11-17-2003, 07:55 PM
[center][size 3]HUSBAND AND WIFE TEAM WIN SECOND MERCURY OUTBOARDS[/size][/center] [center][size 3]REDBONE LOWCOUNTRY RED*TROUT CELEBRITY CLASSIC[/size][/center] [center][size 3]Rob Shore wins junior angler title; [/size][/center] [center][size 3]Flyfishing legend Stu Apte is celebrity grand champion[/size][/center] [center][size 3] [/size][/center]
[size 3]MOUNT PLEASANT, S.C. – The husband and wife team of Mike and Amy Bennett of Charleston, took a number of top honors, among them team grand champion anglers in the second annual Mercury Outboards Redbone Lowcountry Red*Trout celebrity fishing tournament Sunday.[/size]
[size 3]All festivities and the awards banquet over the weekend were held at the Charleston Harbor Resort and Marina, Mt. Pleasant, the presenting sponsor of the tournament.[/size]
[size 3] Despite weather that turned cold and blustery, the Bennett’s, guided by Capt. Reed Simmons, Mt. Pleasant, S.C., caught and released 26 redfish with a minimum length of 18 inches and eight sea trout of 15 inches minimum in the two-day tournament.[/size]
[size 3][font "Times New Roman"] [/font]Mike Bennett also won awards as the grand champion angler, the most trout releases with seven and the spin/plug champion in the charity tournament, a fundraiser for CF research. [/size]
[size 3][font "Times New Roman"] [/font]“Amy has won dozens of the local fishing tournaments so when I’m named a champion our friends are shocked and surprised,” laughed Mike Bennett. “We love this tournament, the people, the camaraderie and how it helps cystic fibrosis.” [/size]
[size 3] “Reed Simmons did a great job and even though I wanted us to move to another spot he had confidence in the locations we were at. Reed didn’t move us more than 200 to 300 yards, he was that confident that the fish were there in the area and indeed they were.” [/size]
[size 3] Bennett said he and Amy released the eight keeper trout and then double that amount of redfish the first day.[/size]
[size 3][font "Times New Roman"] [/font]“Right before three o’clock and lines out, I hooked a redfish with three spots. We jokingly called it our three o’clock red,” Bennett said. [/size]
[size 3] Tournament officials said a cold front worsened Sunday with 25 mile per hour wind gusts, and 47 degree morning temperatures making it tough conditions for everyone to fish in. [/size]
[size 3] “During the second day as the weather got worse we caught 16 fish, all redfish in the last three hours, and 10 of them counted. Overall we caught 50 fish in the two days and 34 of them made the stick. And again on Sunday, with just minutes left there was one last redfish released before lines out,” he laughed. [/size]
[size 3]Among the celebrities who included former NBC correspondent John Palmer and NFL San Francisco 49ers receiver Dwight Clark, fly fishing legend Stu Apte, Islamorada, Fla., repeated his win as the celebrity grand champion. He was guided by Capt. Champ Smith, Mt. Pleasant, S.C. [/size]
[size 3]Another repeat winner was Apte’s teammate, 15-year-old Rob Shore, Mt. Pleasant, again capturing the grand champion junior angler title. The avid young angler who has CF, also caught and released the biggest redfish at 34 inches.[/size]
[size 3] “He was a true champion and a pleasure to fish with,” said Apte. “He’s so good. You know he’s hurting from the effects of CF but he stays with it the whole time. It was tough weather for anyone to fish in but he has such a great enthusiasm and a love for fishing that it didn’t matter.” [/size]
[size 3]Ron Silverman of Mt. Pleasant, guided by Capt. Chad Ferris, Awendaw, S.C., was the first runner up angler. He also had the most redfish releases at 23.[/size]
[size 3]Columbia, S.C.’s Arthur Gudmundson and Anthony McAlister, Mt. Pleasant, guided by Capt. Jeff Yates, Mt. Pleasant were the first runner-up team. Tom DeMoss, Tavernier, Fla. was named the fly division champion, guided by Capt. Blake Lipscomb, Mt. Pleasant. The largest trout was caught by Phil Ellis, (22”) guided by Capt. Jerry Ciandella, Mt. Pleasant.[/size]
