| President's Messageby: Kathy Gillen, IWFA President 2019/2020
 As we enter this holiday season it is fitting that we reflect back on this past year’s accomplishments and the many opportunities that lie ahead for us to share our passion for fishing. The list of 2019 achievements are directly attributed to the many volunteer hours of our board members, Regional Reps and Tournament Chairs. Please join me in welcoming our two newest board members Mary Parker Weingart as Sponsor Chair and Allison Stattner as Membership Chair. I hope in the New Year you might consider ways to give back to the IWFA. There are many ways that you can contribute – we need volunteers for tournaments and events, participation in the Regional Rep program, Junior Angler mentors and committee members for many of our programs.
As we wrap up the year – the competition for annual awards is heating up! Don’t forget to take some time out of your busy schedule for some fishing and turn in those affidavits. The last date for accepting 2019 affidavits is Jan 5. For those of you interested in standing on the awards podium – this is the time to start planning how you can win in 2020. Log into your iscore portal for a complete set of awards and info on how to win monthly and annual awards.
Pull out your calendars and put IWFA fishing trips on your Christmas wish list because 2020 is the year to go fishing with the gals! Starting with the Annual Meeting and Awards Luncheon in Islamorada Florida on April 19, which will commence with an Inshore funament on Saturday the 18th and Offshore funament on Monday the 20th. The La Jolla Hotel will be our headquarters for the weekend where many social activities are being planned. Next on the calendar, June 14-17 our Louisiana ladies will be rolling out the infamous Louisiana Slam Tournament. This is one of our most popular events featuring outstanding fishing paired with legendary Cajun cuisine. We are super excited to pair up with one of our sponsors, Orvis for a return to the El Pescadora Lodge in Belize for some outstanding bonefishing August 6-10. We will close out the year once more with the historical Islamorada Backcountry Slam in October. And yes – plans are already underway for a full calendar in 2021! If you have never fished an IWFA event, please consider joining in. There is no better way to develop long term friendships with other female anglers than spending time on the water together.
Wishing you and your family a wonderful holiday season and plenty of tight lines in the coming year.
Start Planning Your 2020 Fishing Trips Now - The 2020 Calendar has been Released…Catch it here!
IWFA 2020 Calendar of Major Events
(More Funaments to be announced throughout the year)
April 18-20, 2020 IWFA Annual Meeting & Awards Luncheon – Funament, Islamorada FL
- Luncheon – April 19, 2020 – Islamorada Fishing Club
- Inshore Funament – April 18, 2020
- Offshore Funament – April 20, 202
- Host Hotel: La Jolla
- Registration Opens in January
June 14-17, 2020 Louisiana SLAM – Venice, LA
- Legendary fishing for Reds, Specks and other amazing species – paired with amazing Cajun cuisine!
- Kickoff Sunday June 14 – followed by 3 days of fishing and fun!
- Registration Opens in March
August 6-10, 2020 – Belize Bonefish Tournament - El Pescador Lodge, Ambergris Caye, Belize
- All-inclusive trip of a lifetime fishing pristine tropical flats
- Registration now open! Go to iwfa.org for details
October 19-21, 2020 (Tentative) – Islamorada Backcountry Tournament – Islamorada, FL
- Three amazing days of backcountry fishing in Islamorada
- Registration Opens in July
LINDA HARPER RUNS AWAY WITH THE HIGHLY COVETED FLEMING AWARD!
 This award is presented at the end of the year by Molly Fleming in honor of her parents, William and Kathleen Fleming, to the angler who amasses the most Fleming points in IWFA tournament competition. In order to win this prestigious award, one must compete in the majority of IWFA tournaments and place consistently towards the top in order to amass the points necessary to surpass all other tournament anglers. Let’s just say, Linda didn’t just get lucky; she can flat out fish! With that being said, I asked Linda to tell us what IWFA means to her and her response was, “IWFA and the women in it has changed my life!”
Below is Linda’s inspiring story of her journey through IWFA Membership in a way that only Linda can tell…I can hear her voice as I read her words; can you?
I feel so fortunate to have been invited to join the IWFA IN 2006. The greatest joy has been to make grand friends from all over the country, and beyond, that share the love of fishing. After spending the day on the water with an angler that you never met, often she is a friend for life. Older women, younger women, wealthy women, not so wealthy women, daughters of members, women whose mothers were members, staid women, rollicking women, all have fishing stories or life stories that are fascinating and enriching. The caring among members is awe-inspiring. Through illnesses, deaths, contributions of time, money and prayers help members in need of love and caring is a hallmark of the IWFA. Celebrations of personal achievements, celebrations of IWFA awards, sad times and good times are shared events within the IWFA
 Learning from the guides and captains is magic! It’s rare that I come off of the water without learning something new. Most of them are terrific people as well as anglers. Many have become friends for life.
