Thursday, October 24, 2019

Reelin’ in Reel Big Fish with Catch a Florida Memory

This summer was a fantastic time to catch some reel big fishing memories. A few top-notch Catch a Florida Memory anglers took home exciting prizes in the process, including custom fish mounts courtesy of Mount This! Fish Company.

Christina Saridakis and Remington Colt Thompson both won custom fish mounts in August by qualifying for the Reel Big Fish that most exceeded its qualifying length from April to July. In the adult category, Christina’s whopping 46-inch Reel Big red drum was definitely a milestone to remember, while Remington dominated the youth category with an impressive 36-inch red drum.

Katlyn Paul was the first angler to reach Tier 1 of Reel Big Fish by catching five different reel big species. Alex Fogg wasn’t far behind, qualifying for Tier 1 just recently. And Eli Parks was the first angler to catch a Reel Big tripletail by qualifying for the youth category with an impressive 23-inch fish.

In celebration of Catch a Florida Memory’s third “fish-iversary” this month, we’re giving you more chances to reel in a recognition by lowering Reel Big Fish lengths for ladyfish and bluefish. The qualifying length for ladyfish has dropped from 24 inches to 22 inches for adults and from 18 inches to 16 inches for youth. The qualifying length for bluefish has dropped from 30 inches to 27 inches for adults and from 22 inches to 20 inches for youth. Make sure to submit a photo of your catch over a length-measuring device to qualify.

Catch a Florida Memory encourages anglers to target a diverse range of species in Florida, reducing pressure on the most commonly sought-after catches. Successful anglers receive a prize pack including a T-shirt, certificate and tumbler, and the prizes get hotter from there. Anglers do not have to harvest their fish to be eligible for prizes and are encouraged to use proper fish handling techniques.

Want to get in on the action? Participate today by visiting CatchaFloridaMemory.com. See how you and other anglers are doing by following the Catch a Florida Memory Facebook page, Facebook.com/CatchaFLMemory. Questions? Contact AnglerRecogntion@MyFWC.com or 850-487-0554.

Pictured: Christina Saridakis and Remington Colt Thompson show off their Reel Big red drum that landed them custom fish mounts courtesy of Mount This! Fish Company.