Pennsylvania Brothers Win Tarponian Tournament in Marathon

MARATHON, Florida Keys — A team of two brothers from Pennsylvania, fishing the annual Tarponian Tournament for the first time, took top honors in the contest by catching and releasing eight tarpon. The tournament wrapped up May 1 in Marathon after three evenings of fishing.

Joe Broderick and Mike McGrath, both of Huntingdon Valley, captured first place with their tally of eight tarpon and took home $4,500 in prize money. 

The brothers were recruited by their father, Bill Broderick, also of Huntingdon Valley. He fished the tournament for the first time last year and called it one of the best times of his life. 

The senior Broderick, fishing this year with tournament newcomers Joe Gentile of Collegeville, Pennsylvania, and Dan Powell of Sea Isle City, New Jersey, also released eight tarpon to earn second-place honors and $3,300. 

The winners’ eighth tarpon was caught earlier than the second-place team’s fish, giving Joe Broderick and Mike McGrath the win. 

Brothers Rusty and Ray Martz from Ambler, Pennsylvania — last year’s champions — caught seven tarpon to finish in third place and win $2,100.

Each year the high-energy tournament mandates that teams must fish with a different captain each evening, so no one group of anglers has an advantage with potential "hot spots." 

Teams rotated among the three major bridge channels in the Middle Keys — at the Seven Mile, Long Key and Bahia Honda bridges. Because of this format, captains are awarded for the overall number of tarpon caught from their boats.  

Named the first-place captain with 13 fish was Captain John Callion of Marathon. Captain Jared Dieguez, also of Marathon, tallied 10 tarpon to land the second-place slot. Marathon’s Captain Charlie Turner, fishing the Tarponian for the first time, took third place with nine tarpon. 

A field of 50 anglers on 16 boats participated in the event, releasing a total of 82 tarpon. 

Next year’s tournament is scheduled April 26-30, 2025. To participate, anglers must register and submit deposits in advance by Aug. 31, 2024. For information, contact David Breznicky at 267-210-1952.