Mother Nature Forces Change in Weigh-in Format

Posted by Christine Rodenbaugh — Friday, November 20, 2009

Normally, the SKA National Championship weigh-in format is that each team can weigh one fish each day over two days of fishing. But in Saturday's weather forecast one word gave Jack Holmes cause for concern: thunderstorms. Many of you have fished in the projected three- to five-foot seas, but thunderstorms on the Gulf can come quickly and create dangerous conditions in a flash.

You are here to compete, but safety is paramount. Especially when we have juniors on board. The weigh-in format will be the same as 2008 when weather also dictated a change. The tournament will still be a two-fish aggregate, but you can weigh two fish today, two fish Saturday, or one fish each day. Once a fish comes to the scale, that weight stands. This is a captain's choice tournament. If you do not weigh a fish, check in using VHF channel 72 so that SKA knows you are in port safely.

And if you happen to pull a big wahoo on board, bring her to the scale. The largest wahoo of the tournament will be worth $1,000!

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Ocean Isle Fishing Center Leads on Day One!

McMullans' 74.10 King Breaks SKA Record by Nearly Ten Pounds

Posted by Christine Rodenbaugh — Saturday, November 21, 2009

When the scales opened at three o'clock on Friday, there were no boats waiting at the dock to weigh a fish. In my experience of seven National Championships, there has always been at least one boat at the dock before weigh-in; and that boat often has a very big fish. Without radio chatter, I could only guess that either there was no bite at all or that the bite was phenomenal and teams were taking all the time they could to get one more big girl over the side.

It was the latter. A few boats trickled in about 4:15 and all said that they had never seen the bite on like that. They could throw single baits off the back and get a fish. Of the 210 boats that checked out, 132 weighed fish. Some chose to weigh two fish due to the harsh weather forecast for today. Some had just one fish in the bag. And others, when they saw the leaderboard, decided to weigh just one and gamble on being able to find a bigger fish today to add to it. Thirty boats checked out this morning.

They may find a good fish today, but the fish they are really looking for is the twin to Barrett, Brant, and Rube McMullan's 74.10 record breaker. She was caught near the Horseshoe in 200 feet of water under a school of pogies. When asked about their reaction when they saw her come up beside the boat, Brant replied, "We never saw her until the gaff was in her. I would have had a heart attack if I had seen her beside the boat. She came up dead, so I guess she's the one who had the heart attack instead of me." He went on, "I wanted to take a picture while we were out there, but it was 3:15 and Barrett said we needed to get in to make check-in. We had thirty minutes to spare."

They also weighed a 44.03 to top the leaderboard on Day 1 with a 118.13 aggregate. The shouts and cheers when Jack announced 74.10 could be heard out past the docks. Someone in the crowd was overheard saying they had never seen the McMullans really smile at a weigh-in before. I guess it took a record-breaker to get them to break a smile. Now they're after the North Carolina record: 82lbs. 4oz. If any team can do it, the McMullan's can.

Tonight, be sure to tell all of your friends and family to tune in for the live webcast. After the last fish is weighed, the winner of the 2009 SKA Mercury Tournament Trail National Championship will be announced. Awards will be presented Sunday morning at 8:30 am.