[size 3]The tournament[font "Times New Roman"] [/font]was the final event in the Mercury Redbone series of eight Red*Trout tournaments throughout the southeast U.S., which are annual fund-raisers for cystic fibrosis research. The earlier Mercury Redbone Red*Trout series of tournaments included New Smyrna Beach, Fla.; St. Augustine, Fla.; Rockport, Texas; Orange Beach, Ala.; Cape Fear, N.C.;[font "Times New Roman"] [/font]St. Simons Island, Ga.; and New Orleans, La. [/size]
[size 3] According to Catherine McCullough executive director of the CF Foundation office in Charleston, S.C., they raised about $80,000 total from the live and silent auctions plus the sponsorships almost doubling last year’s results. [/size]
[size 3]The Redbone’s original point’s series of tournaments which began 16 years ago in the Florida Keys ends the year with the Dec. 5-7, Mercury/Cheeca Redbone Celebrity Tournament in Islamorada, Fla. The tournaments, which have recently grown to two dozen events internationally, have raised over $5 million for CF research efforts. This year’s combined events are expected to bring in close to $1 million. [/size]
[size 3]The Bennett’s win advances them to the fourth annual Rolex/IGFA Inshore Championship Tournament, where they’ll both compete next spring against some 40 winners of similar tournaments around the world.[/size]
[size 3]With title sponsor Mercury and presenting sponsor Charleston Harbor Resort and Marina, other sponsors included Henry J. Lee Distributors, Charleston Angler, Ross Sales Associates, Howe and Wyndham LLP, Reliable Medical Equipment, The Beach Company, Shakespeare Fishing and Tackle, Hughes Rental, Toler’s Cove Marina, Cape Romain Marine, NBSC, Charleston ENT, McAlister Development, Haddrell’s Point Tackle and Supply, Springs Mills Industries, Bone Boats, Bayer Polymers and Otto Martens Trout Tournament. [/size]
[size 3]For more information on the Charleston tournament please call Ms. McCullough at the CF Foundation office in Charleston at 843-722-6460.[/size]
[size 3]For more information and tournament registration forms, or for information about the other Mercury Outboards Redbone Celebrity Tournament Series, call Susan Ellis at (305) 664-2002.[/size] ### Lowcountry Red*Trout Celebrity Classic [center] A Mercury Outboards Redbone Red*Trout Tournament series event[/center] [center]For cystic fibrosis research, Charleston, S.C. [/center] [center][size 3]Results --- Nov. 7- 9, 2003[/size][/center]
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[size 3]Grand Champion Angler: Mike Bennett, Charleston, guided by Capt. Reed Simmons, Mt Pleasant, S.C. [/size]
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[size 3]Celebrity Grand Champion: Stu Apte, Tavernier, FL guided by Capt. Champ Smith, Mt Pleasant[/size]
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[size 3]Team Grand Champion Anglers: Mike Bennett and Amy Bennett, both of Charleston, guided by Capt. Reed Simmons [/size]
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[size 3]Grand Champion Junior Angler: Rob Shore, Mt Pleasant, guided by Capt. Champ Smith [/size]
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[size 3]First Runner-Up Angler: Ron Silverman, Mt. Pleasant, guided by Capt. Chad Ferris, Awendaw, S.C.[/size]
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[size 3]First Runner-Up Team: Anthony McAlister, Mt. Pleasant, and Arthur Gudmundson, Columbia, S.C. guided by Capt. Jeff Yates, Mt. Pleasant[/size]
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[size 3]Fly Division Champion: Tom DeMoss, Tavernier, Fla., guided by Capt. Blake Lipscomb, Mt. Pleasant [/size]
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[size 3]Spin-Plug (Artificial) Division Champion: Mike Bennett, Charleston, guided by Capt. Reed Simmons [/size]
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[size 3]Most Trout Releases: Mike Bennett, Charleston, (seven releases) guided by Capt. Reed Simmons [/size]
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[size 3]Most Redfish Releases: Ron Silverman, Mt. Pleasant, (23 releases) guided by Capt. Chad Ferris [/size]
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[size 3]Largest Redfish: Rob Shore, Mt. Pleasant, (34”) guided by Capt. Champ Smith [/size]
