The fifth annual Islamorada Swordfish Tournament, the first event in the Florida Swordfish Series, ended Aug. 17 with a triumph for Miami's Captain Ricky Linder and his team aboard Jichi.

After little action the first night, luck changed the second night for team Jichi when angler Luis Isaias of Miami caught and released three swordfish.

"Luis is one of the best anglers I've ever seen, and I've been fishing for 25 years," said Linder.

On the tournament's second night of fishing, the duo ran 40 miles south of Holiday Isle to a spot off Marathon where they caught the three swordfish, earning 300 points.

In second place with 200 points was the Get Lit team with Captain Jimmy Mulcahey of Miami. His anglers, Peter Miller of Pinecrest, Fla., and Kelly Mayo of Miami, each released a swordfish the first night.

Third place went to My Sea Cin with Captain Randy Towe of Islamorada. The team also scored two swordfish releases on the first night. The fish were caught by anglers Gary Newgent of San Antonio, Fla., and Stephen Orton of Coral Springs, Fla.

Florida Gulf Coast University student Richard Black of Tavernier, a local legend for his youth and skill, won the largest fish award for catching a 169-pound swordfish -- the only weight fish in the tournament.

Black fished aboard the Shock and Awe with Captain Robert Collins of Islamorada and Naples, Fla.

Unfavorable weather conditions during the angling challenge limited the overall catch to 12 swordfish, and all but one were released.

The Islamorada Swordfish Tournament was the first leg of the 2008 Florida Swordfish Series, which offers a guaranteed $10,000 cash grand prize and a $5,000 additional cash prize for the largest swordfish in the series. The second leg is the Miami Swordfish Tournament set for Sept. 11-14.