Sep
20
2009
Islamorada Invitational Fall Fly Bonefish Tournament
Author: Capt. Mark KrowkaThe highest tides in decades rudely greeted the full 25 angler field in the 2009 Islamorada Invitational Fall Fly Bonefish Tournament. Big water was the least of the adverse issues this year’s winning team had to deal with. Unbelievably, Tim Mahaffey and Capt. Duane Baker were completely skunked on Day One. Then they weighed in an undersized weight fish and were unceremoniously towed in as a result of a lower unit malfunction on Day Two, after four releases. Thankfully, Day Three went smoothly. Fishing from a 17 foot Mirage HPX, this seasoned team picked off 4 more releases in the morning, gambling on the consistent shots had bigger fish that the afternoon new moon outgoing tide had been affording. A single mudder going away sucked in one of Duane’s custom crab flies and was “welled” for the scale, later shaking the needle to 9 pounds 6 ounces.
Just four weight fish (bones over 8 pounds) were taken by the entire field along with 67 releases. Runners-Up to the Grand Champions were Mark Richens and Capt. Mark Cockerham with an 8 pound 4 ounce weight and 5 releases. Frank Juliano and Capt. Mark Gilman took Third Place with 2 releases and an 8 pound 11 ounce weight. Largest Bonefish was Mahaffey’s 9 pound 6 ouncer. Ron Baker with Capt. Dave Denkert banged out 10 bullets, including 6 on the last day to win the Most Releases Trophy. Best New Angler was Wilson Langworthy with 3 releases poled by Capt, Mike Kozma.
Mahaffey used 9 weight outfits for the mudders and 7 weights for the tailers, all on clear floating Monic lines. Capt. Duane Baker supplied 48 shots total, about evenly split between weights and releases. This is the second Fall Fly victory for Tim, to go along with his 4 Spring Fly Bonefish wins.