Traveling with IWFA members to places I never would have visited has opened a new chapter in my life. Much more open to fishing travel, I have seen parts of the world I would have never glimpsed had it not been for the IWFA. It has been such a grand adventure!
Serving on the board of directors several times has allowed me to realize how much time and effort dedicated officers, board members, tournament chairs, those in charge of trophies, scoring, finances, scholarship trust fund, newsletters, conservation of fisheries, and fishing rules contribute so that club members can enjoy tournaments, funaments, and annual luncheons. I didn’t realize how much hard, hard work goes into the club that I had taken for granted. The IWFA doesn’t exist in a vacuum, but continues because of hard work and love of the club.
Competing makes fishing more fun and rewarding. Competing for monthly awards, species awards, and yearly awards keeps me fishing harder and longer. The competition is fierce, but fair, and adds enjoyment every single time I fish. No lollygagging for me or goofing off for me!!
Inviting friends or acquaintances to become members and then seeing them experience the magic and camaraderie of the IWFA gives me the happiness of sharing something that has changed my life! Thank you IWFA founders and members for sharing the joy!!
Let’s all give Linda a round of applause for her dedication, love and friendship in IWFA. Linda is a true inspiration and the first person I fished with at my first tournament. She is gracious, funny, a friend and one AMAZING angler! Congratulations Linda!
Tribute to Ann Taylor
Ann Taylor went to Heaven on Nov. 20, 2019 surrounded by her four loving children, daughter-in-law and husband at the age of 57.
Ann was a lover of everything outdoors and a fierce IWFA Competitor since 2007. Her easy-going, laid-back love of people and the water garnered her friends wherever she traveled. Ann learned to fish at their camp in Grand Isle from the age of seven and spent the day on the water with many of her IWFA friends. She won the Louisiana Slam on two occasions within a very short time period, fished the Islamorada Tournament, and also participated in Funaments with various members.
After graduating from LSU, she and her husband began their lifelong journey as co-publishers of the Louisiana Sportsman, the St. Charles Herald-Guide, and other affiliated companies based in Boutte. They lived and raised their four children in Luling.
Most of all she loved the Catholic faith and welcomed the suffering of cancer for all souls to join her with the angels and saints in the glory of Heaven. She is at peace now with our Lord and we ask that when you talk fondly of Ann, you say a prayer for her soul and for the hearts of her family & friends who will miss her dearly on this earth.
Until we fish again, much love from your IWFA sisters!
Islamorada Backcountry Tournament
Written by: Kim Clement
The legendary Islamorada Backcountry tournament was an overwhelming success. IWFA anglers fished three days for a variety of backcountry species including bonefish, tarpon, redfish and snook using 10# braid and 12# tippets on fly. The ladies supported the “kick plastics” campaign by bringing reusable thermal water bottles on the boats. A great member event was hosted by Amy Knowles where anglers dressed in creative Halloween bonefish attire. Kim Harrison Clement with her large volunteer team produced another memorable event.
The individual awards are as follows:
Spin Category Division I: First place - Carmen Perez-Padron (center); Second place - Mary Parker-Weingart (left); Third place - Linda Harper (right)
Fly Category Division II: First place - Cheri Tindall (center); Second place - Becky Strain (left); Third place - Jenny Parker (right)
High Point Angler Day One: Linda Harper
High Point Angler Day Two: Becky Strain
High Point Angler Day Three: Carmen Perez-Padron
NEWCOMER - Allison Stattner
The “First Fish Caught” went to both Becky Strain and Jenn Parker; the “Last Fish Caught” went to both Julie Brown and Aledia Tush.
The following ladies took home impressive Team Awards:
First Place Team: Carmen Perez-Padron, Jenny Parker, and Aledia Tush.
Second Place Team: Becky Strain, Lisa Everett, and Allison Stattner.
Third Place Team: Cheryl Culberson, Mary Parker Weingart, and Linda Harper.
Fourth Place Team: Angie Lucas, Denise Freihofer, and Lin Dockendorf.
Without a doubt, the rest of the fabulous ladies just had a lot of fun!
Special thanks go out to our hard-working Florida guides who excelled to capture 1st, 2nd and 3rd place respectively.
Spin Guides: Congrats to Rickard Black, Dave Denkert, and Frankie Ortiz for their professionalism and dedication to the success of our tournament!
Fly Guides: Congrats to Steve Thomas, Mike Alfano, and Randy Stallibngs for their professionalism and dedication to the success of our tournament!
