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Savannah, Georgia – The Savannah Saltwater Shootout,
held August 24th through 26th, marked the end of Division 3’s Mercury Tournament Trail, and South Carolina’s teams came with their game faces on. Held concurrently with the Pro event, these area anglers knew they had to dig deep to compete against such a skilled field, and dig they did. The local teams took the top three spots by landing three 40-pounders, with Captain Steven Budge’s Rough Life leading the pack.

Captain Budge and Jimmy Huber headed the Yamaha powered Triton out on Saturday morning feeling the pressure. Live Wire had set the bar high on Friday with a 42.93-pounder, the largest fish weighed so far in the Division. “We decided to fish CCA,” reported Budge, “so we loaded in the artificial reef numbers and headed out.” The team didn’t have too long of a wait, and at ten o’clock Steve found himself battling a Savannah smoker. Steve reported that they thought they had lost the big king when lines got tangled in the motors, but when he investigated he found that the king was still hooked up! He and Jimmy finally managed the big mossback over the side, and they knew they had a real chance.

At the scales Rough Life’s big king went 44.18 pounds, knocking Live Wire down to second by over a pound. “That’s the biggest one we’ve ever caught,” said an enthusiastic Budge at the awards ceremony. Their big one earned the Rough Life team a check for $12,000 to take home to Mt. Pleasant, South Carolina. That 44-pounder was the biggest weighed in Division 3 this year, and the Rough Life’s only fish. Living up to their namesake, that huge king placed them 21st for the year, just missing out on Championship qualification. That’s rough!

Captain Mo and Tom Mangan are the next SKA team up, landing a 40.32 on the Mangler. “We had a good weekend, besides that big one, we had two big sharks and lots of teenagers on Saturday,” reported Mo. Their big king, however, came Friday while fishing Gray’s Reef. Trolling the Yamaha powered Contender in 65 to 70 feet of water, their king nailed a spanish on the long line at noon. “It was a descent fight,” reported Captain Mangan, but he and Tom got the big king safely in the boat and back to the scales. “The northwest wind on Saturday changed everything,” he continued, and the teenagers they found that day couldn’t come close to topping their initial 40-pounder. Mangler took third place overall, jumping up to fifth in the Divisional standings, and is heading to the Nationals next.

Jacksonville, Florida’s Richard Stone on the Tail Chaser is up next on the strength of a 36-pound king caught on Saturday. Fishing on Friday the team headed their Mercury powered Fountain out to the Snapper Banks to fish in 90 feet of water. The big king of the day came just after noon, a 24.10, and the team set out on Saturday with renewed vigor in search of the hog they needed to win both tournaments. Fishing the same area a ribbonfish on the downrigger finally enticed a king, and when they got her on the deck they knew they had a real contender. Their Saturday fish weighted in at 36.52 pounds, securing fourth place for Captain Stone and his crew.

The Exterminader team had a great weekend in Savannah, landing a 34.89 on Friday to score fifth place in the Shootout, then backing it up with a 31.23-pounder on Saturday to take top honors in the Pro event. Captain Randy and Ray Nader, Lance Cote and Jerry Moulton fish a Yamaha powered Contender out of Jacksonville, Florida, and found that big king on the southeast side of Gray’s Reef. Trolling a triple pogy rig in 68 feet of water, that fifth place fish made its presence known at two o’clock, and Lance stepped up to wrestle the king to the boat. The team had dropped over half a grand on imported bait, but both of their fish hit the local bait the team netted up in the mornings, with their Saturday fish nailing a double pogy rig fishing straight off the humps. “It was a pogy weekend for us,’ smiled an enthusiastic Captain Nader at the awards ceremony.

Captain Ronald Hildum’s Sweet Caroline rounds out the SKA top five with a 34-pounder. Fishing the Mercury powered Donzi two miles south of Gray’s Reef both days, the Sweet Caroline’s big king was reeled in on Saturday, nailing a ribbonfish 35 feet down. Hildum reported that the conditions in the area were perfect; the water was “kingfish green” and only 82 degrees at the 70-foot depth they were patrolling. “It was a real quick fight,” said Hildum, who was the angler both days. “She made one big long run and then just floated to the top.” Hildum and his team also found a 21.52 on Friday to take third in the Pro event. Their big 34.74-pounder was good to take sixth place honors home to Green Cove Spring, Florida.

Fish Addiction took seventh place with a 33.93-pounder. This Class of 23’ team fishes a Yamaha powered Sea Hunt, and young Larson Zettler took the overall Top Junior Award with that fish. Captain James Croft’s Bear Caught is the next SKA boat up, earning ninth place with a 33.15. Captain “Bear” Croft, Rick Dopson, Jack Ross and Eddie Claxton fish a Mercury powered Yellowfin out of Yulee, Florida.

