Memphis Angler Scores Third Consecutive Win at Robert James Sales S.L.A.M.

KEY WEST, Florida Keys — For the third consecutive year, Mo Smith won grand champion honors at the Robert James Sales S.L.A.M. Celebrity Fishing Tournament that ended Sunday in the Florida Keys.

Smith, a Memphis, Tenn., neurosurgeon, released six tarpon, five bonefish and three permit. He said his profession contributes to his angling success.

“Focus is very important (and) your casting has to be precise,” said Smith. “Everything you do has to be precise and give you the most opportunity to catch fish.”

Smith was guided by Mark Krowka of Islamorada, Fla. Smith credited the victory in great part to Krowka’s expertise and their long association.

“He’s an excellent guide,” Smith said. “He can grunt one way and I know which way to look.”

In addition to the overall win, the duo scored the most permit releases and tarpon releases.

The event’s celebrity grand champion was Mark Cooper of Aurora, Colo., formerly an NFL player with the Denver Broncos and Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

Fishing with Drew Delashmit of Cudjoe Key, Fla., Cooper released one tarpon and one bonefish.

The team grand championship went to Wade Davis of Lake Worth, Fla., and Ross Reeder of Miami. The duo caught 16 bonefish, four tarpon and one permit fishing with Dave Denkert of Islamorada.

Reeder also was named first runner-up angler, and Davis scored the tournament’s largest number of bonefish releases with 10.

Top female angler was Bonnie Christ of Alexandria, Va., fishing with Doug Kilpatrick of Key West.

The S.L.A.M. drew 20 boats whose anglers released 39 bonefish, 32 tarpon and 14 permit.

The tournament is part of an annual Keys trilogy of Redbone challenges that raises money for cystic fibrosis treatment and research. The series continues with the Baybone Celebrity Tournament Oct. 7-9 in Key Largo, Fla., and the Redbone Celebrity Tournament Nov. 4-6 in Islamorada.