NESA - North East Sea Angling: HOT News from the IGFA - April 2008 HOT News from the IGFA - April 2008 ================================================================================ Elton on 10 April, 2008 01:56:00 IGFA International Fishing Hall of Fame announces 10th induction class International event honors contributions of five to the sport of fishing Four men and a lady, all who have made significant contributions to the sport of recreational fishing, will be inducted as the 10th class into the International Game Fish Association International Fishing Hall of Fame this fall. The announcement of the class of 2008 includes Henry Chee, Dr. Roy Dean, Jimmy Houston, Kay Rybovich and Karl Wickstrom. The 10th annual star-studded enshrinement ceremony and dinner will be held Saturday, October 25, 2008 at 6 p.m. at the IGFA International Fishing Hall of Fame in Dania Beach, Fla. The public is invited. Each year the honorees are selected for the significant contributions through angling achievements, literature, the arts, science, education, invention, communication or administration of fishery resources. The five inductees and their contributions are: · Henry Chee was one of the original two charter skippers in Kona, Hawaii. In the 1940s he was responsible for the advent of trolling lures, making his first "tube" lure out of fiberglass resin, using a drinking glass as a mold, and went on to perfect the use of brass for leader tubes and strips of pearl shell for inserts. Chee died in 1965. · Dr. Roy Dean dedicated his life to light-tackle fishing. Recognized for his extensive exploration of the coastlines of Mexico and Costa Rica, research on billfish migration, and promotion of catch-and-release, he is best known as the founder of the International Light Tackle Tournament Association (ILTTA) more than 60 years ago. Dean died in 1990. · Jimmy Houston won his first professional bass tournament in 1966, his first B.A.S.S. "Angler of the Year" title in 1976, and has produced and hosted the popular TV show Jimmy Houston Outdoors for more than 30 years. He was inducted into the Bass Fishing Hall of Fame in 2002. Houston lives in Cookson, Okla. · One of three founders of the International Women's Fishing Association (IWFA) in 1955, Kay Rybovich remains one of the grand ladies of sport fishing. An early proponent of catch-and-release fishing, she is a long-time supporter of fisheries research programs and numerous conservation organizations. Kay was married to the late John Rybovich Jr. who was inducted into the IGFA International Fishing Hall of Fame’s first class in 1998. · Founder and Editor-in-Chief of Florida Sportsman magazine, Karl Wickstrom initiated and chaired the Save Our Sealife constitutional amendment campaign that banned gill nets in 1994 and revitalized Florida's inshore waters. He was also instrumental in the founding of the state's Coastal Conservation Association (CCA) chapter more than 20 years ago. Wickstrom lives in Stuart, Fla. There are currently 70 Hall of Fame members enshrined including Zane Grey, Ernest Hemingway, Curt Gowdy, Ted Williams, Lee Wulff, Michael and Helen Lerner, Philip Wylie, Bill Dance, Roland Martin, Johnny Morris, Don Tyson and Stu Apte. Tickets are $200 and include the cocktail reception beginning at 6 p.m., silent auction, dinner and the induction ceremony beginning at 7:30 p.m. Special sponsorships and sponsor tables are available. For reservation information please call 954-924-4222. The IGFA is a nonprofit, membership-supported, conservation and record-keeping organization founded in 1939 with members in over 120 countries. The association welcomes visitors to the 60,000 square foot IGFA International Fishing Hall of Fame in Dania Beach, Florida. For further information, contact Lesley Arico at the International Game Fish Association, 300 Gulf Stream Way, Dania Beach, Florida 33004 Email: larico@igfa.org or by phone (954) 927-2628 Fax (954) 924-4299. (EDITOR: To schedule an interview with any of the three honorees you may contact Lesley Arico at 954-924-4222 or larico@igfa.org, or Pete Johnson, IGFA PR counsel at 480-951-3654 or johnsoncom@aol.com. Head shot photos of each of the five inductees are available upon request.) ### Manufacturers among those to be honored at IGFA’s Fifth Annual World Record Achievement Awards Last month in the IGFA Hot News for March, we highlighted the top anglers from around the world who will be honored April 12 at the IGFA’s Fifth Annual World Record Achievement Awards (WRAA) celebration (please see http://www.igfa.org/News.asp?qs=203). This month we feature the manufacturers based on the number of computer printouts of the 495 anglers using their products in setting the new records in 2007. The awards ceremony also recognizes the men, women, juniors, and professional captains for the most world records compiled from the Top 10 list recently published in the IGFA’s 2008 World Record Game Fishes book. The ceremony will be held at the IGFA International Fishing Hall of Fame in Dania Beach, Florida. Shimano, Ande and Rapala are among the top tackle, line and lure manufacturers to be honored. Shimano picked up firsts in saltwater rods and reels along with freshwater reels for a combined 240 records. Ande also scored triple firsts in fly tippet, saltwater and