Outback Golden Fly Tarpon Tournament Set for May 23-25

ISLAMORADA, Florida Keys — Some of the nation’s top fly anglers shortly will head to Islamorada — called the sport fishing capital of the world — for the Outback Golden Fly Tarpon Tournament, May 23-25.

A mandatory rules meeting with dinner is to be held at 7 p.m. Sunday, May 22, at Italy on the Isles, mile marker (MM) 82.7 bayside in Islamorada.

Fishing days are Monday through Wednesday. Breakfast is to be served from 5 a.m. at the Lorelei Restaurant and Cabana Bar, MM 82 bayside.

Lines-in is to be called at 6 a.m. each fishing day, with lines-out at 3 p.m. All boats are to depart from the Lorelei and return to the Islamorada Fishing Club for an afternoon dockside gathering and weigh-in.

Anglers can fish only with fly gear. Tarpon must measure at least 48 inches in length to earn release points. To earn weight points, a tarpon must weigh at least 70 pounds. Anglers can enter a maximum of five fish for weight points.

All fish must be released alive. A tarpon with a girth exceeding 42 inches can be brought to shore for weighing because it might qualify for a new world record.

The tournament awards banquet is set for 7 p.m. Wednesday at Outback Steakhouse, MM 80 oceanside.

Entry fee is $1,000 per angler. The tournament is limited to 30 anglers.

The tournament’s founder, Islamorada resident Billy Pate, recently died at age 80 after battling Alzheimer’s disease. In 1982, Pate set a world record for catching a 188-pound tarpon on a fly rod. The fishing legend was inducted into the International Game Fish Association’s Hall of Fame in 2003.

Tournament information: 305-942-0428 or csasun@aol.com
Islamorada visitor information: www.fla-keys.com/islamorada or 1-800-FAB-KEYS
Keys fishing information: www.fla-keys.com/fishing
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