Catches 13 fish among 5 species in prestigious tournament of champions

Just two months ago he was a member of a five-man team of anglers making a dynamic charge from fourth place to the lead on the final day of IGFA Offshore World Championship in Mexico. Then in early July, in Islamorada, Fla., USA, Robert Collins won the IGFA Inshore World Championship while defending his Grand Champion title accumulating the most points for five targeted species.

It was his third championship title in the eight years of the celebrated inshore competition. "Two world championships within two months, I'm speechless," smiled Collins. "It was a real nail biter right up to the end, just like in Cabo San Lucas."

The International Game Fish Association's celebrated catch-and-release tournament is dubbed the "super bowl of inshore fishing," as 32 anglers from around the world stalked the Florida Bay waters for bonefish, tarpon, permit, snook and redfish.

"Robert Collins is on fishing steroids," remarked Florida Keys broadcaster Bill Kelly to his WKEZ-FM radio audience. "He's amazing with any type of rod and reel in his hands."

Sandy Moret of Florida Keys Outfitters, who will be taking over the management of the inshore tournament next year agreed adding "when you're hot, it can carry over into the next tournament. He's amazing." Collins, of Islamorada and Naples, was chasing Day 2 leader and former champ Joe "Pepe" Lopez, Coral Gables, Fla. in the final round. On Day 3 Collins was hoping to catch two bonefish, a snook and a permit to complete two slams of fish to go with earlier catches of nine fish.

In turn Lopez, who won the title in 2006, had completed one slam and needed just two fish -- a snook and a permit -- to collect his second slam in the three-day event. He fell short by catching a snook early, but like all the anglers suffered with overcast skies searching for the permit.
"I was hoping to get the remaining species we need to pull together two slams," said Collins, who was guided by Capt. Mark Gilman, Islamorada. Collins who first won the tournament in 2005 caught a snook early and then two bonefish and a redfish but was also a permit shy of his second slam. He scored 1250 points on his 13 fish using both bait and artificial along with circle hooks for added points
Lopez won both runner-up grand champion and the bait division title with his slam and four fish for 950 total points.

Mark Cooper, Aurora, Colo., won the fly division on releases of a redfish, a tarpon and three snook. The former NFL lineman for the Denver Broncos and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers totaled 775 points while going scoreless the final day. First day leader John Timura, Islamorada, bounced back in the final round to win the artificial division on catches of redfish, snook and permit over the three days. Timura was Collins' teammate in Mexico the IGFA Offshore World Championship out fishing 63 teams from 27 countries.

Capt. Mike Hutchinsson, Miami Springs, Fla. was named the top captain by scoring the most points in guiding Timura, Rich Gorden, Brooksville, Fla. and Johann Pettersson of Ornskoldsvik, Sweden in their rounds over the three days.

IGFA Tournament director Mike Myatt said the 32 anglers gained entry winning one of over 55 fly and light tackle IGFA qualifying tournaments in 2007 held in eight countries around the world representing nearly 3,000 anglers on four continents. The "tournament of champions" had 15 first time invitees including the anglers from Sweden, Uganda, Africa and Darwin, Australia.

The anglers fished with a different guide each of the three days based on a drawing. The point value of the fish was determined by species and angler's fishing preference.
The top anglers received timepieces in the prestige tournament with trophies and merchandise going to the second and third place divisional winners and to the top three guides.
Sponsors this year include Mercury Outboards, Bacardi, Costa Del Mar, G. Loomis, Hook and Tackle, Islamorada Fish Co., Islander Resort, King Sailfish Mounts, Rapala, Shimano, Stiffy Push Poles, 3M Scientific Anglers, Reel Life Art by Pasta, World Wide Sportsman, Zane Grey Lounge, KD & G Sea Life Masterpieces, Redbone Gallery, Image Graphics 2000, Momoi, Diamond Illusion and Daiichi.

Moret has formed a partnership with the IGFA to take over the management of the celebrated tournament to begin its ninth year.

"I witnessed a pretty spectacular finish with eight or nine anglers very much in contention entering the final day," said Moret. "With the foundation that the IGFA has put together over these eight years we can grow it even more with top fly and light tackle anglers worldwide."

The Florida Keys Outfitters/IGFA Inshore World Championship is scheduled for July 7-9, 2009. For tournament qualifying or sponsorship information contact Moret at 305-664-5423 or via e-mail at flkeyout@bellsouth.net .

For the complete news release please go to the IGFA web site's home page at http://igfa.org or

2008 IGFA INSHORE WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP
June 30 ??? July 2, 2008 ??? Islamorada, Fla., U.S.A.

GRAND CHAMPION - MOST SLAMS
Robert Collins, Islamorada, Fla., 1250 pts
RUNNER-UP GRAND CHAMPION - MOST SLAMS
Joe "Pepe" Lopez, Coral Gables, Fla., 950 pts
FLY ROD DIVISION
1st Mark Cooper, Aurora, Colo., 775 pts
2nd Linda Denkert, Tavernier, Fla., 725 pts
3rd Cal Collier, Jr., Atlanta, Ga., 650 pts
BAIT DIVISION
1st Joe "Pepe" Lopez, Coral Gables, Fla., 950 pts
2nd Troy Pruitt, Naples, Fla., 725 pts
3rd Greg Zaepfel, Buffalo, N.Y. 675 pts
ARTIFICIAL LURE DIVISION
1st John Timura, Islamorada, Fla., 1,100 pts
2nd Stephanie Parsons, Naples, Fla., 900 pts
3rd Rich Gorden, Brooksville, Fla. 750 pts
OVERALL GUIDES DIVISION
1st Capt. Mike Hutchisson, Miami Springs, Fla., 1,825 pts
2nd Capt. Dave Denkert, Tavernier, Fla. 1,500 pts
3rd Steve Thomas, Islamorada, Fla., 1,500 pts