|
ISLAMORADA,
Fla. ----Mitch Howell made it a race to the wire by winning the
14th Annual Mercury Outboards Cheeca Redbone celebrity
fishing tournament Sunday.
|
|
|
Grand
Champion angler, Mitch Howell, Plantation, FL
|
Widely
recognized as the crown jewel in the "Triple Crown of Flats
Fishing Tournaments," the Redbone was the final event in
the fall trilogy of Fla. Keys tournaments, which are annual fundraisers
for cystic fibrosis (CF) research.
It was Howell’s seventh Redbone victory as he edged out fellow
Plantation (near Ft. Lauderdale) angler Tim Mahaffey by just 50
points, the point value of a single redfish on bait. Guided by
Islamorada Capt. John Donnell, Howell caught three bonefish and
12 redfish for 1400 points to Mahaffey’s 1350 points from
three bones and nine redfish, many of them for extra points on
fly. Capt. Rick Murphy, Homestead, guided Mahaffey.
|
|
|
Celebrity
Grand Champion, Bruce Melnick, retired astronaut and Tom
Wuckovich.
|
Mahaffey
did though have the most points to win his first Mercury Redbone
Series Grand Championship, which included the Mercury S.L.A.M.
in Key West in early September, and the Mercury Baybone in Key
Largo later that same month. He received the series blue jacket
and a gold Rolex.
Originally
set for early November, the Redbone (redfish and bonefish) was
interrupted by the evacuation of the Keys for approaching Hurricane
Michelle as 70 boats were prepared to launch.
The
series points leader after the two tournaments was four-time series
winner Jim Bokor, Tavernier. But prior business commitments kept
him from fishing the postponed event. Bokor had 1,500 series points
to Mahaffey’s 750. As the Redbone’s first-runner up
angler, Mahaffey collected another 750 points to finish even with
the absent Bokor in series points. But the tie was broken based
on accumulated points of each angler over the three tournaments.
Mahaffey
also won the Redbone’s fly division, something he had done
at the other two series events as well.
Howell
and his teammate John Smith, Miami, were named the team grand
champions. Smith also took the spin and plug division.
Howell
collected more prized artwork and bronzed sculptures for the most
bonefish releases (based on time) and the most redfish releases.
He also won the general division for the most catches and releases
on bait. Howell also won the Seamaster Superfly, a one-day, one
pattern fly tournament the day before the hurricane interrupted
Redbone.
|
|
|
Largest
bonefish, Capt Rich Tudor, Islamorada, FL and Stu Apte,
Islamorada, FL
|
In
less than a month tournament founders and directors Capt. Gary
and Susan Ellis, with a multitude of volunteers, were able to
resurrect the event and attract 42 teams of guides, anglers and
celebrities from across the nation, Europe and the Caribbean.
Two-time
NASA Space Shuttle Astronaut Bruce Melnick, was named celebrity
grand champion catching three redfish. Capt. Steve Thomas, Tavernier,
guided him.
Pro-celebrity
honors went to tour bass pro Scott Martin, Clewiston, Fla., guided
by Capt. Jim Dalrymple. Martin, the son of famed tour pro and
TV host Roland Martin, caught two redfish and one bonefish.
Heidi
Kenyon, Crooked Islands, Bahamas, won the Ladies Grand Champion
award. She and her Bahamian partner Carter Andrews were the first
runner-up team. They were guided by Capt. Tom Rowland, Key West.
Legendary
angler Stu Apte, guided by Capt. Rich Tudor, both of Islamorada,
caught the largest bonefish in the history of the Redbone.
He
credited his teammate John Riegor, the owner of Turn Key Marine
in Marathon, for his quick action in starting the engine and helping
to get the boat off the flats to chase the rapidly running bonefish
before it spooled Apte’s line. It measured 31 inches and
weighed in at 14 lbs.12 ozs. before it was safely released.
Irwin
Gordon, Islamorada, with Key Largo Capt. Frank Ortiz, caught the
largest redfish measuring 27 inches.
The
awards banquet was held at the Cheeca Lodge in Islamorada, with
American Sportsman host Curt Gowdy as the emcee.
