(* Denotes a Class of 23 Team)

NATIONALS FINALISTS
By: Jack Holmes

Kyle William's Broke Out earned a free trip to this years Nationals on the strength of a three fish aggregate of 81.54 points. In a season that saw little fish hit the docks in the first three events of the season, this was a major victory. With Scott Hickox and Steve Daniels as teammates, they caught a 18 pounder at Halfmoon, then had an 18.88 in Two Way, and capped the season off with a 44.66 second place fish in St. Mary's. This team runs a Johnson powered Hydra Sports.

Cut Off, captained by Justin Bjorneby, earned the right to go to the Nationals by catching his stringer of three fish in the final three events of the season. With Scott Outhwaite and Spec Thompson, they caught a 24.37 at the Two Way, caught the smallest fish of their trio, a 13.99 in St. Mary’s, then had a great tournament in Golden Isles, snaring a 6th place 35.63 for 73.99 points.

Charles Getsinger, who is the only professional fishing the Yamaha Pro Tour in a 23 foot boat earned third place with a three fish agg of 72.58. With Tommy Strozzo, Sheri Getsinger, and Daniel Gourley, they caught a 17.20 in Halfmoon, a 22.83 in the Two Way, then sealed their victory with a 32.55, 12th place king, at Golden Isles. Charles may finish in the top 25 in the Pro’s which would be a first. With his knowledge of the Gulf he could win it all in the fall for the class.

Terry Sellers ran his Mercury powered ProLine, Sea Scraper, into fourth with a 63.07 aggregate. As he was the first qualifying Mercury powered boat in the Division, he too goes to the Nationals on Mercury’s nickel. Jason Ogden and Alvin Dezern helped catch an 11.69 in Two way, then scale a 32.25 in St. Mary’s, and cap off their finish with a 19.13 in Golden Isles.

Another ProLine team, Hooked Up, caught just two nice fish to earn a ride. Mark Covington, Wes Partain, and Dooley Miller had a 22.85 in Sapelo and a 35.10, 7th place fish in Golden Isles. A good season when you consider another fish on their side of the ledger would have put them near the top. They earned fifth. If all the ProLine teams get together in Biloxi anything can happen.

The Double Trouble earned sixth on the strength of just two fish, a 30.06 in St. Mary’s and a 23.17 in Golden Isles. The Johnson powered Sea Fox team captained by Ellis Phillips seems to know how to dig out big fish. Maybe a threat in Biloxi if they’ve got some prior knowledge of the area.

Boyce Davis’ team on the Reely Hooked really couldn’t get that one big fish to put them over the top but they were consistent. A 51.12 three fish agg is nothing to sneeze at. His team earned seventh.

Bug-N-Out’s Joe Parker earned eighth with a 50.33 agg while Ricky William's’ N-2-Deep earned ninth with a 49.78 two fish agg. Mike Baymiller earned the last spot with a two fish agg of 41.88 aboard The Who.

It was really tough going for the Class this season. Bad weather and no fish. When you look at the final scores you really have to hand it to them. They duked it out and made the grade. Our hat’s off to them, they’re great competitors and maybe can bring the National Championship trophy home to Georgia. Remember Jerry Dilsaver did it last year. He’s from North Carolina and fished Florida waters. Our advice, all the Georgia teams should get together, have a meeting, plan strategy, and make it happen. together you can do it!

 

NATIONALS PRESS RELEASE
By: Christine Rodenbaugh

Biloxi, MS, November 23-24, 2002—More than 1,200 King Mackerel enthusiasts gathered for the annual Southern Kingfish Association’s (SKA) National Championship Tournament to vie for the national title, cash, and prizes. Anglers invited to the nationals had already qualified in one of 15 divisions throughout the year by fishing in local SKA sanctioned tournaments which are divided into two classes—Open Class including boats 24’ and over and Class of 23 including boats 23’ and under. The top 15 Open Class boats and the top ten Class of 23 boats in each division were invited to seek the coveted National Champion title. The tournament registered 335 boats.

