‘Howl’ ends tarpon tournament season: Baby ghost takes first place, ‘Last Fish’ Lamar takes second place and last fish while Miss Aubrey takes first fish
Anyone who disputes the power of Boca Grande’s fishing families need only witness the events of the evening of Saturday, June 18. A very stormy, rough day that left many anglers (and tournament administrators) wondering if they should cancel the 2022 Howl at the Moon Tarpon Tournament for a second time quieted right down as the boats made it to the Pass at about 6 p.m. It was almost as if a spell had been cast and the Pass gods were appeased.
Just minutes after the roll was called and the tournament began, Miss Aubrey and the Tortuga team hooked up with the first release.
And then the bite didn’t stop.
This was surprising, considering that the night before, captains were seeing virtually no tarpon in the Pass. But as long as the mojo was working, all was well on Saturday night.
When all was said and done, it was Capt. Nelson Italiano on Little Spook and his team that took first place with five releases: They were on fire that night, dominating the tarpon right and left. His anglers were Ben Taylor, Capt. Danny Latham and Capt. Shane Earheart.
It might stound strange that two captains were anglers in this tournament, but Nelson explained why they were there.
“Neither of them has ‘Passed’ (Pass fished) – not like we have,” he said. “They are outboard guys, and they fish a different way.”
He admitted that getting the first five releases for first place wasn’t an easy task. They would have had seven, but two spit the bait.
“Lamar was making a strong run late; it scared me,” Nelson said. “He hooked his fourth one with like 40 minutes left, and I thought ‘Oh, man, he’s making a run at it.’ Then we got our fifth and released it, and I felt pretty comfortable for a bit … until Lamar got his fifth and let it go with about eight minutes left in the tournament. That’s still plenty of time to get a sixth.”
But Lamar’s team didn’t get that sixth fish, so Nelson and his team took the top title.
Second place went to Capt. Lamar Joiner Jr. and his team on the Searene, and they got the last fish prize as well. Jr. took the last fish prize in the Kids Classic, too. His anglers were Richy Edwards, Tiki Serrales, Brian Sefcik and Lamar Cole.
There were 15 boats entered and 34 fish released in the three-hour tournament. Of each $700 entry fee, $100 went to the Gasparilla Island Maritime Museum for a total donation to them of $1,500.
FOR MORE PHOTOS OF THE TOURNAMENT GO TO BOCABEACON.SMUGMUG.COM