freshwater lines totaling 219 records. Rapala had two first both in the use of their freshwater and saltwater lures for records. Also scoring first were Shakespeare for freshwater rods, Tibor for fly reels, Sage for fly rods, and Boga Grip for scales. Lifetime Achievement Awards; top anglers to be honored Guides/educators Captain Jay Wright Jr., Hollywood, Fla., USA, and Jean-Francois Helias, also an IGFA Representative from Bangkok, Thailand will be presented with IGFA Lifetime Achievement Awards. Each man will receive a David Wirth limited edition bronze “Lava” Hawaiian circle hook sculpture. Also to be honored will be Ms. Jodie L. Johnson, Peterborough, N.H. USA, as the Overall Female Angler of the year recording the most records, 28 all on fly. In addition Dr. Martin Arostegui Coral Gables, Fla., USA, will receive the Overall Male Angler of the year with 22 records, 18 of them on fly. The retired physician was the first angler to reach the 200 world records plateau two years ago. All first place winners will receive King Sailfish Mounts. Cocktails begin at 6:00 p.m. with dinner and awards program at 7:30 p.m. Tickets for the WRAA are $50.00 and include a barbecue dinner. For more information or to reserve a ticket, contact Lesley Arico at 954-924-4222 or larico@igfa.org . From the 2008 WRAA Top 10 list – Tackle manufacturers/guides – # records achieved Top 3 SW Guides *Andrew Parsons: 16 *Capt. Jay Wright: 12 *Capt. Greg Eklund: 11 Top 3 FW Guides *Capt. Jay Wright: 20 *Jean Francois Helias: 12 *Karel Dawson: 8 Fly Rods *Sage: 42 *Gloomis: 37 *Thomas & Thomas: 12 Fly Reels *Tibor/Billy Pate: 53 *Abel: 34 *Lamson: 8 Fly Tippet *Ande: 77 *Rio: 31 *Maxima: 6 *3t. Momoi: 6 SW Rod *Shimano: 25 *Penn: 17 *Daiwa: 11 SW Reel *Shimano: 117 *Penn: 46 *Daiwa: 32 SW Line *Ande: 62 *Momoi: 27 *Power Pro: 22 FW Rod *Shakespeare: 25 *Pro Kik: 23 *Shimano: 18 FW Reel *Shimano: 98 *Daiwa: 22 *Abu Garcia: 13 3t. Penn: 13 FW Line *Ande: 80 *Power Pro: 28 *Berkley: 25 Scales *Boga Grip: 170 *Chatillion: 70 *Berkley: 32 Top 3 FW Lure: *Rapala: 11 *Zoom: 7 *Mepps: 4 Top 3 SW Lure: *Rapala 4 *Storm 3 *6 tied with 2 ### Anglers prepare for Ninth Annual Offshore World Championship It’s the final month of preparation as 63 teams from nearly 30 countries on five continents practice for the 2008 IGFA Offshore World Championship May 11 – 16, at one of the world’s top fishing locations Cabo San Lucas, Mexico. Considered the most prestigious catch-and-release billfishing tournament across the globe, the event also draws the single largest contingent of international teams ever to compete in a fishing competition. The teams were invited after winning one of 137 IGFA qualifying events held in 38 countries and territories plus 14 states in the U.S. It’s the seventh straight year Cabo San Lucas, has been chosen as the championship location. This years’ sponsors are Secretaria de Turismo de Baja California Sur, Costa Del Mar, Hotel Finisterra, Guy Harvey Inc., Shimano, Minerva’s Baja Tackle, Picante Sport Fishing and Yacht Sales, Cabo Yachts, K D & G Sea Life Masterpieces, Hook & Tackle, Momoi Hi-Catch, Murray Products, AFTCO BlueWater, Bodo Muche, Señor Greenberg’s, IWS Scales, King Sailfish Mounts, Pompanette, Pisces Sportfishing, Corona and Modelo S.A DE C.V. Mexico, Trans Cabo, Eagle Claw, MoldCraft Products, Inc., Don Tyson and API Dock. In 2009 the Bonnier Marine Group will join the IGFA to manage the 10th anniversary of the world championship which began in 2000. Updated information and a list of the registered teams can be found on the IGFA web site at www.igfa.org under the fishing tab on the home page by clicking “tournaments.” Questions regarding the 2008 IGFA OWC should be directed to Ms. Lesley Arico at 954-924-4222 or via e-mail at LArico@igfa.org. ### IGFA partners with Florida Keys Outfitters for 2009 Inshore World Championship Hailed for nearly a decade as the “Super Bowl” of fly and light-tackle inshore fishing, the International Game Fish Association’s Inshore World Championship stands to grow even more prestigious thanks to a recently announced partnership with the Florida Keys Flyfishing School & Outfitters, Inc., dba Florida Keys Outfitters. This championship, which began in 2001, has grown into the sport’s premiere inshore fishing series. To be invited to this prestigious all-release event, anglers must win one of the many qualifying tournaments located around the world. “The Inshore World Championship has anglers representing more countries than any other inshore fishing tournament in the world,” says IGFA Corporate Relations Director Mike Myatt. “We have over 50 qualifying tournaments from seven different countries this year including 12 states here in the USA.” Florida Keys Outfitters will manage operations of the championship starting with the 2009 event. The IGFA will remain the championship’s sole non-profit benefactor with a fundraiser and auction for the IGFA to be held at the championship. The championship will continue to use the first-class amenities and guides of Islamorada, Fla., its host location. The Florida Keys Outfitters/IGFA Inshore World Championship is scheduled for July 7-9, 2009. In 1989 Sandy Moret founded The Florida Keys Fly Fishing School and began holding fly fishing seminars with a list of now legendary