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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact:Pete
Johnson, Johnson Communications, Inc.
Scottsdale, Ariz. 85267
480-951-3654
(phone) 480-951-0040 (fax)
johnsoncom@aol.com (e mail)
ATTN: Sports/Fishing/Outdoor Editors
###
Lopez maintains strong lead in 35th Mercury Outboards
Bonefishing World Championship
High winds and rains adversely affect
second day of weeklong fishing tournament
ISLAMORADA, In the Fla. Keys --- Buoyed by his tournament
record 14 lb 8 oz. bonefish caught Monday, Jose Pepe Lopez, Miami, held
his commanding lead as the weather soured Tuesday, the second day of the
weeklong 35th Annual Mercury Outboards Bonefishing World Championship/Islamorada
All-Tackle Tournament.
Lopez, 40,
guided by Capt. Billy Knowles Jr., Islamorada, now leads with 4400 points, 1600
better than his closest competitor.
Winds and
rainy weather Tuesday were major deterring factors for the 19 teams of guides
and anglers from seven states competing in the event.
Weigh master/scorekeeper Capt. Jim Wilcox said
a total of five weigh fish and 12 release fish were recorded, down from the nine
and 27 respectively caught and released on
Monday
The teams were severely limited to
any sight-fishing of tailing bonefish or mudding fish, said Wilcox. Winds
blew from 25 to 35 mph all day.
Lopez,
looking for his fourth championship, weighed his third bonefish at 10-lbs.12
ozs., and had only two release fish compared with a 12 fish total on Monday
under bright sunny skies. Lopez has captured three grand champion titles
in ™93, ˜96 and ™98.
Still in second
place is Islamorada councilman Jim Mooney and his guide Capt. Rick Miller.
Mooney weighed an 11 lb. 3 oz bonefish to boost his score to 2796 points.
Dan Zicari, Vero Beach, guided byCapt. Mark
Krowka, Davie, jumped into third place at 1776 points with two weighfish, one at
11 lb. 12 oz. and the other at 11 lb. 5 ozs.
The team of Carl Anderson and Capt.George
Wood, both of Islamorada, are fourth with 1706 points.
Lopez™ record fish, good for 1724 points,
was 10 ozs. heavier than the previous record bonefish caught in ˜94
byTavernier angler Jim Bokor, who is also competing this week. Bokor™s fish
was 13 lbs. 14 oz.
The adverse weather is
reminiscent of the past two years of tournaments.
Fort he entire week of
last year™s tournament winds blew as high as 52 mph. In 1999, the tournament
was called on the fourth day to give way to HurricaneI rene and the evacuation
of the Keys.
Lopez, the president of an
electric utility export company, and Knowles hold the record for the most points
in the history of the tournament at 7212 set in 1996. But if the wet and windy
weather continues, despite his fantastic start, Lopez doesn™t think that
record will be broken this year.
It™s
tough fishing with these winds, he said. The big fish in the 12 “ 14
pound range are just not here and that™s where the points are. There are a lot
of top names that haven™t gotten on the board with their first of five allowed
weigh fish, Lopez said.
The tournament, one
of the oldest and most prestigious in the Florida Keys, finishes on Friday.
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