Bob Rich

Fly Division Champion - Mercury Redbone Celebrity Tournament

Bob Rich lives in Islamorada and is a passionate inshore and offshore angler with global fishing experience. Bob’s wife Mindy is also an avid and capable angler. Four children and eight grandchildren keep him extremely busy when not fishing or writing.

Over the years he has continuously finished high in The Redbone Celebrity Series, The Islamorada Saifly and other major fishing tournaments. Rich became only the second angler ever to be inducted into the MET Tournament’s “South Florida Fishing Hall of Fame” by catching 10 species of gamefish under specifically difficult tackle restrictions.

His first angling book, Fish Fights tells the story of the quest for those fish. The book is now in paperback and is soon to be made into a major motion picture. Bob recently authored his second fishing book, The Fishing Club, Brothers and Sisters of the Angle gathering the wisdom of 14 subjects and their love for fishing. . He’s also written Secrets from the Delphi Café and has been a frequent featured guest angler on ESPN.

Bob is chairman of Rich Products Corporation, the largest family-owned frozen food manufacturer in the U.S. He’s in the Buffalo Baseball Hall of Fame, the Greater Buffalo Sports Hall of Fame and in 1999 and does extensive work with charities to which the proceeds from his books are donated. Bob is Vice Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the International Game Fish Association. The IGFA is a not-for-profit organization committed to the conservation of game fish and the promotion of responsible, ethical angling practices through science, education, rule making and record keeping.

Rand Holstead

First Rinner Up - Islamorada Gold Cup Tarpon Tournament

Off the water Rand resides in Houston, Texas where he is in the commercial real estate business.

He has been fly fishing the Bahamas, Mexico and FL Keys for the better part of twelve years. His enthusiasm for the silver king makes him an avid annual angler in The Golden Fly Tarpon Tournament, The Don Hawley Tarpon Tournament and The Gold Cup Tarpon Tournament. He also fishes in the Islamorada Spring Bonefish Fly Tournament and The Islamorada Fall Fly Bonefish Tournament. In 2008 he was 1st runner up in The Gold Cup Tarpon Tournament with Captain Brian Helms.

Rand is a genuine nice guy and a proud husband and father of two beautiful young daughters.

Warren Hinrichs

First Rinner Up - March Merkin Permit Tournament

Warren Hinrichs with his wife and children, Grace and Lauren live in Jacksonville, Florida. There he is a Portfolio Manager at Wells Fargo Bank. He frequently writes and his articles have been published in numerous fly fishing magazines including Fly Fishing in Salt Waters. The goals of his articles are to promote the sport of fly fishing and to support local guides and fly shops whenever possible.

Warren is a fly fishing permit aficionado who competes regularly in the Del Brown Invitational Permit Tournament and The March Merkin Permit Tournament. He has been Grand Champion in both of those competitive and challenging events as well as finishing many times as Runner Up.

In his spare time, Warren enjoys poling friends and family to quality time on the water. In November 2008, Warren led friend, artist and local fly shop owner Vaughn Cochran in the Redbone Series of Tournaments in St. Augustine and the Mosquito Lagoon where they won both the Fly Fishing Division in St. Augustine and the Celebrity Division in the Mosquito Lagoon on the fly.

Warren appreciates every opportunity to fly fish and to make new friends in the sport.

Alex Cruz

Second Runner Up - Backcountry Fly Championship

With more than 3 decades on the water Alex Cruz, 38 of Miami, Florida has keenly developed his talent, skill and love for fishing. At age 5 Alex picked up a rod for the first time. He recalls Sunday mornings fishing with his family off the bridges of the Florida Keys. At a young age, Alex decided that he would never be too far from the ocean.

Fishing has taken Alex all over the world; Belize, Canada, Venezuela, Bahamas, Turks and Caicos, and Puerto Rico but his most memorable moment was hooking a Blue marlin on fly, in the waters of Guatemala.

