Ft. Lauderdale Event - Another great success!

We were pleased to have a successful 7th annual event in Ft. Lauderdale, where participants learned new fishing and conservation skills! We offered an abundance of skill stations so participants could concentrate on skills most valuable to them. Special thanks to the IGFA, Bass Pro Shops and the Bahia Cabana for their hospitality. We thank Capt. Sam Crutchfield for performing his fun fishing music on Friday night! Also, remember to use your free entry to visit the IGFA Hall of Fame & Museum . NBC News with Tom Brokaw has advised us their coverage of "Ladies, Let's Go Fishing" is expected to be shown on Friday, March 15 at 6:30 pm. LLGF Fishing Report Although we had nice sea conditions and more sailfish releases than any prior seminar in this area, fish catching was sporadic. We wish those who did not have the opportunity to catch to have better luck the next time they fish, armed with some new know-how from the class. Almost every boat caught fish, and there were several first-time sailfish releases! Sandbob: There was unbelievable emotion and team camaraderie when Kimi Gurnee hooked into her first sailfish ever. The women were cheering and were overcome with awe. They learned knot tying, kite fishing and wreck fishing. Winter's Dream: The ladies had a great time, catching 5 dolphin and a king mackerel. Donna Kirk and Trish Dean caught their first dolphin ever. Just Dinghy: Karen Kilgannon caught a 35 lb. wahoo. Australian Gold: Kite fishing and bottom fishing on the same day! It was Lizz Palleija's first time fishing ever, and she caught the most! They caught 4 snappers, a dolphin, two grouper, a 30 lb.amberjack and several other jacks. Shameless: Three dolphin caught, fishing with kites. What fun! Double-Up: Gloria Bailey and Shari Brewer teamed up to pull in a Scamp and enjoyed the company of the NBC crew. For the first time in six years, Betty Bauman had a chance to fish during the LLGF weekend, but wasn't lucky enough to catch a fish. Norm Welter & son, Mike, did an excellent job of showing several styles of fishing. Bouncer's Dusky: The women learned how to catch bait, knot tying & more. Margie McGough caught her first sailfish and the ladies caught 2 dolphin. Sue Gordon had a long distance sailfish release! Lady Pamela: The women had a chance to experience several methods of bottom fishing, slow trolling and bait fishing. They caught ballyhoo, a 40 lb. amberjack, a 10 lb. kingfish and a 3 lb. chub. My Girls: Laura Kay released her first sailfish-a 60 pounder. At one time, they had two sailfish on. Never Satisfied: Fishing with live bait with on a kite and flat line, the women released 2 sailfish and caught 3 kingfish, a dolphin and a barracuda. The two women catching their first sailfish ever were Ingrid Moncada and Rosa Yero. The Natural: Three kingfish and a dolphin were the catch of the day for the Natural! Tight Game: Irene White caught her first fish ever! After catching 2 bonita and a king mackerel, the women were excited to hook into a sailfish, which took a giant leap before it jumped off. Free Spool: Capt. Dennis Forgione showed the women a great time, with anglers catching 5 dolphin. They pulled the hook on a sailfish and lost a king mackerel at the boat - the trials and tribulations of fishing! Thanks to our Take the Ladies Fishing Partners: and a big thank-you to Frank Salvino from Total Marine for organizing the Mercury team! Others who took the ladies fishing were Scott Beattie/Preferred Marine, Casey Hunt, Norm Welter, Danny Massa, Jeff Sessa, SandBob, Jon Gunblach, Jim Oliver, Dan Reese and Brian Sanders. Great job, guys! A Note on Conservation: Remember, it is up to you to insure there will be quality fishing tomorrow! Thanks to our Partners! Our valued sponsors help provide manpower and equipment for the skill stations as well as make it possible for you to take their products home. This gives you the opportunity to become familiar with the best names in the industry. Special thanks to the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission , Sport Fish Restoration, Mercury Outboards (presenting sponsor), Ranger Boats (Official Boat) /Preferred Marine, Bass Pro Shops , (Wahoo Sponsor), BoatU.S. Marine Insurance (Insurance Sponsor), Penn , Marine Industries Association of South Florida , Lowrance Electronics and Gulfstream International Airlines (official airlines) for major sponsorships. Please let them and our other sponsors know how you liked the class: Annual partners