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[size 3]Largest Trout: Phil Ellis, (22”) guided by Capt. Jerry Ciandella, Mt. Pleasant [/size]
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[size 3]Total Boats: 24[/size]
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[size 3]MOUNT PLEASANT, S.C. – The husband and wife team of Mike and Amy Bennett of Charleston, took a number of top honors, among them team grand champion anglers in the second annual Mercury Outboards Redbone Lowcountry Red*Trout celebrity fishing tournament Sunday.[/size]
[size 3]All festivities and the awards banquet over the weekend were held at the Charleston Harbor Resort and Marina, Mt. Pleasant, the presenting sponsor of the tournament.[/size]
[size 3] Despite weather that turned cold and blustery, the Bennett’s, guided by Capt. Reed Simmons, Mt. Pleasant, S.C., caught and released 26 redfish with a minimum length of 18 inches and eight sea trout of 15 inches minimum in the two-day tournament.[/size]
[size 3][font "Times New Roman"] [/font]Mike Bennett also won awards as the grand champion angler, the most trout releases with seven and the spin/plug champion in the charity tournament, a fundraiser for CF research. [/size]
[size 3][font "Times New Roman"] [/font]“Amy has won dozens of the local fishing tournaments so when I’m named a champion our friends are shocked and surprised,” laughed Mike Bennett. “We love this tournament, the people, the camaraderie and how it helps cystic fibrosis.” [/size]
[size 3] “Reed Simmons did a great job and even though I wanted us to move to another spot he had confidence in the locations we were at. Reed didn’t move us more than 200 to 300 yards, he was that confident that the fish were there in the area and indeed they were.” [/size]
[size 3] Bennett said he and Amy released the eight keeper trout and then double that amount of redfish the first day.[/size]
[size 3][font "Times New Roman"] [/font]“Right before three o’clock and lines out, I hooked a redfish with three spots. We jokingly called it our three o’clock red,” Bennett said. [/size]
[size 3] Tournament officials said a cold front worsened Sunday with 25 mile per hour wind gusts, and 47 degree morning temperatures making it tough conditions for everyone to fish in. [/size]
[size 3] “During the second day as the weather got worse we caught 16 fish, all redfish in the last three hours, and 10 of them counted. Overall we caught 50 fish in the two days and 34 of them made the stick. And again on Sunday, with just minutes left there was one last redfish released before lines out,” he laughed. [/size]
[size 3]Among the celebrities who included former NBC correspondent John Palmer and NFL San Francisco 49ers receiver Dwight Clark, fly fishing legend Stu Apte, Islamorada, Fla., repeated his win as the celebrity grand champion. He was guided by Capt. Champ Smith, Mt. Pleasant, S.C. [/size]
[size 3]Another repeat winner was Apte’s teammate, 15-year-old Rob Shore, Mt. Pleasant, again capturing the grand champion junior angler title. The avid young angler who has CF, also caught and released the biggest redfish at 34 inches.[/size]
[size 3] “He was a true champion and a pleasure to fish with,” said Apte. “He’s so good. You know he’s hurting from the effects of CF but he stays with it the whole time. It was tough weather for anyone to fish in but he has such a great enthusiasm and a love for fishing that it didn’t matter.” [/size]
[size 3]Ron Silverman of Mt. Pleasant, guided by Capt. Chad Ferris, Awendaw, S.C., was the first runner up angler. He also had the most redfish releases at 23.[/size]
[size 3]Columbia, S.C.’s Arthur Gudmundson and Anthony McAlister, Mt. Pleasant, guided by Capt. Jeff Yates, Mt. Pleasant were the first runner-up team. Tom DeMoss, Tavernier, Fla. was named the fly division champion, guided by Capt. Blake Lipscomb, Mt. Pleasant. The largest trout was caught by Phil Ellis, (22”) guided by Capt. Jerry Ciandella, Mt. Pleasant.[/size]
