ISLAMORADA, Florida Keys -- Mark Cockerham of Islamorada caught 80.5 inches of redfish and snook while fly-fishing to win the Backcountry Fly Championship that ended Feb. 27.
Tournament anglers competed to catch the most inches of snook and redfish on fly. Rules mandated that only two catches of each species over the two days of fishing could be counted toward an angler's total inches.
Cockerham earned the title of grand champion angler fishing with Captain Mark Gilman of Islamorada, and also caught and released the tournament's largest snook. Cockerham's redfish measured 25.25 and 17 inches, and his snook measured 38.25 inches.
Roger Fernandez of Pinecrest, Fla., was awarded the title of runner-up angler for scoring 68.25 inches of fish. He fished with Captain Eric Herstedt of Homestead, Fla.
Islamorada's Mike McLoad secured the largest redfish at 34 inches, fishing with Captain Brian Helms of Homestead.
Thirty anglers caught three snook and 21 redfish over the tournament's two fishing days.
