Islamorada, Florida Saltwater Seminar
ISLAMORADA 06 SEMINAR, OCT. 13-15, 2006 - Another great success!
Returning for the seventh year, we are pleased to have another great grand finale in Islamorada, Florida Keys. The Welcome Party on Friday was fun.
Saturday began with classes on Basics, Offshore, Inshore and Bottom Fishing.
After lunch, the ladies chose from several fishing skill stations to practice hands-on fishing techniques. The program concluded with a inshore or offshore fishing trip and mini tournament, followed by a fillet demonstration.
Islamorada Fishing Report, Oct. 15, 2006:
Although the seas were dicey and the fishing conditions were less than perfect, every boat reported fishing action. Special accomplishments included two sailfish, seven tarpon and two bonefish releases, some of which from ladies who had never caught these species before. In the report, "Caught" could signify landing or releasing.
Offshore:
Blue Chip Too/Capt. Skip Bradeen: Experiencing bait fishing, drift fishing, bottom fishing and kite fishing all in the same day, the gals caught yellowtail snapper, dolphin, sailfish, blackfin tuna and more. Michelle Owen, Tallahassee, FL caught an 11.1 lb. blackfin tuna. Barbara Owen, Powder Spring, GA released a sailfish.
Poppy B/John Brownlee*: With the TV crew aboard, the ladies caught a dolphin, shark, kingfish, jacks and more.
Killer White/Capt. Kevin Cannon: All the ladies caught fish, mutton and yellowtail snapper, dolphin, jacks and more. They learned bait fishing, castnetting and about boat equipment used for fishing.
Old Hatt/Capt. Ed Kimmen: Mackerel was the catch of the day, caught by three of the ladies. Carol Wales, Chester, NJ caught a bonita, her first saltwater fish, and a houndfish.
Miller Time: Lori Povisil, Columbus, OH released her first sailfish ever.
Sandi Layman, Ormond Beach, FL and Beth Mills, Columbus, OH each caught their first kingfish. Memorable quotes: "No need to visit an amusement park, with seas like today!" "Fishing’s not as easy as it looks on TV, but just as fun!"
Inshore:
The Contagious: Fishing in the back country, Kim Gammage, Suwannee, GA hooked 31 fish from nine species, including snook, tarpon, redfish, snappers and more. She released her first tarpon and caught snook ranging from 24-30 inches.
Capt. Bob Jones: Denise Clark, Islamorada, FL clinched first place Bonefish Release with a 7.5 lb. bonefish. They also caught 3 bonnethead sharks.
Minnow: Amy Haines, Ft. Lauderdale, FL clinched the Top Tarpon and Top Inshore award with two tarpon releases and a 2 lb. mutton snapper. The three ladies caught six grouper, 19 snapper and seven tarpon, a snook, a shark and a stingray.
Born-N-Raised: Neyda Ulloa, Miami, FL had a back country slam and released her first-ever tarpon, snook, redfish and three trout. Neyda also released an alligator.
Blackwater: The women utilized a variety of fishing techniques to catch jacks and barracuda. They also learned how to netcast for bait.
Bar Fly/Capt. Brey Abreu*: Both ladies caught mangrove snapper.
Capt. Eric Bass: Susan Manis, Miami, FL caught seven mutton snapper ranging from 16 - 22", one 24" sheepshead and a 22" snook.
Capt. Paul Hunt: The ladies had fun catching mangrove snapper
LitiGator: Five yellowtail snapper showed up for the Palm Beach gals.
Tournament Results:
Top Offshore Division: Blue Chip Too. Angler Michelle Owen - 11.1 lb.
blackfin tuna, 110 points
Top Inshore Division: Minnow. Angler Amy Haines - 2 lb. mutton snapper, 20 points Top Tarpon Release: Angler Amy Haines, Minnow - 2 tarpon, 20 points.
Top Bonefish Release: Angler Denise Clark, Islamorada, FL, Capt. Bob Jones.
