Presidential Flamingo Fishing Rodeo Hosts Near-Record Turnout

Emerging victorious in the Maverick Yachts Offshore Division was the team aboard La Luna with 293 points. They were followed by Secario with 253 points and Casa Marlin/Bushwacker with 241 points. Secario also had Most Billfish Releases with 120 points, an award sponsored by Wet Ass II Sport Fishing. For their efforts the team will receive an invitation to fish in the prestigious Offshore World Championship event in Quepos, Costa Rica, in April, 2022.

In the Bluewater Properties Inshore Division, the top boat was Harambe with 167 points. Casa Marlin/Bushwacker scored 161 points, and the team on Yellow/Papachulo was third with 143 points.

The Top Family award, sponsored by Go Fish, was presented to the Con family from Curacao, fishing on Permit III, with 238 points. Their daughter, Briana, was the Top Junior Female angler as well. The Top Male Angler was Matt Garrett on Coyote Tres with 162 points, while the Top Female Angler, sponsored by Marie’s Restaurant, was Olga Diaz. She caught the longest dorado at 49 inches aboard Senuelo del Pacifico to win that award sponsored by Pure Fishing. Catarina Suarez had the Most Roosterfish Releases.

“We’re going back to the basics with this tournament,” says Flamingo Fishing Rodeo founder Joan Vernon. “It’s time we put the fun and family back into sport fishing, as well as a more focused appeal to the charter boat angler.” In fact, she says the tournament’s mission statement is to publicize Flamingo as the fishing destination that it used to be by helping charter captains book clients to fish this event. “It’s been very exciting to work with the charter captains as well as the business owners in Flamingo, many of whom have been friends of mine for many years,” she says. “And we will also benefit not only marine conservation in Costa Rica but also a local charity called Abriendo Mentes, which is a nonprofit organization to help provide assistance to people in that part of Costa Rica to have access to enhanced education and employment opportunities.”

For more information on the Presidential Challenge Charitable Foundation, or the Presidential Flamingo Fishing Rodeo, visit www.preschallenge.com.