Team ‘Double Up’ Wins Top Prize in Key West’s VFW Fishing Tournament
KEY WEST, Florida Keys — Team Double Up earned top honors for a 32.4-pound dolphin fish in the VFW Fishing Tournament that ended June 16 in Key West.
Team member Jordon Everson of Big Pine Key, Florida, caught the fish that clinched the tournament’s $5,000 first-place prize. Double Up was captained by Brad King.
Teams in the family-friendly tournament earned cash prizes for catching the heaviest dolphin fish, tuna, snapper and grouper. Other cash prizes awaited the challenge’s top veteran and active-duty military member as well as senior, junior, pee-wee and female competitors.
Everson’s catch also earned him the title of top veteran.
The tournament drew anglers fishing on 41 boats. Proceeds are slated to benefit needy veterans and active-duty personnel in the Florida Keys’ Monroe County.
VFW Tournament Final Results
(Class, Weight, Angler, Hometown, Captain, Boat)
Heaviest Dolphin: 32.4 lb., Jordon Everson, Big Pine Key, Florida, Brad King, Double Up
Heaviest Tuna: 19.4 lb., Cliff Simmen, Key West, Florida, Jim Simmen, Papasan
Heaviest Grouper: 9.6 lb., Duane Zitta, Key West, Florida, Joe Berube, Trumbo Trollers
Heaviest Snapper: 2.9 lb., Lorna Klein, Big Pine Key, Florida, CJ Krieger, Raging Inferno
Senior Division: 19.4 lb. tuna, Cliff Simmen, Key West, Florida, Jim Simmen, Papasan
Female Division: 12 lb. tuna, Susan Ware, Big Coppitt, Florida, Al Ware, WTF
Junior Division (TIE): 5.7 lb. dolphin, Austin Dressler, Tega Cay, South Carolina, Kevin Rowley, Tight-N-Up; 5.7 lb. dolphin, Conner Webster, Tega Cay, South Carolina, Kevin Rowley, Tight-N-Up
Pee-Wee Division: 5.4 lb. dolphin, Caleb Gallagher, Key West, Florida, John Gallagher, Double Bubble II
Active Duty Division: 9.6 lb. grouper, Duane Zitta, Key West, Florida, Joe Berube, Trumbo Trollers
Veteran Division: 32.4 lb. dolphin, Jordon Everson, Big Pine Key, Florida, Brad King, Double Up
VFW Slam: Al Ware, Big Coppitt, Florida, Al Ware, WTF
Four Dolphin Aggregate: 30.2 lb., Mark Ransford, Fort Lauderdale, Florida, Mark Ransford, Reel Wheels III
Team Double Up earned top honors for a 32.4-pound dolphin fish in the VFW Fishing Tournament that ended June 16 in Key West.
Jordon Everson of Big Pine Key, Florida, caught the fish that clinched the tournament’s $5,000 first-place prize and also earned him the title of top veteran.