Tres Pescado Slam Tournament

Dates: Aug 20, 2009 to Aug 22, 2009

Location: Ambergris Cay, Belize Ca
Contact: Jim Oliver
contactus@tres-prescado-tournament.org
www.tres-pescado-tournament.org

Belize's 1st fly fishing tournament kicked off 8:00 pm on Wednesday August 19th at the Sunset Grill in San Pedro with the Caster's Meeting Banquet. Over 60 team members, guides and guests gathered for the evening event to meet the competition, get a briefing on the rules, data census gathering requirements and other information necessary for a successful tournament. The Sunset Grill was standing room only for this tournament filled with firsts – the 1st Belize all catch-and-release event, the 1st Belize IGFA World Championship qualifying event, and the 1st Belize international fly fishing event.

With 14 Pro and Amateur teams registered and set for the competition, 7:00 am on Thursday August 20th arrived and the official start at the pier in Central Park was underway. All of the teams were required to be at the pier each of the 3 days of the event for the 7:00 am start to receive their team's daily ID number that was required to be in every fish photograph entered for the competition. By 4:00 pm all teams were required to check in back at the tournament headquarters in Central Park.

On opening day the wind was howling and the faces on the team members and their guides was almost a bank expression as they gathered at the Central Park pier to get their daily ID numbers. Their game plan was being altered by Mother Nature and a new strategy was being contemplated as many waited for the 7:00 am start.

Although the opening day's weather threw the teams a curve this day proved to be a better than expected fly fishing day. Wind and fly fishing are normally arch rivals unless you are a master at tropical fly fishing and know how to use the wind in your favor. The teams in this event were on their "A" game for this tough fishing day with the numbers indicating the skill of these anglers from the USA and Belize.

Day one produced over 293 inches of Bonefish, 33 inches of Tarpon and 77 inches of Permit. A truly amazing accomplishment in a wind that had the Belikin Beer provided tent taking off like a parachute from the erectors hands.

In the Pro Division, team AM Films guided by Emir Marin edged out the Shake-N-Bake team with guide George Bradley by only 18 points to take the day 1 lead. Team Whipray Caye guided by Julian Cabral and team Gomko guided by Nesto Gomez tied for 3rd place on day 1.

In the Amateur Division it was the GoFish Belize team of Abby Marin and Will Flack that were dominating the field and the tournament with over 85 inches of bonefish and 14 inches of Permit.

From noon until 6:00 pm tournament events in the park included the Temple Fork Outfitters Cast-Off with the community, team members and guides competing for the change to win a new Temple Fork Outfitters fly rod and other prizes. Entertainment with steel drum and traditional drumming music was provided by Tania and Zack, two local San Pedro artists that wowed the crowd with their talents on the drums.

Several of the tournament sponsors provided food for the crowd with shrimp from Tammy at the Hummingbird Café, wings and other goodies from Nancy and Brian at Fido's, and food and fun for all the kids from The Lime.

The Lime created a mini-fly fishing game for the kids with 27 inch miniature fly rods and working reels. With a piece of Velcro attached on the end of the fly line and the opposite sticky piece on cards in the "table pond" the mini casters tossed the mini rods hoping to snag a card in the pond and win a mini burger or if really lucky, the mini fly rod - A great game for the kids to introduce them to fly fishing. All of the donations for the mini fly fishing event went to SAGA.

The evening event for day 1 was the presentation from Green Reef by Mito Paz, a short introduction to Bonefish and Tarpon Trust by Jim Oliver and an update on the Belize Catch and Release Law by Minister Manual Heredia. Minister Manual Heredia informed the crowd of the huge effort it has taken to satisfy all parties concerned and that the law is passed – the best news of the tournament.

Day 2 began with drastically reduced winds and hopes for a great fishing day by all teams. The weather remained calm most of the morning and then it happened. The Northeast sky began to darken and with in a matter of an hour the rain feel in buckets with lightning cracking overhead as the Central Park passer-bys crowded under the tournament tent jumping upon each lightning crack that seem to be aiming for the big tent's center pole. For an hour the rain feel hard and the teams in and around Ambergris felt the brunt of it but those fishing south of Caye Caulker were spared the soaking.

With expectations of high numbers at the tournament headquarters the anglers returned from 3:00 pm to 4:00 pm. The numbers however, were a bit less than those of Day 1 with 268 inches of Bonefish, 37 inches of Tarpon, and 24 inches of Permit. Still a very good day just not the bang up day many had expected. Once again team GoFish Belize dominated the Bonefish market in both divisions with another very impressive 99.5 inches. These two anglers were on fire!

The big showing for Day 2 was the Shake-N- Bake team that captured the event's first Grand Slam with the addition of a tarpon to their previous day's Bonefish and Permit and adding an additional 100 bonus points to their score that moved them into 1st place. The Fly Treks team brought in their first Permit for an additional 75 bonus points and enough to take over the 3rd place position with AM Films holding on to 2nd place with 165.6 points by adding 15.5 points to their Day 1 score.