1 bonefish, 10 points
Top Party Boat Division: Angler Robin White, Woodstock, GA - 1.5 lb snapper,
15 points
* Take the Ladies Fishing Sponsors
Thanks to our Partners! Our valued sponsors help provide manpower, equipment for the skill stations and exciting products. This program would not be possible without their support! Special thanks to the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, Sport Fish Restoration, Mercury Outboards, Bass Pro Shops, Ranger Boats/Land Islamorada Boat Center, NetBank & Beacon Credit, BoatU.S. Marine Insurance, Lowrance Electronics, Magic Tilt Trailers, Shakespeare Fishing Tackle and Gulfstream International Airlines for major sponsorships. Please patronize them! Annual partners: Florida Foundation for Responsible Angling, Minn Kota, Bob’s Machine Shop, Ocean Kayak, Maxima Line, Power-Pole, Hook & Tackle, Eagle Claw, Bacardi, Silverstar Jewelers, Pompanette, Treasure Cay Resort & Marina, Scientific Anglers, Mary Kay, Benchmark Business Systems, Image Graphics 2000 and Printing Corp. of the Americas. Event Sponsors: Raymond James, Florida Keys & Key West, Bahamas Ministry of Tourism, Tarpon Bend, Calusa Castnets, 3M, Outback Steakhouse, Bud Select, Aylesworth’s Fish & Bait, Awlgrip, Breezy Palms Hotel and Dolphin Jewelers.
Thanks to our speakers: Capt. Skip Bradeen, Bob Rich, Capt. Ed Kimmen, John Brownlee, Danny Riley, Michelle Owen. They did a great job of showing fishing teqhniques and how we can contribute to preservation of the environment.
Great Prizes! We had some great prizes, including a trip to beautiful Costa Rica at Casa Mar Lodge on the Gulf Coast and Treasure Cay Hotel Resort & Marina/Abaco, Bahamas. Other trips included Bimini Big Game and Marina and Bimini Bay Resort. Also included were airfare from Gulfstream Int’l Airlines, tackle from Shakespeare (major sponsor!), art from Guy Harvey, Carey Chen, & Don Ray. Also, great items from Eagle Claw, Lure Box, Coleman, Taylor Made, Star Brite, Aquapacs, Lowrance Electronics, DOA, Jewelry from Reyes Del Mar and Silverstar, fishing trips with Kerry Wingo, Ralph Olivett, Bob Jones, Brey Abreu, Killer White, Greg Snyder, Don Mull, Mike Van Jones and Mark Block. While we can’t list all of the donors here, they were recognized in the class book and pre-class email blast. Thanks to all auction and raffle donors - your information was listed in the class book and your contributions help us meet growth demands.
Next Event: Special Costa Rica fishing event at Parrot Bay Village (male guests invited) - Jan. 25-29, 2007. See our website for details & registration information. A trip of a lifetime for a reasonable price.
Sign up by Nov. 15!
Welcome, NetBank and Beacon Credit! LLGF is proud to announce a new sponsor that provides services that can save you money! NetBank and Beacon Credit.
Remember, to qualify for their cash-back programs, you must enter their website from www.ladiesletsgofishing.com. For more information, check our website!
Send Us Your Letters and Photos! Please email comments about the seminar, especially if you bought tackle, boats, fishing equipment or if you have had an interesting fishing adventure. We want to keep in touch!
Media: This seminar will be featured on a TV show next year - we will email an announcement when we know.
If Your Company is a Sponsor, You Attend the Seminar for Free!
We are looking for sponsors, door prize and goody bag donors for next year.
Some sponsorships include a comp entry and other benefits. Please contact us!
Lowrance Never get lost again! Lowrance makes great products for finding fish and finding your land destinations. They have a great website that explains the basics of marine electronics and more at www.lowrance.com. You can also download a simulator where you can practice how to use a Lowrance on your computer!
A Note on Conservation: Remember, it is up to you to insure there will be quality fishing tomorrow!
Thank you, Ranger Boats, as the Official Boat of Choice for LLGF! The boat features a beautiful “wrap” provided by Image Graphics 2000. Islamorada Boat Center was the local dealer. Be sure to visit www.rangerboats.com.
Ocean Kayak brought some great kayaks to the seminar. To see their complete line or find a dealer near you visit www.oceankayak.com.
Thank you to the Florida Foundation for Responsible Angling for the nice utility trailer.
Remember how important you can be in preserving our marine resources for the future!
Comments from participants:
"A one-stop 'learn it all' in a relaxed and fun atmosphere!" - S. Layman, Ormond Beach, FL "Absolutely fantastic - It should be a crime to have so much fun in a weekend!" - L. Povisil, Columbus, OH "Fishing is not gender-specific!" - B. Kellers, Tavernier, FL "Good confidence-builder for women in the sport of fishing." - V. Silvestri, Atlanta, GA "You can ask any question - even if it's a funny one!" - R. Stormant, Cocoa, FL "An excellent venue for learn fishing in a non-threatening, non-intimidating environment! As mothers, aunts and female family members, we got info to teach and instill conservation values in our children." - K. LaFleur, Ft.
Lauderdale, FL
