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Florida Keys
40th annual Islamorada All-Tackle Bonefish Tournament
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(Oct. 18, 2006 - Islamorada, Florida Keys)... Carl Hiaasen of Vero Beach, Fla., won the grand champion title at the 40th annual Islamorada All-Tackle Bonefish Tournament, now combined with the Mercury Bonefish World Championship. It was only the second time in the tournament’s 40-year history that an angler has won grand champion honors fishing with a fly rod.
Tom Siska of Saddle Brook, N.J., won the all-tackle title, having caught at least one bonefish while fishing with each of the four types of tackle -- spin, plug, bait and fly.
Hiaasen, a popular author and "Miami Herald" columnist, scored 17 releases and four weight fish, all caught on fly. He added one more bonefish release, caught on bait. The only other angler to have won the grand champion award on fly was Tom Richardson in 1989.
Hiaasen fished with Captain Tim Klein of Islamorada.
Siska fished with Captain Duane Baker of Tavernier, Fla.
Kal Blumberg of Fort Lauderdale, Fla., was the general division champion. He fished with Captain Mark Krowka of Davie, Fla. Blumberg also was the runner-up grand champion and caught the largest bonefish at the tournament -- 11 pounds, 14 ounces.
High point first-time angler was Jeff Bloodworth of Grayson, Ga. He fished with Captain Chris Jones of Islamorada.
Eighty-six bonefish were scored as releases (under 8 pounds). Twenty-one bones were entered as weight fish (more than 8 pounds). |
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