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LIKE 2 FISH SCALES BIG KING AT RUMPH BROTHERS… Class of 23’ Boats Dominate Leaderboard! by Ian Warner

The Rumph Brothers Marine King Mackerel Tournament, held July 7-9, was truly a competition for the Class of 23’ boats. While first place fell to 31-foot Like 2 Fish, eight of the top eleven spots were Class boats, with Sea D’s taking second place for their great two day aggregate, and Stress Test taking fourth place with a good 36-pounder.

Captain Mark Drolshagen and the Like 2 Fish crew reeled in their first win and their biggest king caught in competition, a 37.40-pounder. After not weighing a fish on Friday, Drolshagen, Frank Brigman, Pete Ferrara and Randel Baird headed their 31’ Yamaha powered Contender south 15 miles past Charleston to try their luck. “We were in 50 feet of water when our double rigged pogy on a long line was hit,” reported Drolshagen. He quickly angled the king to the boat and they had their slab on board a little after 11a.m. That 37-pounder would prove to hold on the leaderboard, earning the Like 2 Fish crew a check for $9,200 to take home to Charleston, SC.

Sea D’s landed two great kings, just missing the top spot with a 37.35 and then backing it up with a 31.78 to earn the aggregate second place position with a 69.03 total. “We went to the same spot both days,” said Captain Dirk McDonald, “about 13 miles south of Charleston.” Captain McDonald, Dalton McDonald, Steve Vernarec, Steven Beckham and Steve Dupriest were fishing in 57 feet of water on Friday when their smoker hit a pogy on a medium line. On Saturday the team headed their 23’ Yamaha powered Contender out and caught and released four small kings before they backed their big fish up with the 31.78. This was the Sea D’s biggest king and best finish in competition, earning them second overall, top honors in the Class of 23’ and SKA Top Junior Angler for Dalton McDonald. Third place went to a 23-foot non-member boat Recovery Room.

Captain Justin Habermann and Thomas Williams had a great day of fishing Saturday on Stress Test, a 22’ Yamaha powered Sea Pro. Not landing a king on Friday, they ran eight miles off the Charleston Jetty to fish in 52 feet of water. At 11:15 a pogy in the prop wash was hit, and they quickly got her in the bag. The team caught and released seven smaller kings, and upon returning to the scales they learned they had posted a 36.02-pounder, their biggest fish in competition. Stress Test earned fourth place to take home to Charleston, SC, their best finish in competition, as well as second place honors in the Class of 23’.

Finding themselves with an empty fishbag on Friday, Captain Jack and Eren Bracewell decided to mix things up a bit. “We heard of some good fish 15 miles off Charleston, so we took a chance and it paid off,” smiled Jack. Trolling their 23’ Yamaha powered Contender, Eren’s Addiction Too, in 57 feet of water a pogy on a long line was hit at 1:15. Their only fish of the weekend proved to be a good one, a 34.28-pounder for fifth place, the couple’s biggest king and best finish in SKA competition. Eren was the Top Lady Angler for the event and this Summerville, SC team placed third in the Class of 23’ as well.

Sixth place went to the Justice’s boat, Reel Justice, with a 33.50-pound king. Captain Ralph, Brian and Andy Justice fish a 31’ Yamaha powered Contender. Captain Rusty Campbell captured seventh with a 33.37 aboard Half Mine, a 35’ Yamaha powered Triton. Eighth place fell to Captain Tony Armstrong and the Double Take crew with a 32.40. Fishing a 23’ Evinrude powered Hydra-Sports boat, Captain Tony and Alex Armstrong, Danny Mikell and Bill Lofton hail from Charleston, SC.

Runnin Lines took ninth place with a 32.24-pounder, earning Earl Atkinson IV second place Junior Angler. Captain William Morris, Ken Ballard, Earl Atkinson III and IV and Richard Howard fish a 27’ Yamaha powered Contender. Captain Kevin and Katherine O’Neale round out the top ten on In 2 Deep. Yet another Class of 23’ boat, they landed their 32.04 on their Yamaha powered Sailfish out of Charleston, SC.

Captain Chris and Victoria Bone took 11th place on the Sea Bone with a 32.04, earning Victoria the third place Junior Angler position. Fresh from his win at Jolly Mon, Captain Jamey Stewart took 12th on the Black Cat with a 31.40-pounder. Next up is Captain Darren Gordon of the My Candy, landing a 30.96-pound mack. Rock Doc earned 14th place for Bob Wiggins with a 30.80, and Aquaholic’s Captain Mitch Lanier rounds out the top 15 with a 30.18.

Heading to Division 3’s halfway point at the Frantic Atlantic, the competition in South Carolina is just getting started. The Class of 23’ leaders, Sea Bone and Eren’s Addiction Too, have both outscored their Open Class counterparts so far, so you know there’s some bragging rights at stake here. Keep reading as the action heats up this August and September.

Rumph Brothers Final Standings
1. LIKE 2 FISH 37.40
Contender/Yamaha
Mark Drolshagen
Pete Ferrara
Frank Brigman
Randel Baird
2. SEA D’S (Aggregate) 69.03
Contender/Yamaha
Dirk McDonald
Steve Vernarec
Dalton McDonald
Steven Beckham
Steve Dupriest
3. Recovery Room 36.52
4. STRESS TEST 36.03
Sea Pro/Yamaha
Justin Habermann
Thomas Williams
5. EREN’S ADDICTION TOO 34.28
Contender/Yamaha
Jack Bracewell
Eren Bracewell
6. REEL JUSTICE 33.50
Contender/Yamaha
Ralph Justice
Brian Justice
Andy Justice
7. HALF MINE 33.37
Triton/Yamaha
Rusty Campbell
8. DOUBLE TAKE 32.40
Hydra-Sports/Evinrude
Tony Armstrong
Alex Armstrong
Danny Mikell
Bill Lofton
9. RUNNIN LINES 32.24
Contender/Yamaha
William R. Morris
Ken Ballard
Earl Atkinson III
Earl Atkinson IV
Richard Howard
10. IN 2 DEEP 32.04
Sailfish/Yamaha
Kevin O’Neale
Katherine O’Neale
11. SEA BONE 31.88
Fountain/Mercury
Chris Bone
Victoria Bone
12. BLACK CAT 31.40
Triton/Mercury
Jamey Stewart
Carlette Stewart
Vernon Stewart
Buddy Wedgeworth
13. MY CANDY 30.96
Palmetto/Yamaha
Darren Gordon
Bob Huges
Peter Maddock
14. ROCK DOC 30.80
Contender/Yamaha
Bob Wiggins
James Smoak
Benjamin Brown
John Ward
15. AQUAHOLIC 30.18
Sailfish/Yamaha
Mitch Lanier
Mike Atkins
Len Graham
Vince Atkins
James Lanier

Class of 23’
1. SEA D’S 37.35
2. Recovery Room 36.52
3. EREN’S ADDICTION TOO 34.28

Top Lady Angler
Eren Bracewell Eren’s Addiction Too
Top Junior Anglers
1st Dalton McDonald Sea D’s
2nd Earl Atkinson IV Runnin Lines
3rd Victoria Bone Sea Bone