Lady Angler Magazine May/June 2014

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Bowfishing with Beka

May/June 2014 Vol 2 Issue 3

LadyAngler MAGA ZINE

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Welcome to Lady Angler Magazine Your online destination for female-focused fishing

Contributing Writers Anita Williams Roxsean Edwards Candace Hubble Beka Garris Debbie Thomson Vanessa Fletcher

LADY ANGLER MAGAZINE

4336 Milsmith Road, Chester, VA 23831 gary@glhollowellpublishing.com No part of Lady Angler may be reproduced in any form without written permission of the publisher.

Copyright 2013-2014

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“Fish Tales” From The Lady Anglers Magical Marlin-Multiplied

By Candace Hubble................................................................................................................................4

Ontario Women’s Angler Association...........................................................................21

Outdoors With Anita Princess Boundary Waters Canoe Adventure

By Anita Williams ...................................................................................................................................8

BowFishing With Beka Garris

By Beka Garris.......................................................................................................................................10

Making the Impossible Possible

By Debbie Thomson...........................................................................................................14 Fishing For a Cure

By Roxsean (Rocky) Edwards...........................................................................................................18

IWFA Press Release.................................................................................................................21

Fishing for The Experiences Vanessa Fletcher...................................................................................................................................24

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Magical Marlin Moment – Multiplied

By Candace Hubble

N

early three years ago in June 2011 my honeymoon trip to Cabo San Lucas for Marlin fishing became a reality. We woke up early to get to the docks before sunrise, loaded up on the boat and got our bait and licenses. As we made our way into the beautiful ocean, we watched the breathtaking sunrise and our anticipation kept building for the adventure ahead. We helped the deckhand bait the hooks and throw out the lines and begin the trolling process.

We watched some flying fish as they skimmed the water, and even had a few moments where we could see striped marlin right on top of the water but they just weren’t biting. They would throw the bait right in front of them and

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the marlin would swim right to it, duck under it and swim off. What was going on?

My heart was sinking as 7 hours of trolling in rough seas continued with the same disheartening results. It was an 8 hour trip and we were running out of time. With 10 minutes left of the trip the deckhand had reeled in all but 2 outriggers as we began turning to head back and all but given up hope.

At the very last possible moment one of the reels started screaming and peeling off line and my heart began racing. Could there be a marlin on the end of the line or would it be a small tuna; whatever it was could we get it reeled in without losing it? We were short on time so the deck hand helped me reel the fish in while my husband was recording every second of the excitement. As the deckhand horsed the pole backwards I would reel furiously down. It seemed like forever but when the fish got close, the most beautiful sight I have ever seen in the water occurred. My striped marlin leapt out of the water in front of me with a magical aerial display that will be forever engrained in my mind. Please don’t break my line, please don’t snap the pole, just let me get this massive fish to the boat for pictures!

As the fish came closer I was ready to grab the leader, take pictures, and release the fish; however unbeknownst to me, the crew had different intentions.

Most fishing trips like this are a catch and release style which I am completely ok with. To my surprise the deckhand took the necessary actions to bring the fish on board safely to take back to the dock. My jaw dropped as this massive fish was brought on board that I had fought and reeled in. As soon as the fish was landed we began heading back to the dock as fast as possible! They hoisted the marlin flag to signal our catch to the other boats and people at the dock.

As we unloaded the striped marlin and took his measurements and pictures I was overwhelmed. My Striped Marlin was 120 lbs and 8 feet 4 inches long and my smile was a million miles long. This was a dream come true for me and to share it with my husband was perfect. We were also thrilled to donate all of the meat to the locals to ensure it didn’t go to waste. We didn’t have the means to bring the meat back, nor had we planned on it, so I was satisfied with the end result of providing a fish to feed the community. This marlin has been my biggest fish ever caught

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to and don’t worry we went out on another fishing trip during our honeymoon and my husband caught 2 large tuna, so he wasn’t left out!