instructors. Just to name a few, Flip Pallot, Chico Fernandez, Steve Rajeff, Steve Huff, Rick Ruoff and Moret provide extensive hands-on instruction five times a year at the Cheeca Lodge in Islamorada. Now in its 20th year, it is unparalleled as the place to learn or improve fly fishing skills, whether on the flats or in blue water. Sandy progressed from the school to opening Florida Keys Outfitters, a specialty salt water fly fishing shop in Islamorada, in 1992. Since then Florida Keys Outfitters has become recognized as one of the premiere salt water fly fishing shops in the world, specializing in providing premium fly fishing equipment and flies along with expert rigging and experienced advice. The shop also offers an excellent selection of men and women’s sportswear, weather gear, gifts and accessories. Anglers are also able to book some of the finest, professional fishing guides in the Keys through the shop. (For the complete news release please go to the IGFA web site’s home page at http://igfa.org/inshore_partnership_flkeysout.asp) ### IGFA School of Sportfishing adds seventh session this spring Due to its popularity, the variety of appealing curriculums for local waters, the limited class sizes and expert instructors, the IGFA School of Sportfishing has added more classes to begin its seventh session in mid-April. Held on Tuesday nights from 7 - 10 p.m., at the IGFA International Fishing Hall of Fame headquarters in Dania Beach, Fla., the classes feature many of the most popular subjects previously offered plus two new topics that participants have expressed strong interest in having added. “We’ve always strived to give the customer the best experience possible so we took their suggestions and brought back the favorite classes,” said IGFA Adult Education Coordinator David Matagiese. “After going through these evaluations with program School of Sportfishing cofounder, Capt. Tony DiGiulian of Saltwater Professional Consulting, it was pretty clear that the customers were looking for a class to help them utilize their onboard electronics to become more efficient anglers. With today’s technology, marine electronics are capable of giving anglers a huge advantage but many people can’t access the full potential of what they paid for. This class will serve to teach customers how to easily manage their electronics and let their tools do the work for them.” Matagiese said the second new class debuting in this session is the “Tarpon, Redfish and Trout Tactics.” “This class will be a great supplement to the “Fishing for Trophy Snook” class and will provide each attendee with a whole new set of tactics for targeting these inshore species. Whether you’re an experienced angler or a weekend warrior, these classes offer something for everyone.” Along with DiGiulian other popular captains instructing the classes are Mark Zaskey, Bouncer Smith and Drew Kettelhut The dates, subjects and instructors for the eight classes will include: · April 15 -- Four Fundamentals Every Sportfisherman Should Know-- Capt. Tony DiGiulian · April 22 -- Fishing for Trophy Snook --Capt. Mark Zaskey · April 29 -- Fishing Bimini and Cat Cay --Capt. Bouncer Smith · May 6 -- Dolphin and Wahoo Secrets --Capt. Tony DiGiulian · May 13 -- Successful Swordfishing--Capt. Drew Kettelhut · May 20 -- Bottom Fishing Wrecks and Reefs--Capt. Bouncer Smith · May 27 -- Understanding Your Onboard Electronics --Instructor TBA · June 3 -- Tarpon, Redfish and Trout Tactics--Instructor TBA The cost is $100 for IGFA members and $150 for non-members per class and limited to the first 24 anglers to sign up. For more details go to the IGFA web site at www.igfa.org/schoolofsportfishing.asp or contact David Matagiese at 954.924.4247 or e-mail him at dmatagiese@igfa.org. Registration is also available online at www.igfa.org/sosform.asp. ### --Coming to the IGFA International Fishing Hall of Fame— Free IGFA Family Fishing Clinic this month; Sharkwater included The popular IGFA Family Fishing Clinic at the IGFA International Fishing Hall of Fame in Dania Beach, Fla., returns on Saturday, April 19, from 11 a.m. - 2 p.m. IGFA staff members will be available for the free event to provide instruction on casting, knot tying, regulations, angling techniques and conservation practices. As an added bonus admission to the museum, which offers many family activities including the popular Sharkwater feature length movie, will be also free for children and ½ off for adults. Reservations are not required. For more information please call the IGFA at 954-927-2628. ### IGFA and FFWCC hosting free Boaters Safety Course in May Are you new to boating or would like for you and members of your family to be safer boaters? Next month the IGFA and the Florida Fish & Wildlife Conservation Commission will team together to host its next free Boaters Safety Courses beginning on Saturday, May 10, at the IGFA International Fishing Hall of Fame, Dania Beach, Fla. Two other additional classes for 2008 will be offered August 2 and November 8. The all day class will begin at 8 a.m. and last till 4 p.m. This course, taught by the law enforcement division of the FFWCC meets the mandatory boating safety education requirements for the State of Florida. For the best books, DVD's and videos on the subject above, please click here.