Risky Business Team Wins $25K Top Prize at Drambuie Key West Marlin Tournament
KEY WEST, Florida Keys – Danny Coll almost didn’t fish the Drambuie Key West Marlin Tournament that ended Saturday.
He simply couldn’t find anyone to fish with on his 35-foot Cabo express sportfishing boat dubbed Risky Business.
“Normally, when I fish a tournament, I prepare the boat extremely well,” said Coll, a Cudjoe Key, Fla., real estate investor. “But all the way to early (last) Monday morning, I couldn’t find anyone who wanted to go.”
Fortunately, at the last minute, friend Bernard Davis of Big Pine Key, Fla., declared his availability.
It’s a good thing he did, because the Risky Business team won the top prize of $25,000 with a white marlin release, scored during Thursday’s first day of angling.
Coll released the marlin, worth 400 points and estimated to weigh 85 pounds, just before noon some 42 miles south of Key West.
The fish bit a green and yellow TKO lure, Coll said.
Coll said be never dreamed the billfish would win the three-day contest that was staged in conjunction with Key West’s annual Hemingway Days festival.
“After we caught the fish I said it’s too early in the tournament and we need to fish hard,” recalled Coll, who also won the Drambuie in 2008. “We needed to fish as hard as we could and we did so.”
Reel Darlins, captained by Christopher Trosset of Key West, won $10,000 for second place with a total of 87 points. Cyd Tuskowski of St. Petersburg, Fla., caught a 37-pound wahoo Friday, adding to Thursday’s sailfish release by teammate Laura Russell of St. Petersburg Beach, Fla.
Greg Eklund of Islamorada, Fla., skippered the Cajun Queen team to 75 points and third place for $5,000. Angler Jordan Wolk of Tavernier, Fla., released a sailfish Friday. The sailfish was added to Thursday’s 25-pound dolphin caught by angler John Bechdel of Fort Myers, Fla.
Tournament director Tim Greene reported the event attracted some 200 anglers who fished on 33 boats. He also announced dates for the 2013 tournament of July 17-20.
(Day 2)
KEY WEST — Danny Coll and his Risky Business team remain at the top of the leader board following Friday’s second fishing day at the Drambuie Key West Marlin Tournament.
Coll of Cudjoe Key, Fla., released a white marlin Thursday, the first billfish scored at the three-day tournament that ends Saturday.
Reel Darlins, captained by Christopher Trosset of Key West, continues in second place. Tampa Bay area angler Cyd Tuskowski caught a 37-pound wahoo Friday, adding to Thursday’s sailfish release by teammate Laura Russell of St. Petersburg Beach, Fla.
Cajun Queen, skippered by Greg Eklund of Islamorada, Fla., is in third place. Angler Jordan Wolk released a sailfish Friday. The sailfish, added to Thursday’s 25-pound dolphin caught by angler John Bechdel of Fort Myers, Fla., secured the third-place spot.
The contest, that features a $25,000 top prize for the winner, is being staged during Key West’s annual Hemingway Days festival, an annual salute to Ernest Hemingway, who lived in Key West during the 1930s.
(Day 1)
KEY WEST — Danny Coll of Cudjoe Key, Fla., scored a white marlin release Thursday to take the lead following the first fishing day at the Drambuie Key West Marlin Tournament off the Florida Keys.
Captaining and fishing the Risky Business, Coll released a marlin estimated to weigh 85 pounds at 11:59 a.m. after a 20-minute fight.
Laura Russell of St. Petersburg Beach, Fla., ended the day in second place after releasing a sailfish at noon. Russell is fishing on Reel Darlins captained by Christopher Trosset of Key West.
Third place in the standings is currently held by Christian Cioffi of Loxahatchee, Fla., who caught a wahoo in the fun fish division that weighed 43.45 pounds. He is on the Playtime captained by Mike Cioffi.
The marlin tournament has attracted nearly 200 participants fishing on 33 boats, according to tournament director Tim Greene.
The contest continues Friday and Saturday.