Now fast forward to Christmas Eve 2013 where the entire journey came full circle. My husband and I had talked about getting a mount completed of the fish but it is an expensive process and something we just waited on. We were eventually blessed with the opportunity to get a full size mount of my marlin completed through a few friend and coworker connections. We sent him pictures and dimensions but never asked much after that. We knew he was busy with so many other orders and he wasn’t even sure if he still had a striped marlin mold. Time went by and the idea of it slipped to the back of my mind as summer faded and hunting season took over. inches of my 8ft 4in marlin so everything worked out perfectly to fit the same size and weight of my fish. Because this mount was derived from a real fish, the fins have the same imperfections; rough, small cuts, and character; the bill is rough and slightly jagged, the gills are inconsistent but real, and he is beautiful and perfect to me.

Now that he is on our wall in our home, the ‘moment’ is complete. I didn’t think the excitement of the catch could be beat, but the surprise of the mount was overwhelming. I am thankful every time I look up at it and remember all the blessings it represents and all the joy that was shared with that beautiful fish.

On Christmas Eve however, it was brought back to my full attention. As my family gathered, opened gifts, and shared memories, my husband said he had one more gift for me outside. They made me close my eyes as I was guided down the driveway towards the truck. When I was finally allowed to open my eyes it was a complete ‘shock’ moment. I gasped, covered my mouth with both hands and immediately started crying. I couldn’t speak for quite a while. I just stood and stared at the most beautiful sight of my Striped Marlin laying in the bed of the truck. I was truly surprised and in shock.

The Striped Marlin mount is not just a mold created from fiberglass but is a Striped Marlin that was caught in Mexico, placed in the sand and molded. Luckily, that fish and the mold were within

Here is the link to the video of the catch: (please note that this video includes the expiration of the fish before being brought on board and may be graphic to some viewers) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=swBOjOtrTaE

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Ontario Women Angler’s Association

A woman in fishing isn’t something new. For decades females have been fishing along side their Grandpa’s, father’s, uncle’s brother’s etc. It seems like in the past few years more women are being recognized and noticed in the fishing community. There are a few female anglers that have paved the way, listened to their hearts and braved it in what is portrayed to be a male dominated sport. The image of today’s women in fishing has brought respect and integrity to the sport. Social media has played a big part in helping women anglers get noticed for their abilities, and has created opportunities for them.

I see a lot more face book pages promoting women in fishing. It’s nice to know that there are more women out there that share the same interest and inspire each other.

The Ontario Women Angler’s Association is a not for profit organization that welcomes female anglers of al skill levels. O.W.A.A. is a unique membership of conservation-minded individuals dedicated to providing avenues for other women to become a part of the fishing community and to foster the development of future anglers. Association members will have the opportunity to increase their skills through educational opportunities and to experience the outdoors. www.ontariowaa.ca Please visit the website for more information.

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Princess Boundary Waters Canoe Adventure

By Anita Williams

P

ristine waters lap at the bow of the canoe I step into. I take my place seated in the stern.

Staying low, I hold onto both sides of the canoe and keep my balance. Next, Kathy Benham steps in and takes her seat in the bow. We tighten our life vests and grasp our paddles with one hand on the grip and the other approximately 6 inches above the blade. I shove off and start to paddle north in the clean, clear water. I am not quite sure whether or not Kathy and I will be able to handle the canoe, or if we even remember how. We receive a few instructional lessons and set off to explore a weekend in the wilderness. The Princess Boundary Waters Canoe Adventure begins at Bear Island Lake near Babbitt, Minnesota.

Kathy had suggested that we get away for an adventure, lots of laughs and a first rate girls’ adventure weekend.

I was eager to hear what she had planned. Kathy works for a power company, has a great sense of adventure, loves to travel and enjoys weekends where she can get away from her I-pad, phone and work. The Boundary Waters Canoe Area wilderness in northern Minnesota provides great opportunity to do that and at the same time challenges us to test our skills. Not certain if we are ready to sleep in a tent and cook by fire, we rent a fully equipped cabin. We decide the combination of hiking and canoeing is just the right mix to challenge us enough physically that we will forget our troubles and work our bodies to exhaustion while enjoying the beauty up north. The Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness (BWCAW) covers a million acres, with over 1,100 lakes, along the

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Minnesota-Canada border. With 200,000 visitors each year the BWCAW is the most popular wilderness area in the country. 59 paddling entry points are spread between Cook, Ely, Tofte, Isabella, and Grand Marais.