In addition to being an accomplished angler and entrepreneur Alex is a devoted father to his son, Nicholas.

Alex has participated in various inshore/offshore tournaments and is honored to be invited to fish in the Florida Keys Outfitters/IGFA Inshore World Championship.

He continues to challenge himself whether it be hunting redfish in the backcountry of Flamingo or the fighting a sailfish in Costa Rica. For Alex fishing is not just an obsession, but a way of life.

Charles W. Duncan III (Carlos)

First Rinner Up - Don Hawley Invitational Tarpon Fly Tournament

Charles W. Duncan, III (“Carlos”) lives in Houston, Texas where he is President of a private investment firm, Duncan Interests. He was previously involved with private equity, investment banking and currently has cattle and real estate interests.

Carlos and his wife of 18 years, Leslie, have two daughters, Sarah aged 16, and Annie aged 14.

He has a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Economics from University of Virginia and a Masters of Business Administration from Harvard University. Carlos is active with various non-profit charitable organizations in Houston including being Chairman of CCA-Texas Foundation, the financial arm of the Coastal Conservation Association in Texas.

When asked about how he began fishing Carlos replies; “I have fished all my life. In the 1960’s, we had a bay house in Galveston and fished off the dock. My Dad and Uncle shared a 38 foot Post sportsfisherman, and we fished a bit offshore the Texas coast. In 1972, aged 12, I had two big new influences in my fishing life. I fly fished for the first time at our new family ranch property in Wyoming, and I visited Islamorada for the first time with my Dad as the guest of Carl Navarre, Sr. Fly fishing has been a passion now for almost 40 years. My Dad was never an avid fly fisherman, so my casting and knots were self-taught out of books. I probably read Joe Brooks’ book 50 times. My first real teacher of stream fishing was our next door neighbor, Alan Simpson, who later served 18 years as US Senator from Wyoming. In the salt water, my teacher and mentor was clearly Carl Navarre,Sr. He was a close friend of my Dad and invited us every year to fish Islamorada. He always arranged for us the best guides available, Billy Knowles, Cecil Keith, Bill Curtis, Al Polofsky, Hal Chitum. I caught my first tarpon on bait June 3, 1973, at Channel Two with Cecil; the next year I caught one on plug; then Mr. Navarre gave me my first salt water fly rod and a year or two later, I caught my first tarpon on fly with Hal. My first bonefish was caught at age 17 with Al and weighted 12 pounds – I have not caught a larger one since.

I quit fishing the Keys in 1985 when Mr. Navarre sadly passed away and my graduate school, marriage, and young children intervened. I returned to Islamorada to fish in 1995 and was put in touch with Rob Fordyce by Flip Pallot. Rob has become my modern teacher of fly fishing and particularly tarpon fishing. We have fished together several times a year ever since. I am clearly biased, but I believe Rob is the best tarpon guide of his generation and one of the best all around anglers and guides on any water today. He has taught me everything I know about modern fly fishing for tarpon – I think I have taught him maybe one thing. In 2002, Rob agreed to guide me in the Gold Cup Tarpon Tournament. We have not yet won, but had several near misses at 2nd place. Since then I have tried to fish in two tarpon tournament and two bonefish tournaments per year. I am not so good at bonefishing, but working on it.

Carlos and Rob Fordyce won the Golden Fly Tarpon Tournament in 2005 and has placed win the top three of the Golden Fly, The Gold Cup Tarpon Tournament and the Don Hawley Tarpon Tournament consistently over the past few years. He has had some of the single highest scoring days in the history of several of the events

Tournament tarpon fishing runs in the family – my wife, Leslie, fishing with Billy Knowles, is a two time winner of the Women’s Tarpon Fly Tournament.

In addition to fishing, Carlos spends time riding, camping, hiking, skiing, and other mountain sports along with hunting and bird shooting, cycling and triathlons being a 3 time Iron-man Finisher.