Members and guests were greeted Thursday night with a Mardi Gras-style party complete with a fire truck rolling in, sirens screaming, and SKA staff throwing beads to eager partiers. A cajun meal followed including pit roasted pork, beans and rice, fried catfish and bread pudding. Jack Holmes, managing partner of SKA, presided over the captain’s meeting held to give procedural instruction for the next day’s fishing. An awards ceremony followed to recognize 2002 winners of each division, Junior Anglers of the Year, Lady Anglers of the Year and Senior Anglers of the Year. The dinner meeting ended promptly at 9:00 p.m. so that fishermen could get a good night’s rest in anticipation of the next two days of fishing.

Before sunrise on Friday, anxious fishing teams were readying boats and gear, stowing bait, checking weather and water reports, and preparing to line up for the official start of the tournament. 104 Class of 23 boats filed out of the Isle of Capris Marina at 6:30 a.m. Ten minutes later, 231 Open Class boats idled by the check-out point and throttled up in search of that elusive smoker that would clinch the top prize, a 32’ Dakota boat with twin Mercury 250hp motors and a Loadmaster trailer.

Georgia’s Ed Mecchella fishing his Fish Fever weighed a 63.51 to take the early lead at the end of the first day of Championship fishing. He also moved into second place in the pro division with 214.25 points.

Brian Bailey’s High Definition, from Mobile, Alabama, captured second place with a 53.33 while Texan team, Papatonoic scaled a 50.71 to earn third.

David Lau was the first day leader in the Class of 23 with a 48.97. He hails from Dauphin Island, Alabama. Harry Crumps Rocketman also from Mobile was in second with a 47.85. South Carolina’s Miss Jenn III eqarned third with a 43.64.

The final day of fishing will be tomorrow, Saturday, with the awards ceremony and the crowning of both a Top Angler of the Year and a National Champion.

"Mecchella's Fish Fever. National Champions Open Division" Mecchella's Father and Son Team Share in the Dream Come True!
November 23-24, 2002
By: Jack Holmes

"Jack, you know how long Shawn and I have chased this dream," said an elated Ed Mecchella from the National Championship stage as champagne corks popped, team members embraced, and his Wellcraft sponsors cheered them on. It had been a long time. Ed and Shawn hold SKA Charter Member numbers 40 and 40-1. For as long as the association has been in existence this father and son team have been chasing the greatest titles in sport fishing, Top Angler of the Year, and National Champions. Now they have both, becoming the first ever in the SKA's history to achieve the pinnacle of success in the same season.

It's especially important to me as association founder. I've watched the team which includes Jim Conway and Fred Hoyt mature, fishing year after year, getting close, usually in the top ten, but never peaking when it counted. It proved that you never quit, never give up, push harder, do your homework, and maybe, just maybe, lady luck will throw a nod your way. It's equally important to me to have watched Shawn grow up, from a youngster in the early days of the SKA, to manhood in the late 90's. We shared in the excitement of his marriage and will share in the excitement when he becomes a father early next year. How proud Ed must be and now to share in the most prestigious titles sport fishing has to offer with his son and longtime friend, Jim Conway, must be a crowning touch to a very special love only a father can explain.

For several months prior to the Nationals, anglers would tell me that they didn't have a chance at the big show because they did not have the range to make the West Delta run. My response was, "why do you need to go there?" All season long the fish have been east of the Mississippi River and old timers in Biloxi have told me that in November the big fish move in. I was right!

Ed and Shawn's Fish Fever fished in 50 feet of water 40 miles from Biloxi at Rig 25 in C17. "We got to Biloxi three days early and pre-fished," said Ed. "We eliminated a lot of spots and pretty well figured where we needed to fish. We even got some help from Steve Senacal on the Knot Home who was fishing the same area." After braving six to seven foot seas, Fish Fever made it to their spot on Friday and put lines in the water. It was here they got the biggest king they've ever caught, the biggest of the weekend, a 63.51. Not only did this bad boy put them in the lead for the tournament, it took the team from seventh in the Yamaha Pro Tour standings into the lead.

