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Record Turnout at Season Opener in Key West!
Kellie Ann's 60 Pounder Tops Hog's Breath Leaderboard!

January 21-23, 2005
By: Ian Warner

The Ninth Annual Hog's Breath King Mackerel Tournament in Key West, Florida, opened to beautiful, clear skies and balmy temperatures in the high 70's. Anglers must have been keeping close tabs on the forecast because at the end of Friday's registration 164 boats had been accounted for, the most in the tournament's history. Fishing conditions for day one were optimal with flat seas and plentiful bait reported by all. Consequently, Saturday's weigh-in was busy, to say the least. Over 110 teams weighed kings, including the top three fish of the tournament.

The tables turned on day two, however, with Mother Nature rearing her malicious side. Temperatures in the low 50's, gusting wind, and seven to ten-foot chop prevailed for most of the day, and more than a few boats decided not to risk the trip. Only 32 boats made it back to the scales with a fish in the box, and one made it back with the old hook in the thumb as a result of the jostling seas.

This local team knows the Keys well. "My son and I have been fishing in the area since 1980," stated Captain Thomas, and their experience definitely paid off on Saturday. The Kellie Ann headed west on day one, traveling 60 miles out to find their spot. "We pre-fished the spot on Thursday," started Thomas, "water conditions were very good, the only problem was there were quite a few amberjacks in the area." The Kellie Ann was in 82 feet of water when the winning fish hit a live blue runner trolled on the surface.

"My dream in the SKA has always been to put the boat on the trailer on Sunday," said Thomas, who did just that, avoiding the seven to ten foot chop that challenged anglers on day two. A doubly sweet victory, Thomas continued he was "very excited to beat Robbie" of the Delph Fishing Team whom he has been fishing against for years and hold the SKA kingfish record of 71.89 pounds. Thomas and his team were awarded a 21-foot Contender, Mercury engine, and Continental trailer for their achievement.

Less than a pound edged out the Delph Fishing Team, landing a 59.13 king early on day one. Captained by Billy Delph and crewed by brothers Mike and Robbie, this team knew they had a good fish and arrived at the weigh-in site first on day one, three hours before the scales opened. A day and a half later the weight was still good for second place and the prize of a Mercury engine.

The Delphs had been pre-fishing the area for some time to find their spot. "We released a 70 plus last week," said Mike, and on Saturday Billy left checkout with a good idea of where to wet their lines, about 70 miles out. "We stopped at one spot and it just wasn't happening for us," said Mike, "but we got to a new spot and hooked up in 20 minutes." Fishing in about 60-feet of water they caught two fish, first one 45-pound "insurance fish" then their 59-pound king on blue runners on the surface. Their second day fishing west of the Tortugas wasn't nearly as productive, "we lost hours of fishing time due to boats following us," said Mike, and they just couldn't top the 60-pound king caught by Kellie Ann.

Third place, Top Lady Angler Award, and the cash price of $5,000 went to the R-Rated. Captain Rembrandt Gray, mate Jim Jacunski, and angler Cathy Gray had been pre-fishing the area since Wednesday and were rewarded for their efforts when they pulled in a 58.11-pound king on day one. This was the biggest fish ever caught by the team in an SKA event, "by seven pounds" grinned Gray, a great way to start out the 2005 tournament trail and their second year fishing with the SKA. Being that this was the first time Cathy has won the Top Lady Angler award it held special importance for the R-Rated as the Gray's daughter had narrowly missed this honor at the previous year's Halifax tournament.

Opting to miss the wind and chop that marred Sunday's fishing the R-Rated only went out on day one, heading 49 miles west of Murray's Marina. It was there in 125-feet of water that their downrigger was hit at a depth of 45 to 50-feet by the king that would prove to hold third place throughout Sunday.

The Reel Won, from Placida, FL, was one of the few boats in the open class that managed to find a placing kingfish during Sunday's fishing. The Woithe family, Captain Bob, wife Susan, and sons Dr. Bob, Bruce, and Craig Martin weighed a 54.77-pound king to seal the deal on fourth place and the $4,000 prize money.

On Saturday The Reel Won headed for the tail end buoy and a temperature break from 66 to 72 degrees they had found pre-fishing on Friday. With none of the competing boats in sight they fished east of the buoy using big blue runners as bait. It was a beautiful day of fishing as they pulled in 25 to 30 fish over 30-pounds, the biggest being a 39-pounder. Sunday's fishing was decidedly "not like the first day," grimaced Captain Bob, citing the strong winds and seven to ten-foot waves. "We were really pleased to be able to gaff a fish in those conditions." They were only able to reel in five to six fish on that day, but it was in 100-feet of water trailing a surface runner with a Cape Lookout duster that they managed to bring in their biggest fish in an SKA event, good for fourth place.

