Young Anglers Out-Fish Elders in Key West Fishing Tournament Kickoff

KEY WEST, Florida Keys — Matthew Poldy might be only 8 years old, but he out-fished decades-older anglers during the Key West Fishing Tournament Kickoff that ended March 13.

Competing in the tournament’s Pee Wee division, the young Poldy of Oak Hill, Va., released 14 barracuda to score the event’s award for the most releases of the species. He fished with Captain Greg Sherertz on the Energizer.

“He handles the rod pretty well,” said Poldy’s grandfather, Don Poldy of Key West, who said they used strip baits and ballyhoo while trolling in shallow water around Pelican Shoal east of Key West. “We were there and they were biting, so we kept letting him catch them.”

Greg Poldy, Matthew’s father, also triumphed in the kickoff, releasing the tournament’s heaviest grunt at 1.65 pounds. He too fished on the Energizer.

Matthew Poldy wasn’t the only young angler to out-fish his elders. Nine-year-old Preston Giacobbi of Key West caught both the heaviest kingfish at 37.4 pounds and the heaviest mackerel at 11 pounds. He fished on Captain Brian Bennett’s Short Hop.

The heaviest catch in the tournament’s junior division was a 48.2-pound blacktip shark boated by 14-year-old Toby Regueira of Key West. He fished on the Bait Stealer with Captain Dale Bittner.

Adult anglers’ notable catches included a 45-pound cobia, the tournament’s heaviest, caught by Dan Trapp Sr. of Ada, Mich. Trapp fished on Super Grouper with Captain Chip Veach.

Top honors for bonefish releases went to tournament veteran Gloria Rampfel of Sugarloaf Key, Fla. Fishing with Captain Tim Carlile on The Outcast, she caught just two bones on the tournament’s first day — but made up for it the second day by scoring a remarkable 21 releases for an event total of 23.

Fish caught during the kickoff also qualify for the Key West Fishing Tournament, which runs through Nov. 30, 2011, and is open to the general public. More than 40 species are targeted during the multimonth event, with fishing divisions for men, women, junior anglers (ages 10 to 14) and Pee Wees (under 10 years old).

The kickoff tournament drew 130 anglers.


Kickoff Tournament Final Results
(Class, Weight or Number, Angler, Hometown, Captain, Boat)

Most Tarpon Released: 3, Frank D’Amato of Lincoln, R.I., and Tom D’Amato of Wakefield, R.I., Captain Paul D’Antoni, Seize the Day

Most Bonefish Released: 23, Gloria Rampfel, Sugarloaf Key, Fla., Captain Tim Carlile, The Outcast

Most Barracuda Released: 14, Matthew Poldy, Oak Hill, Va., Captain Greg Sherertz, Energizer

Most Sailfish Released: 2, Rob Gothier, Key West, Fla., Captain Dave Morris, Bar South

Junior Division — Heaviest Fish: 48.2 lb. Blacktip Shark, Toby Regueira, Key West, Fla., Captain Dale Bittner, Bait Stealer

Heaviest Blackfin Tuna: 23 lb., Mike Gallagher, Key West, Fla., Captain Rob Nevius Bite Me

Heaviest Cobia: 45 lb., Dan Trapp Sr., Ada, Mich., Captain Chip Veach, Super Grouper

Heaviest Dolphin: 14.8 lb., Chris Birks, Sterling, Va., Captain Brice Barr, Double Down

Heaviest Kingfish: 37.4 lb., Preston Giacobbi, Key West, Fla., Captain Brian Bennett, Short Hop

Heaviest Mackerel: 11 lb., Preston Giacobbi, Key West, Fla., Captain Brian Bennett, Short Hop

Heaviest Mutton Snapper: 19.8 lb., Karl Paganelli, Sand Lake, Mich., Captain Chip Veach, Super Grouper

Heaviest Wahoo: 27.4 lb., Ray Bailey, Cudjoe Key, Fla., Fin Reaper

Heaviest Mangrove Snapper (tie): 4 lb., James Goodrich, Key West, Fla., Captain Chuck Donney, Tails 2 Sails; Greg Oropeza, Key West, Fla., Captain Dale Bittner, Bait Stealer

Heaviest Grunt: 1.65 lb., Greg Poldy, Oak Hill, Va., Captain Greg Sherertz, Energizer

Guide Achievement Award: Captain Chip Veach, Super Grouper

Farthest Traveled Angler Award: Marty Cole, Scottsdale, Ariz.