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Fishing: Naples' Collins, Salley part of winning team in IGFA Offshore World Championship
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Naples' Robert Collins and Scott Salley were part of the five-man USA team from Islamorada to win the IGFA Offshore World Championship in Cabo San Lucas, Mexico on Friday.
Despite a “slow bite” for most of the 63 teams of anglers in the fourth and final day, the five men representing their win in the Outdoor Channel Offshore Classic in the Florida Keys released two marlin and a dorado as a weight fish totaling enough points to win. The ninth annual event sponsored in part by the Secretaria de Turismo de Baja California Sur, hosts competitors from 27 nations on six continents, the single largest contingent of international teams to compete in a fishing competition
Four teams that had been in close contention atop the leader board the previous three days – from Italy, Australia, Croatia and the Sultanate of Oman -- found the final day less forgiving as each went scoreless.
Also on the Florida Keys’ team were John Timura and Taylor Walsh of Islamorada and Ken Longaker of Seattle, Wash.
Collins said the group which has fished numerous occasions together, had two practice days in Cabo, enough time to put the mistakes behind them.
“We fished near perfect for the conditions presented to us,” said Collins. “On day two the boat had engine troubles and we weren’t able to back down on the fish or maneuver properly, but we still overcame those problems and did well.
The Outdoor Channel Offshore Classic team had an unbroken chain of days in scoring: Day 1 with three marlin -- 900 points; Day 2 four marlin and a sailfish -- 1,300 points; Day 3 with four marlin -- 1,200 points and the final day two marlin and a 25-pound, 6-ounce dorado for a weight fish as insurance of 625.6 points for a four day total of 4025.6 points.
“We just fished steady,” said Collins. “Every one of the team members gets along great and that’s part of the success; our personalities are pretty much easy going. In general we all have great karma.”
Collins, who has Florida homes in both Islamorada and Naples, is also a two time winner of the IGFA Inshore World Championship, an annual event held over three days in July to test the best in fly and light tackle fishing for five species in the Florida Keys.
Coming in second with 3,900 points were Day 3 leaders the 9th Int'l Big-Game Sportfishing Tournament team from Jezera, Croatia. Members included Dario Marijan, Davor Pliso, Jakov Begovic, and Vinko Radetic who the previous day had 10 marlin releases, but went zero in the final round.
Finishing third, also with 3900 points based on last fish caught first was the team from Porto Santo Stefano, Italy. The team representing the YCSS-IMD Fishing Tournament fished steady gathering 1200 points in the final round. Anglers included Stefano Desideri, Paolo Viscogliosi, Domenico Scopelliti and Sandro Onofaro.
The fourth and fifth place finishers who had been among the top teams on the leader board also blanked on the final day. Both the team from Mooloolaba, Australia representing the Springwood Marine Sailfish Shootout, and Italy’s San Benedetto del Tronto representing their win in the La Sfida TroFeo M. De Nardis scored 3700 points, with the Australian’s winning on time.
Each catch-and-release of a marlin (blue, black and striped) or a swordfish equals 300 points. Sailfish count for 100 points. The billfish, all caught on circle hooks, are scored and released alive at the boat in accordance with IGFA tournament rules.
On Thursday 69 marlin and one sailfish were released, with one tuna and six dorado brought to the weight scale. Seas were calm with mild temps of 90 degrees and light winds.
Wednesday was the biggest day for most of the teams with118 striped marlin and two sailfish released in the only day of rough seas.
Countries and territories represented include teams from Angola, Australia, the Bahamas, Bermuda, Brazil, Canada, Costa Rica, Croatia, Grenada, Guatemala, Italy, Jamaica, Kenya, Mexico, New Zealand, Panama, Papua New Guinea, Portugal, Puerto Rico, St. Lucia, Spain, Sultanate of Oman, Trinidad & Tobago, Turks and Caicos, the United States, Vanuatu and Venezuela. Many of the teams in the ninth annual tournament will be represented by anglers from a number of additional countries.
The teams previously qualified by winning one of 130 IGFA sanctioned tournaments held in 38 countries worldwide during 2007. Each team fishes from four different boats captained by local Cabo guides. The teams also receive “weight” points (per pound) over 25 lbs. for tuna, wahoo and dorado. Local charities receive the donations of all fish weighed at the Cabo docks.
The top team won engraved watches along with trophies and merchandise. Awards are presented through to the third place finishing team.
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