The South Carolina team, Loose Lucy landed a 50.25-pound king mackerel to place fifth in the tournament for the second year in a row. Fishing Saturday was good, "the most beautiful day we have ever fished in Key West," reported Susan Kaminsky, 2004 Lady Angler of the Year, "we caught a dozen kings and lots of amberjack." Captain Mike Kaminsky, wife Susan, Gary and Jimmy Stecki, and Phil Ugel nailed the big king on the first day, "just past the tail end buoy a few miles," said Mike. In 80-feet of water they were trolling a "purple Kingbuster that matched Susan's new Crocs," joked Mike, when the kingfish hit it on the surface. The second day of fishing didn't fare as well. "We just held on and tried to stay warm and dry," confessed Susan. "We caught a bigger one last year," she continued, but this fish was still big enough to ride out Sunday's weigh-in only dropping one place and earning Loose Lucy $3,000.

While the SKA dominated the top five, sixth through eighth places were all taken by local teams. A $2,500 prize and sixth place was awarded to K&K for their 48.58-pound king. Seventh and eighth places were down to the wire with Fish Hunter and Odyssea weighing 47.94 and 47.93-pound kings, and earning $2,000 and $1,500 respectively.

The battle to round out the top ten and the four-digit prize money was decided by two SKA teams fishing with junior anglers. The No Doubt, Captained by John Wescott hooked a 47.38-pound king mackerel, establishing Stephen Wescott as Top Junior Angler and winning the team a $1,250 check. Congratulations Stephen. Tenth and $1,000 went to Digestible and Captain Jerry Stephenson with their 44.37 king. The fish was caught on day two and earned last year's Junior Angler of the Year, Sarah Stephenson, third place in that category.

Rounding out the top fifteen earned the next five boats $750. Four Suns II, with Captain Billy Gressette, took eleventh place with a 44.36 king, barely edged out by the Digestible team. Next was No Limits, with a 42.91-pound fished by Grant Cloughley. Right on their heels to earn the thirteenth spot was a 42.90 king caught by Tom Mulligan on the Wound Tight. Git-er-Done and Captain Jim Vaughan managed a 42.61 king. Finally, No Doubt and Captain Trae Ross were awarded fifteenth for their 42.15-pound kingfish.

Ironically, while the top three places in the open class were all decided on Saturday, it was Sunday when the Class of '23 really began to dig deep and bring in the big fish. Despite the heavy gusts and rough chop, two little boats hit it big and managed to knock Saturday's leader down to third place.

First place in the Class of '23 went to Knot Home, a family fishing team consisting of senior angler Bill Senecal and his two sons Captain Steve and Scott. This is a very consistent team, and they won this division three years ago. "The bite the first day came late," reported Steve, but they still managed to gaff a 26.41-pounder for Saturday's weigh-in. Because of the conditions for fishing on Sunday, Steve said they decided to go to "Plan B" and headed for Satan Shoal. Using surface bait, big three-pound blue runners, Scott managed to pull in the team's biggest fish since November, a 49.22-pound king in 100-feet of water at about 9:30 A.M. They got back quickly, eagerly awaiting weigh-in, and the score they posted when the scales opened would last until the end of the day, earning the Senecals top Class of 23' honors and a check for $3,000.

Bandit pulled through on the second day as well and managed to land a 45.69-pound king in spite of the conspiring elements. Captain Matt Bonnell, Jeremy Bonnell, Casey Bryde, Vernon Bonnell, and Jimmy Leonard set out Saturday with high hopes for tight lines but didn't manage to weigh a fish by the day's end. On Sunday they headed out under rainy skies to fish Western Dry Rock, and in 75-feet of water the big king hit a "ribbon fish on a downrigger," recounted Bonnell. Their 45-pounder knocked Team Everglades down to third place and earned them $2,000.

Team Everglades had lead the Class of 23' all day Saturday, but they just couldn't up the ante on Sunday. Captain Harvison Hunt, Eric Mosser, Justin West, Nate Thomas, and Jack Vasilaros pulled in a 44.42-pound kingfish on day one. This fish was good to round out the top three and earn their junior angler, Jack Vasilaros, second place honors in the junior angler category and a team prize of $1000. Congratulations, guys.

Besides the excitement enjoyed by all at the tournament, an Appreciation Cocktail Party was hosted at the Splash Bar in the Radisson Hotel, presented by Contender Boats and Murray Marine. The night's celebration was culminated in a charity raffle organized by Tammie Murray and Youth Corps to benefit Red Cross in recognition of their efforts for the recent hurricane relief. Over $3,100 was raised that night by the raffle, with the lion's share of $2,000 being bid in auction for a print donated by local artist Alan S. Maltz entitled "Working in Harmony." In addition all proceeds from the food wagon on site at Murray Marine was donated.

All said the Hog's Breath/Murray Marine Kingfish Tournament was a huge start to Division 10. With the year starting with such huge participation we can only assume that the race for points will continue to heat up as these anglers head to the Greater Fort Lauderdale Kingfish Classic. Congratulations to all and good luck in April.