"We decided not to return to our spot on Saturday, knowing that a lot of boats would follow us there, said Ed. "Shawn wanted to go to the West Delta but the team decided to stay close to home." The team tried several spots but by early afternoon didn't have the fish they needed. "Dan Upton was fishing our spot from Friday and called us,"Ed added.

"I told them if they didn't have a fish big enough to put them over the top they needed to get here quick. There were nearly a hundred boats fishing this area and everyone was hooked up. Forty pounders were skying everywhere. It was the best bite I've ever seen in my life," said Upton who showed tremendous sportsmanship for a fellow competitor who had the chance of winning it all.

The Fish Fever team responded, made the short run and upon arrival immediately put a 38.22 in the boat. It was more than enough to give the Wal-Mart sponsored team the victory they've strived to achieve since 1991. They will make excellent Champions!

The team left Biloxi with a 32'Mercury powered Dakota, straddling a custom Loadmaster Trailer, in tow valued at over $130,000. They had a check for $25,000 for their pro tournament victory. Another $20,000 for their Top Angler of the Year status, plus picked up a check from Wellcraft for $25,000 for winning the titles. Add in the TWT and you have the richest payday ever for a team fishing the SKA's Mercury Tournament Trail. Well over $200,000.

Jim Dupree had the dream also. "I've been told we could come here and do well but until we did it we had our doubts," said the elated OBX Girl team captain who would finish second in the Nationals. "After weighing our fish on Saturday we hung around to see the rest of the weigh in. I heard Jack announce, OBX Girl from North Carolina is your leader. It was a sound I thought I would never hear. We figured Fish Fever would knock us out of first but this is a story of us coming out of nowhere and earning second in the Nationals. Now look at us."

The team of Dupree, Richard Shorter, and Billy Hogshire qualified 11th in Division Nine thanks to a 40 pounder caught by Dupree's son, Daniel, in the last event. It just was meant to be!

The team pre-fished in the Delta Monday through Wednesday and pretty much figured out where to fish, block 45. "Both of our fish, a 46 and a 48, were the first fish in the boat each day," explained Dupree. "We caught five fish the first day and four the second day and were on our way to the scales just after one o'clock."
"This is a dream come true. I've had phone calls, e-mails, and even had people honking their horns when I drive by. Friends had banners up for us when we arrived home. This is great,"Dupree said ending his story. For their efforts they received a 23'Fountain Center Console boat with a 250 hp Mercury and a Loadmaster Trailer. For a team that won nothing all year, the Nationals really helped pay a lot of bills. I really believe that we haven't seen the last of this Yamaha powered Contender team. With the confidence of knowing they can compete and win, they could be our Champions next year. Dupree now knows what I say is the truth. You can win!

Matt Pitman got the call from Doug Sampson at Dakota Boats, "Will you fish my boat in the nationals?" Pitman, who had also fished with Sandy Smith in the Pro,s decided he needed to fish his own qualifying mark earned from Division 5 so took Sampson up on his offer. Sampson was elated with Pitman's performance; he finished third and spoke highly of the new Dakota and certainly has a good opportunity with the boat builder if he so chooses. Pitman and his team of Jeff Brychta and Steve Aprile caught a 39.68 on day one and bagged a great 53.63 on day two for a 93.31 aggregate. The 53 was the second biggest king caught in the tournament and was caught at 9:45am. Matt is a past Greater Jacksonville aggregate winner and finished seventh in Division 5 this year. They won an 18' Donzi Classic valued at $37,000.

