Winning Was ‘Natural’ at Florida Keys’ Bull and Cow Dolphin Tournament

Winning Was ‘Natural’ at Florida Keys’ Bull and Cow Dolphin Tournament

MARATHON, Florida Keys — Eighty boats and 560 anglers hit the waters off the Florida Keys May 5-7 during the annual Tom Thumb Marathon Bull and Cow Dolphin Tournament, one of the Middle Keys’ most popular fun-fishing events.

Reese Lewis and his team on The Natural II earned the top $15,000 prize with the largest combined weight of a bull and cow dolphin fish at 48 pounds. Lewis, of Little Torch Key, Florida, fished with sons RJ Lewis and Karel Lewis, also of Little Torch Key, along with nephew Devon Hannah and friend Nathalie Valdes of Marathon. The Natural II team also took the $1,000 prize for the heaviest combined weight of three dolphin fish at 57.5 pounds.

Marathon anglers Bill Blum, Bryce Battle, Charles Meyers, Ely Hernandez and Tripp Textoris placed second overall, earning $3,000 for a 45.5-pound bull and cow combo caught while fishing on Silent Hunter.

Two separate Marathon-based Two Conchs charter teams put their anglers in the money. Captain Jordan Leake and mate Jayden Bruland on Two Conchs 39 and their team of anglers from Sunset Hills, Montana, brought in the largest bull dolphin fish at 35.5 pounds and the third-place combined weight of bull and cow dolphin at 39 pounds. On Two Conchs 34, Captain JC Carlson and Captain Tucker Carlson with their team of Marathon anglers brought in the largest cow at 27.5 pounds. Each category was worth $1,000.

Additional $1,000 awards went to Big Pine Key, Florida, team Fishizzle for the largest wahoo at 13.5 pounds; The 4th Line with a team from Springfield, Kentucky, for the largest blackfin tuna at 25.5 pounds (on time); and Georgia anglers on the Marathon-based Honey Maker with Captain Vanessa Kopelakis for the largest tripletail at 7.5 pounds.

The top female angler title went to Marilyn Deno from Virginia Gardens, Florida, for her 22-pound fish caught from the Half Time.

Corbin Buckley from Delray Beach, Florida, garnered the top junior angler title with a 15-pound dolphin caught while fishing on the Dream Weaver.

According to organizers, the tournament’s family-friendly, all-skills-welcome format enables the top prize payout to increase as more boats register. Each year a guaranteed grand prize of $10,000 cash goes to the team that catches the largest bull and cow dolphin fish combined, with the amount rising and excitement building as registrations increase.