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Saturday, August 13, 2005
Anglers seek the big ones for cash, a worthy cause
Copyright © 2005 Blethen Maine Newspapers Inc. | ||||||
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SOUTH PORTLAND — Many of the 130 fishermen entered in the seventh annual MDA Sportfishing Open at Spring Point Marina have more than one good reason for competing in the event that raises money to combat muscular dystrophy. "One of my partners' daughters has muscular dystrophy," said Paul Perocchi, a Boston lawyer who has a summer home on Long Island and has competed the past two years. "And," he added during Friday's weigh-in, "it's the time of year. Usually in August or September is when the shark fishing, and the tuna fishing, is good. And if it's a bad day, I'll fish for stripers (closer to shore)." The event, sponsored by Agency 1 Real Estate, provides a chance to win thousands for the largest bluefish, striped bass, ground fish, shark or bluefin tuna. Director John Harmon II said the tournament has already raised $15,000, at least $10,000 of which will go to the Muscular Dystrophy Association. The three-day event was closed to new entrants Thursday to encourage early sign-ups and discourage fishermen from entering the charity event at the last minute if they get lucky. Traditionally, the event draws captains who run charter services and want to publicize their fishing know-how. Andrew Mazzitelli of North Berwick, who runs Predator Charters, has placed in the competition before and hoped the 24 1/3-pound striped bass he caught Friday would place this weekend. He plans to go back out today and Sunday. "I do it to show customers that I am capable of producing fish within a day. My customers are looking, generally, for trophy fish. If you can do that in (the first day) of a tournament, you must be doing something right," Mazzitelli said. "That's my philosophy. But you see a lot of captains . . ." Mazzitelli fishes in just four saltwater fishing tournaments each summer to demonstrate his know-how, and he always competes twice a year as far away as Boston to draw out-of-state clients. Mazzitelli said he always enters the MDA Sportfishing Open because he can compete up and down the coast of Maine. And there's plenty of skilled competitors - including his wife. Lisa Mazzitelli caught a striped bass weighing more than 50 pounds in the 2003 Open. On Friday, a number of potential winners were weighing in, including Robin and Mark Sellinger of Fairfield. She registered a 31-pound cod, while his weighed in at 33 pounds. Those fishing 20 to 30 miles offshore say the three-day event in August provides memories they carry with them for a year - whether they place or not. "When you're pretty far off shore, you see things you don't see when you stay closer in. Tomorrow I suspect we'll see porpoises, whales, tuna surfacing and, hopefully, we'll catch a shark," Perocchi said. Staff Writer Deirdre Fleming can be contacted at 791-6452 or at:
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