Congratulations to Captain Joe Garberoglio & the Fragrant Harbor crew! The champions of the 82nd Annual Silver Sailfish Derby with 13 releases overall and being Top Boat Day 1.
There were 43 boats in the tournament. The total number of sailfish released in the two days of fishing was 201. 
47th GOLD CUP
TEAM FISHING TOURNAMENT
January 3 – 7, 2019
Showtime! Takes Home its First Gold Cup Trophy
PALM BEACH – The Sailfish Club of Florida hosted its 47th Annual Gold Cup Invitational Team Fishing Tournament January 3-7, 2019. Chairman Anthony Cummings led this year’s tournament.
The tournament had 28 teams and 119 anglers. Five of those teams were competing in the Gold Cup for the first time! The tournament also included its “regular” teams who have been fishing the Gold Cup for years, including Ed Joy, on the Streaker who has participated in the tournament every year since its inception.
Unfortunately, this year the fish were not biting, and only 58 sailfish were released among the 4-day tournament. The 2018 Gold Cup ended with a total of 232 releases and in 2017, 448 releases!
Six of the 28 boats fished the first day and only brought in 9 releases. The second day had 26 boats out in the water and only 20 releases
Taking home this year’s Gold Cup trophy for the first time with a total of 8 sailfish and 2,400 points was the team aboard Showtime! Representing Sailfish Point Yacht Club was Boat Captain, Wink Doerzbacher, Team Captain Fred Hardwick and anglers Nancy Hardwick, Tom Russell, and Howard Webb. Howard Webb was the top angler of the evening winning the Chairman’s Award (best ratio of shots to releases), John Rybovich Memorial Award (most sailfish released on dead bait), and heaviest dolphin award.
Capturing second place was the team aboard Wrapped Up representing the Sailfish Club of Florida. Boat Captain, Andy Ford, Team Captain Chris Lazzara, and anglers Hunter Beall, Kendall Cheatham, and Brian Kirkpatrick released a total of four sailfish, all on Day 2, and ended with 1,200 points. The team also received the High Daily Award for Day 2.
Third place with 900 points was the Lo Que Sea also representing the Sailfish Club. Lach Cheatham led the team with Boat Captain Kevin Paul and anglers Gunner Askeland, Geoff Mayfield, Dave Cash, and Alternate: Tonya Love-Cheatham.
The Gold Cup was founded in 1972 by John Rybovich to test the skills of anglers catching and releasing sailfish off the east coast of Florida. The Gold Cup is a perpetual trophy maintained by the Sailfish Club and is one of the most coveted prizes in competitive sport-fishing.
Thank you to the Gold Cup Committee for an excellent tournament!
Photos by: Leonard Bryant Photography
Photo Courtesy of Island Marine Services, Fort. Pierce
DAY 1 RESULTS:
Full results on Reel Time Apps
DAY 2 5:00pm UPDATE:
Photo courtesy of Jessey Rudolph, mate on Grand Slam.
FINAL RESULTS:
Whether you’re running the boat, manning the rod or trying to get your team in shape, everyone could use a refresher on making the most of your bites. In this video, originally published in 2017, acclaimed tournament angler Fred Hardwick outlines an ingenious, practical way of getting a fell for the drop back. If that were not enough, check out what the best fishing teams on the professional series are doing in 2019. For even more from the archives, check out the bottom link– a 2014 round table with some of professional sportfishing’s best…. Have things changed? Are they the same?
Fishing for sails in Florida is a numbers game. Those who play it seem to be getting faster and more efficient with every passing season.
Sailfish 2.0 (click here…)
A Q&A with 4 of the Best Captains in the Business
The Art of Sailfishing (click here…)
Photo courtesy of Endless Imagery
West Palm Beach, Fla. (Dec. 27, 2018) – Recognized as both the largest and richest sailfishing series in the world, the first leg of the Quest for the Crest Sailfish Series, Operation Sailfish, will be held at the Sailfish Marina in Palm Beach from January 16-20, 2019. Participating teams will battle it out on the high seas, sailfishing both Friday and Saturday for the chance to take home a custom set of champion dog tags and a stout payday with a cash purse worth over $800,000.
Other opportunities to reel in a win include the “Release Round-Up” jackpot. This winner-take-all category is approaching a $300,000 payout at Operation Sailfish with a buy-in of only $1,000. Win the tournament and the Release Roundup and your team could be cashing a check for over $500,000. The 2018 champion team and current titleholder, Weez in the Keys went home with a cash payout of $210,000 last year. Who will earn the prestigious title this year?
