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KALEE, HOLDEM HOOK BRAWL WITH 50’s IN STUART
By Ed Killer
For Angler Magazine

STUART, FLA. – In 2004, the Stuart Kingfish Brawl had somewhat of an
auspicious start. Not one but two weather-caused postponements kicked the
event out of its May time slot and into the last weekend of August. A week
after the Brawl fleet trailered home, the eyes of Hurricanes Frances and
Jeanne plowed into the St. Lucie Inlet and through Stuart just 21 days
apart.
Anglers in this part of Florida weren’t worried about the late-summer
kingfishing knowing that in many years, the big kings range here all summer
long, and several boats led by winner Wound Tight proved it with
40-pounders. But when locals saw this event on the tournament calendar, many
did do a quick check of tropical weather maps, just to make sure something
wasn’t headed this way.
On the second weekend of May 2005, SKA competitors understood very
clearly the benefit of being able to fish this event in Stuart in late
spring.
Two boats scaled 50-pounders and almost two dozen boats seriously
improved their Division 10 point standings as it took almost 34 pounds to
make the top 15. Although the shake up in the standings sets a stage for an
exciting Mac Attack in Cape Canaveral at the end of the month, it was the
catches of a couple of SKA rookie teams that grabbed the headlines.
The father-son duo of Boynton Beach’s Manny and Lee Rodriguez lifted
Kalee to its first SKA victory in just three events with a 58.05-pound
smoker worth $10,000. Fort Lauderdale’s Chris Thomas of Holdem Hook also had
a worthy winner at 56.52 pounds, but had to settle for runner-up status and
$2500. Kalee, a Mercury-powered 23-foot Mako, also won the event’s Class of
23 prize, an additional $1250 cash.
“Our goal was to try to qualify for the SKA’s National Championships
held in Biloxi at the end of the season,” said Manny, whose first SKA event
was in Fort Pierce three weeks prior. “We figured that if we actually won an
event along the way, that would be a big bonus for us.”
The Rodriguezes did have to overcome a couple of challenges prior to
finding their big catch. Not long after checking out of St. Lucie Inlet,
something gave way in the starboard motor rendering it out of commission.
Plus, Lee’s left arm was in a cast and had been since the team signed up for
SKA competition.
“We found a good spot of reef about 15 miles south of the inlet just
north of Jupiter Inlet in 60 feet of water,” Manny said. “You could see the
rough water boiling up off the reef creating a little current rip and we
figured there would be some fish there.”
“We like to bump troll and were dragging along a really large (about 12
inches long) live threadfin 50 feet down on a downrigger. When the big fish
hit, it screamed off 250 yards of line on its first run, and then another
100 on its second.”
“I knew he was hooked pretty good,” said Lee, “but I didn’t want to take
the chance that it was just a stingerhook and pull it out. We never did
chase it though, just worked it into the boat until Dad could gaff it.”
Manny and Lee, 16, had heard about the SKA through its television show,
Fishing the Trail, and through magazines. Seeing as how Lee’s first kingfish
catch came when he was 8 and it weighed 51 pounds, and considering the
dolphin tournament experience they had, they figured they could be
competitive. They were right and have rocketed into fourth place in the
Class of 23 for D-10 with 10.65-pound drop fish and Canaveral on the
schedule.
Holdem Hook is another unknown that announced their presence in style.
According to team captain Chris Thomas, his team was not going to fish
Stuart until losing a 30-pound points fish to a shark bite the week before
in Fort Lauderdale.
“That would have given us 100 pounds and we probably would have been
content to qualify for nationals is we had that fish,” admitted Thomas whose
team runs a 34 Fountain with triple Mercs thanks to Sundance Marine. “This
was by far our biggest fish in tournament fishing. I have to admit, when we
saw Kalee’s fish, we were surprised that we weren’t leading the way, but
after meeting those guys, you have to be happy for them.”
Thomas fishes with team members Greg Haskin, Mark Wilson, and Kevin
Kates. Holdem Hook was fishing off Jupiter in an area that has produced well
for them.
“I have to say, I give a lot of credit to Capt. Mark’s Fishing Chum
(www.captainmarks.com),” he said. “We had never before caught a 30-pounder
and for four straight tournaments we’ve done better than that using his
chum, and all I can say is it’s going to Biloxi with us.”
Luis Urbay of Rabbit’s Foot weighed in a much-needed 45.16 for third
place overall. Urbay’s crew sits with 76.19 pounds with two fish and is
looking towards Canaveral for a fourth trip to nationals in five years.
“We were actually a couple miles south of the spot when Kevin Hannon of
Hannon’s Cannon called us in to the bite in 100 feet off Jupiter,” said
Urbay who runs a Yamaha-powered 31 Contender. “She hit a big blue runner on
a flat line and we had another bite from a 40 in there.”
Wound Tight with Tommy Mulligan at the helm scored a 43.96 reeled in by
now two-time Brawl top junior angler Katherine Scharfschwerdt, 15. “We were
going to leave at 3 p.m. on day one in order to get back to the scale in
time,” she said. “we had about two minutes before we reeled ‘em in and had a
big strike.”
According to Scharfschwerdt, an hour-long battled ensued that included
five long runs.
“We couldn’t tell what it was for the longest time and finally tightened
the drag down a little bit to get her up. Once we saw her, we loosened the
drag a little again until she finally tired out. Once she came over the
side, we were so late we didn’t have time to ice the fish down and just ran
as fast as we could to the scale, making it with about 10 minutes to spare.”
As a group the one to most benefit from the Brawl were the Class of 23.
In addition to Kalee’s big fish, Mike Mandell’s Empty Pockets scored a 42.07
to jump into sixth place in the tournament and in the division standings. No
Limits led by Grant Cloughley extended its division lead by gaining 13
pounds for 108.17 from its 36.73-pounder. Brute Dusky (97.39), Knot Home
(94.35), and Kalee (93.43) are still within reach of No Limits with great
catches in Canaveral.
Rosemary Van Lent and In the Rough scored a 38.16 to give her 121.15 and
the top spot in the Lady angler standings. The Reel Won’s Susan Woithe
(118.78) and R-Rated’s Cathy Gray (114.55) are going to need pretty big fish
to pass Van Lent.
Look out for Scharfschwerdt in the junior standings. The St. Augustiner
trails Young Guns’ Houston Smith 82.85 to 82.02 but has a much more
favorable drop fish 14.21 to Smith’s 20.86. Don’t be surprised in the Croys
from Reel Keeper or Kevin Steele leapfrog into the lead trailing the leaders
by 15 pounds but with only two fish to their credit.
Tournament organizer Jim Scharfschwerdt has already begun plans for next
year’s Brawl with the support of Northside Marina and Wahoo’s on the
Waterfront, both excellent hosts. By then, the hurricane ravaged dockage
will be rebuilt providing more berths for out-of-towners.

