In tournament fishing, success often begets success. Win a high-profile tournament and suddenly the next win doesn’t seem quite so impossible. Sandra MacMillan knows the feeling as her Sandman team is riding high this year.
They’ve had several top finishes but perhaps none larger than the first place victory in the Jimmy Johnson National Billfish Championship in Key Largo, Florida. The team of MacMillan along with Robbie Ramirez, Alex Castelanos, Dommie Adames, Robbie Waddick, Chris Kaulen, and Jeffrey Liederman tallied 13 sailfish releases to win first place in the main event of the week-long Championship Week, earning a total of $395,000 in prize money as well as custom designed championship rings for each team member. With just three releases on Day One, they rebounded with an incredible Day Two, releasing 10 more sails to win the daily as well as the tournament.
Capt. Scott Stanczyk led his team of Texas-based anglers on Catch 22 to second place on time with 10 releases. Third place went to Capt. Marcos Zamudio on SeaHawk with 10 sailfish releases. The teams earned $210,00 and $60,000 in cash, respectively.
A $1.5 million total purse for the Jimmy Johnson Fishing Championship Week makes it the world’s richest guaranteed tournament purse, according to organizers. The multiday event attracted 99 boat teams and over 730 anglers who released 318 sailfish.
The philanthropic event raised over $100,000 for charitable recipients which include the Community Initiatives Foundation, a 501c3 dedicated to supporting various fundraising programs throughout South Florida; Quantum House; and Tranquil Shores Children’s Foundation.