“A special thank you to the sponsor of the IWFA Islamorada Backcountry Tournament to include: CCA Florida, Columbia Sportswear, Costa Sunglasses, Engel, Gillen Yachts, Lew's, Nautilus, Powerpro, and Yeti."
Amazon Smile...
Don't forget to "Smile" during this holiday season!
Who doesn’t Amazon? Don’t forget to SMILE!
The IWFA Scholarship Trust has some wonderful news! As of May 12th we are part of the Amazon smile program. When you log in to do some shopping on your regular Amazon Page, please go to Smile.Amazon.com. When the smile page comes up you will see that you can choose a charity to receive a donation when purchasing from Amazon. Please select IWFA (International Women’s Fishing Association) & we will receive 0.5% of your purchase price. Then, whenever you shop, just make sure you are on the Smile.Amazon.com page and all of your purchases will work with this program! Let it rain donations from Amazon…it makes us SMILE!
If you would like to make a tax deductible donation to the IWFA Scholarship Trust, please send your donations to IWFA SCHOLARSHIP TRUST, PO Box 460387, Ft. Lauderdale, FL 33346-0387 and feel free to research our endeavors through the following link: www.iwfa.org.
Facebook Posting  Facebook: Members are utilizing Facebook regularly and posting great shots. Please use @organization name to tag sponsors for our events and #organization name to do the same. Due to limitations of Instagram, Facebook will be our major outlet for Social Media.
Post on the IWFA FaceBook Page…Here’s How!
Let’s all stay connected by sharing our fishing experiences and photos on the open FaceBook page! Just like your personal FaceBook account, you can make a post to our group and connect with others that may want to share in the same experience.
Here is how to quickly post from your own phone or computer:
- From your FaceBook Page type “International Women’s Fishing Association” in the search bar
- You should now be able to click on the IWFA Face Book Page
- Below the Main Organization Name there are several tabs (Home/About/Photos/Events/Videos/Posts/Community); Select Posts
- Once Posts has been selected, there will be an option for you to “Write Something” and post a picture using the photo icon. Only 1 picture per post can be uploaded on an organization website.
- See photo for guidance…it’s just that easy!
Photos from Tournaments & Funaments for Historian & Sharing
If you have a great photo of yourself or your fishing partner to share with IWFA, please email it to: [email protected].
Also, feel free to directly post it to the IWFA Facebook Page, but if you don’t have a Facebook account, emailing it to the above address will allow for all avenues of the board to access the photos for the newsletter, facebook, historical records, etc…
Monthly Awards
Congratulations to our Monthly Award Winners
Turning in those affidavits could put you on the list!
August Milestones
- Pamela Basco, Houston, TX 100 Monthly Awards
- Rebecca Strain, Islamorada, FL 10 Monthly Awards
- Shandra Rummel, Islamorada, FL 10 Monthly Awards
September Milestones
- Connie O'day, Pearland, TX 100 Monthly Awards
- Mary Parker Weingart, Mukwonago, WI 25 Monthly Awards
- Allison Stattner, Jupiter, FL 10 Monthly Awards
October Milestones
- Jenny Goodell, Chicago, IL 50 Monthly Awards
November Milestones
- Linda Harper, Nags Head, NC 300 Monthly Awards
- Mary Edmonds, Marengo, IL 100 Monthly Awards
- Shandra Rummel, Islamorada, FL 25 Monthly Awards
Junior Anglers
STUDY BREAK WINNER FOR IWFA JUNIOR ANGLERS!
Announcing the IWFA Junior Angler Fall Funament
September 1 – November 30, 2019
All of our Junior Anglers needed a break this Fall, so they engaged in a new kind of virtual Funament whereby they could fish anywhere and anytime for any species on the Jr. Angler list in the fall months to compete for some exciting prizes.
The winners are:
Division of 13-18 year olds
1st Place – Emma Hunt with 706 points
2nd Place - Emily Hanzlik with 701 points
Division of 6-12 year olds
1st Place – Jenna Hunt with 132 points
Way to go young ladies! Notice that there was only a 1 fish difference between the 13-18 year old competitors!
JR Angler Mentors Needed
Any IWFA member that is interested in being a mentor or would like to sign up a Jr Angler from the ages of 6-18 please contact the IWFA Junior Angler Chair Jenny Goodell at [email protected]
welcome to our new members!!
- Amy Lockhart – Riverview, FL
- Amy Skalny – Placida, FL
- Shannon Gentry Lanier – Augusta, GA
- Jeanne Fulton Reeves – Palmetto, FL
- Jenna Hunt – Pearland, TX Junior Angler
|