It requires skill to paddle a canoe and master the techniques to direct it where I want it to go. Different canoe strokes are required that can be called upon during every canoe outing.

Kathy uses the forward stroke while seated in the bow of the canoe. Although basic, the forward stroke requires proper form which includes sitting up straight and the proper torso rotation.

I use the j-stroke from the stern as a way to stay on course. Kathy and I paddle in tandem. When she paddles from her left, I paddle from my right; after ten or fifteen strokes, she switches and so do I. This keeps the canoe flowing smoothly and we cover the most territory this way. Switching sides becomes a way to receive an even workout while canoeing though it’s not a necessity for keeping the canoe moving in a straight direction.

Our mission is to head further north, and explore. We land the canoe and decide to go ashore and hike on a trail weaving us up and down through the pine forest. The lake connects through channels all the way to the Boundary Waters and eventually leads to Canada. We didn’t go that far but we hike several miles, then are happy to get back in the canoe and resume paddling. As we round the bend we notice a huge beaver den, and pull our paddles out of the water slowing us down. I am amazed how they build such intricate dens and marvel at the workmanship as they go

about building their homes. Nearby, ripples form in the lake as a muskrat swims past un-aware of our existence. Knowing that we rented a cabin provides comfort and we will not need to find a camp site, set up a tent or hang our packs from a tree to keep our food safe from bears. Kathy and I both paddle as we make our way through the water and watch the shoreline twist its way as we head north. I told Kathy to be on the lookout for moose, bear and deer as all are a possibility.

I cast my rod and catch both walleyes and crappie. As the sun sets we paddle the canoe back to the cabin for supper and rest. Tomorrow is a new day. Later, as we sit around the campfire and roast marshmallows, Kathy proclaims ” It’s the perfect ending to a Pampered Princess Canoe Trip day”, as I pop a marshmallow roasted to perfection in my mouth I give her a thumbs up . “That warm shower sure is going to feel good” I reply.

Anita lives in Grand Rapids, MN and is the mother of two adult children. She has been a hairstylist for thirty years. Her empty nest allows time to pursue interests of photography, bow hunting, fishing, travel and food. Follow her on Facebook, YouTube and huntervids.com.

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BowFishing with Beka Garris

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The other day I walked into the post office wearing one of my Bowfishing Hoodies. The girl behind the counter said, “Bowfishing? I saw that on a hunting show I think. I didn’t know people actually did that.” Yeah...there are those of who do actually do that.

I have always been an avid hunter, and particularly a bowhunter. The credit for that goes to my father as he taught me most of what I know about hunting. Bowfishing is something I decided I wanted to do two years ago, and learned alone through trial and error. Since then, it has become one of my favorite outdoor activites...I rarely pick up a rod and reel anymore. Though it can certainly be a challenge, bowfishing isn’t as hard and complicated as some people expect it to be.

The first thing you need, obviously, is a bow. There are several options. You can start out as I did, and purchase a cheap youth/womens bow that will draw at 30-40 pounds. 40 pounds is the maximum I set my bow for bowfishing, and it is more than sufficient for the fish I shoot. Compound or recurve will work. Or you can buy a bow specifically for bowfishing. Companies such as AMS bowfishing, Cajun Archery, and Oneida sell bows designed for bowfishing. Some come setup with a reel already on them, some as a bare bow.

Some come with a complete package: arrows, line, and reel.

The second thing you will need (if not purchasing a complete bow package) is a reel. The reel will screw into your bow where your stabilizer normally goes. There are several different types of reels, and it all comes down to personal preference.

All are simple to use. There is a bottle reel, which is exactly as it sounds: a bottle that contains your line and a handle to retrieve your line once you shoot. The third basic type of reel looks much like your standard push button reel for regular fishing, and works much in the same way. There are several other “hybrid” reels out there as well, and again it all comes down to personal preference.

The arrows and tips you use for bowfishing are different from regular hunting arrows. Bowfishing arrows are made of fiberglass so they don’t skip off the water. You will also need special tips.

Generally the arrows will come with them. Most of you will only need standard two or three prong “carp tips”. There are also special tips intended for gar, and stingray etc. if that is what you will be shooting the most of. Your arrows should also have “sliders” to hold your string on as well. If you are not buying a “Complete bowfishing package” that is all inclusive, you can find everything I listed and a spool of bowfishing string at Bass Pro, Cabelas, Gander Mountain, Backwater Outdoors, bowfishing websites or eBay.

