Reel Hooked Dominates AMIkids Kings for Kids Tournament With a 46.10!

By Don Ewing

Beaufort, South Carolina - Shane Hicks had a great weekend counting his blessings and money. He fished his Mercury powered Donzi into the winner’s circle of the AMI Kings For Kids with a great 46.10.

“I fished between fifteen and twenty miles offshore,” explained Hicks. “Found a lot of action on the surface so we stopped to see what was going on. I’ve fished this area before but never caught anything big.”

At seven-fifteen the 46 pound king ate a small menhaden on the surface in forty feet of water. “I grabbed the rod but it only took us fifteen minutes to have her to the side of the boat,” Shane went on to explain. “I knew this was a good fish when Mike Sedrick hoisted her over the gunwale. It’s certainly the biggest I’ve ever caught.”

The Reel Hooked team fished for the next three hours but knowing they probably had the tournament winner elected to go to the marina and wait for the scales to open.

Now Hicks has two great memories, winning this event and winning the Miracles tournament last year. 

Bitta Sweet team members, Stuart Harkins, Jerry Tumbleston, Matt Barfield, and Anna Marie Barfield began their day sitting in ninety feet of water east of Charleston. “We only caught some small fish there,” explained Harkins, Captain of the team. “About noon we moved to deeper water. At three-thirty she ate a pogy on the surface. Anna Marie chose to pick up the rod and after a twenty-five minute fight, the biggest king we’ve caught in a tournament was ready for Matt’s gaff.”

After a forty-six mile journey back to the Downtown Marina the team learned they had a third place king. Better yet, Anna Marie had Top Lady honors for this event.

Field Hucks, an SKA member for the past sixteen years, has certainly seen his share of award stages. He started his fishing career fishing with his dad, Buddy. He graduated from high school and went right to college but still came home to fish.  Now he’s sporting his own team with Jared Floyd fishing the Yamaha powered Yellowfin named Mean C. He’s also fishing the Yamaha Professional Kingfish Tour with Stacey Wester and Sandy Smith.

In this event he caught a 36.50 to earn fourth. “We had her in the boat at seven twenty-five after she ate a short lined pogy,” he told us. “I caught her and Jared stuck her with the gaff. This is not the biggest king we’ve ever caught (he caught a fifty-two in Savannah) but we’ll certainly take it.”

The Weathers, Jeff and Greg, caught a 33.20 to earn fifth place. “We went to an area in eighty feet of water south of Charleston,” explained Jeff who Captain’s the Triple Gobble, a Yamaha powered Contender. “It’s a live bottom area we got information about fishing the Yamaha Professional Kingfish Tour last week in Golden Isles, Georgia.”

Their king ate a blue runner on the surface at one o’clock and had her in the boat at one ten.  This was their first event fished in Division Three this year.

Stuart Ballard’s Tailwalker  earned sixth with a 32.90. “We fished in sixty feet of water off Charleston after spotting a school of baitfish on the surface,” he affirmed. “She ate a pogy on the surface at eight am and we had her in the boat at eight fifteen.”

Stuart has been a member of SKA since ’91 (Charter Member) and has probably won more events than any other person in South Carolina. Long time fishing partner Don Mussman can certainly attest to that. Stuart owns Tailwalker Marine in Georgetown and of course fishes a Yamaha powered Contender, a brand he retails.

In this event he fished with Drew Swinnie and Mark Ballard.

Andy and Drew Nettles earned another top ten finish, this time seventh with a 32.90. Fishing their Mercury powered Hunley named Solid Surface, Drew also earned second place in Class of 23 plus picked up the $500 Mercury Scholarship award.

Our ’03 Class of 23 National Champion Robert Olsen teamed with Chris and Raymond Stivender to capture ninth with a 31.60. On board also was Melissa Langston who went on to win Top Lady honors this weekend.

Stray Dog rounded out the top ten. Fishing their Honda powered Everglades, Chris Rosengarten, Kristi Couturier, and Jeff Ackerman scaled a nice 31.60.

SKA members also won first place in Class of 23. Mommas Money II with James and Richard Warner plus Mike and Chad Araneo scaled a 29.30.

Homewaters Clothing / Net Profit earned third place in the Class with a 26.80. Bryan Baxter, Trey Groves, Matt DeAntonio, and Dowell Coker II fished the Suzuki powered Onslow Bay.

Chance Sullivan and Cole Suggs picked up third place in SKA Junior Angler competition. They fish on Nautigull and scaled a 27.50.

Once again the team who produce the AMI Kids for Kings Tournament did an excellent job. This event raises money to redirect kids who have been referred by the juvenile justice system or have failed in traditional school settings. It’s a life-changing program. AMI Kids operates fifty-six programs in eight states, including the Beaufort program in South Carolina, which is one of its most successful programs. We’re proud to be a part of their tournament!

BMI Kings for Kids FInal Standings

Open Class 46.101. REEL HOOKED Donzi / Mercury Shane Hicks 38.702. Happy Dog 36.603. BITTA SWEET Hydra Sports / Yamaha Stuart Harkins Jerry Tumbleston Matt Barfield Anna Marie Barfield 36.504. MEAN C Yellowfin / Yamaha Field Hucks Jared Floyd 33.205. TRIPLE GOBBLE Contender / Yamaha Jeff Weathers Greg Weathers 32.906. TAILWALKER Contender / Yamaha Stuart Ballard Drew Swinnie 32.907. SOLID SURFACE Hunley / Mercury Andy Nettles Drew Nettles 32.108. Sweet Deal 31.609. KNOT @ WORK Sailfish / Yamaha Robert Olsen Chris Stivender Raymond Stivender Melissa Langston 31.6010. STRAY DOG Everglades / Honda Chris Rosengarten Kristi Couturier Jeff Ackerman

Class of 23 29.301. MOMMAS MONEY II Angler / Yamaha James Warner Richard Warner Mike Araneo Chad Araneo 26.802. No Slack 26.803. HOMEWATERS CLOTHING / NET PROFIT Onslow Bay / Suzuki Bryan Baxter Trey Groves Matt DeAntonio Dowell Coker II Top Lady Angler 31.60Melissa Langston KNOT @ WORK Top Junior Angler 36.60Anna Marie Barfield BITTA SWEET SKA Top Junior Anglers sponsored by Tailwalker Marine 36.601. Anna Marie Barfield BITTA SWEET 32.902. Drew Nettles SOLID SURFACE 27.503. Chance Sullivan & Cole Suggs NAUTIGULL Mercury Marine Junior Angler Scholarship Winner Drew Nettles SOLID SURFACE