Ed Liccione

Grand Champion - Islamorada Sailfly

Ed and his wife Candace live in Queenstown, Maryland on the Eastern Shore of The Chesapeake Bay. Ed fly fishes the Bay from the Susquehanna Flats to The Chesapeake Bay Bridge Tunnel in his Parker Center Console. He also spends time fishing in Hatteras, North Carolina, Henlopen, Delaware and Ocean City Maryland. Ed keeps a flats boat in Islamorada, Florida and considers it his home away from home. Ed’s interest and love of saltwater fly fishing began under the tutelage of Captain Billy Knowles in the Florida Keys. Ed and Billy won The Islamorada Sailfly Championship in 2008. Before he got hooked on the “long rod”, Ed spent many years fishing off shore in Panama, Costa Rica, Equator, Mexico and in the ocean canyons off the coast of New Jersey.

Ed is Vice Chairman of CCA Maryland, a board member of The Maryland Sportsmen’s Foundation and is a board member of The Maryland Artificial Reef Initiative (MARI). Thru MARI he helps build fishing and diving reefs in the Chesapeake Bay and off the coast of Maryland.

Robert Collins

IGFA Inshore World Champion 2005, 2007 & 2008

Robert grew up in South Miami, then lived in Naples for 25 years and now resides in Islamorada. During 30 years of business endeavors he has been an accountant, Marina Manager and a Fishing Guide. Robert and his wife Chrisse have been married for 17 years and each have grown sons from a previous marriage.

Robert's dad first took him to Flamingo at the age of 6 where they anchored in Snake Bight Channel and caught about 10 different species of fish. Robert said "I was hooked at that point and we fished Flamingo a couple of days a month until the time I moved to Naples. His dad was a member of the Tropical Anglers sport fishing club in Miami and he learned an incredible amount from him and the other club members at a very young age." Robert has also fished extensively on the West side of Everglades National Park for nearly 30 years, including a 14 year stint as a guide out of Chokoloskee.

Robert confesses that he doesn't really have a favorite species and is happy fishing for anything, whether with spin or fly, inshore, offshore, or catching bait. He enjoys any reason to be out on the water. He says about tournament fishing, "I love the preparation, analyzing conditions, scouting, experimenting with different tackle and techniques, and just plain old practice."

He has been fishing inshore and offshore tournaments for 18 years, winning over 90 awards as either Angler or Captain. Robert has fished all 8 previous IGFA Inshore World Championships and the last 2 IGFA Offshore World Championships. Additionally he fishes in 12-15 tournaments a year. He is a member of IGFA and became an IGFA Certified Observer in 2006.

Robert's many angling accomplishments include being on the Collier County Redsnook, Spin/Plug Champion Team and Fly Champion Team in 2004 He was Redbone Series Grand Champion in 2002 and won the S.L.A.M. Grand Champion in that year. Robert was S.L.A.M Team Grand Champion in 2005 and BayBone Grand Champion in 2004, Team Grand Champion 2005.

He was The Herman Lucerne Grand Champion in 2004 and Unguided Team Grand Champion in 2006 and Backcountry Fly Championship Runner Up Grand Champion in 2009. Robert also was Backbone Lures One Jig Team Grand Champion in 2002, 2003 and 2004 as well as Unguided Grand Champion in 2004and 2006. He was Fly Division Champion in 2008 and Islamorada Spring All Tackle Bonefish Grand Champion 2006

On top of those titles, Robert was I.G.F.A. Inshore World Champion 2005, 2007, 2008. He is the only angler in tournament history to double slam all 5 species, once in 2005 and again in 2007.

Robert was on the I.G.F.A. Offshore World Championship, Grand Champion Team in 2008 making him the only Angler to win both Inshore and Offshore Championships. He also was part of the Key Largo Sailfish Challenge Team Grand Champions in 2008, caught the largest fish in the Islamorada Swordfish Tournament in 2005 and he has recently finished high in the Florida Keys Gold Cup Sailfish Tournament, the Islamorada Sailfish Tournament, Islamorada Fishing Club Sailfish Tournament and the Holiday Isle Sailfish Tournament .