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Mart or $300 Oakleys, they will make bowfishing much easier. Sunscreen also comes in extremely handy during summer days as being on the water only intensifies the suns rays.

Once you have your setup, there are several ways to bowfish. Some people prefer bowfishing from a boat, others prefer wading or walking the bank near the water. Many prefer going out at night on a boat with spotlights. HOW you bowfish will largely be based on which species you are bowfishing for.

Check your game laws to find out if bowfishing is legal in your state, and also if it is legal both day and night. You will need to find out which fish are legal to shoot and which are not.

Most DNR websites will also have a list of creeks, ponds, and rivers where you are legally allowed to bowfish. The majority of states require a fishing and sometimes an archery license in order to bowfish.

I started bowfishing my first year with a completely bare bow, which is perfectly acceptable but I had to constantly make sure my arrow was in place. This year I am using a quick draw arrow rest, and I highly recommend it. Esper rest and Muzzy also have some great bowfishing rests as well.

Here is where bowfishing is vastly different than deer hunting with a compound bow: you won’t have a peep sight, you won’t use a release, you won’t even have a sight on your bow. Bowfishing is all about quick and instinctive shooting. If you are going to be bowfishing for several hours, you can wear a glove or finger tab to protect your fingers from getting worn on your bow string. You can also purchase “String things”, which are small rubber pieces you put on your bowstring so as not to hurt your fingers when shooting for long periods of time.

Lastly, although no one ever talks about it, if you are bowfishing in the day you WILL need polarized sunglasses. Whether it’s a cheap $5 pair from Wal-

The number one thing to remember when you are bowfishing, is the refraction of the water.

You will need to aim low in order to hit the fish.

The deeper the water, the lower you will need to aim.

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One of the most frequently asked questions for me as a bowfisher is, what do I do with the fish I shoot? Here in Ohio I shoot mostly carp, suckers, and gar. None of these are particularly considered wonderful table fare, though I do know of people who do eat them. Stingrays on the other hand, are one of the species legal to shoot and that are good to eat. In most states, bowfishing is largely about conservation. Carp in particular are considered a trash fish, because they destroy the eggs and habitat of gamefish such as bass and sunfish.

They also cause excessive algae and are an invasive species that can take over the water they live in. In the past I have done the following with the fish I have shot; donated or sold them to fisherman to use as bait, given them to the turtle farmers or simply used them as fertilizer. What you choose to do with the fish you shoot is up to you but please, do not leave the fish on the bank or boat ramps.

To all the beginners out there, I highly recommend checking out the website www.bowfishingzone.com. There you will always find knowledgeable bowfishermen (and women) to answer your questions, and it could also help you find fellow bowfishermen in your area.

Beka Garris 973-879-6451 Proline Bowstrings www.prolinebowstrings.com Official Miss NJ Huntress USA Hardcore Huntress Top Shot 2013

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Making the Impossible Possible

By Debbie Thomson

As I lay on the table getting rolled into surgery to repair my broke ankle all I could think about was now that I will be off work for the summer how am I going to get into the boat to fish. After a few days I quickly came to realize that with one foot in a cast and a major sprain or the other ankle that the only fishing I was going to be able to do would include the wheel chair I had been using to get around. My thought went to my mother and father who had always been avid fishermen/women. A few years ago my mom suffered a saver stroke and was now confined to a wheel chair and had lost use of the right side of body. I knew from experience the difficulties surrounding getting my mom in my boat, getting her in my boat was not ever going to happen as it wouldn’t for me either until some healing occurred.

On shore fishing was the only way i would be able to fish until the sprain healed.

Now that I wasn’t taking walking or fishing out of the boat for granted anymore I started to think about how families are affected by parents, grandparents and individuals getting older. How many people now need devises to get around and how so many would lose the ability to simply get on to a boat and fish?