RESULTS
Overall Division
1. 58.05, Kalee, Manny Rodriguez, Boynton Beach, $10,000 cash
2. 56.52, Holdem Hook, Chris Thomas, Pompano Beach, $2500
3. 45.16, Rabbit’s Foot, Luis Urbay, Miami, $1500
4. 43.96, Wound Tight, Tommy Mulligan, St. Augustine, $1250
5. 42.19, Johnny O, Keith Aldrich, Melbourne, $1000
6. 42.07, Empty Pockets, Mike Mandell, Jupiter, $750
7. 40.51, Hog Jaw, Jerry Maggart, Stuart, $650
8. 39.26, Conched Out, Gary McBride, Palm Beach, $550
9. 38.16, In the Rough, David Van Lent, Belleaire Bluffs, $450
10. 37.46, Sundance Kid, Scott Lambeth, Vero Beach, $350
11. 37.10, Two Feet Too Short, Jim Weix, Stuart, $300
12. 36.73, No Limits, Grant Cloughley, Melbourne, $275
13. 36.55, No Doubt, Trae Ross, Fort Lauderdale, $275
14. 35.86, Addicted, Terrill Ginn, Daytona Beach, $250
15. 33.94, Swivel Lips, Joe Witte, Miami, $250

23 and Under
1. 58.05, Kalee, Manny Rodriguez, Boynton Beach, $1250
2. 42.07, Empty Pockets, Mike Mandell, Jupiter, $475
3. 36.73, No Limits, Grant Cloughley, Melbourne, $275

Top Lady Angler – 40.51, Glena Maggart, Hog Jaw, $250
Top Junior Angler – 43.96, Katherine Scharfschwerdt, Wound Tight, $250