Gold Cup Tarpon Tournament Results

June 30, 2015 By: Erin Block

The 52nd Annual Gold Cup Tarpon Tournament in Islamorada, Florida was held June 15-19, 2015. Twenty-five anglers participated, with Mark Richens winning the Grand Championship.

Read more in the press release below.

Gold Cup Tarpon Tournament in Islamorada, FL

The 52nd Annual Gold Cup Tarpon Tournament in Islamorada, Florida took place on June 15th through 19th and again produced some great competition among 25 talented Anglers. The longest, continuously running Tarpon Fly Fishing Tournament is a five day tournament where Anglers and Guides are awarded Weight Points for fish measuring over 70 pounds that are brought under control.  Release Points are awarded for tarpon that are brought under control that are a minimum of four feet long, regardless of weight. Tarpon are catch and release only and weight is determined by a formula based on length and girth. Extremely talented Anglers were able to pull in 38 Release Fish during the 5 day stretch and 12 Weight Fish were caught during the week long competition. The fishing conditions during the course of the week provided the anglers of the Gold Cup an even more difficult than normal challenge. Glare and wind during the first few days of the competition stymied results while at the end of the week the fishing conditions were ideal.  Anglers and Guides compete for various trophy items but the real honor is having their names added to the 52 Year old perpetual trophy which is showcased at Florida Keys Outfitters in Islamorada, Florida.

Gold Cup Tarpon Tournament

Angler Mark Richens, from Islamorada, FL, won the Grand Championship with a total of 4378 points winning the 52 Annual Gold Cup Tarpon Tournament  convincingly! Competition was steady but slow among fellow Anglers in the first few days, leaving the door open to any of the teams by the end of the week. Mark Richens, and his Guide, Jared Raskob, blew everyone out of the water in the last day of the Tournament by adding to their two weight fish total by catching two larger Weight Fish of 99.5 and 120.6 LBS. Their 4 weight fish total of 90.3, 97.4, 99.5, & 120.6lbs was impressive. The team of Richens and Raskob sealed their legacy in Tarpon fishing immortality by finishing strong and having their names added to the Historic Gold Cup Trophy. In addition to this year’s Grand Champion Award, Mark and Jared won several award categories including the “Most Weight Fish”, “High Point Day Award” and “High Point Day 2 & High Point Day 5.”

Rounding out the awards:

Last year’s Grand Champion Team of Thane Morgan from Amarillo, TX, and Guide Dustin Huff took First Runner Up by catching one large Weight fish and four Release fish for a total of 2550 points.

Long time Team of Mike Criscola from Fair Haven, New Jersey, and his Guide Paul Tejera (Past Guide to Grand Champion) caught two Weight fish and one Release fish for a total of 2010 points to take the Second Runner Award.

Past Grand Champion Team of Angler Greg Smith from Luguna Vista, TX and Guide Scott Collins caught the Largest Tarpon measuring 133.5 lbs.

Most Releases Award went to the Team of Past Grand Champion Angler Steve Ward of Coppell, TX and Doug Kilpatrick. They managed to catch 6 Releases during a difficult week of fishing.