Collins wins third IGFA Inshore World Championship

 Catches 13 fish among 5 species in prestigious tournament of champions

ISLAMORADA, In-the-Florida-Keys, U.S.A.  – Fresh from a team win in the IGFA Offshore World Championship in Mexico, Robert Collins won the IGFA Inshore World Championship while defending his Grand Champion title accumulating the most points for five targeted species. 

It was his third championship title in the eight years of the inshore tournament.

“Two world championships within two months, I’m speechless,” smiled Collins. “Today was a real nail biter right up to the end, just like in Cabo San Lucas.”

The International Game Fish Association’s celebrated catch-and-release tournament is dubbed the “super bowl of inshore fishing,” as 32 anglers from around the world stalked the Florida Bay waters for bonefish, tarpon, permit, snook and redfish.

Collins who has homes in Islamorada and Naples, was chasing Day 2 leader Joe “Pepe” Lopez, Coral Gables, Fla. in the final round hoping to catch two bonefish, a snook and a permit to complete two slams of fish to go with earlier catches of nine fish.

Lopez, who won the title in 2006, had completed one slam on Tuesday and needed just two fish -- a snook and a permit -- to collect his second slam in the three-day event. He fell short by catching only a snook early, but like all the anglers suffered with overcast skies searching for the permit.

“I was hoping to get the remaining species we need to pull together two slams,” said Collins, who was guided by Capt. Mark Gilman, Islamorada. Collins who first won the tournament in 2005 caught a snook early and then two bonefish and a redfish but was also a permit shy of his second slam. He scored 1250 points on his 13 fish using both bait and artificial along with circle hooks for added points

Lopez won both runner-up grand champion and the bait division title with his slam and four fish for 950 total points.

In the fly division Mark Cooper, Aurora, Colo. , won on releases of a redfish, a tarpon and three snook. The former NFL lineman for the Denver Broncos and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers totaled 775 points while going scoreless the final day.

First day leader John Timura, Islamorada, bounced back in the final round to win the artificial division on catches of redfish, snook and permit over the three days. In May Collins and Timura were members of a five-man team winning the IGFA Offshore World Championship in Cabo San Lucas, Mexico , out fishing 63 teams from 27 countries.

Capt. Mike Hutchinson, Miami Springs, Fla. was named the top captain by scoring the most points in guiding Timura, Rich Gorden, Brooksville, Fla. and Johann Pettersson of Ornskoldsvik, Sweden in their rounds over the three days.

Three anglers from the continents of Europe, Africa and Australia made good showing as first time invitees to the world-class tournament, and all said they hope to compete again next year subject to qualifying wins in their regions. Johann Pettersson of Ornskoldsvik, Sweden, who went scoreless the first two days rallied big with 625 total points on releases of redfish and snook using artificial and fly. He had won the Pike Challenge in his home country to advance to IWC. Close behind was Phillip Clark of Darwin, NT, Australia with 600 points on catches of redfish. Clark advanced after winning the NT Barramundi Classic “down under.” Gustaf Brew, Ekvik, Sweden the winner of the Murchison Falls tournament in Uganda, Africa had 100 points despite having just going through knee surgery. Linda Denkert, Tavernier, Fla., gave anglers in the fly division a run on Wednesday by releasing three bonefish for 600 points to add to her earlier round redfish to finish second in the division with 725 points, 50 points behind Cooper. “We went zero for eight in chances to catch a tarpon,” she said. Her Day 3 guide was Capt Kenny Knudsen, Islamorada. Cal Collier, Jr., Atlanta, Ga., was third in fly. Making a late charge was Troy Pruitt, Naples, Fla., who ended the tournament with 1025 points scoring a slam while taking second in the bait division. Pruitt, guided Wednesday by Capt. Rusty Albury, Islamorada, released a bonefish, a snook and two redfish adding to his previous duo releases of tarpon and permit. Greg Zaepfel, Williamsville, New York, a suburb of Buffalo, who was “on fire” and in contention with 975 points on Tuesday with triples of snook, redfish and permit, failed to score anything on the final day as well as the opening round. He took third in the bait division. Finishing behind Timura in the artificial division were Stephanie Parsons, Naples, Fla., with 900 points for second and Rich Gorden, Brooksville, Fla. in third with 750 points. Fishing and daily scorekeeping took place from the World Wide Sportsman marina.

2008 IGFA INSHORE WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP June 30 –

GRAND CHAMPION - MOST SLAMS

Robert Collins, Islamorada, Fla., 1250 pts

RUNNER-UP GRAND CHAMPION - MOST SLAMS

Joe “Pepe” Lopez, Coral Gables , Fla. , 950 pts

BAIT DIVISION

1st Joe “Pepe” Lopez, Coral Gables , Fla. , 950 pts
2nd Troy Pruitt, Naples , Fla. , 725 pts
3rd Greg Zaepfel, Buffalo , N.Y. 675 pts

ARTIFICIAL LURE DIVISION

1st John Timura, Islamorada , Fla. , 1,100 pts
2nd Stephanie Parsons, Naples , Fla. , 900 pts
3rd Rich Gorden, Brooksville , Fla. 750 pts

OVERALL GUIDES DIVISION

1st Capt. Mike Hutchisson, Miami Springs , Fla. , 1,825 pts
2nd Capt. Dave Denkert, Tavernier, Fla. 1,500 pts
3rd Steve Thomas, Islamorada , Fla. , 1,500 pts