By ALEXANDREA BAILEY
editor@portisabelsouthpadre.com
The Texas International Fishing Tournament [TIFT] returned to the Gulf of Mexico for the 84th year on July 31-Aug. 4.
Melisa Mikulik was excited about serving her first year as TIFT’s Executive Board of Directors President.
“There were so many wonderful things that happened this year,” Mikulik told the PRESS.
1,063 anglers registered to compete in the tournament’s four divisions, Bay, Offshore, Tarpon and Flyfishing.
The grand champions were junior anglers in three of these four divisions, Bay, Offshore and Tarpon. Mikulik says this is the only time something like that’s happened in recent years. She believes this feat confirms that TIFT is a family tradition
that will continue for generations.
11-year-old Isla Gonzalez was this year’s Tarpon Grand Champion with 500 points.
“I have never seen a little fishing girl with the determination that this one has, she was just great the whole time and never complained,” fishing guide Brian Barrera wrote on Facebook. “Not only did she catch all her tarpon completely by herself with no help, she also caught three big sharks, and a ten-pound jack crevalle!”
Mikulik described this year’s weather conditions as the calmest weather TIFT organizers and loyal participants have seen in many years.
“In fact, the weather conditions were absolutely perfect for fishing, as evidenced by a lot of the catches that came in,” said Mikulik.
One of the more exciting catches according to Mikulik was brought to the dock on Saturday by one of Port Isabel’s own. Miya Whittington reeled in a 396-pound Blue Marlin with only an hour and a half of fishing left in the competition before
her team, Bad Habits, headed to the weigh-in dock. It took her a total of 50 minutes to reel in the ginormous fish.
“The adrenaline rush that hit when I saw him make that first jump out of the water was instant! I knew that this was the fish we had been waiting for all weekend & I didn’t have any room for second-guessing or making mistakes,” sated Whittington. “That Blue Marlin was jumping non-stop & really made me work for it, but I was ready to get the job done. Even though my arms were numb by the end, I’d do it all over again every day.”
Outside of the water, TIFT continued its tradition of giving back to the community by awarding 26 scholarships to young anglers who have participated in the tournament. The scholarships were $2,000 each.
“[The recipients] are a part of what we call the TIFT family,” said Mikulik.
According to Mikulik, TIFT broke turnout records this year. A record-breaking number of people from all over Texas showed up to the weigh-dock on Thursday and Friday, Aug. 1, and to the awards luncheon on Sunday, Aug. 4.
“It was a packed house,” said Mikulik.
Bobby Wells was honored as a special guest at this year’s award luncheon. She has attended every single TIFT, since the first one in 1934.
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