North Carolina and Florida Anglers Win Islamorada Sailfish Tournament

ISLAMORADA, Florida Keys — Anglers from North Carolina and the Florida Keys teamed up to clinch the win at the Islamorada Sailfish Tournament that concluded Sunday, Dec. 4, kicking off the renowned triple-crown Florida Keys Gold Cup Sailfish Championship Series.

Tournament anglers Mark Mitchell and Kenneth Padgett, both from Charlotte, North Carolina, along with Tavernier, Florida, residents Travis Bennett and Bret Shahlamian and junior angler Andy Cone from Islamorada released four sailfish on time to earn top honors and the winners’ trophy. The winning team was led by Islamorada’s Captain Brian Cone, fishing on Mitchell’s boat, the Trophy Hunter.

The Islamorada Sailfish Tournament is the only Gold Cup Series event with a junior angler division for entrants who are age 18 or younger at the start of the tournament. Andy Cone, age 12 and son of Captain Brian Cone, released a sailfish on day one of the tournament to earn the top junior angler title.

Donny Lange of Islamorada, fishing on the Tackle Center with Captain Charlie Scoble, earned the tournament’s high-point angler and top male angler awards with three releases.

In second place with four releases was the team of Gus Solis, Chris Trentine, Tyler Webb, Cody Gunther and Hank Pinder — all from Tavernier — with Parker Cox of Key Largo, Florida, and Marc Toledo from Hollywood, Florida. They fished with Tavernier’s Captain Trevor Frins on board Hillbilly Deluxe.

Taking third place were anglers Bill Danko from Cincinnati, Ohio; Jorge Corzo and Ryan Alexander of Miami, Florida; and Rick Arnold of Islamorada. They fished with Miami’s Captain JC Cleare on the Remix.  

Nicole Paul-Hus of Pompano Beach, Florida, earned the top lady angler award with one release. She fished on the Skip Jac with Captain Bernard Paul-Hus.

A field of 17 boats and 88 anglers tallied 42 releases out of 54 called-in hookups during the three-day tournament, with nearly $80,000 paid out to the various winners, according to organizers.

The remaining two events in the 2022-23 Gold Cup Series include the Islamorada Fishing Club Sailfish Tournament set for Jan. 17-18 and the Cheeca Lodge Presidential Sailfish Tournament Jan. 20-22, when the series culminates and an overall Gold Cup Series champion is crowned.

The Islamorada Sailfish Tournament is the primary fundraiser for the Islamorada Charter Boat Association.