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RECORD SET AT
TREASURE ISLAND…
…First Four Places, Class of 23’ Boats!
by Ian Warner
Maybe it was the calm seas and optimal weather
conditions, maybe it was local knowledge and years of experience,
or maybe it was just pure, driven desire. Either way, the
Class of 23’ really fished hard and brought in all the
big fish, and the Class boats from St. Petersburg filled the
top 4 positions.
The 11th Annual Mercury Outboards Suncoast Kingfish
Classic opened April 7 to sunny, warm skies and fairly calm
seas in Treasure Island, Florida. Presented by SportsUSA Marine
Group and Fountain Power Boats, this one-day tournament generates
money for Treasure Island Charities’ ongoing contributions
for cancer research and marine conservation.
Captain Danny Clark and the Constant Chaos took
first place with a 38.72-pounder. Fishing his Yamaha powered
Caravelle, Clark, Casey Bryde and Travis Maxwell knew what
they had to do to take the Kingfish Classic. “We won
this tournament last year, so we set out to do it again, and
it happened!” grinned Clark. The team ran out 15-miles
south of the shipping channel, but the bite just wasn’t
on. “The fishing was very slow,” reported Clark.
Finally at 3 pm trolling in about 45-feet of water a blue
runner on a long line was taken. “Twenty minutes later
we gaffed her, put her in the bag, and went to the scales,”
said Clark. The 38.72 held throughout the final minutes of
weigh-in and these local boys had a first place victory and
$10,000 to take home to St. Petersburg.
The husband and wife team of Sumorada from St.
Petersburg Beach landed their best finish in a SKA event with
a 35.20-pound king, good to take second place. This is Captain
Eric and angler Susan Beers’ fifth year fishing the
Tournament Trail, and their experience paid off. “We
fish many of these tournaments and we had a good feeling about
this one. We headed for the sky bridge in our 18-foot boat
and our first bait in the water gave us a mid-20’s fish,”
smiled Eric. Finally, at about 11:30 trolling in 40-feet of
water a ladyfish on a long line was taken and “off to
the races.” It took a good half hour fight, but they
got her in the bag and headed their Yamaha powered Cobia straight
for the scale. Their 35.20 would hold the leaderboard throughout
the day until Constant Chaos drifted in during the last minutes
of check in. Although knocked down one spot to second, their
king earned Susan Beers top Lady Angler for the tournament.
Third place was landed by No Name with a 31.04-pound
mackerel.
Captain Leo Plenski of the Hi Caes took fourth
place with a 28.88-pounder. This local team from St. Petersburg
has been “fishing these waters for some time,”
said Leo. With angler Debbie Gordon, Jose and Nina Plenski,
and Rich Gordon this team went out in their Yamaha powered
Sunbird about 15 miles west of John’s Pass. “We
had three fast small fish, then at 2:15 our big blue runner
set at 31-feet down went off. Debbie grabbed the rod and brought
it to the gaff in about 15 minutes,” reported Leo. The
team pointed the bow towards the scales and by the end of
the day learned they had earned a triple victory: top Junior
Angler for Jose Plenski, top Senior Angler for Leo Plenski,
and fourth place overall.
Captain and angler Debbie Crisp rounds out the
top five with a 27.44-pound mackerel landed aboard the Hook’er,
a Yamaha powered Calcutta. “We went out to win as everybody
wants to, but fishing was slow,” reported Crisp. Fishing
their favorite spot at skyway bridge the team had their first
and only bite at 10:30 on a blue runner set at 32-feet on
a downrigger. “We thought it was a good fish but not
a winner,” said Crisp, so they kept fishing until 3:00.
After four hours without a nibble the team set out for the
scales, and earned a fifth place victory to take home to St.
Petersburg.
Pork Chop took sixth place aboard their Yamaha
powered Polar. Captain Robert Dawson, Jeff Roberts, and Larry
Hendrix landed a 26.48-pounder for the victory.
