2019 Capmel Classic Results

The 2019 Captain Mel Classic is history.     Bonus Species:   Flounder, none were caught by tournament contestants except for the lady who caught one but didn’t opt in.     In 2020, I am dropping the category.    

I predicted a tough day of fishing.   My prediction was correct.    Many people had trouble catching anything at all.    As a guide, the week prior to the event:   The worst fishing I have seen here in my entire life.      Things are tough.    Redfish extremely tough, people didn’t have much of an easy time with trout either.  

Two contestants:   Rods broken.    “Wingpilot”, Ed Villafranca lost a fly rod.     Kay hooked up to a jack that snapped her rod.    Mike Horn caught a cobia.     Stories of catfish.     Very few redfish this year.     The ladies division, Lynn caught two redfish and she had the second highest combined inches of anyone in the tournament.  

The junior division, ¾ of an inch separate first place from third place.  

The longest trout, 18.6 inches (Larry Hazen).     The longest redfish:   Donald Waiberman (26.5 inches).    Donald, no trout.    That made Larry and Donald recipients of the redfish and trout paintings by local artist Kumpa.  

Ladies and Junior divisions.   The winners, Caleb Petitt and Lynn Farr.     Lynn, both species.     Caleb’s win with the longest trout of any of our juniors.    Second place, Shawn Blanton.   Third place, Vance Valdez.    Second place ladies, Karla Sanford.  

The Open division:   One redfish caught making Mike Folsom the grand prize winner.    Mike also first place trout.    Hunter Koch, second.    Juan Toboada in third place.  

The No Motor division, our largest division every year:   Three people in the grand prize running.     Longest trout:    First, Larry Hazen; Second, Brian Pershing;  Third, Ruben Salazar.    Redfish, first place Donald Waiberman.   Second place, Ruben Salazar.   Third place, Brian Pershing.     Brian’s second and third place gave him a combined inches total over Ruben by a quarter of an inch!     Ruben, winner a few years ago, just missed first.   

The Overall Pool, started a few years back:  A great part of the event.   Trout payouts, first and second went to Larry Hazen and Mike Folsom.     Redfish payouts to first and second went to Donald Waiberman and Mike Folsom.

Mike Folsom had the win of the year with Brian Pershing’s take pretty close.    They had great days.  

In attendance to get pictures with our winner: Ron Berman, Captain Mel’s son. I was not aware that Ginny Berman has passed away in the past two years. That was news to me.

No Motor

Trout

Larry Hazen 18.6 Inches

Brian Pershing 16.6 Inches

Ruben Salazar 14.75 Inches

Redfish

Donald Waiberman 26.5 Inches

Ruben Salazar 21.1 Inches

Brian Pershing 19.5 Inches

Combined Inches

Brian Pershing 36.1 Inches

Ruben Salazar 35.85 Inches

Open

Trout

Mike Folsom 16.9 Inches

Hunter Koch 16.9 Inches

Juan Toboada 16.0 Inches

Redfish

Mike Folsom 24.2 Inches

Combined Inches

Mike Folsom 41.1 Inches

Fly

Trout

Phil Still 11.8 Inches

Chuck Henkel 11.1 Inches

Ladies

Trout

Lynn Farr 15.1 Inches

Karla Sanford 13.9 Inches

Redfish

Lynn Farr 22.2 Inches

Combined Inches

Lynn Farr 37.3 Inches

Junior

Trout

Caleb Petitt 13.75 Inches

Shawn Blanton 13.4 Inches

Vance Valdez 13.0 inches

Coming up:  The sponsors featured.    Again, the sponsors made the event what it is.    People who didn’t catch a fish took home great prizes in the raffle.     The two grand prizes in the raffle, Smith Optics sunglasses and a grill donated by Lowe’s.