This two-day long tournament will give anglers a run for their boats, rods, and money. With a variety of prize categories available to enter, anglers will have many opportunities to collect some hefty checks and patriotic trophies. There are two tiers of optional entry through the daily categories that provide teams with an opportunity to win over $80,000 on a first place daily. Early and late bite categories also offer teams the chance to win some bonus cash in both the first and second half of the day.
Along with the competition, one of the most notable highlights of Operation Sailfish is the unique opportunity it provides anglers to give back to the men and women of the United States military. In partnership with its charity, Operation Homefront, each year this tournament holds a “Take a Hero Fishing Day,” which is designed to honor and support military veterans, active-duty soldiers, and wounded warriors by getting them out on the water for a fun day fishing. Held on Thursday, January 17, 2019, each participating team will be paired with a hero to enjoy a day of fishing, followed by a cocktail reception and awards ceremony, where top hero’s will be presented with trophies of their own!
Photo courtesy of Endless Imagery
The kick-off party is held on Wednesday, January 16 at the historic Sailfish Marina Resort in Palm Beach, with a color guard and national anthem ceremony. Competition days are both Friday, January 18 and Saturday, January 19, followed by a brunch and awards presentation Sunday, January 20 at Sailfish Marina Resort. Tournament registration is available online at www.operationsailfish.com. Registration remains open until the conclusion of the kickoff party on January 16th.
Photo courtesy of Endless Imagery
For more information on Operation Sailfish, visit the tournament website at www.operationsailfish.com or call 954-725-4010. The entire Quest for the Crest Sailfish Series schedule can be found at www.questforthecrest.com
The first of the 2019 Captain of the Year sanctioned tournaments in the Contender Florida Division kick off next week:
Good luck to all the captains and crews fishing these tournaments.
We’re rigged and ready to see who comes out on top!
(George Town, Cayman Islands ) The Cayman Islands’ latest entrant into international fishing tournaments, Cayman Billfish Rundown, will take place May 14 – 17 2019, hosted by Hurley’s Media, Dart and The Residences at Seafire.
This inaugural multi-day fishing tournament will have one of the largest guaranteed prizes of the region’s competitive fishing circuit with a guarantee of USD$270,000 in prizes. In addition to the large cash prizes, Cayman Billfish Rundown will take place during the islands’ Carnival Season featuring the colorful CayMAS Parade. Tournament headquarters and weigh station will be at Camana Bay, one of Grand Cayman’s most prestigious addresses. The festivities will start around 4pm each day with the return of the boats to the harbor at Camana Bay.
Potential prize winnings are over USD$520,000 which includes the USD$250,000 insured for breaking the local Cayman Islands blue marlin record of 584lbs. The tournament also offers 21 added entry categories, to include billfish, yellowfin tuna, wahoo and dolphin, making the jackpot one of the largest in the Caribbean.
Unique to this event is the USD$10,000 Award to the Captain of the boat with the most billfish release points.
Randy Merren, Managing Director of Hurley’s Media, said this tournament has been over a year in the making and pleased to see the event taking shape. “Cayman Billfish Rundown is a sportfishing tournament to attract both overseas and local participants and will re-introduce big game international tournament fishing to the Cayman waters,” Mr Merren said. “Cayman is known for its beautiful weather, cuisine, diving and amazing beaches and is convenienctly located a direct route from the Panama Canal, US, and around the Caribbean.”
Camana Bay Harbour
“Cayman is a very attractive destination and we view this as an opportunity to attract visitors who spend their time off shore on fishing trips and may not have had Cayman on their radar. We have scheduled this tournament at a time of year when the fishing is plentiful, when there is a break with other tournaments and to coincide with CayMAS carnival which takes place the day after the awards ceremony, we want to showcase all Cayman has to offer.”
“The 2019 Cayman Billfish Rundown is the perfect reason for avid international sportsfishermen to plan a trip to the Cayman Islands. Dart and The Residences at Seafire are pleased to join Hurley’s Media as presenting sponsors of this premier Caribbean event and welcoming both visiting and local anglers to Camana Bay,” said Pilar Bush, Executive Vice President Marketing at Dart Enterprises.
Cayman Billfish Rundown has also teamed up with world renowned marine artist and angler, Carey Chen, to provide his expertise and ensure this event is executed to a high standard.