include Magic Tilt Trailers, Maxima Line, H2Optix Sunglasses, Yo-Zuri Lures, Eagle Claw Hooks, Saltwater Fly Fishing Magazine, Hook & Tackle Sportswear, Silverstar Jewelers, Pompanette, Reel Native Florida Fishing (reelnative.com) , Treasure Cay Resort & Marina, The Islands of the Bahamas, Benchmark Business Systems and Printing Corp. of the Americas. Class partners: Jupiter Inlet Offshore Fishing Club, Fonda Fishing, Sawgrass Ford, Lee Fisher Intl. Cast Nets, South Fishing, Motion Eaze, Knarly Harley, Picture Perfect Custom Framing and Mary Kay Cosmetics & Sunscreen. Patron sponsors were: Plano Molding Company, Tight Lines Publications, Total Marine, and Gray Taxidermy. They are in the class book. Welcome, Ranger Boats , as the Official Boat of Choice for LLGF! Want to see more? Visit Prefered Marine Sales Group, or call 954-527-9000. Or visit www.rangerboats.com . Thanks for joining us for a taste of South Florida's best at our Friday night Conservation Reception! Sponsors included Mama Mia's, the Islamorada Fish Company, Grampa's Bakery, Dockers Bar & Cafe, and Paine Webber. Proceeds benefitted the International Fellowship of Hunting and Fishing Rotarians, to teach underpriviliged kids to fish. Join the LLGF Association and get $10 off your next registration! For $35 annual membership, you will receive newsletters with fishing tips and discounts, news on class participants, a pen pal section, member card, decal and more! You're invited to the next South Florida Chapter Meeting of the Ladies , Let's Go Fishing Association, at the Harbor Grille (formerly Tugboat Annie's), on Wednesday, March 20 from 6:30 to 8:30pm. Please call 954-927-3232 for directions. Call Lee Lavery at 954-923-3072 or email LLADYFISH@AOL.COM to RSVP. If you are interested in joining the St. Augustine or Tampa Bay Chapters, please contact: St. Augustine: Sylvia McGinnis 904-829-9132, email: marykayflorida@aol.com Tampa Bay: Leiza Fitzgerald 727-461-2585 email: leiza.intro@gte.net Thanks to our Speakers: Marsha Bierman, Capt. Bouncer Smith , Capt. Dennis Forgione , Capt. Andy Novak, and Chuck Baldwin! They did a great job of showing how we can contribute to preservation of the environment. Great Prizes! We had some outstanding prizes, thanks to our sponsors listed above, and donors: Trips to Bahamas: Treasure Cay Hotel Resort & Marina, Kamalame Cay, Dolphin Encounters, Bimini Big Game Club, Walker's Cay, airfare from Gulfstream Int'll Airlines! Fishing with Capt. Andy Novak, Otto Greene, Capt. Billy Noll. Also items from Gray Taxidermy, Marina & Dock Equipment, Vanmark, Lurebox, prizes from BoatUS Marine Insurance, Bass Pro Shops and famous art prints! Thanks to auction & raffle donors - check your class book to find these companies! Please Join our Upcoming Events: Ft. Myers April 13-14, St. Augustine June 1-2, St. Petersburg July 27-28, Hawaii Aug 11-13, and Florida Keys October, 18-20. A registration for Ft. Myers and St. Augustine was placed in the goody bags. Hope to see you there! Need Marine Insurance? Get a free quote at Boat/US Marine Insurance at Boat/US.com. Send Us Your Letters and Photos! We are looking for new material for the Association and website. Let us know if you bought tackle, boats, trucks, or fishing equipment - or, how your fishing after the class is going. Thanks! If Your Company is a Sponsor, You Could Attend Free! We are looking for sponsors, door prize and goody bag donors for next year. Some sponsorships include comp entries and other benefits. We are also seeking a computer and audio/visual equipment. Please contact us! LLGF is seeking help: In the office, we need someone to training us on computer programs such as Pagemaker, Quickbooks, MS Word and more. Also, a few good women for our committee, and volunteers to work at boat shows, especially the Palm Beach Boat Show at the Magic Tilt booth. Please contact us if interested! Lowrance has the answer to finding fish, and finding your way on the water. Did you know their hand-held units can help you find your way around town when you're driving, too? Contact www.lowrance.com Alaska Fishing for Women - There are still spots available the week of July 6 for our trip toThe Cove Lodge, Elfin Cove Alaska. Cost is $2,600 for 4 nights, 3 1/2 days of fishing, terrific meals, www.covelodge.com or 800-382-3847. Not included: air to Juneau or transfer to Elfin Cove. Those interested should place their reservations while there is space! Remember how important you can be in preserving our marine resources for the future!