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By LARRY BLUE
© St. Petersburg Times, published July 1, 2001
In the 10th Annual Scot Brantley All Release Flats Tournament held Saturday at Gators Cafe and Saloon, there were 86 entries, up from last year's 37.
Rick Seward Jr.'s game plan was to catch a snook early in the morning and finish with trout and redfish. His plan paid off as Seward and fishing partner Tom Loughlin were the only anglers to turn in a Grand Slam for the tournament. Seward's total fish length amounted to 84.75 inches.
Seward caught and released six snook in less than 1 1/2 hours.
Other winners were: Tom Rissmiller, with a 33.5-inch redfish; Jason Norton, with a 40.5-inch snook and Chris Leary, with a trout of 25.75 inches.
In the youth division, Clifford Shields, 10, of St. Petersburg, turned a photo of a 25-inch redfish that he caught near Tarpon Key on a whitebait.
Most impressive catch of the tournament may have been Jennifer Bachnik's.
In the ladies division, her total amounted to 249 inches. Her five snook and five trout were caught on whitebait near the flats around Fort De Soto County Park.
Proceeds for the tournament benefit the Coastal Conservation Association.
- To get in touch with Larry Blue, call 397-3773 or send him an e-mail, CaptLBlue@aol.com.