Stacy Wester, Daniel Erwin, and Clay Walker teamed aboard Wester's Big Bad Wolf and came out of Biloxi with a fourth place finish in the Nationals and second in the Pros. Besides some cash, they hauled home an 18'Mercury powered Ken Craft. For as long as I can remember, Stacy, Ditto, and Clay have been slamming leaderboards from their home in the Carolinas to the waters of the bayou state. This has to be one of the strongest teams in sport fishing today. Consistent, competitive, and All Americans.

The Big Bad Wolf team fished in the Delta also. "Most of the fish caught in the Delta were in the 30's but we managed to pull a 43 out on day one and a 48.6 on day two," said Wester. "We had a plan and it really came together." Their plan: Go to the 45 block and catch fish early. Catch bait for day two before going to the scales. Go back to the 45 block on day two with blue runners caught on day one. Catch bigger fish, get to the scales before dark. You gotta love the plan!
They ran about 100 miles each way with the bite occurring around 9:30am. "Our big fish were also the first bite each day," said Wester.

I'm particularly impressed of the job our Texas contingent did this year. Jose Reyes Jr. fished his Papotanic, a Yamaha powered Contender, to a fifth place finish with a 91.04 aggregate. "We ran 100 miles offshore to the 100 blocks with a fleet of 10 other boats," said the Houston-based captain. "The big girl actually ate a ribbonfish trolled 50 feet below the surface. When we arrived a 35 pounder was seen being caught on another boat. At 11 o'clock Mark Bledsoe put a 50.71 in the boat and we were on our way back." The team dumped their bait and stopped to re-bait for Saturday on the way in. Because of the calmer seas the team which also included Aaron Regan, Bill Platt, and Nathan Reagan ran to the Delta. "We had a local show us a shortcut so we got there before the rest of the field and caught a 40.33 right away. We released all the other fish we caught."

Make no mistake, the Texas boys have caught up fast and can fish with the best of them. The Papotanic team is a fine example. Brant McMullan proved once again that his family team of his wife Amy, brother Barrett, father Rube, and friend Brian Aycock, can hold their own no matter where they fish. On day one Brant went east to fish the waters off Dauphin Island and snared a 47.73. On day two he went to the west where he bagged a 40.16 for a sixth place aggregate of 87.89. They fish the Carolina Contender.

Don Workman and Mike Collins, fishing the Team Duprez, was the top Donzi boat in the Nationals. The team caught a 46.54 and a 40.96 for a seventh place 87.50 aggregate. They also finished fifth on the Pro side.

Tom Rady and his Barely Legal team earned eighth with a 86.81 agg. They caught a 43.86 and a 42.95.

Ninth fell to Pete Owens' Jet Lag who definitely believes fishing off the Mississippi coast beats Georgia fishing hands down. The popular team caught a 35 pounder on day one then surprised everyone with a 51.50 on day two. It didn't take these expert fishermen long to learn the waters and prove the Georgia boys were here to take home some of the loot. Remember, Mecchella also comes from Georgia.
Glen and Gary Slaughter also proved that North Carolina fishermen were not to be outdone and also gave Donzi their second boat in the top ten. They bagged a 41.14 and a 44.70 for an aggregate of 85.84 pounds.

Nearly 340 boats competed in this year's event making it the largest field ever assembled for a Nationals. In light of all the mail we have received, everyone had a great time.

 

"Jesse James Locks Up Class of 23 Championship!"
November 23-24, 2002
By: Jack Holmes

David Lau stood across from the SKA stage Saturday night and listened as I proclaimed his boat, Jesse James, the 2002 Class of 23 Champions after the last fish was weighed. After a couple of high fives with team mates Joey Boesen and Robert Collins, they proceeded to the stage, uncorked a bottle of champagne and, as most champions do, began to spray everyone in sight. I, of course, headed for the far side of the tent. As Lau finished, the Mecchella clan joined in the merry making. A case of champagne disappeared in less than ten minutes, a good portion ending up on the Jesse James and Fish Fever teams.

