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Darien, GA - The First Annual Captain Hap’s Kingfish Bash on the Bluff opened to two- to three-foot seas and winds gusting up to 15 mph, but it didn’t deter these Georgia teams that arrived to compete for the $15,000 grand prize. When the scales opened to weigh for this one-day event on Saturday, Captain Jimmy Garza’s Tammy’s Torture was waiting with a good 31-pounder. The team had a solid fish atop the leaderboard and was looking good until the bulk of the fleet, which included Bear Caught, began to arrive. Bear Croft and his team scaled a 34.47-pounder to lead the field for the rest of the event and secure the win. “We rubbed Lon’s head for luck,” joked Croft at the awards ceremony Saturday evening. He might have sapped off a little of that Southbound luck, but Lon Bryan and his crew again took a first place title by leading the Class of 23’ with a 29-pounder.

Captain Bear Croft and his crew of Rick Dopson, Jack Ross and Debbie Portier had headed their 31’ Mercury powered Yellowfin out of Fernandina to the Chum Hole, approximately 75 miles from the scales. Their big king of the day came at 9:50, when a blue runner nailed the flat line and Debbie stepped up to the rod. The fish made “two good long runs,” but Debbie managed to bring the king to the gaff in 15 minutes. “We had another one about 28 pounds and two other snakes,” reported Croft, but they couldn’t beat that first 34-pounder. “We really have to thank Brad Walker and the crew from the Wave Rider, they gave us directions in the backwater woods of Darien,” said Croft. That 34.47-pounder earned Debbie an additional check for $500 as she was named the Top Lady Angler for the event. Plus, that smoker propelled the Bear Caught to third in Division 4’s standings. Bear and his team took second place in the Bellsouth event last year, and that’s where they will be fishing next. Watch for Croft and his team to be targeting the big kings yet again.

Captain Jimmy Garza and the Tammy’s Torture crew took second place on the strength of that 31.40-pounder that weighed first of the day. Captain Jimmy, Matthew and J.J. Garza, Richard Campany and Triston Vann had decided to fish the Elton Bottom, a good 75-mile run from the scales. Their smoker came at 9:30, nailing a goggle eye on the down rigger and the Captain got a chance to do a little angling. “It took roughly 30 minutes, I wasn’t sure it was a king, but I didn’t want to take the chance,” reported Jimmy. “It was the first king I caught that ran northwest instead of east, I guess he was confused which way to go.” But after a half-hour battle Jimmy got the king to Campany’s waiting gaff, and the team decided to play it safe. “We headed back and took our time coming in.” The 31’ Mercury powered Fountain was the first to weigh, and while the team got knocked down one notch to second, Matthew, J.J. and Triston all shared in the Top Junior Angler award. Garza and crew will be fishing the VIP and Junior tournaments at Jacksonville next.

The Jet-Lag decided to play it close to the vest, and fished just five miles east at the Altama Hall Inlet. Trolling in 40 feet of water, Captain Pete, Josh and Will Owens and Dave Beam found their big king of the tournament at 11:00 when it hit a pogy on top. “That fish fought harder than any fish we’ve caught in a long, long time,” reported Pete, but Dave worked the big king like a Pro and brought her to Pete’s waiting gaff. The team landed three fish all day, the next largest being a 26-pounder, but overall had a mellow day of it. “Well, it was a little bumpy this morning, but our Yamaha powered Contender performed flawlessly as normal.” That 30.79-pounder was good to secure the third place spot as well as second place Junior Angler for Josh and Will. Jet-Lag will also be fishing the Jacksonville event next. In addition, Jet-Lag now leads Division 4 by over six pounds going into the final event at the Golden Isles.

Next up is Captain Pete Harper and the Mister Magoo crew with a 29.82 for fourth. “We had a really good day,” reported Harper. “We caught a lot of fish. We had a 20, an 18, and then the big one hit.” Harper and his crew had navigated the 27’ Yamaha powered Contender about 50 miles offshore to the livebottom areas, and that big one came calling at 1 p.m. It was an exciting battle for the team as Jamie Sauder was fighting a king off the bow. “I was actually winding in the downrigger while Jamie was working that first king when she hit,” continued Harper. It turned out to be that king’s last blue runner as Harper reeled her to the boat in a quick 15 minutes, and the Mr. Magoo team quickly had their 29-pounder iced down in the bag. “We fished for another hour, but only caught dinks.” After the awards ceremony Harper disclosed his secret. “It was my nephew, Jamie’s first time on the boat, and our first time in the money,” laughed Harper. It’s a safe bet he’ll be on the Mr. Magoo at their next event.

Captain Mike Zabarac and the Goin’ Deep crew round out the top five with a 26.53-pounder. Joined by Jared Fruchtl, Al Bradshaw and Clinton Fonseca, Zabarac headed his 31’ Yamaha powered Contender 70 miles north to fish the Anchor Ledge. Trolling in 85 feet of water Zabarac and team had a fairly good bite, landing a half-dozen fish in the 20s. Their biggest king of the day came at 12:30, nailing a ribbon 60 down on the rigger. “Clinton fought that fish for 20 to 25 minutes before I put the gaff to her,” reported Zabarac. While the team continued to fish until 3:30, they couldn’t find one to top their 26-pounder. Now sitting in sixth Divisionally, Zabarac and crew will be fishing hard at the Golden Isles event next.