Grandpa always showed off the photos of himself with the impressive

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stringer of fish after a day out on the lake but now was unable to show us how it was done back in the day. What about the millions of people born with disabilities? How many people would never or have never again fished out of a boat? My questions brought me on a searching mission. That is when I found Fish-Ability. After looking them up on the web and seeing so many smiles from people being able to do something most of us take for granted I needed to know more. At Toronto spring fishing and boat show I was lucky enough to meet most of the amazing team from Fish-Ability making the impossible possible. These people change lives and make memories.

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Fish-Ability Sports started officially in 2008 but had been an idea of Debbie Hillyer and her husbands’ for many years. Their daughter Vicky was born premature and has Cerebral Palsy. As she grew she started to enjoy fishing from the bank or dock. They tried to get Vicky into a regular fishing boat which was not very successful (she fell in and out every time!!).

After an unfortunate car accident Debbie was in they had to close her business in 2008. After a few weeks she decided she could not sit around and do nothing so after talking with her husband they decided to start preparing the paperwork for a fishing club for children, youth and adults who were differently able. To start the fundraising they held a garage sale and bake sale in August 2008 and other bake sales during that fall. In May 2009 they rented a pontoon boat and took out their first group of guests onto Rice Lake from the Bewdley Waterfront Park docks, after the fishing trip we provided them with a BBQ lunch.

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Each year since the amount of guests has increased and so have the number of trips. In August 2011 they had the wonderful experience of launching their own pontoon boat which they had adapted so that all can fish whatever their abilities.

Fish-Ability believes that with a helping hand & a few adaptions anything is possible.

Ability 1 went out last year 6 days a week, 2 trips a day and in August 2013 they fished 6 days a week, 3 trips a day with over 400 guests enjoying the great outdoors and fishing. The fishing program teaches conservation of the fish population, habitat and preservation of the environment.

Fish-Ability practices live release of all fish caught during the fishing trips.

During the summer they had many groups join them from other organizations, one group was from a local group home, in the home there is 2 women and 2 men which they brought fishing, so last summer they had a challenge going women vs men. Debbie is pleased to report after many fish caught the women won with 10 fish caught more than the men. The youngest to go on Ability 1 is 5 years and the oldest is a 92 year old lady. The 92 year old lady had not been able to go on a boat for about 40 years due to accessibility issues and she had a great time catching many fish.

The day of us launching Ability 1 and after the ribbon cutting the pontoon went out for it’s 1st official trip, during that day a young lady called, Julie, caught the 1st big bass for the pontoon so they started off really well.

Fish-Ability Sports Club is operated as a Not-For Profit Organization run completely by volunteers It is a Canadian Registered Charity. Charitable Tax Receipts will be issued for donations over $20.The Club currently runs 2 programs.

For more information or to donate to a great cause please contact Debbie Hillyer FishAbility Sports Club

Leo Stakos and Ron James became honor- Website: www.fishabilitysports.org ary members of Fish-Ability Sports in 2010. Deb- Email: fishabilitysports@hotmail.com bie had known them for several years before and Phone: 705 295 1538 705 295 1538 they were really excited when Leo and Ron agreed to be honorary members.

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Fishing for a cure

By Roxsean (Rocky) Edwards Pictures are courtesy of Saima Grills

Saima Grills and her sons Paddy, Charlie and Andrew with the target species Redfin and Golden Perch

I don’t think there is anyone alive who hasn’t been affected by cancer, either they have the disease or someone they care a lot about is suffering from the effects of cancer.

I was one of those ‘it won’t happen to me’ types of people for most of my life. But as you age, diseases such as cancer become more prevalent within your circle of friends or your family and in recent years cancer did significantly impact on my life. It wasn’t me that suffered with cancer, it was my dearest friend and fishing buddy who was like minded and shared the same passion for fishing as I did. I lost her to this hideous disease and have lost quite a few family and friends since she passed from cancer 5 years ago. I pay more attention to cancer messages and campaigns than I ever did.

I no longer gloss over articles and stories about those that survived or are battling the big ‘C”, and Foreground - Charlie Grills fishing with family friend Craig I happily and willingly throw cash into fund raising Chapman and background is Andrew Grills fishing with anothbuckets at shopping centres and malls. er family friend Paul Simpson

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Social media has opened up massive highways of communicating between individuals from different countries and regions, and although there can be language barriers the messages about cancer are the same and ever present. The fund raising capabilities of social media such as facebook is unlimited and instant and provides a wide reach that can span the world. For community minded fishing groups, clubs and individuals that are using facebook as a marketing and promotional tool they too can get involved in the cancer cause and promote fishing related fund raising activities.