"I just want to thank Chevron petroleum products," said Lau, the Mobile, Alabama resident, as he was presented his Championship trophy and a new 23' Palmetto boat complete with twin Mercury outboards and a Loadmaster Trailer at the awards breakfast from Tommy Hancock, Palmetto's President. "Especially their 114A rig. We camped there all weekend, it was our plan, and it worked."Their rig was red hot on Friday when they caught and released 15 fish but kept the one that counted, a 48.97 that put them right atop the leader board. On day two the fishing pattern changed and they could only muster a 38.74, but it was enough to keep everyone else away, thirteen and a half points away.

"We caught both our big fish on Better Baits silver eels," said Lau referring to a hot local bait company that only sells primo baits that last. The one ironic thing about this team is that we set them up three years ago to fish the Nationals with Johnny Gay when Gay's boat was in for service. Gay won, earned a new boat which he sold to Lau, and Lau now won the Nationals with that boat. I suspect he will now be fishing his new Palmetto next season.

David and his team are fine fishermen but more important, they're real gentlemen. They respect the environment, help their fellow anglers, and now have earned the respect the truly deserve. My hat's off to all three of them. Enjoy your year!

Another Mobile, Alabama family fishing team earned second place and an 18' Mercury powered Sea Pro boat complete with Loadmaster Trailer, Harry Crump's Rocketman. Crump and sons Benton and Judson fished the VK Block or better known as Murphy Rig. "It was a rough run and our Contender took a beating, "said the elder Crump after the 48 mile run. At eleven o'clock, after a three fish hookup, the fish that would be weighed for their first day's effort slid over the gunwale. "We left right away because we knew it was a good fish and spent the next four hours saving our backs, the boat, and motor," said Crump. "Benton caught the fish, I gaffed it, and Judson does all the rigging; we work well as a family." The fish tipped the scales at 47.85, time to prepare for day two. "We went right back to the same spot on day two but the bite was gone," Crump continued to explain. "We later ran to the Chandelier block, and put a 26 pounder in the boat. Our next three fish which were larger than the 26 were all lost. One we couldn't get the gaff in, the other snapped the line, and one straightened the hook, but that's fishing."

The Rocketman team weighed the 26 and earned second place, a new Mercury powered Sea Pro Boat, and memories that will last a lifetime. "I certainly want to thank Contender, Yamaha, and Loadmaster for all their help," added Crump. His other sponsors include RayMarine, Offshore Towers, Eagle Claw, Sufix, Kistler Rods, and Royal Purple Lubricants.

Chris Cathey, Ken Dewitt, and Jeff Birdsong from Jacksonville, Florida earned third on another Contender sponsored by Coastal Outdoors named the Last Minute. "First day we ran 35 miles straight out to an area where we won a tournament two years before," said Cathey. "It was the same place the 63 pounder came from." However they couldn't find a good fish and settled for scaling a 24.4. On day two they ran back to the same spot. At noon they hooked up to the king that would move them up the scale. "The king ran us through the rig, got tangled in other lines, but in a short ten minutes we had her ready for the gaff," Cathey added. "There were so many boats there you could literally jump from boat to boat. We decided to get to the scale early for pictures." The king went 48.36 pounds and gave the Last Minute team a 72.77 pound aggregate. Cathey concluded, "Every morning I wake up and it's still the first thing I think of. I've fished hard for four years and this is the payoff. Our goal was to get a top ten finish." Cherish the moments!

Mark Covington and his team of Wes Partain and Dooley Miller could only muster up a 19 pounder after taking a good whuppin in the 23' Mercury powered Pro Line, Hooked Up. "We were just happy to weigh one, said Covington." "Day two was our day to shine." The team ran back to the 25A rig in much calmer seas on day two. After exhausting their baits on small kings, the team had to run 12 miles to find and catch bait but returned right back to 25A. At 3:30 a king hit the downrigger bait, a hard tail with a blue and gold Cape Lookout King Skirt, and another king ate another bait. With two on, they fought the first one to the boat, an estimated 40 pounder while the other king just swam around. The second fish turned out to be the biggest fish caught in the Class of 23 at the Nationals, a 50.38. Fourth place was theirs with a 69.69 aggregate.