Carey Chen, Tournament Ambassador, world renowned marine artist and angler
“Cayman has some of the best fishing in one of the most beautiful and successful islands in the Caribbean. I am honored to be part of this tournament and am looking forward to this being an unforgettable event,” Mr Chen said.
“I fish tournaments throughout the US, Caribbean, Mexico and Central America and always enjoy the fishing in Cayman as well as the hospitality given while visiting. I’m excited for the opportunity to work with Mr Merren on the event and encourage boats to sign up.”
“Whether traveling with family or a group of friends, Cayman offers our visitors a wide range of accommodations choices from award winning hotels to luxury rentals allowing our visitors to relax and beyond the great fishing, enjoy world famous culinary offerings, indulgent spas, a host of attractions, amenities, watersports and carefully curated shopping experiences from artisans markets to luxury boutiques”, Bush said.
Registration for the Cayman Billfish Rundown is now open. Early registration before March 1 2019 is USD $2,500 and after March 1 is USD $3,000. For more information about this event, visit www.caymanbillfishrundown.com.
Eligible species for the tournament includes Billfish (Blue, Sail, White and Swordfish), Tuna, Dolphin and Wahoo.
Cayman Billfish Rundown has designated the Alex Panton Foundation as the beneficiary charity of the tournament. Their mission is to improve the mental health of children and young adults in the Cayman Islands through advocacy, awareness and support while raising awareness of mental illnesses with a particular focus on anxiety and depression. Participants will have the option during registration to donate a percentage of their winnings to the foundation. www.alexpantonfoundation.ky
An interesting man in many contexts – Captain Bouncer Smith catches quality fish of many species (from swordfish to tarpon to sailfish and snapper). Here’s the full Old Salt interview with Capt. Bouncer at his slip in Miami Beach Marina.
For more on Bouncer’s story, check out the December Issue hitting the docks this week!
Dodge Ocean Photography
Born in South Miami and a third generation native, Kevin spent the last 20 years photographing the world of high fashion and other elegant subject matter. As an avid free diver and lifelong water-sports enthusiast, Kevin has now turned his lens underwater, capturing the beautiful, exciting – and at times dangerous – world that belongs to a vast collection of undersea creatures. Kevin’s new artwork invites the viewer to pause and take a moment to see the silent, yet thrilling, oceanic marvels that few rarely glimpse.
Dodge Ocean Photography
Kevin Dodge’s work has been featured in numerous international magazines and media. His creations are in the collections of Coca Cola, Ford, IBM, Dell, Budweiser, Hyatt Hotels, Bank of America, Johnson & Johnson.
Dodge Ocean Photography
Kevin’s current oceanic art can be seen in a series of limited-edition prints he describes as Ocean Blue, celebrating the mysteries of our oceans and the beauty within this seemingly silent world.
“Creating this art has allowed me to capture the extraordinary moments when I encounter beautiful, yet wild, creatures and share these experiences with others.”
Dodge Ocean Photography
When Kevin is not shooting on location, he works from his studio in Delray Beach, Florida. His first love is spending time with his children and creating lasting memories. He is a staunch advocate for ocean conservation and hopes to share this desire for good stewardship with future generations.
View more of Kevin Dodge’s artwork by visiting:
The 55th Annual Islamorada Sailfish Tournament kicked off at Whale Harbor hosting 79 anglers, plus friends and family with a grand buffet. Great Sailfish action started on Friday morning and continued over the next three days concluding on December 2nd. Captain Robert Collins of the Last Dance led anglers Matt McLean and Mark Wodlinger both from Naples, Florida along with Ken Longaker and Robert Helms of Islamorada to the winner’s circle with a total of 14 sailfish releases. The team took home beautiful sailfish trophies sponsored by Caribee Boat Sales and Yamaha Outboards. 138 Sailfish were released out of the 170 called in hook ups with nearly $70,000.00 going to the winners.
Photo courtesy of Tim Rahn Photography.
Anglers were greeted with great conditions on the first day of fishing and it did not take long for Kalex to call in the first hook up. Angler Richard Hill released the first fish of the tournament at 8:35. By the end of day one, Kalex, Captained by Alex Adler, lead anglers Chris Chastain of Hublesville, IN, Richard Hill, Alan Sutkowski of Plainfield, IN, and Justin Baker of Tavernier, FL into the lead with 5 sailfish releases. Caribsea, captained by K.C. Spaulding of Islamorada was hot on his heals with 5 releases as well.