Captain Ryan Rodeffer and family on the Game Day had another great day on the water, landing a 26.43 for sixth place. Captain Ryan, W.D., Dave and Jan Rodeffer fish a 31’ Yamaha powered Contender out of Folkston, Georgia, and are sitting in fourth Divisionally after that fish. Seventh place fell to Captain Marc Pincus of the Reelin’ with a 26.43-pounder. He fishes a 35’ Yamaha powered Marlin out of Hilton Head Island, South Carolina. Eighth place went to Koolau’s 25.50-pounder. Pooler, Georgia’s Captain Tony Hinson and the T-Nail crew took ninth place with a 23.78. Larry Garnett, Jr., James Garnett and Jo Ella Hinson joined Hinton on his 26’ Yamaha powered Sailfish. Divisional leaders going into the event, the Veal’s Sea Ducer rounds out the top ten. Captain Todd, Kelly, Rhett and Dillon Veal and Tom Whittingslow hail from Waycross, Georgia, and nailed a 23.68 on their 31’ Yamaha powered Contender. That fish was good to earn Rhett and Dillon third place Junior Angler status. Also, Rhett took top honors in the pogy-bobbing contest at the Captain’s meeting, biting down on that bad boy in .87 seconds. The Sea Ducer now sits in second place in Division 4, watch for them to come on strong at the Golden Isles tournament.

Lon Bryan and the Southbound team did it again, this time landing a 29.55, the fifth largest king weighed, to take first place in the Class of 23’. Captain Bryan, along with Andy Miska and Ryan Keith, headed the 23’ Yamaha powered Contender out on a short 10-mile run to fish the Nassau livebottom. “We had a pretty consistent bite there,” recalled Bryan, who reported that the team caught ten fish throughout the day. “Our big fish came at about 10 o’clock. She burned down quite a bit of line, but it was probably only a 15 minute fight.” Their solid 29-pounder hit a ribbon down 20 feet while trolling in 50 feet of water. Andy was the angler of the day, and Ryan sealed the deal with a clean gaff shot. With that fish Southbound is leading Division 4’s Class by over 17 pounds, not to mention their success in Division 5. “We’re trying to break the record in Division 5,” smiled Bryan. We’ll have to wait until July’s Boater’s World event to see if Lon and his team can make the mark. Second place in the Class went to non-member Diamond Cutter.

Scott Poppell and the Haulin “S” crew round out the Class top three. Accompanied by Shawn Boaen and Scott Goodwin, Poppell headed his 23’ Yamaha powered Regulator 40 miles out to the R2. Their 26.24-pounder would not only secure them third in Class, but also jumped this Savannah, Georgia boat up to second place Divisionally.

With Division 4’s showdown on the horizon, Golden Isles should prove a most exciting tournament. In the Open Class Jet-Lag has taken the lead, but considering the close range of points and drop-fish, it’s really wide open between the top five boats. In the Class of 23’ Southbound has quite a lock on the top spot, but I wouldn’t put it past either Poppell on the Haulin “S” or Wildes on the Reel Wild to land a 40-pounder to make the race interesting. Stay tuned as the Division 4 finale draws near.

Captain Hap's Final Standings

1.   BEAR CAUGHT.......................................... 34.47
      Yellowfin/Mercury
      Bear Croft
      Rick Dopson
      Jack Ross
      Debbie Portier

2.   TAMMY’S TORTURE................................... 31.40
      Fountain/Mercury
      Jimmy Garza
      Richard Campany
      Triston Vann
      Matthew Garza
      J.J. Garza

3.   JET-LAG................................................... 30.79
      Contender/Yamaha
      Pete Owens
      Dave Beam
      Josh Owens
      Will Owens

4.   MISTER MAGOO........................................ 29.82
      Contender/Yamaha
      Pete Harper

5.   GOIN’ DEEP.............................................. 26.53
      Contender/Yamaha
      Mike Zabarac
      Jared Fruchtl
      Al Bradshaw
      Clinton Fonseca

6.   GAME DAY................................................ 26.43
      Contender/Yamaha
      Ryan Rodeffer
      W.D. Rodeffer
      Dave Rodeffer
      Jan Rodeffer

7.   REELIN..................................................... 26.27
      Marlin/Yamaha
      Marc Pincus

8.   Koolau....................................................... 25.50

9.   T-NAIL..................................................... 23.78
      Sailfish/Yamaha
      Tony Hinson
      Larry Garnett, Jr.
      James Garnett
      Jo Ella Hinson

10. SEA DUCER............................................... 23.68
      Contender/Yamaha
      Todd Veal
      Kelly Veal
      Rhett Veal
      Dillon Veal
      Tom Whittingslow

      Class of 23’

1.   SOUTHBOUND........................................... 29.55
      Contender/Yamaha
      Lon Bryan
      Andy Miska
      Ryan Keith

2.   Diamond Cutter.......................................... 29.24

3.   HAULIN “S”.............................................. 26.24
      Regulator/Yamaha
      Scott Poppell
      Shawn Boaen
      Scott Goodwin
     
SKA Top Lady Angler
Debbie Portier.................................................. Bear Caught

SKA Top Junior Anglers
Sponsored by Coastal Marine Center
1st Triston Vann & Matthew & J.J. Garza............. Tammy’s Torture
2nd Josh & Will Owens...................................... Jet-Lag
3rd Rhett & Dillon Veal...................................... Sea Ducer