Keys teen angler continues lead in
Day 2 of the IGFA Inshore World Championship

Has 1400 points in prestigious tournament of champions

By Pete Johnson, Johnson Communications, Inc. – IGFA PR counsel

Richard Black, Tavernier, Fla. (left) has a 600 point smile as he increased his overall lead guided by Capt. Mike Hutchisson on Day Two of the IGFA Inshore World Championship. (Photo by Adrian Gray, IGFA)

ISLAMORADA, In-the-Florida-Keys, U.S.A. – Richard Black continued his tenacious pursuit of the IGFA Inshore World Championship pushing his score to 1400 points on a limit of redfish and snook in day two of the three day competition.

The soft-spoken 17-year old angler from Tavernier, guided by Capt. Mike Hutchisson of Miami Springs, Fla., is the youngest competitor among the 22 men and six women in the world class fly and light tackle championship field. Black caught the three redfish and three snook near Flamingo. With the 600 points on day two he also leads in the artificial bait division with 1200 points.

But to win the grand champion title he’ll need at least a tarpon and a permit to complete the five species slam with the sole bonefish he caught in the first round.

“Richard Black has the points but not all the species of fish. Any of a dozen anglers could complete a slam with just one or two fish towards the grand champion title,” said IGFA IWC tournament director Mike Myatt.

The grand champion is the angler who accumulates the most points for all five targeted species. The angler catching the most slams or the largest portion of a slam wins. T he other three major award categories include first places in the fly, artificial lure and bait casting divisions.

“There will be a lot of strategy sessions on the water Wednesday among the anglers and their guides to catch the species they need to complete a slam or two or the divisional titles,” said Myatt.

The three-day seventh annual IGFA IWC ends Wednesday, July 11.

John Timura, Islamorada, Fla. relaxing after placing second overall with a limit of redfish and snook on Day 2. (Photo by Adrian Gray, IGFA)

Jumping into second place with 1000 overall points for the two days was another local Keys angler John Timura of Islamorada guided by Capt. Doug Lillard, Hollywood, Fla. He limited out on three redfish and three snook all caught on artificial plastic baits in the Flamingo waters for a 600 point day. “We hoped to catch some tarpon and bonefish today, but found few and they weren’t biting,” Timura said. He also needs a permit.

In third place in overall points and pushing for the five species is Charles Hogan, Bedford N.H. with 775 points, guided by Capt. Chris Jones of Islamorada. Hogan added 400 points Tuesday with two redfish, one of fly and the other on artificial along with a permit on live crab. Hogan needs two tarpon and two snook on Wednesday to complete a double slam.

Troy Pruitt, Naples, Fla., guided by Capt. Larry Sydnor, Key Largo, moved up to fourth place catching a limit of redfish and snook by 10 a.m. also in Flamingo waters but failed to produce the a tarpon, the only other species he needs to complete the slam. “I plan to make that happen on Wednesday,” he said.

Past title holder Robert Collins, Naples, dropped to fifth place catching only one bonefish. The winner of the 2005 championship said, “I had a dozen shots at bonefish today but only one felt like eating.” He needs a snook and a redfish to complete his slam.

Two anglers have four of the five species. Tony Horsley, Glen Allen, Va., and defending champion Joe Lopez, Coral Gables, Fla., each need a tarpon to complete their slam.

Charles Hogan of Bedford, N.H. with a permit.  He's in third overall in points after Day 2. (Photo by Capt. Andy Thompson, IGFA)

The event is dubbed the “super bowl of inshore fishing,” a world-class inshore catch-and-release format of anglers stalking the surrounding waters for bonefish, tarpon, permit, snook and redfish. Each gained entry winning one of over 55 fly and light tackle IGFA sanctioned tournaments during 2006 held in eight countries around the world representing nearly 3,000 anglers on four continents, vying to be in the “tournament of champions.” They include 14 first time invitees including anglers from Uganda, Africa and Darwin, Australia.

In a captain’s draw each angler was matched with a different guide and angler for each of the three days. “To a degree the rotating guide and angler format relieves the ‘home field’ advantage and lends itself to maximizing not only the angler’s strengths, but also the guide’s,” said Myatt.

Troy Pruitt of Naples, is currently in 4th position overall in the scoring of the IGFA Inshore World Championship in Islamorada. (Photo by Adrian Gray, IGFA)

The contestants are vying for engraved timepieces in the prestige tournament. There are also trophies and merchandise for second and third place divisional winners in the three categories as well as to the top three guides. The point value of the fish is determined by species and the angler’s preference choice of fly fishing, artificial lure or bait.

The Islander Resort is the tournament headquarters, with fishing and daily scoring taking place from the World Wide Sportsman marina. Both are located near mile marker 82.

Sponsors include Mercury Outboards,  Bacardi, Costa Del Mar, G. Loomis, Hook and Tackle, Islamorada Fish Co., Islander Resort, King Sailfish Mounts, Rapala, Shimano, Stiffy Push Poles, 3M Scientific Anglers, Reel Life Art, World Wide Sportsman, Zane Grey Lounge, KD & G Sea Life Masterpieces, Redbone Gallery, Image Graphics 2000, Momoi and Daiichi.

Pasta Pantaleo is the official artist of the IWC.

The daily results of the IGFA IWC along with photos of the previous day’s round is being posted each morning on the IGFA’s home page at igfa.org.

The IWC is the second in a series of world wide competitive fishing events that includes the eighth annual IGFA Offshore World Championship held in May in Cabo San Lucas, Mexico.

The International Game Fish Association is a not-for-profit organization committed to the conservation of game fish and the promotion of responsible, ethical angling practices through science, education, rule making and record keeping. It was founded in 1939 and has members in over 125 countries. The association welcomes visitors to their 60,000 square foot IGFA Fishing Hall of Fame & Museum in Dania Beach, Florida. The IGFA web site is igfa.org.

For further information, contact Ms. Hartman at the IGFA, 300 Gulf Stream Way, Dania Beach, Florida 33004 ; (954) 927-2628; Fax (954) 924-4299; Email: DHartman@igfa.org.

Day 1 Results  Day 3 Results

Scoreboard

Anglers Summary

Guides

Back to top