Some terrific campaigns that I have seen recently like ‘Casting for a Cure’ and ‘Pink Fishing’ specifically target female anglers and successfully raise awareness about cancers that affect women.

An angling friend of mine recently shared some ripper photos from a fishing competition she had just competed in the Pirtek Fishing Challenge. This event and the target species were very different to the type of fishing from my area so my interest peaked a little about this competition that I knew little about and I read more about it from the competition website.

This is a Typical rock face of the Copeton dam wall

the states and territories around the country and offers loads of cash prizes. This year’s competitors numbered an amazing 8,500 and every state and territory were awarded winners.

My friends Saima and Heath Grills competed in this event with their children on the Copeton Dam in New South Wales. The target species for her region was Golden Perch and while they were seemingly elusive, Saima was fortunate to hook up

I was amazed to learn that this competito some other fish considered as by-catch during tion spanned the whole country and was also a this competition. A few weekends previously, cancer fund raising campaign. Just as I started to Saima had lost a good fish that hit the lure really speed read over the details of this competition, a hard and like all losses, the loss intensified Saima’s really interesting aspect to this fund raising activeagerness to land the next fish to hook up. ity captured me. This fund raising was targeting awareness and research projects for a cancer that only affects males – prostate cancer. Australia has a population of almost 23.5 million and 20,000 Australian men are diagnosed with prostate cancer every year. 3000 of them will lose their lives to the disease annually. This statistic is equal to the number of women who die from breast cancer every year in Australia and I, like probably many others were not aware that the statistics for prostate cancer was this high for men and equalled that of breast cancer statistics.

A unique Australian company Pirtek have partnered with the Prostate Cancer Foundation of Australia. Funds raised for the PCFA contribute to vital projects such as innovative research for the prevention, cause, diagnosis and treatment of prostate cancer. The fund raising activities include the Pirtek Fishing Challenge and it is really simple to enter and apply online, incorporates all

Saima Grills with her Murray Cod

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A fish hooked up in 12 metres/40 feet of water where Saima carefully moved her Jackal lure around the rocks on the bottom. This fish was like a dead weight and Saima wrongly concluded that she was now snagged and would have a difficult and lengthy time retrieving her expensive lure from the rocks below. As lady luck would have it though, Saima’s line unexpectedly took off away from the boat. Saima knew this fish had size and was considerate of the light spin gear she was using. All she could do was let the fish take a run and wear down and she would then have a chance to bring it to the boat after a few big runs. After the first run, Saima got the fish within netting distance but once it surfaced her husband Heath made the wise decision to ‘upsize’ the net and Saima then allowed the fish to make another run and wear further down. After several good runs, Saima landed her personal best Murray Cod, that measured in at 80cm/31.5 inches. If she caught nothing more on this day, this capture for her was an absolute winner for sure. This event is a wonderful family fishing competition and one that I will be keen to get involved in next year. I expect the numbers of competitors to increase each year and it is all for a very good cause, our men folk.

Grills boys are in the boat and waiting for the boat to be launched

Charlie and Paddy Grills with Redfin

Saima Grills with her personal best capture of a Murray Cod

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Lorraine Francis with Anne D. Crowninshield Trophy

International Women’s Fishing Association Annual Awards Luncheon April 6, 2014 Sailfish Club of Florida Palm Beach, FL

Lisa O. Everett with Kay Rybovich Trophy

Mary Muratori with Ginny Sherwood Trophy

The ladies of the International Women’s Fishing Association held their annual board meeting and awards luncheon at the West Palm Beach Sailfish Club of Florida. The awards luncheon is a gathering of talented lady anglers from throughout the country and some travel from their homes internationally to attend. It is a wellattended event and always loads of fun to see all the other members and to even meet the new ones. Some ladies see each other regularly being from their own home towns others haven’t seen each other since their last participation in one of the club’s fishing tournaments or just from Facebook. Needless to say, that when you gather a group of fun loving ladies that love to fish it becomes a loud room filled with laughter, endless fishing stories and of course the sharing of pictures of new additions to the family with children, grandchildren or new boats or not uncommon at all the setting of an IGFA world record. Did I already say these are extremely talented ladies??

