Five releases for the win! Capt. Travis Joiner team on ‘Family Tradition’ wins GIKCTT 2023
As they headed home on the waters of Boca Grande Pass last Saturday night, Hugh Potter and his friends Braden Dolphin, Grady Abbott and Brandt Cataldo were pretty sure they had won the Gasparilla Island Kids Classic with their five releases. There’s always that bit of trepidation that stops one from completely believing it’s true until you’re standing on stage receiving the awards. Not to mention, Grady caught that fifth fish just minutes before the tournament ended, when radio traffic in the Pass was pretty crazy.
Eventually, of course, they were on that stage. Out of 21 boats and 78 anglers, they were the four who made it to the big time … maybe with a little help from Capt. Travis Joiner on their boat, “Family Tradition.”
All three middle school boys won a Macbook Air laptop and took home medals. This didn’t sit well with Hugh’s twin sister, Nona, who would have normally fished the tournament had she not had a dance recital. She was still elated for the family win, though. Hugh, Grady, Nona and Brandt fished last year together with Travis, and Nona and Brandt got tarpon.
The second place team on “Irene” with Capt. Dave Hayden were not strangers to the Pass either. Anglers included Nicky Hayden, 12; Luke Lemieux, 14; Aiden Abernatchy, 13; and Jax Babbs, 11. Everyone but Aiden got a tarpon, though he did have a couple of short-lived bites.
“We were lucky,” said Capt. Hayden. “We were out a couple of nights before and were 0 – 9. I told them it was fine and to save the good work for the tournament.”
Each team member won an iPad Air and a medal.
The last tarpon of the tournament was released at 6:20 p.m. by the anglers on “Last Call.” They included Crosby Ghriskey, Buzz Fox and Lincoln Gale. Their captain was C.J. Soderquist. They took home iPads and medals as well.
There were 27 tarpon total caught during the three-hour tournament. All anglers who released at least one tarpon include:
Jack Mosher
Wyatt Wickman
Charlie Gail
DJ Hamill
Lincoln Gale
Buzz Fox
Crosby Griski
Connor Kloss
Noah Wittmaak
Kristen Brady
Cody Brady
Rylee Rolland
Jacob Coleman
Ethan Coleman
Oliver Koziol
Elliot Koziol
Isabella Styer
Branden Dolphin
Grady Abbott
Hugh Potter
Nicky Hayden
Luke Lemieux
Jax Babbs
Piper Shortuse
Mason Hutchison
Ethan Coleman was the first male angler to release a tarpon in the tournament, at 3:17 p.m. Piper Shortuse released a tarpon at 4:34 p.m., leading to the “Female First Fish” prize. She and Ethan received Zap skimboards and apparel.
This was the first time the Boca Grande Area Chamber of Commerce took the reins of the Kids Classic, a tournament that has been around since 2013. Capt. Sandy Melvin and Boca Grande Charities, Inc. turned it over to the chamber right after last year’s tournament. While there are still some growing pains, as there are during all transitions, Chamber Director Gary Cross thought that everyone went home happy and it was a great success.
“Thanks to everyone in the community and all of our sponsors for making this a great success,” Cross said. “It’s a whole different feeling when it comes to having a kids’ tournament – seeing the joy on their faces when they release a tarpon – that’s a joyous moment. ‘Kids helping kids’ has always been the motto for this tournament and to help our children realize that raising money for others is so important, all while being outside and fishing, it’s just a great thing. Next year will be even better.”