In addition to his fishing talents, Robert played collegiate soccer at Andrew College and was a member of the Georgia Junior College State Champions in 1979. He enjoys watching pro football and soccer.

David Dalu

Grand Champion, The Don Hawley Invitational Tarpon Tournament & The Golden Fly Tarpon

David grew up fly fishing in the midwest, but the lure of saltwater started at a young age. After reading all the saltwater fishing books he could find, his life was forever changed after a Keys vacation at age 16. Driving over the bridge at Bud n Mary's, seeing a guide in a side console skiff and then later catching a tarpon from the bridge at Ohio Key forged a memory that would beckon his return to the Keys, fly rod in hand.

Initially spending time in NE Florida offshore fishing and spearfishing, the lure of shallow water returned when David had an opportunity to volunteer at a clinic in the Bahamas. Bringing along a fly rod "just in case," a shallow flat full of waving bonefish tails rekindled his passion for the fly rod. As an avid waterfowler and competitive hunt test retriever trainer of his beloved yellow Lab, Culley, David found shallow water sight fishing combined the best aspects of hunting and fishing. David would later spend several weeks each spring for three seasons on his own skiff exploring the waters around the island, catching bonefish and permit and learning the effects of tide, moon and wind on the fish. With the untimely passing of his dog a few years later, all of his passion was now directed towards shallow water fish on fly.

Later, the chance meeting with second generation Keys guide Scott Collins, of Marathon would benefit both of their fishing careers. Scott's local knowledge, experience and enthusiasm were invaluable. The duo spent many seasons on the water revising their strategies combined with time at the tying vise to culminate in a record breaking 2008: the only team ever to win all three tarpon tournaments in one season. David is only the fourth angler ever to win all three tarpon tournaments, the only "new" angler ever to win the Hawley and the Gold Cup, and holds the record for most releases in the history of the Hawley (21).David also took third place and largest fish in the 07 March Merkin Permit Tournament and enjoys bonefishing with his friend and guide, Randy Stallings.

David has been fortunate to be mentored by some of the best in the sport, including permit guru Marshall Cutchin and Ray Fecher of Big Pine, the latter David considers the finest tarpon guide in the Keys. Dalu believes we should all be grateful for the experience and knowlege of Keys guides and anglers, who lead the world in shallow water fishing techniques.

David works as an emergency physician in Charleston, SC and is blessed with a very supportive wife, Olivia, and two young daughters, Charlotte 3, and Caroline 6 months. Despite her demanding academic medicine schedule, Olivia is able to balance work and family to allow David regular forays to the Keys. When not fishing, David enjoys shooting sporting clays, cooking and maintaining his pre Civil War home.

Sue Moret

Redbone @ Large Marsh Harbor Bonefish Classic - First Runner Up to Grand Champion

Sue Moret was born in a small town outside of Philadelphia and schooled at the University of South Carolina. As a youngster she vacationed with her family in Marathon in the Florida Keys at the "little fish camp" known as Faro Blanco where she caught snapper and marveled at the parrot fish around the docks. Sue raised her son & daughter Scot and Beth on Cape Cod and later Ft. Lauderdale. She is affiliated with the Moorings Realty in Islamorada and plays a major role in the success of The Florida Keys Fly fishing School & Outfitters with her husband, Sandy.

She began salt water fly fishing in Homosassa with the late Capt. Cecil Keith and around Islamorada with Capt Bruce Stagg in chasing her first tarpon on fly. Sue spent a weekend at Sandy's fly fishing school in hopes of polishing her skills and catching that elusive tarpon. A year or so later, she stopped by the Outfitters and mentioned that tarpon had continued to elude her. Sandy offered to take her fishing and that afternoon she brought a 90 pounder to the boat!

