Top U.S. Fly Anglers Ready to Compete in Yucatan’s Ascension Bay
OutdoorHub 02.20.13
It’s all fly fishing at the Ascension Bay Redbone Super Slam as teams of anglers and their guides take on bonefish, permit, tarpon and snook, Feb. 20 – 24, hosted by Yellow Dog Fly Fishing Adventures, to help fund medical research to catch the cure for cystic fibrosis.
The second annual all catch-and –release competition which is part of the Redbone Tournament Series, is made up of 12 teams of 24 anglers from the United States gathered at the Grand Slam Fishing Lodge in Mexico’s Yucatan with local guides on Ascension Bay.
We have a stacked field of many talented U.S. fly guides getting a chance to compete with their angling skills,” said Ian Davis of Yellow Dog, in Bozeman, Montana. “They include Paul Dixon, Justin Rea, Dave Yoder, Gary Ellis and John Sampson. Also competing for the three days on the water are David Collier, of N.Y. City, plus his father and brother Cal Collier Sr. and Jr. of Atlanta. Other award winning anglers include Atlanta brothers Todd and Trent Smith, and Brower Moffitt of Palm Beach, Fla.”
Last year the tournament raised $34,000.
Marine artwork and sculptures are awarded to the top anglers, teams and guides.
The Redbone began in 1988 by Capt. Gary and Susan Ellis as a grassroots effort to help victims like their daughter, Nicole, who have CF. With help from baseball legend Ted Williams and his celebrity friends to attract anglers, $16,000 was raised that first year.
The Redbone series, now beginning its 26th year, has since spawned nearly 30 fishing events across the U.S. and internationally, raising over $16 million for scientists and researchers at the CF Foundation.
“We had no idea 25 years ago when we started these tournaments just how many remarkable strides would be made increasing the life expectancy of young CF sufferers,” said Ellis, “especially now with the most promising ones through gene research.”
“Not only has it lead to isolating the CF gene, it has also paved the way for the discovery of the genes for many other diseases. New CF drug research has helped improve lung function and add a little more time for patients. It’s remarkable how far they’ve come, but there’s still no cure and our tournaments continue in full force to help them until then.”
