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Charleston, South Carolina – The 2006 Charleston King Classic drew 115 boats to the beautiful Ripley Light Yacht Club July 28th and 29th. A great facility with ample dockage, teams were able to drop their catch off and tie up to enjoy the weigh-in and festivities. With no check out and no boundaries, many teams were happy with the one-day format, especially when dense, dark clouds started working their way towards the weigh-in at the end of the day. The weather services were calling for localized winds up to 60 mph in that storm, and locals reported that they had received calls from friends and family in that area with hail sightings. The seas had already been choppy, and things were about to get a lot worse. “It was nasty the whole time. We were taking them over the bow just trolling,” reported Captain Mike Drolshagen. But he and his team on the Like 2 Fish kept working hard until the very last minute, and as it would turn out, that was exactly what was needed to find the biggest fish of the Charleston King Classic.

“It was probably one of the most consistent days of fishing we’ve had, even though we were in the weeds all day,” reported like 2 Fish’s Pete Ferrara. He, Captain Mike Drolshagen, Randel Baird, Frank Brigman and John Ferrara headed their Yamaha powered Contender to their chosen spot “25 miles outside of Charleston.” Captain Drolshagen and crew won the Rumph Brothers event in Division 3 last year, and this Charleston, South Carolina boat definitely knows how to weigh those big kings. But try as they might, the team was weeding through the small ones and couldn’t find a leaderboard-worthy fish all day.

“With the weather conditions we literally had six minutes left,” reported Drolshagen. “We were out of bait and reeling in the last two rigs when she hit our double pogy.” Randel “G Paw” Baird was the angler of the day as he worked that king to the Like 2 Fish, then it was hammer down back to the scales. When the weighmaster hung that whopper, Terry Adkins happily proclaimed “34.44 pounds” a weight that could not be contested for the rest of the day. For their efforts the Like 2 Fish team won a new Yamaha F150 Outboard from Hanckel Marine and $7,670 cash, and is sitting in fifth place Divisionally.

The Reel Justice, with Captain Ralph, Andrew and Brian Justice and Christopher Campbell, weighed the only other 30-pounder of the event to take second place and the lead in the Division’s Open Class race. Captain Justice started the day by fishing about 15 miles offshore of McClellanville, but couldn’t find that king they were looking for. “So we moved to the Charleston jetties,” reported co-Captain Andrew Justice. “It was really the first time we’ve ever fished the Charleston Jetties in a tournament,” he continued. “It’s more of a lottery spot, there are usually a lot of boats there.” If that’s a lottery spot, then the team needs to play 3-0-7-2 in the Pick 4, because their very first line in the water was nailed by a 30.72-pounder at 3 o’clock. Chris Campbell was the man on the rod, and efficiently worked that big king to Andrew’s waiting gaff. “Considering how rough it was, and from what we had heard on the radio we figured it was a pretty good fish,” said Justice. Good indeed, it earned this team a JaxWrap prize package for a full wrap and a cash bonus of $3,070 to take home to Pawley’s Island, South Carolina.

Moncks Corner, South Carolina’s Aquaholic brought the third place king to the scale, a 29.43-pounder. Captain Mitch Lanier, Len Graham and Mike and Vince Atkins teamed on the 26’ Yamaha powered Sailfish for the win. The team caught their fish early, and was the first SKA team to weigh a king. “We had that king in the boat by 10:00,” reported Captain Lanier. The team was fishing approximately 25 miles out in 60 feet of water. “It was pretty bouncy out there, and it took us a while to get him in the boat.” But Len was up to the task and the Aquaholic was awarded a Raymarine electronics package valued at $4,500 as well as $2,300 cash for that 29-pound king. Their fish was also good to position the team seventh in the Open Class, just seven pounds out of first headed to Fishing for Miracles.

Non-member My Boat took the fourth position with a 29.33-pounder.

The husband and wife team of Jack and Eren Bracewell round out the top five with a 26.99 on Eren’s Addiction Too. When it came time to decide where to fish, the Bracewells were faced with a dilemma: go for points or go for the win? They decided to go hunting the big one and headed just a little north of Charleston to fish an area at a depth of 60 feet. “We had caught a couple of good, heavy fish up in that area before. It’s one of those spots where you might catch one fish all day, but it should be a good one,” reported Jack. “We knew where the bait was, got it quickly, and had our lines in the water by seven,” continued Jack. The team didn’t have a long wait for the big one, at 7:50 a mullet was snatched and Eren began the quick fight while Jack cleared the lines. “It made one good long run and two quick circles under the boat, and that was about it,” smiled Jack, who had the fish in the bag by eight o’clock. Catching two other smaller fish throughout the day the Bracewells decided to weigh their king early, and were the fifth to the scale. “Terry Adkins had told me to weigh a 46, so when I weighed that fish I had to ask him, ‘Did you mean pounds or inches?’” joked Jack. It was one long fish, and earned the team a twin pair of props from Turbo and $1,230 cash to take home to Summerville, South Carolina. This team took second in the Class of 23’ last year, and is leading the pack after that fish. Watch for them to be fishing strong at their next event, the Fishing for Miracles KMT.

