ESPN Saltwater

ISLAMORADA, Fla. — Suddenly Saturday afternoon, a sound of excitement rose above the roar of the 102 competitors assembled at the Islamorada Marina after the ESPN Outdoors Saltwater Series Redbone Celebrity Tournament.

There was a sense of urgency in the air as the word "rescue" was shouted among the group.

At first, it seemed like a person was in trouble. With no disrepect to human life, the rescue was actually more important. The Hawaiian couple of Elika and Barbara Kaiwi, who now live in Florida, were fishing in the Redbone event with guide Billy Bishop when they found a sick green sea turtle near Shell Key and brought it to the marina.

The green sea turtle is listed as an endangered species by two international conservation organizations. The Kaiwis had found it floating near the water surface, obviously ailing.

Tom Luebke of the Hidden Harbor Marine Environmental Project, i.e., "The Turtle Hospital," arrived on the scene quickly — in The Turtle Hospital Ambulance. Luebke explained that this 10- to 12-pound green sea turtle would soon be undergoing surgery to cure it from fibropapilloma.

It's a disease resulting in fibrous tumors on the turtles that gradually leads to their death. The tumors prevent the turtles from feeding successfully and also sap what little nutrition they're able to consume. It can also cause fibrous growths on the eyes, somewhat like cataracts, that further inhibit the sea creatures' ability to survive.

Luebke explained that Dr. Doug Mader of the Marathon Veterinary Hospital volunteers his time to perform what can amount to as many as three one-hour surgeries on these sick sea turtles to aid their recovery.

Although this particular green sea turtle's chances of survival are probably 50-50 at best, the rescue left the Redbone competitors, who are already dedicated to curing cystic fibrosis, with an even greater sense of purpose.

BASS anglers try saltwater

At the launch of this weekend's Redbone Tournament, Bassmaster Elite Series pros Bobby and Chris Lane were being interviewed for ESPN's television coverage crew.

"This is the opportunity of a lifetime," Chris said. "We're excited to be out here and support this great cause."

"It's a whole lot different than freshwater, that's for sure," Bobby said. "All we needed to do was bring four spinning reels."

The Lanes, who live in Lakeland, Fla., will be fishing with local guide Mark Gilman, from Worldwide Sportsman's corral of guides. Gilman has guided three world records, and his specialties are redfish, bonefish and snook.

The Lane brothers held their own Saturday. Chris caught three redfish on live bait, worth 150 points, and Bobby caught two redfish on bait, worth 100 points.

Other notable celebrities at the Islamorada stop of the Mercury Redbone series are Jose Wejebe, most recognizable from his television show, Spanish Fly. Wejebe also signed on to host ESPN Outdoors Saltwater Series coverage of these Redbone events. Major League Baseball Hall of Famer Wade Boggs, ex-Denver Bronco and Tampa Bay Buccaneer Mark Cooper, fishing legends Stu Apte and Sandy Moret are also fishing the event. Former NASA astronaut Bruce Melnick will be wetting a line as well.

A sleep-filled slam

Mark Cooper admitted he slept in the boat for about an hour of Saturday's competition. That didn't keep him from recording one of the two slams — a redfish and bonefish combination — that day.

"I over-served myself (Friday night)," laughed Cooper, who is a regular in the Redbone Series and sponsors a freshwater event near his Colorado home.

Maybe that NFL-required toughness came to Cooper's aid Saturday. By that afternoon, he was raring to go out and compete again Sunday.

"I may get the fly rod out," Cooper said. "No one has caught anything on a fly yet."