[dropcap]A[/dropcap] variety of women and a few lucky men spent the weekend sharing fishing knowledge at the Treasure Coast “Ladies, Let’s Go Fishing!” (LLGF) University May 29-31 at the Stuart Corinthian Yacht Club, Stuart, FL. The program offered a chance to learn, practice and go fishing. Participants ranged from women seeking skills to teach their children, widowers yearning to reconnect with the sport they once shared, couples learning together and those taking refuge from being yelled at while fishing.
The LLGF University kicked off with the Harbor Financial Services Welcome Reception Friday evening, where sponsors and donors were recognized.
On Saturday, presenters included Captains Lee Lavery/Fishing Basics, George Mittler/Offshore Fishing and Melinda Buckley/Inshore Fishing.
In the afternoon were one-on-one stations to practice dehooking, spin casting, net casting, releasing, knot tying, reel maintenance, gaffing grapefruits, ballyhoo rigging, Magic Tilt trailer backing, cleating and boating on the Ranger boat.
On Sunday, participants practiced their newly learned skills from inshore charters and the group party boat, offering plenty of action. Dorothy Conant, Stuart, FL a young-minded 87-year-old and the highest in age ever to take LLGF, received a prize for catching the first fish. Attending with her neighbor, Denise Jenkins, Stuart, FL, this high spirited woman enjoyed her new adventure. “Now we have something different and fun to do!” commented Jenkins. Inshore anglers hooked into snook, trout, drum, snapper and other species.
With eight mile per hour winds the seas laid down for anglers to have a comfortable day. Anglers fished offshore and inshore. Every boat had hookups and releases or catches.
Each of the 13 anglers who fished on the Safari I caught fish, using cut bait as well as live small grunts. Fish included toro snapper, lane snapper, gray snapper and blue runners. Sylvia Thomas, West Palm Beach, FL, caught the largest fish of the group, a 15” toro snapper. There was an impressive but short battle when an estimated 400 lb. goliath grouper bit the bait but got away. Other patrons landed large king mackerel up to 28 lbs. and mutton snapper up to 18 lbs. The group learned how to bait hooks, use different kinds of tackle, reeling techniques and how to avoid bird’s nests (the hard way).
Samantha Slater, Vero Beach, FL, who fished with Capt. Johnathan Earhart, caught a 20-inch speckled trout and Tami Whittington, from Boca Raton, released a 22-inch snook.
Anita Winpenny, Stuart, FL, released a 12-inch jack crevalle, fishing near mangroves north of Nettles with Capt. Melinda Buckley. Christine Sears, Palm City, FL, and Winpenny noted it was their first time to go fishing in ages. They learned casting, fishing etiquette, using live bait and artificials. All fish were released.