[size 3]The tournament[font "Times New Roman"] [/font]was the final event in the Mercury Redbone series of eight Red*Trout tournaments throughout the southeast U.S., which are annual fund-raisers for cystic fibrosis research. The earlier Mercury Redbone Red*Trout series of tournaments included New Smyrna Beach, Fla.; St. Augustine, Fla.; Rockport, Texas; Orange Beach, Ala.; Cape Fear, N.C.;[font "Times New Roman"] [/font]St. Simons Island, Ga.; and New Orleans, La. [/size]
[size 3] According to Catherine McCullough executive director of the CF Foundation office in Charleston, S.C., they raised about $80,000 total from the live and silent auctions plus the sponsorships almost doubling last year’s results. [/size]
[size 3]The Redbone’s original point’s series of tournaments which began 16 years ago in the Florida Keys ends the year with the Dec. 5-7, Mercury/Cheeca Redbone Celebrity Tournament in Islamorada, Fla. The tournaments, which have recently grown to two dozen events internationally, have raised over $5 million for CF research efforts. This year’s combined events are expected to bring in close to $1 million. [/size]
[size 3]The Bennett’s win advances them to the fourth annual Rolex/IGFA Inshore Championship Tournament, where they’ll both compete next spring against some 40 winners of similar tournaments around the world.[/size]
[size 3]With title sponsor Mercury and presenting sponsor Charleston Harbor Resort and Marina, other sponsors included Henry J. Lee Distributors, Charleston Angler, Ross Sales Associates, Howe and Wyndham LLP, Reliable Medical Equipment, The Beach Company, Shakespeare Fishing and Tackle, Hughes Rental, Toler’s Cove Marina, Cape Romain Marine, NBSC, Charleston ENT, McAlister Development, Haddrell’s Point Tackle and Supply, Springs Mills Industries, Bone Boats, Bayer Polymers and Otto Martens Trout Tournament. [/size]
[size 3]For more information on the Charleston tournament please call Ms. McCullough at the CF Foundation office in Charleston at 843-722-6460.[/size]
[size 3]For more information and tournament registration forms, or for information about the other Mercury Outboards Redbone Celebrity Tournament Series, call Susan Ellis at (305) 664-2002.[/size] ### Lowcountry Red*Trout Celebrity Classic [center] A Mercury Outboards Redbone Red*Trout Tournament series event[/center] [center]For cystic fibrosis research, Charleston, S.C. [/center] [center][size 3]Results --- Nov. 7- 9, 2003[/size][/center]
[size 3] [/size]
[size 3]Grand Champion Angler: Mike Bennett, Charleston, guided by Capt. Reed Simmons, Mt Pleasant, S.C. [/size]
[size 3] [/size]
[size 3]Celebrity Grand Champion: Stu Apte, Tavernier, FL guided by Capt. Champ Smith, Mt Pleasant[/size]
[size 3] [/size]
[size 3]Team Grand Champion Anglers: Mike Bennett and Amy Bennett, both of Charleston, guided by Capt. Reed Simmons [/size]
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[size 3]Grand Champion Junior Angler: Rob Shore, Mt Pleasant, guided by Capt. Champ Smith [/size]
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[size 3]First Runner-Up Angler: Ron Silverman, Mt. Pleasant, guided by Capt. Chad Ferris, Awendaw, S.C.[/size]
[size 3] [/size]
[size 3]First Runner-Up Team: Anthony McAlister, Mt. Pleasant, and Arthur Gudmundson, Columbia, S.C. guided by Capt. Jeff Yates, Mt. Pleasant[/size]
[size 3] [/size]
[size 3]Fly Division Champion: Tom DeMoss, Tavernier, Fla., guided by Capt. Blake Lipscomb, Mt. Pleasant [/size]
[size 3] [/size]
[size 3]Spin-Plug (Artificial) Division Champion: Mike Bennett, Charleston, guided by Capt. Reed Simmons [/size]
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[size 3]Most Trout Releases: Mike Bennett, Charleston, (seven releases) guided by Capt. Reed Simmons [/size]
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[size 3]Most Redfish Releases: Ron Silverman, Mt. Pleasant, (23 releases) guided by Capt. Chad Ferris [/size]
[size 3] [/size]
[size 3]Largest Redfish: Rob Shore, Mt. Pleasant, (34”) guided by Capt. Champ Smith [/size]
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[size 3]Largest Trout: Phil Ellis, (22”) guided by Capt. Jerry Ciandella, Mt. Pleasant [/size]
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[size 3]Total Boats: 24[/size]
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TheAngler BFT Moderator
TheAngler BFT Moderator