Howell Tops Field
of 42 Tournament Winners
from 13 States and Bermuda

Mitch Howell of Plantation, Florida, released a tarpon, bonefish and permit on the final day Wednesday, augmenting earlier catches in the week to take grand champion honors in the three-day Rolex/International Game Fish Association Inshore Championship in the Florida Keys.

Howell was one of 42 anglers who participated in the fourth annual invitational event. Each entrant won at least one of 50 qualifying tournaments staged earlier on four continents. Point values of fish were determined by species and the angler´s choice of fly-fishing, artificial lure or bait-casting. Anglers fished with a different guide each day. "In the world of inshore light-tackle and fly fishing the Rolex/IGFA Championship is the Super Bowl of saltwater fishing," said Mike Myatt, tournament director.

2002 Grand Champion Jim Bokor (left) presents 2004 perpetual trophy to this year's Grand Champion Mitch Howell.

Howell´s 1,100 points were the highest among three anglers that caught all of five eligible species that also included snook and redfish.

"It´s very gratifying to be able to win this one," said Howell, a securities investment advisor who fished with Captains Bobby Vaughn, Rob Fordyce and Todd McLean. "You´re fishing against people who have won events all over the world."

Many followers were pulling for Sharon Ellenwood who was scoreless on the first day but caught a slam of fish (tarpon, bonefish and permit) the second day. She then made it a super slam on the final day by adding a redfish and a snook. She was the runner-up grand champion angler. “I started questioning myself after the first day of not scoring any points,” said Ellenwood, a florist. But, as the weather became less windy her focus and enthusiasm escalated with each fish she caught. She ended the second day with three bonefish, two tarpon and a permit to jump to fourth place in overall points.
	Runner-up Grand Champion Sharon Ellenwood with her permit.
“I knew the harder target fish were out of the way and my goal was to get the snook and the redfish in the final round,” she said.

Robert Collins, who led the tournament most of the way, won the release division. He finished with 1,300 points and caught all but a permit. Jim Bokor, the 2002 Rolex/IGFA ICT grand champion was second in the release division. Three of the nine women in the competition scored high in the divisional standings. Sandie Bishop won the fly division with all of her 500 points coming on the final day. Ms. Brooke Denkert scored 900 points in the artificial division and Ellenwood finished second to Bokor in the bait division. Pat Dorsy, another past grand champion in the field also scored a super slam of fish but did not place in the awards categories.

(Pictured left to right) Denise Hartman, Tournament Coordinator; Robert Collins, Top Overall Release Angler; Andy Thompson, guide; Chris Asaro, High Point Guide.

Rolex timepieces were awarded to Howell and Ellenwood the tournament’s grand champion and grand champion runner-up based on slams, and also to Collins and Bokor as the overall release champion and runner-up release champion based on total points. The divisional champions -- first to third places -- in fly, spin and bait, plus the overall top three guides received trophies and merchandise among the 16 tournament award categories presented.

(Pictured left to right) Denise Hartman, Tournament Coordinator; Sharon Underwood; Guides Pier Milito and Rick Miller.

The top scoring guides were Captains Chris Asaro, Steve Thomas and Rick Miller.

The tournament headquarters were the Islander Resort and Worldwide Sportsman near mile marker 82 in the Florida Keys.

The ICT is one of two prestigious world championship fishing events that include the fifth annual Rolex/IGFA Offshore Championship Tournament that will be held May 16-21, 2004, in Cabo San Lucas, Mexico. In that tournament teams of anglers from over 29 countries will be represented from nearly 100 qualifying tournaments competing for a variety of billfish around the southern tip of the Baja Peninsula.

Rolex Watch U.S.A., respected world wide for producing the finest watches and other timepieces, became the title sponsor and exclusive timepiece of the ICT in 2000. Platinum sponsors Hell’s Bay Boats and Mercury Outboards join Rolex again this year. Other sponsors include AmeriStitch Custom Embroidery, Bacardi, Costa Del Mar, G. Loomis, Hook and Tackle, Image Graphics, Islamorada Fish Co., Island Glass, Islander Resort, James Harris Fine Arts, KD & G Sea Life Masterpieces, King Sailfish Mounts, Rapala, Redbone Gallery, Shimano, Stiffy Push Poles, 3M Scientific Anglers and World Wide Sportsman.

For further information, contact Mike Myatt at the International Game Fish Association, 300 Gulf Stream Way, Dania Beach, Florida 33004 Email: mmyatt@igfa.org, Phone (954) 927-2628 Fax (954) 924-4299. Or contact Pete Johnson, Johnson Communications, Inc. Scottsdale, AZ. 85267, Phone (480) 951-3654.

WINNERS

Grand Champion: Mitch Howell, Plantation, FL 5 species for 1,100 points Runner-up Grand Champion: Sharon Ellenwood, Tavernier, FL, 5 species for 775 points Top Overall Release Angler: Robert Collins, Naples, FL, 1,300 points Runner-up Release Champion: Jim Bokor, Tavernier, FL, 950 points

Fly Division: 1. Ms. Sandie Bishop, Knoxville, TN, 500 points 2. Patrick Ford, Miami, FL, 400 points 3. Stephen Ward, Coppell, TX, 300 points

Artificial Division: 1. Brooke Denkert, Tavernier, FL, 900 points 2. Robert Collins, Naples, FL, 825 points 3. Dick Bassett, Lighthouse Point, FL. 525 points

Bait Division: 1. Jim Bokor, Tavernier, FL, 950 points 2. Sharon Ellenwood, Tavernier, FL, 775 points 3. Bill Hurst, Miami, FL, 750 points