Covington also informed us that their Pro Line / Mercury combo never missed a beat and they wanted to thank Shoreline Marine, Alltell Communications, Crider Poultry, and Action Signs. They are from Brunswick, Georgia.

Chip and Chad Sanders had one of those magical seasons and ended it on a very high note, fifth in the Nationals with a 69.60 aggregate. Their North Carolina team which also included Mitch Yates fished a 23 foot Ken Craft with Yamaha power called the Reel Screamer. "We fished off Dauphin Island on day one in 55 feet of water," said Chip Sanders. They weighed a 29.86 on day one. They started day two in 100 feet of water where some 40's had been caught but only found dinks. They ran back to their day one spot. For the next two hours they watched as others put nice fish in their boats, but nada for them. Even though the bite was red hot the trio decided that their karma was not right at this spot. After rambling around for a while chasing pogiess and trying other spots with no luck they ended up back where they started, but the bite had calmed down. They deployed a spread and there it was, a 39.74. Did the move get rid of their bad karma, maybe so."We really enjoyed the fishing this year and are already making plans for next season," he added.

Randy Griffin fishes the Wild Ride out of Wilmington, North Carolina. He's had a great season and now can add another notch to his belt, a top ten finish in the Nationals. His team caught a 38.81 on day one and backed it up with a 29.53 on day two for a sixth place 68.34 aggregate.

Kora, Tim Roush's boat out of Jacksonville, Florida, caught two nice kings. A 36.19 on day one and a 32.14 on day two for a 68.33 aggregate. That's only six pounds out of second place. When you consider the opportunity of catching big kings in Biloxi, Tim could have just as easily been on top. This is a good team, consistent, and capable. A great year and I fully expect them to be in the hunt again next year.

Justin Bjorneby from Cresent, Georgia also made a top ten finish, eighth aboard the Cut Off. He had a 25 pounder on day one then smacked a nice 41.62 on day two for a 67.13 pound aggregate. Pretty work Justin!

Feeding Freenzy did the same thing, caught a 20.47 on day one, then scaled a nice 46.31 on day two. David Alvarez from Pensacola, Florida is the captain and finished ninth.

Boyce Davis, the Richmond Hill captain fishing the Reely Hooked, rounded out the top ten with a 66.78 aggregate. His team caught a 19.91 on day one, then exploded with a 46.31 on day two. Good job!

The Class of 23 anglers continue to amaze me with their abilities. I've always said that the fish don't know what size boat you're in; you can catch big fish and the Nationals certainly proved that. A Class of 23 team must work harder because of their limited range and sea conditions. Personally I believe they're the best!

 

ANGLER OF THE YEAR 2002
By: Jack Holmes

Ed Mecchella's Fish Fever was in seventh place with a seven-fish stringer of 165.27 points after the fourth tournament of the Yamaha Pro series in Morehead City. He wasn't expected to win it all especially when you figured there were six boats in front of him with better aggregates. Sandy Smith's Gatorbait had 204 points, led the standings, and everyone knows how good Sandy is in upper Gulf waters. Bill Butler fishing his Crawgator had to be the odds on favorite with a second place 200 points and coming home to his Louisiana waters. Mark Malizia had 193 points aboard his Ambitious while Steve Cunningham's No Mercy was in fourth with 180 points. Randy Crabtree's Vamoose and Stacy Wester's Big Bad Wolf were also ahead of Mecchella.

No one expected Mecchella to roll over. He, his son Shawn, and Fred Hoyt, got to town early and found fish pre-fishing. Jim Conway, an important member of the Wellcraft, Wal-Mart team, had just undergone gall bladder surgery and was out of the equation. They stunned the crowd on Friday by scaling a 63.51 which replaced their 14 pound drop fish, then on Saturday picked up a 38.22 to replace their 18 pound drop fish for a seven fish aggregate of 234.33. They had beaten Smith by 3.66 points.

