi
Top Offshore Fish Saturday: Maryanne Vondertann on Caribsea – 14.85 lb. blackfin tuna
Top Junior Angler Amy Krueger on Caribsea for a 4 lb. kingfish
Top Inshore: Erin Pyper on Andy Downs, Florida Keys Fun Fishing for a snook
Contact: (954) 475-9068; email info@ladiesletsgofishing.com; website www.ladiesletsgofishing.com; Facebook www.facebook.com/ladiesletsgofishing.
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Photo ID:
Blue Chip Too: Annie Abesada, Miami, FL; Kelly Burnette, Ackworth, GA; Cecilia Cabieses, Plantation, FL, Gigi Ferrer, Miami, FL, Marion Iglecia, Fort Myers, FL and Deb Sekula, Melbourne, FL
Sea Horse: Cathy Brewer, Key Largo, FL; Cecilia Cabieses, Plantation, FL; Marion Iglecia, Ft. Myers, FL; Deb Sekula, Melbourne, FL; Sarah Cayley, Ft. Myers, FL and Kathryn Burish, St. Cloud, FL.
On The Hunt: Janelle Cox, Jacksonville, FL; Michelle Fancher, Jacksonville, FL; Leigha Church, Middleburg, FL and Cinnamon Souza, St. Johns, FL.
Caribsea Sat: Zaida Diaz, Miami, FL; Sara Reynolds, Ft. Myers, FL; Jolene Chandler, Jacksonville, FL; Maryanne Vondertann, Ft. Lauderdale, FL and Maxine Taylor, Port Charlotte, FL.
Caribsea Sun: Erin Pyper, Parkland, FL; Amy Krueger, Parkland, FL; Robin Krueger, Parkland, FL; Maxine Taylor, Port Charlotte, FL; Jolene Chandler, Jacksonville, FL and Sara Reynolds, Ft. Myers, FL.
Other photos with individual shots have the names in the file https://app.box.com/s/kzo19579c146j3mpnclhb2b9g4oald69
About “Ladies, Let’s Go Fishing!”
The Ladies, Let’s Go Fishing Foundation (LLGF) is a national charitable 501C3 organization dedicated to attracting women and families to fishing and encouraging conservation and responsible angling LLGF promotes networking among women anglers and emphasizes mentorships. Founded in 1997 by Betty Bauman, of Ft. Lauderdale, Florida, LLGF has over 8,000 graduates and is the largest organization in the world whose objective is to introduce women and families to fishing. Both Bauman and the University series – dubbed “The No-Yelling School of Fishing” – are known nationally in the fishing and marine industries. The organization has earned rave reviews from media including Inside Edition, The Early Show, NBC Nightly News, CBS, Good Morning America, Outdoor Life Network, USA Today, the Wall Street Journal, Southern Living and more.