Since that time she has fly fished extensively in the Keys, Everglades, Bahamas and around the world in fresh and salt water. Her favorite fishing is for bonefish and her personal best is a 13 pounder caught with Capt John Donnell. Sue comes to us as first runner up of the Redbone @ Large Marsh Harbor Bonefish Classic.

Sue is very actively involved in Voices for the Children of the Florida Keys.

Barry Shevlin

Grand Champions Lucerne - Grossman Memorial Fishing Competition 2008

Barry Shevlin is an attorney practicing law in the Miami area for almost 25 years. He is affiliated with the IGFA and sit on their fund raising committee.

Barry began fishing at age 3 when he fish caught a porkfish at the Miami Beach Coast Guard Base. He bought his first boat when he was 12 and always fished offshore believing flats were nothing more than navigational hazards. In 1999, he was invited to go sight fishing with a friend and I immediately became hooked on the flats. From that point forward, Barry spent a lot of time learning how to pursue the inshore species and develop my sight casting skills.

Barry won the One Jig Tournament, Backbone Inshore Tournament and been both MET Master Angler and MET Offshore Master Angler. He was Top Overall Angler in the Gene Doyle Fishing Tournament and has won various divisions of The Yamaha Billfish Tournament and The Bob Lewis Billfish Tournament. He comes to us as the winner of the Lucerne-Grossman Memorial Tournament with a long and solid tournament record.

He also enjoys scuba diving, spearfishing, golf and teaching his boys how to fish and dive.

Jared Raskob

IFACT Redghost Stalk - Fly Tackle Division Grand Champion

Jared was born in Canada but moved to the states when just two weeks old. He has grown up in the Keys and is definitely a conch at heart. Jared Peter Raskob is 19 years old and can't imagine living anywhere else in the world and plans on a life in the keys where he can continue his true passion... fly fishing.

It was a fly rod awarded to him in his first tournament where he placed as first runner up that began his interest in fly fishing over four years ago. There's been no looking back since. Out of all of the fish he loves here, it is the bonefish that he would consider his favorite fish to target. It's the challenge and the elusive reputation of these fish. Jared says because they spook more easily you must really stalk them creating a virtual hunting scene on the water. And it was the bonefish that gave Jared his most treasured fishing experience. On December 27, 2007 Jared and a friend set out at sunset to seek out big down town Islamorada tailing bonefish. Within two hours of fishing Jared caught and released 3 astonishing bonefish weighing 11 lbs, 13 lbs, and 14.2 lbs!

Besides his zeal for fishing Jared enjoys golfing, playing basketball and spending time with girlfriends and friends. Presently Jared attends Florida Keys Community College and plans a degree in business. For certain, this young man has all the makings of an angler who will have much success during his fishing career. Jared is looking forward to the Florida Keys Outfitters Inshore Championship. His qualifying tournament was the 2008 Redghost Stalk where he won Fly Grand Champion.

Mark Cooper

First Rinner Up - Mercury Redbone Celebrity Tournament

Mark has been a long-time celebrity angler with the Mercury Redbone series of tournaments in the Florida Keys, The Mercury Grand Slam Celebrity Classic and a multitude of other International Destinations. Mark hosts and emcee’s his event in Aspen, Colorado, the 6th Annual Rocky Mountain Fly Fishing Classic and helps with the Costa Rica Classic for the Boomer Esiason Foundation in Costa Rica. Mark also Blogs for the Denver Broncos at www.denverbroncos.com.

Mark went from the University of Miami to the Denver Broncos as a 2nd round draft pick in 1983, playing seven years in the NFL. Four years were with the Denver Broncos (1983-1986) and three years with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers (1987-1989). While with the Broncos, he was a member of the 1986 AFC Championship Team that played the Cleveland Browns in the famous AFC Championship game labeled “The Drive” and in SuperBowl XXI of the same season in Pasadena against the New York Giants. Throughout his career he protected quarterbacks like Jim Kelly in college, then John Elway, Vinny Testaverde and Steve Deberg and Joe Ferguson in the NFL.