The Juggernaut, with Captain Bert Harvey, David Morris and Jim Roberts, took sixth place on the strength of a 26.86-pounder. This St. Helena, South Carolina team fishes a Yamaha powered Contender, and is sitting in Division 3’s top ten now. Seventh and eighth places went to non-members Barrier Island and Hookin Up, who weighed a 26.79 and a 26.66 respectively.

The Knot Guilty is up next with a 26.59-pounder for ninth. Captain Alan and Alex Richey, Robert and Mary Grace Wyndham and Scott Gawrych fished a Mercury powered Contender to the win. In addition, that 26-pounder earned Alex and Mary Grace SKA Top Junior Angler status. In the Junior Angler race Solid Surface’s Drew Nettles was the second place Junior, landing a 24.74. The third place Junior Angler award went to Hunter Harrelson on the Black Cat with a 23.13-pounder.

The Nauti Buoys round out the top ten with a 26.16-pounder. Captain Walter Warren, Doug Brown, Scott Johnson and Jim Horton fish a Mercury powered Contender out of Pawley’s Island, South Carolina.

Top honors in the Class of 23’ went to Momma’s Money II. Captain James Warner, Jeff Lockwood, Richard Warner and Tommy Herndon fish a 23’ Yamaha powered Angler, which they headed 50 miles south to their chosen spot. The team reported a fairly slow bite throughout the day, and when the action finally started, it happened all at once. “We lost a real good king, easily in the high 20s, then our 26-pounder hit,” reported James. But their king wasn’t going to make it easy on them and fought Richard for over an hour. “It just stayed on the bottom. We really thought we had an amber jack, it didn’t fight like a king at all,” continued James. But the team stayed on it, bringing it to Steve’s waiting gaff for a payout of a cool grand. Non-member Weed Line took second in Class with a 24.66.

Captain Steve Berlin and the Suits Me team rounds out the Class’s top three. Captain Berlin, Miles Stalvey and Clinton Chamness fish a Yamaha powered Sailfish out of Mt. Pleasant, South Carolina, and decided to fish just south of Charleston at a depth of 75 feet. Fishing the decidedly rough seas, the team had to be happy they got a king in the boat early. “She bit first thing in the morning,” reported Berlin, “hitting a mullet on the long line.” Berlin quickly angled the king to the boat and Clinton’s gaff, and the team was soon sizing up a 24.49-pounder at their feet. “A 24-pounder isn’t that big of a fish, but considering the conditions it was good enough,” continued Berlin. The team stuck it out attempting to find the big one, but only managed three more kings, each smaller than their first. Watch out for the Suits Me at Division 3’s Fishing for Miracles event, they’re sitting in third in Class presently.

Charleston Final Standings

1.   LIKE 2 FISH................................................. 34.44
      Contender/Yamaha
      Mike Drolshagen
      Randel Baird
      Pete Ferrara
      Frank Brigman
      John Ferrara

2.   REEL JUSTICE.............................................. 30.72
      Contender/Yamaha
      Ralph Justice
      Andrew Justice
      Brian Justice
      Christopher Campbell

3.   AQUAHOLIC................................................. 29.43
      Sailfish/Yamaha
      Mitch Lanier
      Len Graham
      Mike Atkins
      Vince Atkins

4.   My Boat......................................................... 29.33

5.   EREN’S ADDICTION TOO.............................. 26.99     
      Contender/Yamaha
      Jack Bracewell
      Eren Bracewell

6.   JUGGERNAUT............................................... 26.86
      Contender/Yamaha
      Bert Harvey
      David Morris
      Jim Roberts

7.   Barrier Island................................................ 26.79

8.   Hookin Up..................................................... 26.66

9.   KNOT GUILTY.............................................. 26.59
      Contender/Mercury
      Alan Richey
      Robert Wyndham
      Alex Richey
      Mary Grace Wyndham
      Scott Gawrych

10. NAUTI BUOYS.............................................. 26.16
      Contender/Mercury
      Walter Warren
      Doug Brown
      Scott Johnson
      Jim Horton

11. FOOTLOOSE................................................. 26.02
      Sea Hunt/Yamaha
      Richard Miller
      Tina White

12. REELIN........................................................ 25.84
      Marlin/Yamaha
      Marc Pincus

13. SOLID SURFACE........................................... 24.74
      Hunley/Mercury
      Andy Nettles
      Ben Albreath
      Drew Nettles

14. MIRACLE...................................................... 23.95
      Contender/Yamaha
      Fred Larsen
      Brian Larsen
      Joe Clear

15. BLACK CAT................................................... 23.13
      Triton/Mercury
      Jamey Stewart
      Carlette Stewart
      Hunter Harrelson

      Class of 23’

1.   MOMMA’S MONEY II..................................... 26.70
      Angler/Yamaha
      James Warner
      Jeff Lockwood
      Richard Warner
      Tommy Herndon

2.   Weed Line .................................................... 24.66

3.   SUITS ME..................................................... 24.49
      Sailfish/Yamaha
      Steve Berlin
      Miles Stalvey
      Clinton Chamness

SKA Top Lady Angler
Eren Bracewell..................................................... Eren’s Addiction Too

SKA Top Junior Anglers
Sponsored by Carolina Boat & Yacht Sales

1st Alex Richey & Mary Grace Wyndham................. Knot Guilty
2nd Drew Nettles.................................................. Solid Surface
3rd Hunter Harrelson............................................. Black Cat