2021 Islamorada Backcountry Tournament

The 2021 Islamorada Backcountry Tournament ended with two friends from Mandeville, Louisiana walking away with the two top awards. Rebel Caplinger won the Grand Champion Award and Suzie Villere won second runner up award. The third runner up was IWFA President Kathy Gillen from Ft. Lauderdale. In the Fly Division Betsy Bullard, from Islamorada took the top honors. Jenn Parker from Ocean Isle Beach, North Carolina took the second runner up award and Shandra Rummel from Islamorada took the third runner up award. Thirty women including 6 newcomers fished for 3 days and despite the windy conditions managed to find the fish. There 10 slams including 3 by newcomer Summer Brancher, 30 Tarpon, 176 Redfish, 362 Snook, 14 Bonefish and numerous other smaller species that were all released. The Islamorada ladies that planned the event with Tournament Chair Kim Clement leading the way did a wonderful job in creating a memorable experience for everyone. The Pirate Party sponsored by Papas Pilar Rum and hosted by Kathy Gillen, Connie O’Day and Brenda Moore gave the tournament an added night of fun where everyone got to go dressed as a pirate. A big thank you to this year’s tournament sponsors Coolibar, Papas Pilar, Nautilus Reels, Costa, and Aftco.

 Awards as fellows:

GRAND CHAMPION - REBEL CAPLINGER – 3980 
2^ND RUNNER UP - SUZIE VILLERE – 3790
3^RD RUNNER UP - KATHY GILLEN – 3515

FLY DIVISION CHAMPION - BETSY BULLARD – 2870
2^ND RUNNER UP - JENN PARKER – 2820
3^RD RUNNER UP - SHANDRA RUMMEL – 2255

HIGH POINT ANGLER DAY ONE – REBEL CAPLINGER 1150

HIGH POINT ANGLER DAY TWO – JENN PARKER – 1800 (FLY ANGLER)

HIGH POINT ANGER DAY THREE – SUZIE VILLERE – 1915

NEWCOMER ANGLER – CORINNE NORTH FULLER – 3100

GUIDES SPIN DIVISION

 1^ST RICHARD BLACK – 8925

2^ND FRANKIE ORTIZ – 7590

3^RD DAVE DENKERT – 7195

GUIDES FLY DIVISION

1^st MIKE ALFANO – 7550
2^nd STEVE THOMAS – 3825

3^RD JAYCE CHAMIZO – 2540

TEAMS

1^ST PLACE TEAM – JENN PARKER, FRAN MCKELVEY, SUZIE VILLERE – 9035

2^ND PLACE TEAM – REBEL CAPLINGER, ALEDIA TUSH, POPPY BROWNLEE – 8965

3^RD PLACE TEAM – CONNIE O’DAY, SERENA WILSON, DENISE FREIHOFER- 8405

FIRST FISH – REBEL CAPLINGER 7:28 AM

LAST FISH – SUMMER BRACHER 3:00 PM

RECOGNIZED SLAMS

DAY ONE – CHERI TINDALL 2:21PM & BECKY STRAIN 2:46 PM (ON FLY)
DAY TWO – SUMMER BRACHER (3 total) & Mary Parker Weingart (ON SPIN)
DAY THREE – BETSY BULLARD, SHANDRA RUMMEL (ON FLY)
                        POPPY BROWNLEE & SUZIE VILLERE (ON SPIN)