Mark grew up fishing in the Miami area as a local and now resides in Colorado with his wife and two sons. He is involved in real estate sales throughout the Denver metro area. Over the years Mark has traveled and fished extensively and often competitively throughout the Caribbean, Central and South America as well as the east and west coast of Florida up to New Orleans. A talented angler & fierce competitor, Mark has won over 20 IGFA and Redbone Celebrity Series Titles or Divisions since 2002. Mark also thrives offshore having won the Costa Rica Classic with over 20 billfish releases. He has written extensively of his outdoor experiences and has been published in the Redbone Journal magazine, The Denver Post, Florida Sportsman, Traveling Sportsman and The Key West Magazine. Mark also speaks to groups from time to time on different fishing destinations. The Rocky Mountain Fly Fishing Classic in Aspen raises $65,000.00 each year for Cystic Fibrosis.

Mike Rempke

Redbone @ Large Deepwater Cay

Michael Rempe's passion for fly-fishing has driven him to him to a multiple homes during the year spending six summer months in Colorado and six month in Islamorada. An executive and owner in the meat business for year have allowed me to pursuit my dream of fishing.

Mike is an avid fisherman as well as an avid upland game bird hunter. He has been in the saltwater home for the last 10 years and has improved his saltwater skills. Mike is a past graduate of Sandy Moret's Florida Keys Fly Fishing School and is involved with Stafford Creek Lodge on Andros Island. Mike also owns Cowboy Drifters Lodge on the Platte River in Wyoming. He spends as many days as he can at each of his venues throughout the year.

Mike was team champion in the 2008 Redbone @ Large Deepwater Cay Tournament as well as 1st runner up to Grand champion angler in that event. He participated in the 2008 IGFA Offshore Championship with his qualifying team from the Costa Rica Fishing Tournament. He has also participated in numerous Redbone events including a second place finish in the Florida Keys Outfitters Super fly. Mike is excited to be participating in his first Inshore World Championship.

Cal Collier Jr.

Redbone @ Large Deep Water Cay – Fall

Originally from Virginia, Cal lives in Atlanta, GA with wife Catherine, sons Evans and William, and daughter Camille. Cal was lucky to grow up in a family that loves to travel and fish.

After more than 20 years focused on pursuing marlin and other offshore species, he and brother Dave followed their dad’s lead and switched their attention to fly fishing the flats in the Florida Keys, the Bahamas, and Mexico.

The Collier family has been very involved the Redbone Tournament Series since Cal’s son William was diagnosed with CF in 2001. Besides raising money for a great cause, Redbone has allowed Cal meet some of the “most talented and generous” guides and anglers in the world. The Colliers are regular Redbone entrants in Montauk, Key West, Deep Water Cay, and St. Simons Island, GA – a Redbone event Cal started with friend Todd Smith in 2002.

Cal has been Grand Champion and Fly Division Champion of the Redbone@Large Deep Water Cay (Bahamas) tournament four times (2003, 2004, 2005 and 2007). He was the Release Grand Champion at the 2006 Rolex/IGFA Inshore World Championship, and shared Team Grand Champion with his brother Dave at the 2006 Redbone@Large Permit on Fly tournament in Punta Gorda, Belize. As a team, Cal and Dave have also won the Smitty and Al’s Tarpon Bonanza in Key West six times (1999, 2000, 2003, 2007, 2009). In September of 2008, Cal won the Florida Keys Outfitters SLAM Superfly in Key West with Capt. Justin Rea.

Cal is a marketing executive with Promethean, Ltd. In addition to fishing, Cal enjoys talking about fishing over a cocktail.

