Naples angler snags record bonefish… and other boating and fishing news

Kudos to Joanna Forszpaniak of Naples. She has just received official word that she set a new women's International Game Fish Association world fly fishing record on 2 pound-class tippet for catching a bonefish that weighed 2 pounds, 6 ounces.

She made the catch July 27 off Andros Island, in the Bahamas, beating the previous women's IGFA record of 1 pound, 4 ounces, caught in Los Roques, Venezuela in January 2006. The IGFA is the International Game Fish Association, the body that handles all such records.

Ms. Forszpaniak used her husband's hand-tied pearl colored Gotcha pattern to entice the bonefish in near-perfect fishing conditions on the Andros flats. She safely released the fish after weighing, photographing and documenting the catch, assisted by guide Eddy Roll from Big Charlie Bonefish Lodge.

And get this: Two years ago Joanna's husband — renowned breast cancer surgeon Dr. Jan Forszpaniak, who is an avid world sportsman — came close to setting his first IGFA world record on fly with 12-pound tippet by catching a 59 pound, 8 ounce wahoo off Micronesia's Christmas Island in the Pacific Ocean. But the scale he was using over tested in the IGFA lab, negating his record attempt.

Joanna Forszpaniak of Naples with her IGFA record bonefish When he learned that his wife's recent catch beat him to the punch into the IGFA world record book, Dr. Forszpaniak laughed, according to an IGFA staffer, and said, "I'm sure my wife used all my knowledge and experience I have transferred to her coming from many years of chasing trophy bonefish all over the world."

Irony strikes again.

If Ms. Forszpaniak's fishing inspires you, consider signing up for the next "Ladies, Let's Go Fishing" seminar in Southwest Florida. It's slated for March 20-22 in Naples. Good news: Organizers have rolled back prices to encourage women to enter the sports of fishing and boating in spite of tough economic times.

Hosted by Florida's Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission and presented by Mercury Outboards, the series offers a weekend of activities now priced at less than $100 for early bird registrations received at least one month in advance.

Described as the "No-Yelling" school of fishing, the weekend seminars teach women saltwater fishing techniques for inshore, offshore, bottom and fly fishing at beginner and advanced levels, then offer "hands-on" fishing exercises, such as spin casting, conservation, net casting, gaffing grapefruits, boat handling, backing a truck and trailer rig and reeling against a swimmer in the water to learn how to apply pressure to large fish.

An optional fishing trip by boat is offered on the second seminar day, followed by fish fillet instruction.

I've attended two of these — the most recent one being in Sarasota in 2005. I sharpened my knot-tying skills, gaffed grapefruit as if they were cobia and mastered backing up a trailer. Since then, I've used all my skills. I highly recommend this to beginners and always-been-fishing-females.

Sign up with friends. I did, and the tradition continues. Now on the anniversary of our Ladies, Let's Go Fishing seminar, Fort Myers friends Sheila Mann, Lori Tomaselli and I plan our own women's outdoors weekend and do something cool.

For details, e-mail info@ladiesletsgofishing. com or visit www.ladiesletsgofishing.com.

If fishing isn't your thing, then consider vacationing as if you were a well-off tourist in your own back yard.

Southwest Florida Yachts of North Fort Myers has added the Heather Michelle, a 34-foot Pilothouse Trawler, to its charter fleet for cruising the protected and scenic Gulf barrier island corridor from Sanibel/ Captiva to Boca Grande.

With headroom of 6-foot-5-inches, sleeping accommodations for up to four people and a big upper viewing deck, the newest yacht in the fleet makes a comfortable, cruising vessel for young families to enjoy dolphins, manatees and tall wading birds in their natural environments, said Barb Hansen, owner-manager of Southwest Florida Yachts.

Other conveniences include air conditioning, heat, hot and cold water, refrigerator/ freezer, stovetop and oven, microwave, flat panel TV, DVD player and more.

Heck, you won't even feel like you left shore.

With its six-cylinder engine, the spacious boat consumes only four gallons per hour while cruising at a rather brisk 9 knots. A bow thruster helps skippers maneuver in marinas. That means no shouting and embarrassment.

Now, here's the cost: Heather Michelle is available for charters for $1,483 for three days in the summer and only $1,873 for three days in the high season. But, through 2010, the company is awarding extra cruising days, free, during the company's 25th anniversary celebration. Summer charters receive two extra free days of cruising for charters of three days or longer. High season charters of three days or longer receive one extra cruising day at no additional charge.

Families I've talked to when they've stepped of this company's fleet of yachts onto the dock have had nothing but grins on their faces. If you can afford it, consider it. At least you don't have to pay airfare to get to paradise before setting sail in it.

Go to www.swfyachts.com or www.flsailandcruiseschool. com for details.

— Betsy Clayton is a freelancer based on Pine Island and also is Lee County Parks & Recreation's w aterways c oordinator. C on tact her at boatingbybetsy@yahoo.com.