What's it like to be a tournament winner, take home over $74,000 in cash and be an IGFA record holder?

Ask Candace Knowles. At sixteen she's already accomplished what most anglers only dream about. With her capture of a 95.3 lb. wahoo, while fishing aboard the Blue Heron during the 2005 ECBC, Candace placed first in the wahoo division, won $74,175 and on September 28th was named an IGFA Female Junior Angler World Record holder. **

Candace was not the only junior angler to make a significant showing at the 2005 ECBC, and this was not her first time to the ECBC Awards Stage.

Also in 2005, twelve-year-old Jake Dearmon, fishing aboard the All Right II, caught an 85.8 lb. wahoo which put him in second place. Jake took home $33,988.

Jonathon Callicoat, fourteen, fishing aboard the Fat Lady IV also made an impressive showing by releasing a blue marlin, weighing a 37.5 lb. wahoo and winning the Top Junior Angler award.

At the 2004 ECBC Candace took the third place wahoo award with a 46.8 lb. fish and started her ECBC winnings with a check for $17,174. The Top Junior Angler that year was Kelly Cummins, fishing aboard Hooker, with a 121.1 lb. yellowfin tuna. Our inaugural Top Junior Angler in 2003 was Josh Hunter, fishing aboard Wynsong. Josh also won the third place dolphin jackpot and received a check for $1,620.

While being on stage during the Awards Celebration and taking home lots of cash is pretty special, the real treasure these young anglers took home were the memories of spending time on the water with their family and friends. And this is what the Emerald Coast Blue Marlin Classic at Sandestin hopes to encourage in the future as more and more young anglers join our sport.

Watch out Big Dawgs—the Little Dawgs are nipping at your heels!

** Sara Hayward of Nacogdoches, Texas recently shattered the wahoo all tackle world record while fishing with her dad off Cabo San Lucas, Mexico. Her fish was 184.0 lbs. and was certified on November 7th as the IGFA All Tackle World Record, the Women's 50# Line Class Record and the Female Junior Angler World Record.