David Collier

Redbone @ Large Deep Water Spring Tournament

Dave is a regular on his home waters of Montauk, NY chasing stripers, false albacore and the occasional bluefin tuna. However, Dave is glad to change to bottom rigs and bait if he can get any his three young girls - Grace (5), Kendall (3) and Leighton (11 months) - to come along.

Dave considers himself fortunate to have fished with two of the most avid and skilled anglers around in his father, Cal Collier, Sr. and brother, Cal Collier, Jr. Together they have fished around the world and become active in the Redbone Tournament Series with a deep personal commitment to catch the cure.

Dave was the Grand Champion Angler at the 2008 and 2009 Redbone Deepwater Cay bonefish tournaments, and has taken fly division honors at several other Redbone tournaments over the years. He also won Fly Division Grand Champion at the 2006 and 2007 Rolex/IGFA Inshore World Championships and Release Grand Champion in 2006.

Dave and his wife, Alicia, recently moved to Old Greenwich, CT from New York City. He is a partner in the NY-based private equity investment firm, Chart Capital Partners.

Leslie Duncan

Ladies' Invitational Tarpon Fly Championship @ Large

A native of Houston, Texas, Leslie grew up fishing on the Texas Gulf Coast on her family’s boat, the El Capitain. She was introduced to fly fishing after marrying her husband of 18 years, fellow angler Charles Duncan, III (“Carlos”). The early years of her marriage found Leslie fly fishing for trout in the rivers of Cody, Wyoming, where the family spends a great deal of time at their ranch. After being introduced to saltwater fly fishing, she was hooked, and Leslie has since spent many years watching and learning from Carlos, Captain Rob Fordyce, and Captain Bill Knowles. Leslie caught her first tarpon on fly with Capt. Fordyce, and she later moved on to win Best New Angler in the Women’s World Invitation Fly Championship in 2004, and then was Champion in both 2005 and 2006, all with Capt. Knowles.

In addition to fishing for tarpon in the Keys, Leslie and her husband have enjoyed trips to the Bahamas for bonefishing, Belize, for bonefish, tarpon and permit, and Guatemala and Costa Rica, for sailfish and marlin.

Leslie also keeps herself busy raising two daughters, Sarah (16) and Annie (14), and playing tennis and golf. She is formerly a collegiate Field Hockey and Lacrosse player, and coached those sports at the high school level before her children were born. She is now an active volunteer in her daughters’ school and in Houston area lacrosse.

Kathryn Sheppard Hoar

Ladies' Fly Tarpon Tournament

Kathryn was born and raised in Hanover PA where she operates the Sheppard Mansion, a full service luxury Inn & Restaurant, which is also the home where she was born. She & her husband Oliver have two boys Dawson (4) and Malcolm (1 ½) plus four Jack Russell Terriers……and all of them (including the 4 legged kids) love to fish!

Kathy began fishing for bass, croppie & sunfish in the lake behind her parent’s house with a mighty Fenwick fly rod at 5 or 6 years of age…..but didn’t get “serious” about it until going to Sandy’s Florida Keys Fly Fishing School with my then boyfriend (now husband) Oliver in Feb 2001. Also went salmon fishing with my dad twice, on the Miramichi and on the Bonaventure……

The Florida Keys Fly Fishing School helped a lot, plus spending lots of bow time with Oliver and our Jedi Master Captain Tad Burke who got us focused in on Tarpon. And literally, the first one I fed I knew I was the one who was hooked. Quite the adrenaline rush! I love fishing for snook & reds in the ‘Glades too…..the scenery is amazing. Now we get to share this love of fishing & outdoors with the boys, which is really rewarding. Dawson’s got his Shakespeare “Lightning McQueen” rod, knows how to cast, and is quite the Bass Man for a four year old! Of course it only lasts 15-20 minutes, but we’re working on it!!!

Kathy fished in the 2006 through 2009 Ladies’ Tarpon Fly Tournament and was Grand Champion in 2007 & 2009 as well as 1st runner up 2008

She also enjoys growing veggies in her garden & running after kids…….