Day 2 saw more mini casting for the kids, food and drink and fun all in Central Park. The evening event on this second day was the Fly Fishing Film Tour where under the big tent the portable theater was set up to show the short film "Running Down the Man" about two crazy brothers attempting the then impossible feat of catching rooster fish on a fly form the beach in Baja. This film is always a crowd pleaser with all of the antics these two bothers perform while trying to hook the exploding fast rooster fish. The film tour also showed the Bonefish and Tarpon Trust short film hosted by the top icons in the saltwater fly fishing industry giving their insight into the status of the Florida Keys and the rest of the world's Tarpon, Bonefish and Permit. A sobering tale of the lost of habitat is relayed by these older anglers that have first hand knowledge of the then-and-now.

The final film shown was the fly fishing film "Drift" that features many locations throughout the world and Belize. A magnificent film and fantastic filming of the earths beautiful locations available for all to fly fishing.

Day 3, the final day and the pressure is on to perform. The teams were ready and waiting for the start with murmurs of tarpon. The weather was hot and hopes were high the fishing would match. The teams had their new ID numbers and off they went in search of the holly grail of fishing, the elusive Grand Slam as many new that was what it was going to take to climb into one of the top 3 spots on the scoreboard.

The day remained hot as the Central Park tournament headquarters opened the days casting competition and mini fly rod casting at the Lime booth.

Soon the first team came in looking like they had just been a few rounds with Mother Nature but they were smiling through the thick sun block and red faces. Team Whipray Caye racked up very impressive 45.5 points in bonefish on this last day with Hotel del Rio adding a Tarpon and a Bonefish to their score. South Paw, Gomko, and Cranky Cooks all came in with Bonefish numbers while team Casa Blanca landed their first Permit and added 75 bonus points to their score. The hot team in the Pro Division was the Fly Trek team coming in with a true daily Grand Slam and adding to the already impressive lengths, a 100 bonus point for the slam. Doug and gang were smoking this last day. However, the dark horse in this race went to the Pair-A-Docs team that started the day with only 57 points and hit an outrageous 155.5 this last day and all on Bonefish. They never had any other fish but Bonefish the entire tournament and yet this one hard fought day managed to bring them into 3rd place for the Pro Division. Way to go Warren and Jim! Not bad for couple of old anglers.

As usual throughout this event the Amateur team of GoFish Belize did it again this last day by matching their first day's points with 85.5 inches of bonefish for a tournament total of 359.5. Very impressive indeed guys.

The closing Caster's Banquet was hosted by the San Pedro Lions Club under the big Belikin provided tent in Central Park. As the evening began and the sponsors, team members and guides found their seats the ceremonies began with the award to the top Pro team of the year, Shake-N-Bake also known as Thomas Reckling and Mark Elliot from Houston, Texas and guide George Bradley of San Pedro. Winning $3,500 as their share of the $10,000 payout Thomas Reckling and Mark Elliot both agreed it was guide George Bradley that made it all happen. Along with winning this tournament came the invitation to compete in the 2010 IGFA World Championship for one of the duo that became know as just Shake-N-Bake this past 3 days.

Staying with the Shake-N-Bake team the "Top Guide of 2009" award was presented to George Bradley. George was very gracious and pleased with the honor as the top fly fishing guide of the year.

The Fly Treks Team was honored with 2nd place in the Pro Division and team Pair-A-Docs took home the 3rd place trophy and check. Warren Parker and Jim Stelnicki both noted that if it hadn't been for Tayo Verde, their guide, holding them up in the flats this last day the 3rd place win would not have been possible.

In the Amateur Division it was no surprise as Abby Marin and Will Flack were called up front to accept the 1st Place trophy and check. Both were very gracious and honored. The Cranky Cooks team of Alan Hill and Jeff Spiegel took home the 2nd place Amateur Division trophy and prize money with Alan looking for rounds of applause for the tournament than for himself and the team.

The Perpetual Tres Pescado Slam Tournament was presented to Mayor Elsa Paz to be displayed permanently in the town council building for all of San Pedro to view. Each year the winners of both the Pro and Amateur divisions will be displayed along wit the Top Guide's name.

After the final Casting Competition awards were given the ceremonies moved on to the finale. One of the key areas of this event was to raise awareness and funds to help the protection, education, research and enforcement of the catch-and-release for the bonefish, tarpon and permit. All of the team members in the event helped gather census data for the tournament and many helped by taking fin clip samples to help with the identification of species via DNA. The funds raised from the many sponsors that supported this event allowed the tournament to hand over a $10,000 check to the head of Green Reef, Mr. Mito Paz. We know his plan to raise awareness will help the ongoing effort needed to protect the over $60 million dollar resource that these 3 fish represent to Belize.