Executive Decision wins IFC Captain’s Cup Dolphin Tournament
Grand Champions Executive Decision
Anglers were greeted with beautiful weather on Thursday June 27thfor the 20th Annual Islamorada Fishing Clubs Captain’s Cup Dolphin Tournament. 42 anglers headed out to capture three big dolphin. It would be the largest combined weight of three fish that would be needed to win the tournaments $13,000.00 in prize money. When the scales closed at 5PM all the stories were the same. There were lots of fish out there but no big ones.
2nd Place Team Tiki
It would be Captain Sam Milazzo aboard the Executive Decision that would find the three biggest dolphin, Caribee Boat Sales and Yamaha outboards sponsored first place trophies would go to Anglers Jill and John Paglia from Duck Key, FL along with Chris Ware from Alva, FL. The team would weigh two fish at exactly 11.7 pounds combined with their third fish of 9.6 for a total of 33.0 pounds to win the $13,000.00 grand prize and Beautiful King Sailfish trophies. Captain Sam would take home the Captains Cup filled with donated gift certificates from many local businesses.
Capt. Roy Lindback of the Charter Boat Tiki out of Caloosa Cove Marina would be close on their heels with a total of 32.2 pounds. Anglers Kevin Liston and Kyle Kotalik from Wellington, FL. along with Roddy Bryson from Davie, FL and Jim Nardy of Lake Worth FL would weigh fish in at 15.6, 9.5 and 7.1 pounds to take the TD Bank and Woodspring Suites sponsored second place trophies.
Junior angler Reece Gunther fishing with his dad Jason Gunther would land the biggest fish of the tournament a 19.8 pound Dolphin. The team was fishing with angler John Watson from Ft. Lauderdale, FL aboard the Blue Heaven out of Post Card Inn. Captain Skye Stanley also boated two more fish of 5.0 and 4.7 pounds to win his team Tackle Center of Islamorada and Regan Insurance trophies for third place with a total of 29.5 pounds.
“The Islamorada Fishing Club put on an amazing show,” stated tournament director Dianne Harbaugh. Angler gifts and ditty bags loaded with SWAG were handed out on the kick off night. Fantastic appetizers followed by a dinner buffet awaited all the anglers and guests. The awards ceremony on Thursday evening was filled with amazing appetizers followed by a huge surf and turf dinner and finished off with a Key Lime pie. All the anglers and captains are excited and ready to be a part of next year’s event which will be the last Thursday in June. For more information on the tournament and the Islamorada Fishing Club call the club at 305-664-4735
3rd Place Blue Heaven