Seventh place was awarded to team Lagerhead
aboard their Yamaha powered Contender. Captain Doug Speeler,
Corey Alley, and Steve Papen landed a 26.40-pound mackerel
for some good points to take back to Maderia Beach.
Fountain Solutions took eighth place aboard
their Mercury powered Fountain on the strength of a 26.00-pounder.
The team consists of Captain Ray Jordan, Steve Soroka, and
Jerry Solovskoy.
Ninth place was taken by Blue Odyssea, a Mercury
powered Dakota. Captain James and Jesse Wood and Stephen Venesky
landed a 25.76-pound king for the win.
Rounding out the top ten is Fish Bonz, a Yamaha
powered Stamas. Captain Mike Bjurmark and Todd Guarnieri managed
to bring in a 25.60.
Captain Kevin Grissinger took 11th place aboard
the Marshall Law with a 23.20-pounder. Next, Captain David
Condron took a 22.16-pound mackerel on the Wet Dreams. Sparky’s
Machine and Will Lamneck took 13th with a 21.84-pound king
and Captain Phil Voelkel landed a 21.68-pounder on Mutual
Fun. Finally Sea Dog and Captain Chad Bixler took 15th with
a 21.44-pound mossback.
All in all, the tournament was an o.k.
start to Division 6. Some anglers were grumbling about the
payout, something the SKA is definitely looking into. It is
suggested that all tournaments post their payouts before an
event so anglers know what they are fishing for. Also if a
purse is to be cut because of a lack of participation then
it should be cut from first place down unless a prize is given
as the top spot in lieu of cash. The event posted $40,000
in cash and prizes based on 150 boats. With only 110 showing
up, after deducting the $10,000 for first place, there should
have been 73% of the purse less prizes distributed, or $21,900.
While fishing was reportedly slow with only 34 of the 110
boats weighing fish, everyone is looking forward to the division’s
next event in Clearwater.
Treasure Island Final Standings
1. Constant Chaos 38.72
Caravelle/Yamaha
Danny Clark
Casey Bryde
Travis Maxwell
2. Sumorada 35.20
Cobia/Yamaha
Eric Beers
Susan Beers
3. No Name 31.04
4. Hi Caes 28.88
Sunbird/Yamaha
Leo Plenski
Nina Lupini-Plenski
Josh Plenski
Debbie Gordon
Rich Gordon
5. Hook’er 27.44
Calcutta/Yamaha
Debbie Crisp
6. Pork Chop (Polar 1) 26.48
Polar/Yamaha
Robert Dawson
Jeff Roberts
Larry Hendrix
7. Lagerhead 26.40
Contender/Yamaha
Doug Speeler
Corey Alley
Steve Papen
8. Fountain Solutions 26.00
Fountain/Mercury
Ray Jordan
Steve Soroka
Jerry Solovskoy
9. Blue Odyssea 25.76
Dakota/Mercury
James D. Wood
Stephen Venesky
Jesse J. Wood
10. Fish Bonz 25.60
Stamas/Yamaha
Mike Bjurmark
Todd Guarnieri
11. Marshall Law 23.20
Contender/Yamaha
Kevin Grissinger
Perry Warner
Michael Platt
12. Wet Dreams 22.16
Cobia/Yamaha
David Condron
Derek Fahey
Daniel Condron
13. Sparky’s Machine 21.84
Donzi/Mercury
Will Lamneck
Randy Comans
Trevor Kinaheloe
Rhonda Morris
14. Mutual Fun 21.68
Century/Yamaha
Phil Voelkel
John Akers
Jeff Robinson
15. Sea Dog 21.44
Hydra-Sports/Yamaha
Chad Bixler
Karen Bixler
Greg Shipley
Class of 23’
1. Constant Chaos 38.72
2. Sumorada 35.20
3. No Name 31.04
Top Lady Angler
Susan Beers Sumorada
Top Junior Angler
Josh Plenski Hi Caes
Top Senior Angler
Leo Plenski Hi Caes
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