Women from Florida and beyond turned fishing lessons into memorable catches at the award-winning Ladies, Let's Go Fishing Keys University and Fishing Fever Tournament, October 16-18, 2026, at the Elks Lodge in Tavernier. Combining hands-on instruction with guided inshore and offshore fishing, participants hooked 85 fish aboard seven boats during the friendly competition.
Highlights included a first time ever sailfish release by Takoda Ott of Fort Myers. Despite sporty seas, every boat caught fish.
Fishing Fever Tournament winners:
First Place Offshore: Mary Ann Dineen, Fort Myers, FL – 10.4 lb. kingfish aboard Poppa Wahoo.
Second Place Offshore: Anna Tassia Butler, Islamorada, FL – 10.1 lb. blackfin tuna aboard Sea Horse.
Third Place Offshore: Jane Koppenaal, Key West, FL – 10.1 lb. mutton snapper aboard Poppa Wahoo.
Top Offshore Release: Takoda Ott, Fort Myers, FL – sailfish released aboard Poppa Wahoo.
First Place Inshore: Zaida Diaz, Miami, FL – 20-inch ladyfish with Blackwater Charters, Capt. Eric Scoble.
Second Place Inshore: Ana Bardales, Miami, FL – 19.5-inch sea trout with Blackwater Charters, Capt. Eric Scoble.
Third Place Inshore: Pat Kucera, Clearwater, FL – 18-inch jack crevalle with Blackwater Charters, Capt. Dylan Scoble.
The weekend opened Friday with a lively meet-and-greet. Saturday's seminar featured fishing basics with Capt. Lee Lavery, offshore techniques with Capt. Jeanne Towne, conservation instruction from the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, and inshore fishing with Capt. Rob Modys. Hands-on stations gave participants opportunities to practice fish release techniques, knot tying, bait rigging, spin casting, net casting, fly casting and gaffing grapefruits. A second networking gathering took place at the Islamorada Shrimp Shack.
Optional fishing trips on Friday and Sunday brought those lessons to life. Working with professional captains and guides, participants caught species including sailfish, mahi, blackfin tuna, mutton snapper, kingfish, cero mackerel, amberjack, yellowtail snapper, sea trout, mangrove snapper and more.
"Almost every fish in the sea counts in the Fishing Fever competition," said Betty Bauman, founder of Ladies, Let's Go Fishing! "It's a fun way for beginners and casual anglers to learn, build confidence and have a chance to bring home a prize."
Sponsors and supporters include Mercury, Magic Tilt Trailers, Power-Pole, Penn and Fish Florida. Largest annual sponsors are Lowrance, ICOM, Bob's Machine Shop, AFTCO, Smith Optics, Frogg Toggs, Hubbards Marina, Seaguar, Flying Fisherman, Pelagic Gear, Engel, Yeti, Vudu, CCA Florida STAR, Flamingo Lodge and Star Brite. Local sponsors are Sunset Inn and Monroe County Tourist Development Council. A complete sponsor list is available on the website.
Upcoming LLGF events with optional or included fishing:
November 21-22, 2026: St. Augustine Surf Fishing Academy, Guy Harvey Resort, St. Augustine, FL.
February 5-7, 2027: Islamorada Women's Sailfish Tournament, Islamorada, FL.
Information: (954) 475-9068; info@ladiesletsgofishing.com; www.ladiesletsgofishing.com; www.facebook.com/ladiesletsgofishing.
Fishing Highlights – Sporty seas, memorable catches and fish aboard every boat
Friday
Sea Horse – Capt. Rick Rodriguez: Anglers caught nine mahi, three blackfin tuna and five skipjack tuna. Anna Tassia Butler of Islamorada earned Second Place Offshore with a 10.1 lb. blackfin tuna.
Poppa Wahoo – Capt. Rick Martin: Mary Ann Dineen of Fort Myers secured First Place Offshore with a 10.4 lb. kingfish. Other catches included blackfin tuna, mahi, yellowtail snapper, rainbow runners and bonito. Dineen and fellow Fort Myers angler Takoda Ott teamed up to land a 48.8 lb. amberjack. The fish was ineligible for a tournament award because two anglers shared the fight.
Blackwater Charters – Capt. Dylan Scoble: Catches included sea trout, jack crevalle, mangrove snapper, catfish and ladyfish. Pat Kucera of Clearwater earned Third Place Inshore with an 18-inch jack crevalle. Monica Maslack of Fort Lauderdale battled a 27-inch snook that escaped at the boat.
Sunday
Blackwater Charters – Capt. Eric Scoble: Zaida Diaz of Miami claimed First Place Inshore with a 20-inch ladyfish. On her first fishing trip, Ana Bardales of Miami earned Second Place Inshore with a 19.5-inch sea trout. The group caught seven sea trout measuring 11 to 19.5 inches, plus a needlefish.
Blackwater Charters – Capt. Dylan Scoble: Catches included an 11-inch mangrove snapper, a blue runner, and three nurse sharks and a bull shark, all of which were released.
Sea Horse – Capt. Rick Rodriguez: Anglers caught two kingfish weighing 4.4 and 6.2 lbs., along with three cero mackerel.
Poppa Wahoo – Capt. Rick Martin: Jane Koppenaal of Key West earned Third Place Offshore with a 10.1 lb. mutton snapper. Takoda Ott of Fort Myers released a sailfish to claim Top Offshore Release and also caught an 8.8 lb. mutton snapper. Other catches included yellowtail snapper, rainbow runners, yellow jack and blackfin tuna.
About Ladies, Let's Go Fishing!
The Ladies, Let's Go Fishing Foundation is a nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization dedicated to introducing women and families to fishing while promoting conservation and responsible angling. Known as the "No-Yelling School of Fishing," LLGF offers hands-on training, educational seminars and fishing trips across Florida and internationally. Founded in 1997 by Betty Bauman, the organization has educated more than 10,000 graduates and earned national coverage from outlets including NBC Nightly News, CBS, USA Today and The Wall Street Journal. Visit www.ladiesletsgofishing.com.