Quite often, during IWFA events, I find myself just sitting back and listening to some of the stories that some of the older members share about their fishing experiences “back in the day” in some exotic locations or even locally in their own backyard catching that “fish of a lifetime”. The love of fishing is apparent through their verse, tone and enthusiasm which makes you want to be there fishing with them too!

This year’s Big 3 Awards, which are named after the founding members of the IWFA, were won by familiar faces once again and the ladies were just as excited as if it were the first time winning. The winner gets their name engraved on the trophy which is then displayed in the IWFA glass case in Dania Beach, FL at the International Game Fish Association’s Fishing Hall of Fame & Museum’s. The ladies do get a piece of jewelry to add to their collection of IWFA awards. Once they have won the same trophy three times they are no longer eligible for the same award. Lisa O. Everett, IWFA President from Nags Head, NC won the Kay Rybovich award which is awarded to the member who weighs or releases the most variety of fish. Lisa had a total of 46 species for the 2013 fishing year. Lorraine Francis from Stuart, FL won the Anne D. Crowninshield award which is given to the angler that has accumulated the most points for release of fish on the entire IWFA species list with a 2,000 point limit per division. Lorraine had a total of 80, 677 points. Mary Muratori from Miami, FL won the Ginny Sherwood award which is awarded to the angler who accumulates the most points on weight fish with a maximum of 5,000 points on each kind of fish.

For more information about the IWFA go to www.iwfa.org

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Sponsored Awards Kay Young Memorial Award Bullard Bonefish Award Texas Plug Casting Award Ann Dever Red Drum Award Fly Fishing Release Award Olsson Atlantic Sailfish Award Eloquence Pacific Sailfish Release Award Boyd M. Kennedy Memorial Award Overall Fly Fishing Award

Fiona Beck Lisa O. Everett Sharon Ellenwood Hazel Basnight Lisa O. Everett Carol Ott Lisa O. Everett

Pacific Blue Marlin 45 Bonefish for 9, 269 points 192 fish for 18, 906 points 246 fish for 43, 483 points 167 fish for 3, 847 points 19 Atlantic Sailfish for 9, 619 points 61 Pacific Sailfish for 34, 892 points

Darla Natole Lorraine Francis

636 fish for 636 points 328 fish for 24, 312 points

Annual Release Awards Amberjack, Greater Bass, Largemouth Bluefish Bluegill Crappie, Black Drum, Black Flounder, Summer Jack, Crevalle Salmon, Chum Seatrout, Spotted Shark, Blacktip Snapper (Squirefish) Snapper, Grey Snapper, Yellowtail Snook, Atlantic Sunfish, Redbreast Warmouth

Molly Fleming Gussie Leech Mary Muratori Carmen Perez-Padron Lisa O. Everett Lisa Y. Everett Vicki Martineau Sharon Ellenwood Roberta Arostegui Hazel Basnight Mary Muratori Sue Tindale Darla Natole Mary Muratori Sharon Ellenwood Lorraine Francis Lorraine Francis

23 fish for 7, 283 points 437 fish for 43, 700 points 217 fish for 29, 872 points 237 fish for 22, 891 points 78 fish for 7, 780 points 61 fish for 11, 289 points 268 fish for 19, 498 points 131 fish for 11, 145 points 56 fish for 13, 120 points 113 fish for 8, 202 points 46 fish for 11, 166 points 97 fish for 20, 250 points 621 fish for 50, 276 points 97 fish for 8, 325 points 44 fish for 8, 495 points 147 fish for 13, 860 points 171 fish for 16, 600 points

Club Records Cubera Snapper, Pacific Rainbow Runner

Roberta Arostegui Cindy Mitchell

2013 2013

9 lbs 8 oz 9 lbs 11 oz

6 lb test 12 lb tippet

605.24 points 309.225 points

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2014 IWFA Luncheon in Pictures

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Fishing for the Experiences

By Vanessa Fletcher

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I am not a professional fisherman. I work full time and am a full time mom. My husband recently became a firefighter here locally, so his shift is now drastically different from mine. We look forward to fishing together for weeks sometimes.

