Islamorada Woman Named Grand Champion Angler at Fish for Holly Sailfish Tournament

ISLAMORADA, Florida Keys — A field of 352 registered anglers reeled in and released 70 sailfish from a fleet of 76 boats in the popular Fish for Holly Sailfish Tournament that ended Jan. 4 in Islamorada.

Grand champion angler Caroline Hendrix of Islamorada caught and released two sailfish while fishing on Carolina Reel Men with Captain Sean O’Donnell of Islamorada.

Hendrix also snagged the top female angler award, receiving a diamond sailfish necklace in remembrance of tournament namesake Holly Given. Given was a young Florida Keys woman who was tragically killed in a domestic violence incident. 

Several other anglers each caught two sailfish during the tournament, but Hendrix brought hers in first to clinch the win. 

For the top three boat teams, victory also depended on the time the fish were caught — since all three top teams scored a total of four sailfish. 

The tournament was a family affair for Islamorada’s Captain KC Spaulding, earning top boat honors aboard the Res Ipsa Liquidur while fishing with sisters Logan Spaulding of Islamorada and Jessica Spaulding from Myrtle Beach, South Carolina. Also on the winning boat team were anglers David Van Sant and Billy Bennett, both from Cumming, Georgia, and mate Phillip Bryan from Islamorada. 

Each angler on the top boat team brought in one sailfish and all four were caught between 9:15 a.m. and 9:24 a.m., beating the second- and third-place boats on time. The team’s name is now inscribed on the perpetual Release Marine trophy housed at Tackle Center of Islamorada.

Islamorada’s Captain Sam Milazzo guided his team on Vice Versa to second-place boat honors, while North Miami’s Captain Dean Panos led the Kimbuktu boat team to third. 

The three top boat teams received an invitation to the Offshore World Championship in Quepos, Costa Rica, to represent Islamorada and the Fish for Holly tournament on an international platform.

Top male angler Herb Kettenacker of Liberty Township, New Jersey, reeled in two sailfish and took the title based on time while fishing on Fins and Feathers with Captain Jim Mulcahy of Key Largo, Florida. In second place with two sailfish was Jared Dieguez of Marathon, Florida, who fished with Marathon’s Captain BJ Meyer on Silent Hunter/Yeti or Not. The third-place male angler, also with two sailfish, was Mark Busch of Cleveland, Ohio, fishing on Main One with Marathon’s Captain Marty Lewis.  

Katie Flanagan of Fort Lauderdale, Florida, was named second-place female angler. She fished with Chasin’ Sails/Team HMY out of Lighthouse Point, Florida. Islamorada’s Amanda Casanave took third place on the Legasea based out of Islamorada. 

Top junior angler, 12-year-old Mackenzie Reizen of Naples, Florida, caught one sailfish while fishing on the Pines and Palms Resort boat captained by Nick Reizen, also from Naples.  

Fun fish awards were given to the anglers with the largest dolphin (mahi-mahi), tuna and kingfish. 

Fishing on Charisma, Chelsea O’Connor of Key Largo snagged the largest dolphin fish, which weighed in at 6 pounds, 6 ounces. 

The largest tuna, weighing 18 pounds, 7 ounces, was caught by Billy Carlson of Pompano Beach, Florida, while fishing on Kimbuktu. John Henry of Summerland Key, Florida, reeled in the largest kingfish, weighing 28 pounds, fishing on Vice Versa. 

Now one of the largest tournaments in the Keys, the Fish for Holly tournament is intended to raise awareness about domestic violence and provide financial support for South Florida domestic abuse shelters, as well as scholarships for career training and education for young adults.