Ole Blue/Texas Aquatic rounds out the top ten with a 32.61-pounder caught on Friday. Co-Captain Mark Wilson led the substitute team of Jeff Silverthorne, Tommy Anderson and Eric Paulk to the victory. Captain Luis Urbay, Nolbert Rodriguez and Santiago Gonzales teamed on the Rabbit’s Foot for an 11th place finish. They caught that fish trolling their Yamaha powered Contender at the 40-Mile Bottom on Friday.

Half Mine rounds out the paid positions, landing a 31.91-pounder to take 12th. Captain Rusty Campbell, Mike Davis, Racy Florence and Scott Rizer fish a Yamaha powered Triton, and found that king on Friday. A great fish for the team, it moved them up to second place in Division 3’s Open Class.

In the Class of 23’ Captain Wes Maxie and the Sea Robin II crew took top honors in a sub boat landing a 34.18-pounder, the sixth-largest fish of the event. Captain Maxie and James Kensey fish a Yamaha powered Sea Pro out of Walterboro, South Carolina. Captain Bryan Baxter’s Net Profit was up next with a 28.67-pounder. Accompanied by Matt DeAntonio and Jamie Teske, the team secured the win on their Yamaha powered Sea Craft. A great fish for this Sullivan’s Island, South Carolina team, it jumped them up to fifth in Class standings.

Dirty Work’s Amelia Wells fished herself to Top Lady Angler status yet again. She and the team nailed a 30.47 on Friday, propelling her to the top of Division 3 for the year! Cameron Heavenridge took SKA Top Junior Angler honors on the Top Gun. He and the team pulled down a 28.58 on their Mercury powered Spectre for the win. Carson Hayes and Clayton Sanders were the second place Junior Anglers with a 25.41-pounder, fishing on the Yamaha powered Contender, Rasin Hayes. Reel Nauti’s Codie Nichols rounds out the SKA Junior Angler awards with a 25.16-pounder.

Savannah is a beautiful location to hold the final event of the Mercury Tournament Trail in Division 3. Held on the scenic waterway, this has to be one of the most highly attended weigh-ins of the year. Spectators have plenty to do during down time with bands and street vendors as far as you care to see. Plus, you just can’t kick the great food and attractions in downtown Savannah when all the fishing is over. A great party and a great conclusion to the South Carolina trail. For a complete run down of the Division’s race and finale, check out the Division 3 wrap-up in this issue.

Savannah Saltwater Shootout
Final Standings

1.   ROUGH LIFE......................................... 44.18
      Triton/Yamaha
      Steven Budge
      Jimmy Huber

2.   Live Wire............................................... 42.93

3.   MANGLER............................................. 40.32
      Contender/Yamaha
      Mo Mangan
      Tom Mangan

4.   TAIL CHASER....................................... 36.52
      Fountain/Mercury
      Richard Stone

5.   EXTERMINADER................................... 34.89
      Contender/Yamaha
      Randy Nader
      Ray Nader
      Lance Cote
      Jerry Moulton

6.   SWEET CAROLINE................................ 34.74
      Donzi/Mercury
      Ronald Hildum

7.   FISH ADDICTION................................... 33.93
      Sea Hunt /Yamaha
      Jason Zettler

8.   Soda Cracker........................................ 33.24

9.   BEAR CAUGHT....................................  33.15
      Yellowfin/Mercury
      James Croft
      Rick Dopson
      Jack Ross
      Eddie Claxton

10. OLE BLUE/TEXAS AQUATIC.................. 32.61
      Yellowfin/Yamaha
      Mark Wilson
      Jeff Silverthorne
      Tommy Anderson
      Eric Paulk

11. RABBIT'S FOOT................................... 32.38
      Contander/Yamaha
      Luis Urbay
      Nolbert  Rodriquez
      Santisgo Gonzales

12. HALF MINE.......................................... 31.91
      Triton/Yamaha
      Rusty Campbell
      Mike Davis
      Racy Florence
      Scott Rizer

CLASS OF 23

1.   SEA ROBIN II.................................... 34.18
      Sea Pro/Yamaha
      Wes Maxey
      James Kensey
     

2.   NET PROFIT......................................... 28.67
      SeaCraft/Yamaha
      Bryan Baxter
      Matt DeAntonio
      Jamie Teske

3.   Why Knot............................................... 28.39

TOP LADY ANGLER
DIRTY WORK/AMELIA WELLS

TOP JUNIOR
FISH ADDICTION/LARSON ZETTLER

SKA TOP JUNIOR ANGLERS
Presented by Carolina Boat and Yacht Sales

1.  TOP GUN/CAMERON HEAVENRIDGE........................ 28.58
2.  RAISIN HAYES/CARSON & CLAYTON HAYES........... 25.41
3.  REEL NAUTI/CODIE NICHOLS................................ 25.16