We get a sitter for our daughter in advance. For this particular trip we went shopping together. We put new line on our reels. We updated some of our tackle. We do fish year round, but spring gets everyone excited. North FLorida, the Gulf Coast, is a unique place to fish. They call it the forgotten coast. There are not a bunch of tourists up in our neck of the woods. There are many oyster bars, so you do have to be careful and have an idea of what you are doing. My husband had heard the pompano were biting off of the tip of an island about 2 hours away from where we live, Tallahassee, FL. We got all of our gear ready the night before and went to bed early, except we couldn’t sleep we were too excited. As soon as we got up we headed to the coast. It was wonderful to listen to music and laugh with him. We are regular fishing partners, but with his new job, time together is getting less, especially without our little girl. We share the love of fishing, now. There were reports of small craft advissory, but that it would decrease by 11am. We just had to see for our selves.

As soon as we could see the ocean, we both craned our necks. It was flat. Smooth. What was the weather man talking about? We went to St. George Island to launch our boat. As we were coming over the bridge to the island, the water told a different story. There were short choppy waves. We thought maybe it would be more smooth by the bay. We have a 14’ skiff, not a boat you want to fight swells in. We love the salt water. This island in particular has special meaning to us. This was also the place were we were married almost 3 years ago. My father, who is a minister, married us on the beach

surrounded by our family. So much has changed in such a short time. We have come a long way and I have fishing to thank for keeping us focused much of the time. As we stared at the water that was not so calm, we decided to give it a shot. We had come all that way and had prepared to catch fish! We had gone out in smaller boats. Long story short. It was too rough and too shallow.

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We decided we had to make it all the way to the point, where everyone said the pomano were.

That must be where all the fish are hiding. So far, they were not liking jigs or gulp. We went the seven long miles in our skiff to the east end. Time to catch these fish! We cast and cast. We even trolled.

NOthing. We took a break to go eat our lunch on the shore. It is truly gorgeous. I think often, when fisherman are so focused on the catch, we forget

We decided to park the boat and try out sruf fishing for a while. It was really a beautiful day and it the sand felt great between my toes. We took our freshly rigged poles and walked along the shore.

We cast into the waves. We did that for 30 minutes.

I found a starfish in the sand, but that was it. No fish. By this time we were discouraged. We didn’t want to go home. We decided to try again, launching the boat. We put in at a different spot and the water had calmed, just like the weatherman had said. It was still a little chilly, and I was already wet.

I don’t mind being cold and I don’t mind being wet, but Idont’ like being wet and cold together. I knew it was happening today though. I have been attempting to be tougher when fishing. THis was a test. We found a good depth and began to cast. He hooked something big immediately! I reeled mine in to help him. I got behind the wheel to chase whatever big thing he had down! It was still slightly choppy, so Ihad to be careful. Water was splashing over the bow as we went after the monster! It was pulling hard. It was so exciting! Finally, a fish!

And....it was a catfish. A huge, ginormous catfish. It was still fun. I did a great job chasing down the fish with him!

about where we are. During lunch we stopped to take it all in. The clouds were gorgeous and puffy.

The birds were playful and mischevious. They must be domesticated to some degree. I attempted to take some pictures and ended up taking some very unflattering “selfies” because the camera was faced towards me. I glanced over to ask my husband what he was doing. He replied, “Picking up shells

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for Vivi’s sand box.” Swoon. There is nothing more wonderful than a thoughtful father. I loved spending time with him. We are commited to finding the fish, always. We are a team, but fishing needs to be more than just the catch for the amount of time that we spend on it. We got back on the boat and put our game face on. We were not going down with just 2 catfish to show. an hour later, we realized, yes we were. We had gone to another close by island, fished a shipwreck and trolled more.

They did not want to bite for us. We did get to see some playfull dolphins, which I always love. The 7 mile ride back was defeating and painfully cold.

However, we did it together.

Time is my biggest enemy when it comes to fishing. We have gotten skunked several times in the past month. It is frustrating, but I wouldn’t trade that trip for anything. I have more fun out on the water, catching not a thing than most anything else. I love being out in nature, hunting down the fish. It is a true adventure. You never know what you will see or find. Enjoy the people in your life.

Enjoy the journey.