Rules changes change competition
ISLAMORADA, Fla. — One of the biggest changes in the Florida Keys Outfitters IGFA Inshore World Championship was having each of the 32 anglers fish with the same guide for all three days. Two days into the tournament, everyone's happy with the switch.
Previously, anglers would fish with a different guide each of the three days. Tournament organizers, anglers and guides discussed making the change just so anglers and guides could get used to each other and bond, rather than starting from scratch each day.
"I think it's fine," said Robert Collins, who has won three out of the last four Inshore World Championships, including the past two. "It lets you approach it differently. On your first day it lets you talk about your third day. The continuity really helps, as long as you get along with the guy you're fishing with."
"I like this much better," Capt. Larry Sydnor said. "That way you get to know the people and gear up each day to their strengths and the way they fish."
Competition is in fly and light tackle divisions, with 16 anglers in each. The guides for each division specialize in either fly or spin fishing with bait and lures. The names of the guides for each angler were drawn out of a hat.
In the past, fly-rodders might have gotten paired with guides who excel at live bait fishing all three days.
"All these guys are good -- the best group of guides anywhere," said Collins, who is fly-fishing with Capt. Eric Herstadt. "Some guys specialize in certain things. If what you're fishing is different than that …"
"You might end up with a guide that's really a bait guy and not a fly guy, so that's a disadvantage." said Mark Cooper, who is competing in the fly division and won this tournament's fly division last year and in 2003.
As Cooper explained, guides who specialize in fly-fishing typically have skiffs that can run shallower than the boats used by guides who fish with live bait.
Cooper, who has caught a tarpon and two redfish fishing with Capt. Steve Friedman, also liked that Friedman has a better sense for what type of fisherman the former NFL offensive tackle is.
"He knows what I can and can't do and he knows how to position the boat," Cooper said. "I think it helps create more camaraderie.
"We talk about what he's thinking, what the fish are doing, what to expect and what our strategy is after we catch a species."
Capt. Steve Thomas guided Leslie Duncan of Houston to three redfish on fly Tuesday and a bonefish Wednesday. Although he won the tournament in 2006 with three different anglers, he likes the new format.
"Leslie's a good angler, she can cast and she's pleasant," Thomas said. "I know how she fishes. It does take time to really work with somebody."
Sydnor, who missed out on winning the 2006 tournament by a matter of minutes -- he was tied with Thomas, but his last fish was released 10 minutes after Thomas' last fish -- said Wednesday's catches illustrated how anglers and guides are becoming familiar with each other.
"The first day was OK," said Sydnor, who guided Mike Gallops to two bonefish and a tarpon on Tuesday and a permit, three redfish, two snook and a tarpon Wednesday on light tackle. "The second day you see a big improvement as far as the number of fish caught."
