Hammer Time Pounds Out a Win in Division 4 Opener

By John Zalud
SKA Staff

Brunswick, GA – Randy Howell, Nelson Pittman, Dustin Howell, and Curtis Tumlin from Waycross, Georgia, fishing on their Yamaha powered Contender, the Hammer Time weighed a 37.99 pound kingfish to take home the top prize at this year's 26th edition of the Two Way Sport Fishing Club's King Mackerel Tournament. "We fished an area just south of the Elton Bottom in 75 feet of water where we had previously caught some decent fish," said the excited captain. Around 8:15 their winning kingfish ate a blue runner on a long line. Dustin soon had the fish to the boat for Curtis to gaff. Randy told me that they caught three or four other fish during the day.

The second place check was presented to the In Reel Deep, Zachary Wood's Yamaha powered Contender. Fishing with Zachary were teammates James McKinzie and Tim Walling. They made the decision to fish an area 60 miles south and started slow trolling over some hard bottom in 110' of water. Around 9:15 their 35.75 pound king ate a big pogy fished on the surface.

Finishing in third place was the Pot Luck 2 skippered by Wendell Wells fishing with his wife Marcia and son Cain. At about 11:00, Cain caught their 35.33 pounder fishing an area just east of Grays Reef in 80' of water after it ate a double pogy rig fished 50' down on one of the Pot Luck 2's downriggers. Cain's fish would earn him both the tournament's and the SKA Top Junior awards.

The A Salt Weapon, Skipper David Futch's Yamaha powered Contender, made the 50-mile run to fish east of Sapelo Sound in 100' of water where he found some kings pre-fishing earlier in the week. Their fourth place 31.73 ate a double pogy rig just before three o'clock fished half way to the bottom on a downrigger. With no time to spare, David put the throttles down and made it back to the Two Way scales with just a couple of minutes to spare.

Ross Butler left the inlet and headed due east in his Yamaha powered Contender called the Late Fees. He had decided to fish some numbers 50 miles east in 100 feet of water where he had previously caught some nice kings. They were able to find three or four decent kings including their 31.07 fifth place finisher that ate a big goggle-eye fished 60' down around 11:00. Ross is the host of the upcoming Coastal Empire Kingfish Classic in Fort McAllister August 17th and 18th.

Sixth place was taken by a non-member team that weighed a 26.45 and Jimmy Roberts' To-Da-Hub picked up the seventh place check for the 24.49 that he weighed. Fishing with Jimmy on his Yamaha powered Regulator were Alan Daniels, Pete Buhles, and young John Roberts who earned the second place Junior Angler awards.

The first place award for the top finishing Small Boat was claimed by Lee Southard, Rocky Mallard and Donald Southard for the 26.95 pound king that they caught on the Just Fishin, Southard's Suzuki powered McKee Craft. They were fishing south of Grays Reef where they caught three or four kings. Lee caught their big fish at just after ten in the morning when it ate a blue runner fished on top.

The Searching 2 team, a Honda powered Hydra Sports boat skippered by Steven Radach, earned the second place Small Boat Class award for their 23.45. They caught her on a pogy fished at 70 feet on a downrigger just east of the R2 Buoy in 120' of water. Fishing with Steven were Jamie Bohannon, Gene Radach, Sr. and the third place finishing junior angler, Joshua Radach.

The third place Small Boat Class was won by Ashley Thompson and Randy Deloach fishing on their Yamaha powered Sea Hunt with a 20.21 pound king.

The SKA first sanctioned the Two Way tournament back in 1991 and has been proud to be involved with Two Way Fishing Club for the past 20 or so years. For years this club's members have done what it takes to raise a ton of money to support several local charities. In addition, every year they have hosted a weekend fishing tournament that has put smiles on the faces of hundreds of kids with special needs and somehow they still figure out a way to find a few more dollars to help support the Georgia Artificial Reef program. Thank you, gentlemen!!!

At the top of the list to thank is our 1996 Angler of the Year and two-time past SKA National Champion, Mr. Rick Smith. Thanks again, Rick, for inviting us to participate in your organization's great tournament and for the use of your Two Way Fish Camp and Mud Cat Charley's facility. Your family and staff have always gone out of their way to make everyone feel special.

Open Class