Smith on the other hand had a 26.98 on the first day which didn't help his score at all. Being the professionals he and his team are, he came back strong on day two with a great 53.10 pound king. That replaced a 23.72 but it wasn't enough. He would earn second place with 230.67 points. Smith had Wylie Nagler and Anthony Guettler on board.

Stacy Wester, Ditto Wester, and Clay Walker proved once again that they were at the top of their game and have to be considered one of the best teams in sport fishing today. Their Big Bad Wolf had a spectacular end to a great season. They scaled a 43.60 on the first day and a 48.69 on day two to move from fifth in the standings to third. The Wilmington, North Carolina team ended with a seven fish aggregate of 227.42.

The Crawgator finished the Pro Division in 17th place in 2001 and led the Division in 2002 for a while. This year the team of Bill Butler, Mike Butler, Brent Ballay, and Steve Jenkins caught a 39.13 on day one and needed a 42 pounder on day two to win it all. Unfortunately for Butler he could only harness a 34. They earned fourth with a 226.73 aggregate.

Mark Malizia's Ambitious from Fort Pierce, Florida finished in 21st place last year and has moved up to fifth thanks to a 223.72 aggregate. Mark, Chris Blackwell, Geoff Quatraro, and Brent Bowman are now a force to be reckoned with.
Putting this year's Yamaha Pro Series into perspective, weather was horrible. One tournament was postponed and one day's fishing in Morehead City had to be moved. In spite of the misfortunes all five of the top finishers had better aggregates than last year's winner Chris Chase's The Chase with 222.93 points. That shows just how strong these competitors have become. Gatorbait, Big Bad Wolf, and Fish Fever were all in the top ten last year. That certainly speaks volumes for their abilities!

In the final Pro tournament in Biloxi and held in conjunction with the SKA National Championship, there were some other things to note.

Brant McMullan's Carolina Contender posted a 47.73 on day one, then scaled a 40.16 on day two for a two fish aggregate, third place tournament finish, of 87.89 points. Brant fishes a Yamaha powered Contender with his wife Amy, brother Barrett, his father Rube, and Brian Aycock.

Team Duprez's Donald Workman and Donzi Boats President Mike Collins had their best finish of the year weighing a 46.54 on day one and a 40.96 on day two for a fourth place finish with 87.50 points, just .39 out of fourth. Competition was so tight in Biloxi, home of the big smoker kings.

Tom Rady's Barely Legal team has had a super year winning the Greater Jacksonville Tournament and finishing fifth in the Pro Tournament here in Biloxi. The team of Paul Chavis and Mark and Carl Titus scaled a 43.86 on day one, then came right back with a 42.95 for 86.81 points. That's less than a pound from fourth and just over a pound out of third.

Gary and Glen Slaughter's Carolina Girl, a Mercury powered Donzi, proved their worth to their sponsor by scoring a sixth place 85.84 aggregate. They caught a 41.14 and a 44.70.

Rick Smith found his Team Wellcraft, Wild Turkey, in seventh when the team of Tony Thaw, Carl Alexander, and Trey Tait, weighed a 37.38 on day one then scaled a 45.37 on day two for 82.75 points.

Mike Causley's Snap Bean had a terrific season. After posting a 60 place standing in the Pros in 2001, Causley moved into seventh overall in 2002. That's a major improvement! His eighth place finish in the final event certainly helped. He caught a 48.24 and a 33.53 for 81.77 points. The Contender team of Causley, David Stevens, and Ike Maulden have to be a force to be reckoned with in 2003.

The Top Angler of the Year (2001), Chris and Jan Chase, finished ninth in the final event with 81.21 points while three time Top Angler of the Year Dave Workman Jr. rounded out the top ten with 80.62 points.

Five Donzis, three Contenders, and two Wellcrafts were in the top ten of the final Yamaha Pro Tournament for 2002.

Congratulations to all who participated this season!