Aspiring anglers came from as far away as Ohio and Washington, DC to learn from the pros at the award winning “Ladies, Let’s Go Fishing!®” Keys University, October 20-22 at the Elks Lodge, Tavernier, FL.
The University kicked off on Friday with a meet-and-greet social featuring networking, fundraisers and an incredible Master Chef Appetizer Contest. Tied for First Place were Shrimp Ceviche by Donna Kahn and Crab Cakes by Cathy Brewer. Second place was Bang Bang Shrimp by Carissa Silverman. Third place was Venison Queso by Twig Tolle.
Saturday’s events began with classroom presentations on offshore, bottom and inshore fishing, followed by lunch and hands-on fishing skills until 4 pm. Speakers were Stu Apte, Allison Stattner Captain Gary Ellis, Twig Tolle and Captain Lee Lavery. Skills such as releasing, conservation, knot tying, bait rigging, spin, fly and net casting, gaffing grapefruits and more were available for hands-on practice.
Saturday events concluded with a silent auction, followed by a networking party with food and fun hosted by Seaside Glassworks, Islamorada, FL.
On Sunday, participants embarked on a fishing adventure out of Whale Harbor Marina, Islamorada, FL followed by a fish fillet demonstration. Fish caught or released included mahi, blackfin tuna, yellowtail snapper, king mackerel, mutton snapper, strawberry grouper, snook, tarpon, black drum, mangrove snapper, sharks and more. On Friday was a Bonus Fishing Day.
Featured on national network television and more, the series is supported by major partners including ACR Electronics, Recreational Fishing and Boating Foundation, Mercury, Ranger Boats, Humminbird, Minn Kota, Magic Tilt trailers, Penn, Fish Florida and Power-Pole. Annual sponsors are Freedom Boat Club, Coastal Conservation Association, Guy Harvey Ocean Foundation, Savage Gear/Okuma, Treasure Cay Beach, Marina & Golf Resort, Sunrise Resort & Marina, AFTCO/Guy Harvey, Future Angler Foundation and Seaguar. Keys-only sponsors were Raymond James/Lighthouse Wealth Planning, Calusa Cast Nets, Breezy Palms and Seaside Glassworks.
Contact: phone: (954) 475-9068; [email protected]; www.ladiesletsgofishing.com and www.facebook.com/ladiesletsgofishing.
Fishing Report – Islamorada, FL. Oct. 20-22, 2017
With sunny skies and sporty seas, all boats that went out produced fish. “Caught” could mean either landed or released.
Sunday 3/4 Day Fishing:
Caribsea/Capt. Kenny Spaulding: The group caught four yellowtail 18 to 25”, two mutton snapper 20 and 25”, two king mackerel 30 and 36” and released a 30 inch cobia. Four of the anglers, staff from the Recreational Boating and Fishing Foundation out of Washington, DC, had never experienced offshore fishing. Rachel Piacenza transferred from the Caribsea to a skiff captained by Rick Rodriguez to release a bonnethead shark. Back at the dock, she released a nurse shark. They learned about kite fishing, how to put bait on a hook and information about various fish species.
Scales 2 Tales/Capt. Chris Hanson: All ladies released snook 2-3 lbs. Berit Amlie released her first snook ever. The ladies also caught seven mangrove snappers, ten jack crevalles and a ladyfish. They learned how to hook finger mullet, tie a J knot and retrieve their baits from mangroves.
Ankle Deep Fishing/Capt. Jeremy Mathis: Fishing with shrimp and knocker rigs, the anglers released two 20-30 lb. tarpon, two 16” snook, a 17.5 inch redfish, five black drums at 2-3 lbs. each and three jack crevalle. Anita Vick kept a 15.1” snapper.
Friday Full Day Fishing:
Kay K V/Capt. Don Chittick: The ladies caught six mahi, one blackfin tuna, eight yellowtail snapper and two houndfish.
Caribsea/Capt. Kenny Spaulding: The ladies caught 20 yellowtail snapper ranging from 15 to 18 inches, 12 mahi 5-9 lbs. each, eight blackfin tuna at 10-12 lbs, a 16” strawberry grouper and a 23” mutton snapper. It was the first tuna ever for Carissa Silverman and Susan Barger. They learned how to leave a mahi in the water to keep the school close and how to free spool to catch yellowtail.
About “Ladies, Let’s Go Fishing!”
The Ladies, Let’s Go Fishing Foundation (LLGF) is a national charitable 501C3 organization dedicated to attracting women and families to fishing while encouraging conservation and responsible angling. LLGF promotes networking among women anglers and emphasizes mentorships. Founded in 1997 by Betty Bauman, of Ft. Lauderdale, Florida, LLGF has over 8,000 graduates and is the largest organization in the world whose objective is to introduce women to fishing. Both Bauman and the University series – often dubbed “The No-Yelling School of Fishing” – are known nationally in the sport fishing and marine industries. The organization has earned rave reviews from national media including “Inside Edition,” CBS’ “The Early Show,” NBC’s “Nightly News,” “Good Morning America,” “Outdoor Life Network,” USA Today, the Wall Street Journal, Southern Living and more.
By: Betty Bauman
