Florida Keys Angler Wins Key Largo’s Take Stock in Children Backcountry Challenge

KEY LARGO, Florida Keys — A wife-and-husband duo from Tavernier, Florida, earned top honors at Key Largo’s annual Take Stock in Children Backcountry Challenge that ended Oct. 6. Despite rainy weather, participants fished night and day from Friday night to Sunday afternoon in the annual catch-and-release tournament.

Carmen Perez-Padron took the backcountry champion title with 79.75 combined inches of one redfish, snook and trout. Her husband, Nelson Padron, earned the title of top guide. 

“I have been fishing mostly charitable tournaments for over 12 years and truly enjoy the Take Stock in Children tournament format — and it’s such a great cause,” said Perez-Padron, whose passion is backcountry fishing in the Keys. 

Perez-Padron also was named top artificial division angler and won awards for the adult division’s largest snook at 33.75 inches and largest redfish at 29.25 inches. 

Also in the adult division, the award for second-place snook went to Key Largo’s Angel DiGiorgio with a 31.5-incher. Clay Cowart of Tavernier placed third with his 30.25-inch linesider.

Anglers winning awards for adult-division redfish after Perez-Padron were Kris Todd of Key Largo in second place with a 26-incher, and Reed Tudor of Tavernier with a 24.5-inch red. 

Taking the adult division’s top trout award was PJ Abolafia of Key Largo with a 22.5-inch fish. Close behind in second place was Reed Tudor with a 20-incher and Jesus Estrada of Tavernier with an 18-inch trout. 

In the junior division for anglers age 13-17, the backcountry champion title went to 16-year-old Haley Hanson of Key Largo with a combined three-fish total of 70.25 inches. She fished with her father, Key Largo’s Captain Chris Hanson, who was named top pro in the competition. 

In the kids division for participants age 12 and under, awards are presented for the largest trout catches. First place went to Dawson DelosSantos with an 18-inch trout caught while fishing with his father, Key Largo’s Captain Tony DelosSantos. Coming in second was Easton Meyers of Key Largo with a 14-incher. 

The tournament drew 56 anglers as well as hundreds of supporters, educators, mentors and members of the Rotary Club of Key Largo. The annual challenge and its popular silent auction raise funds for Take Stock in Children and other scholarship programs.