Nestled in the fishing capital of the world, the IFC offers novice and expert fishermen alike a place to experience camaraderie like no other. 

If you like fishing and care about the future of our fisheries and environment, you are bound to meet like-minded people from all walks of life brought together by their passion for fishing and conservation at the Islamorada Fishing Club.

- LEARN MORE ABOUT THE IFC

Dear Members,

What a spectacular turn-out for our annual meeting this year. In my time with the club, we never had such a crowd. It was a great pleasure to see everyone who are committed to the future of this great institution.

I would also like to say thank you to our President, Joe Roth, and the rest of our board for their positive comments and support they have given me to get this project completed, and especially all of you for your heartfelt applause. It truly moved me. If you have a friend or neighbor who you think maybe interested in membership, bring them in for dinner or a cocktail and a pizza on the 3rd floor deck.

Remember, you as a current members are our greatest asset to attract future members. We are working diligently to finish all the projects we still have in front of us. Our highest priority is the acoustics in the main dining room and that is progressing well. Shade on the 3rd floor is also in the works and we just received the poles that will be installed to hold the sail shades. We have more furniture on order to beatify the main entry lobby and reception area. Photos & mounts will also be hung and our retail section is also in the works.

Things are moving quickly, all this and we are having one of the best seasons in a long time.

Sincerely, 

Vinnie Feola
General Manager
Islamorada Fishing Club
 

Attendance is way up at our new facility and it is directly attributed to the atmosphere, the quality of our food and the exceptional team that we have. We are extremely pleased with the outpouring of support and usage of the club. Having said that, please keep in mind that we are a private, membership driven club that does have some requirements and house rules we need to recognize and follow. I would like to just reiterate our club dress code for those who may be uncertain of the club expectations.

• All members and guests shall dress in an appropriate manner at all times while on the club premises.
• Shoes, pants, shorts, shirts and cover ups shall be required at all times in the club.
• Athletic shorts, tight work out type leggings, tank tops, crop tops or similar are not appropriate attire for the dining room.
• Baseball caps, or other types of hats are not to be worn in the dining room unless the dress code is relaxed for a special event or occasion such as a party or costume party.
• Suggested attire for the dining room in the evenings would include slacks, dresses, collared shirts, denim that is not tattered or worn, dress shorts with a collared shirt.
• Unless otherwise noted for a specific event or party, coats and/or ties are not required but are always welcomed.

For the most part, the above dress code is rarely abused but I have been noticing more baseball caps in the dining room during evening seatings. Hopefully, by bringing this up we can curb that trend and encourage everyone to do their part to make all of our experiences special at the incredibly special place we now have. Thank you in advance for your attention to this and I look forward to seeing you at IFC! 

Sincerely,

Joe Roth, IFC President (On behalf of the Board of Directors)
 

The Islamorada Fishing Club welcomed 46 anglers for the Islamorada Fishing Club Captain's Cup Sailfish Tournament on January 15th.

In the nail-biting competition 12 teams released a total of 68 Sails. The first hook up was only 4 minutes after the committee boat called lines in the water. The sailfish were rising in packs, with eleven multiple hook ups called in throughout the day. With only 18 minutes to go Main One, Kalex, Skipjac, Killbox and Back in Business were all tied with 8 releases and the Back in Business was still fighting the second fish of a double header. Back in business’ IFC Member, captain Robert Collins called in the release of the second fish at 3:48 propelling the team into first place. Anglers John Watson of Parkland, FL, Matt McLean from Naples, FL along with IFC Member Audrey Koocher and Brooks Gregory from Islamorada took home the Grand Champion trophies sponsored by Caribee Boat Sales and Yamaha Outboards along with a check for $12,000.00.

Returning to the dock in second place with eight sailfish releases on time was Captain Marty Lewis of Marathon, Florida, at the helm of Main One/Main Attraction. Baker Mitchell Plumbing and CBT Construction sponsored the team’s second-place awards, The anglers were Mark Busch from West Lake, Ohio; Mike Cangemi from Jupiter, FL; Ben Zdan from Marathon, FL, and Islamorada Florida resident Danny Lombardo.

Third place trophies sponsored by Regan Roth insurance and Travis Bennett DDS, were awarded to Captain Alex Adler of Islamorada and his crew aboard Kalex. The team included Indiana anglers Chris and Sam Chastain, Allen Sutkowski and Nathan Burns, with eight sailfish releases on time.

The Islamorada Fishing Club Sailfish Tournament is the second leg of the annual three-event Florida Keys Gold Cup Championship Series. The series leader is currently Killbox with 17 sailfish releases followed by Skipjac Fishing Team with 16 and Back in Business with 15.

Festivities were held in the club’s temporary location while their gorgeous new building is being built. The Islamorada Fishing Clubs Captains Cup Dolphin tournament will be held June 26th, 2025. More information can be found on the web site www.theislamoradafishingclub.com.