The Collage Companies

In line with our commitment to environmental protection, we at Collage, were honored to support Friends of Lake Apopka (FOLA) – a citizen advocacy group focused on restoring Lake Apopka to its once pristine condition. In Partnership with the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, FOLA hosted Hooked on Lake Apopka Fish Tag Challenge at Lake Apopka from January through May (2021). Collage was a proud sponsor of the event which was a chance for everyone to get out on the lake (for fun) or for a chance to win part of the $10K in prizes.

Organizers of the fishing-for-cash challenge in Lake Apopka wondered if they could tag their star fish, a hugely bellied female, largemouth bass named Jim Thomas after the founder of the Friends of Lake Apopka. Because a fish tagged with a prize would be a needle in the haystack of Florida’s fourth largest lake, Lake Apopka. Jim might never be seen again by a human, they figured. But then came semi-professional angler Christian Greico, 22, of Tampa, with a singular goal in mind: break into the big-time pros by doing well in a fishing tournament this past week along the Harris Chain of Lakes that includes Lake Apopka. The event tagged 500 black crappie, bluegills and largemouth bass, with total prizes of $10,000, which included the $5,000 award for catching the bass named Jim Thomas. Image Credit:  Orlando Sentinel: Christian Greico displays the Jim Thomas, $5,000 prize fish he caught in Lake Apopka. (Major League Fishing, Cobi Pellerito.)

“Collage takes seriously our commitment of good stewardship of the environments in which we live and work. We are proud to support FOLA in its ongoing effort to preserve this cherished natural resource. Congratulations to Christian and gratitude to all who supported this exciting challenge.  We hope to see you on the lake.” Rob Maphis, President, The Collage Companies