Day two produced 40 sailfish releases. Kalex released one more sail, giving them a six fish total in two days. Priceless’ captain Tido Sanchez slipped his team into second place with 4 releases the first day and 3 more on the second. But Caribsea released 3 fish giving them a total of 8 fish and the lead at day’s end.
2nd Place Team Priceless – Photo courtesy of Tim Rahn Photography.
The final day of fishing saw a lot of action with Last Dance Captained by Robert Collins hooking a quad and releasing all four fish by 8:50 in the morning. Last Dance hooked a 5th fish at 8:58 which they successfully released minutes later giving them an exciting start to their day. The action continued for Last Dance releasing a fish at 10:22, followed by another release at 10:47. Anglers Matt McLean, Ken Longaker, Mark Wodlinger, and Robert Helms continued their momentum and ended the day with a total of 10 releases.
Last Dance ended the 3-day tournament with a total of 14 fish landing them the Overall Champion trophy sponsored by Caribee Boat Sales and Yamaha Outboards. Angler Matt Mclean released a total of 7 fish earning him the High Point Angler Award sponsored by Tackle Center of Islamorada. He was also awarded the Bill Hirni high point angler perpetual trophy. Captain Robert Collins took home the High Point Captain Award. The High Point Mate awards went to Brandon Hopper and Dallas Hopper. The Priceless anglers Bernie Perez, Coral Gables; Thomas Sims, Miami; Matthew Rodriguez, Cutler Bay; Manny Fernandez, Miami; and A.J. Sepe, Coral Gables released 5 more fish on the last day landing them the Second Place Trophy, sponsored by Tackle Center of Islamorada, with a total of 12 released fish.
1st Place Last Dance – Photo courtesy of Tim Rahn Photography.
Anglers Josh Jackson, Temple, TX; Erik Ehlers, Islamorada; Jeremy Stigler, Rockdale, TX; Jake Turek, Islamorada; Tim Johnson, Rockdale, TX fishing aboard Cloud Nine, captained by Greg Eklund, finished with 12 sailfish releases and end up in third place on time.
Sean MacMullin Jr. of Key Largo fishing aboard Prime Time captained by Sean MacMullin Sr. released and tagged 2 sailfish earning them the Most Tagged Fish Trophy sponsored by Barefoot Baits and Fishing Services.
Top Lady Angler, Debbie David of Miami, released a total of 4 Sailfish earning her a trophy sponsored by Mangrove Mike’s Café. Debbie, fishing aboard the Relentless, also earned the Most Outstanding Catch Award with a 65 lb Wahoo caught on 12 lb. test.
Junior angler Matthew Williams of Melbourne, FL released 2 sailfish fishing aboard the Smile Maker earning him the First Place Junior Angler trophy. The 2nd place junior trophy went to Daniel Maduro of Miami, FL aboard the Mangler. Ryan Cano, also fishing aboard the Mangler released 1 sailfish and earned Third Place Junior Angler award.
1st Place Junior Angler, Matthew Williams – Photo courtesy of Tim Rahn Photography.
Charles Odum, Flemmington, NJ, fishing aboard the Smile Maker was awarded Largest Tuna Trophy sponsored by Tim Rahn Photography with a 12.8 lb blackfin tuna. Corey Nelson of Key Largo earned the Largest Mackerel Trophy sponsored by Islamorada Charter Boat Association, with a 43.8 lb King Mackerel. Colby Mason took home the Largest Dolphin Trophy with a 34.4 lb fishing aboard the Caribsea.
The Islamorada Sailfish Tournament is the first leg of the Florida Keys Gold Cup Sailfish Championship. The Last Dance is currently in the lead with 14 fish. Second place in the Gold Cup is the Caribsea with 12 releases and third is the Kalex with 10 releases. The next leg of the series is the Islamorada Fishing Club’s Sailfish Tournament on January 24th, 2019 and the champions will be crowned at the Cheeca Lodge Presidential Sailfish Tournament January 26th thru the 27th.
“Whale Harbor served up another great event,” stated tournament director Dianne Harbaugh. The Islamorada Sailfish Tournament is the primary fund raiser for the Islamorada Charter Boat Association. The Islamorada Sailfish Tournament will continue the fight to preserve and protect the fabulous fishing in the Florida Keys. More information on the Islamorada Sailfish Tournament can be found on the web site www.islamoradasailfishtournament.com