Howell
will advance to the IGFA/Rolex Inshore Championship next spring
to compete with the winners of over 30 other major tournaments
around the world including Dan Zicari, Vero Beach, the winner
of the SLAM and Bokor, the winner of the Baybone.
|
|
|
First
Runner-Up Team Anglers and Grand Champion Lady Angler, Carter
Andrews, Crooked Island, Bahamas and Heidi Kenyon, Crooked
Island, Bahamas.
|
Platinum
Plus sponsors of the Mercury Outboards title sponsored Redbone
series include Rich Products, Robert-James Sales, Actioncraft
Boats and Rolex. Platinum sponsors include Cheeca Lodge, Orvis,
Seamaster Reels, Seacoast Supply Co., American Specialties, Redbone
Rods by Hurricane and Hell’s Bay Boat Works.
The
tournaments have raised over $2 million for CF research efforts.
Ellis
said the popular tournaments will be expanded to 20 events for
2002 with additions to the Mercury Redbone @ Large series across
the nation, the Caribbean, Costa Rica and Mexico. He said with
the expansion, they hope to bring in $1 million annually for CF
cure efforts.
For
more information on the Mercury Outboards Redbone Celebrity Tournament
Series, call Susan Ellis at (305) 664-2002.
14th
Annual Mercury Outboards/Cheeca Redbone
Tournament
Results --- Dec. 2, 2001
Cheeca
Lodge, Islamorada, Fla.
|
Grand
Champion Angler
|
Mitch Howell, Plantation, Fla., guided by Capt. John Donnell,
Islamorada, Fla.
|
| |
|
|
Celebrity
Grand Champion
|
Bruce Melnick (two-time NASA Space Shuttle Astronaut), guided
by Capt. Steve Thomas, Tavernier, Fla.
|
| |
|
|
Pro-Celebrity
Grand Champion Angler
|
Scott Martin, Clewiston, Fla., guided by Capt. Jim Dalrymple,
Tavernier, Fla.
|
| |
|
|
Grand
Champion Lady Angler
|
Heidi Kenyon, Crooked Island, Bahamas, guided by Capt. Tom
Rowland, Key West, Fla.
|
| |
|
|
Team
Grand Champion Anglers
|
Mitch Howell, Plantation, Fla. and John Smith, Miami, guided
by Capt. John Donnell, Islamorada, Fla.
|
| |
|
|
First
Runner-Up Angler
|
Tim Mahaffey, Plantation, Fla., guided by Capt. Rick Murphy,
Homestead, Fla. 2
|
| |
|
|
First
Runner-Up Celebrity
|
None
|
|
|
|
|
First
Runner-Up Team
|
Carter Andrews and Heidi Andrews, Crooked Island, Bahamas,
guided by Capt. Tom Rowland, Key West, Fla.
|
| |
|
|
Spin-Plug
Division Champion
|
John Smith, Miami, Fla., guided by Capt. John Donnell, Islamorada,
Fla.
|
| |
|
|
Fly
Division Champion
|
Tim Mahaffey, Plantation, Fla., guided by Capt. Rick Murphy,
Homestead, Fla.
|
| |
|
|
General
Division Champion
|
Mitch Howell, Plantation, Fla , guided by Capt. John Donnell,
Islamorada, Fla.
|
| |
|
|
Biggest
Bonefish
|
Stu Apte, Islamorada, Fla., guided by Capt. Rich Tudor,
Islamorada, Fla. (31 inches —weighed in at 14 lbs.
12 ozs.)
|
| |
|
|
Biggest
Redfish
|
Irwin Gordon, Islamorada, Fla., guided by Capt. Frank Ortiz,
Key Largo, Fla. (27 inches)
|
| |
|
|
Most
Bonefish Releases
|
Mitch
Howell, Plantation, Fla , guided by Capt. John Donnell,
Islamorada, Fla. --- 3 releases based on time
|
| |
|
|
Most
Redfish Releases
|
Mitch Howell, Plantation, Fla , guided by Capt. John Donnell,
Islamorada, Fla. --- 12 releases
|
| |
|
|
Total
fish caught and released 69 -- Bonefish 15, Redfish 54
Total
Boats 42
|
|
