FINAL RESULTS RELEASE

ATTN: Sports/Fishing/Outdoors Editors                           FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

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Fort Lauderdale and Puerto Rico boys hold leads to win
Mercury/IGFA Junior Angler World Championship

37 youngsters competed in second annual event

In the second annual event Sherman, 13, more than bested his first day’s points (218) with 250 more to win the overall title in the tournament’s junior division with 468 total points. He caught and released a total of 61 fish from 18species for his 468 points and was also the junior boys high point divisional champion both days. Sherman fished with Capt. Jim Thomas on the Tightlines.

Finishing second was Nick Cardella, 14, Delray Beach, Fla., with 344 points on 33 fish from 14 species. Guided by Capt. Dave Esquinaldo on the Quick Relief he included three little tunny on fly. Reef McWilliams, 14, Miami, finished third overall among the juniors with 339 points. He caught 51 fish from 19 species, (including some miscellaneous fish worth two points), to also win the trophy for the most species released among the junior boys. McWilliams was also guided by Capt. Thomas.

The overall winner in the smallfry division was Ramon, 9, who caught and released 35 fish from 10 species, good for 370 points and the title. He fished with Capt. Greg Sheretz on the Manetti. Finishing in second place with 316 points was Sean Garrison, 8, Palm Bay, Fla., who had 26 fish from 10 species. Thomas Fricke, 8, Big Pine Key, Fla., was third with 299 points releasing 24 fish from nine species. Fricke was also the high point smallfry angler for day two with 190 points. Both Garrison and Fricke were guided by Capt. Ken Harris on the Finesse.

The boys and girls in each division catching and releasing the most species received awards included Tyler Smith, 6, Port St. Lucie, Fla., who captured the boy’s smallfry division with 11. In the girl’s junior division Laura Hood, 13, Ft. Pierce, Fla., was the winner with 15 species from 33 fish. With 99 and 122 points she was also the high point girls’ junior division award winner both days. Samantha Merwitzer, 6, Key West, won the girls small fry division with three species.

The three top scoring captains, all from Key West, were Thomas with 807 points followed by Sheretz with 658 points and Ryon Logan captain of the Cheerio finishing third with 632 points.

A total of 22 awards were presented.

The two overall winners said they were excited about fishing in the championship. “The most fun was the part when they announced my name as the overall small fry,” Ramon said with a huge grin on his face. He said he enjoyed fishing with Justin Sage, (age 9, Weston, Fla,), the captain and with his dad watching. He said his favorite fish was an amberjack which was also the hardest fish for him to catch.

Sherman said, “I loved the point structure and getting paired up with kids that you can meet and make friends with.” Like Ramon, Sherman added that his hardest fish to catch was an amberjack that weighed 35 pounds. His most fun release was a black grouper plus he was very excited and proud of his biggest fish, a 60 lb. black tip shark.

Mike Myatt, director of marketing for the IGFA said, “This was perhaps the best tournament I’ve ever been involved with. Junior angler translates to family first and thanks to Mercury the IGFA has accomplished its goal.”

Mercury is the official outboard motor of the IGFA and is a strong supporter of conservation.

Jeanine Hewlett, the IGFA junior angler program coordinator said 920 fish were caught and released from 18 of the 23 eligible, five to 25 point species. Circle hooks were used with all live and dead bait.

“Leading the catches were 109 barracudas (10 point fish) followed by 101 yellow tail snappers (worth 5-points each) and 64 sharks (15 points),” Ms. Hewlett said.

The field was made up of 37 young anglers from six states and two foreign countries. The youngsters, ages five to16, qualified for the championship by winning one of 30 selected fishing tournaments in the U.S. and several countries. Anglers ages five-10 competed in the smallfry division, while those ages 11-16 competed in the junior division.

They represented tournaments in New York, Maryland, South Carolina, New Hampshire, Massachusetts and Florida. The countries of Panama and Puerto Rico were also represented by several youngsters.

The young anglers were paired up on boats each accompanied by a parent fishing over the two days for a variety of species.

Points were awarded based on species and degree of difficulty. Fish in the five-point category included jacks (crevalle), yellowtail snappers, red grouper, mackerel (cero and Spanish) and ladyfish. Ten-point fish were barracuda, dolphin fish, grouper (black and gag), king mackerel and mutton snapper.

Amberjack, cobia and any shark made up fish worth 15 points each. An African pompano and little tunny were good for 20 points each and 25 points were awarded for a successful catch and release for each sailfish, permit, tarpon, tuna (yellowfin, blackfin) and wahoo.

There was no minimum length for eligible species, but a maximum of three fish of each species per day could be counted by each contestant. Any other fish were awarded two points each with a maximum of three per species and a minimum of 12 inches in length.

The junior championship is the latest addition to the IGFA junior angler program, which recognizes separate world records for boys and girls for 227 fresh (108) and saltwater (119) fish. IGFA has members of the Junior Angler Club in over 50 countries.

Besides title sponsor Mercury Marine, other sponsors include Boston Whaler, Lauderdale Marina, Outback Steakhouse, Double Tree Grand Key Resorts, Oceanside Marina, Key West Bait and Tackle, Shimano, Plano, Shoe Shark@ Lighthouse Point, South Florida Sport Fishing Magazine, Rapala, Eagle Claw, Daiichi, Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, King Sailfish Mounts, Reel Life Arts, Hewlett Photography, Pasta Pantaleo, Glenda and Pat Kelley and Gene and Bill DuVal.

The junior tournament mirrors two other world-class fishing championships held in the spring. The Rolex/IGFA Offshore Championship has been held the past five years in Los Cabos, Mexico, with teams of winners advancing from 100 qualifying tournaments around the world. Meanwhile, the four-year-old Rolex/IGFA Inshore Championship, which is also sponsored by Mercury, is held in Islamorada, Fla., with competitors who have won one of over 50 selected tournaments around the world.

Tournament directors of junior tournaments or adult tournaments with junior divisions are encouraged to contact Ms. Hewlett at 954-927-2628 for complete details on how to become a qualifying tournament for the junior championship. Parents who fish in tournaments with junior divisions should notify tournament officials of this opportunity for young anglers.

The IGFA is a 65-year-old nonprofit, membership-supported conservation organization best known for maintaining world game fish records in freshwater, saltwater, fly fishing and junior angler categories. IGFA members are located in approximately 125 countries. IGFA welcomes visitors to its 60,000-square-foot Fishing Hall of Fame and Museum in Dania Beach, Florida.