Briggette’s 104-pounder wins tarpon tourney junior division
By BOB McCLURE
Article published on Thursday, Aug. 14, 2008  |
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| Bryan Briggette of Seminole displays the 77-inch, 104-pound tarpon he caught July 17 on the Redington Long Pier. |
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SEMINOLE – No doubt 14-year-old Bryan Briggette will long remember the summer of 2008.
After relocating to Seminole with his family less than a year ago, he discovered a liking for saltwater fishing off the Redington Long Pier.
After just a few months of honing his skills, Briggette reached the pinnacle of the sport July 17 when he won the junior division of the West Coast Anglers Association Tarpon Tournament by reeling in a 77-inch trophy that tipped the scales at 104 pounds.
Briggette caught the fish using baby pinfish and a conventional open-face reel with a 125-pound leader.
The battle took 45 minutes but he prevailed thanks to help from a number of mentors on the pier.
“I was sore and tired afterward,” said Briggette, who stands 5-feet, 4-inches tall and weighs 130 pounds.
During the tournament, which ran from May 10 to July 19, Briggette said he caught 12 tarpon and released the other 11, which he also won first place for.
He credited Janet Roshon, Rodney Beckett, Paul Nelson and Rick Skrovanekoc for tips and helping him learn the sport of silver king fishing. Nelson was the adult division winner of the tournament with a 172-pound tarpon.
Briggette, who will be a freshman at Seminole High School this fall, previously learned to fish in Massachusetts where he caught a number of bass in his younger years.
For his efforts, he won a nice trophy and some new fishing tackle.
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Article published on Thursday, Aug. 14, 2008
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