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Brunswick, Georgia -  It started with the opening event in Division 4 where Lon Bryan, Jr., Andy Miska and Ryan Keith scaled a 34.12 to win the Sapelo Tournament. Then came the St. Mary's tournament where they scaled a fourth place 23.14. The trio moved to the Kingbuster next, the opening event in Division 5, where they beat out the Vamoose team by one tenth of a pound for the win. Next came the second event in Division 5, the NSFA event in Fernandina Beach. There Lon and the team scaled a great 53.20. They then moved to the third event in Division 4, the Two Way tournament. Unlike the other events where they came to the scales early, here they were the next to last weigh but had the winner, a 36.24.  This is a record for any team fishing the SKA Mercury Tournament Trail.

For a team to do this is unprecedented, but to do it in a 23' Yamaha powered Contender has more significance. How many times have you heard the Class boats whine about their chances in a tournament? Well, now you have a hero, a team that proves once and for all that it's not the boat but the team fishing it! They've done what no other team has ever done and they're to be congratulated. Out of the first five events in both Divisions 4 and 5, they've won four out of five.
   Along the way they've won a lot of money, far exceeding $100,000, and I'm sure that is a big cause of rejoicing. However, after the money has been long spent, the one thing this team has is the story to tell their grandkids of the amazing feat they've accomplished. That you can't spend.
   Is this a great team? Only time will tell. Here's one way to look at it: they have the presence of mind to go back to an area which produced good fish for them. It's certainly no secret where they were, for in the Two Way tournament there were more than 20 boats in the area when they arrived there Saturday morning. But they caught the winning fish with everyone looking on. That has to tell you something. Regardless of where you fish you still have to have the biggest fish hit your bait and be able to successfully bring the king to gaff. They obviously know to do that. They have accumulated 93.50 points to lead  Division 4 and will smash the Class of 23’ record three-fish aggregate in Division 5 before the season is over.
   In the 20th Annual Two Way tournament, Bryan told SKA's John Zalud that they went to the Elton Bottom again and fished their favorite spot. “The bite was not good, only 20 to 30-pounders were being caught,” said Bryan. “We had a well full of pogies but only had two small kings that we released. Then we decided to jig for some blue runners which appeared on our bottom machine.” The team caught five runners and immediately put two out into the spread. At 1:40 one of the runners on the long line got eaten. “We had 20 boats around us when she came over the gunwale at 2:15, then we raced to the scale and weighed at 4:58 p.m. Luck has certainly been on our side,” Bryan explained. For their efforts they won an Evinrude powered Wellcraft boat with a Loadmaster Trailer valued at $18,000.  
   Second and third went to non- members.
   Double Gobble earned third with a nice 33.54. This was Ellis Phillips' first king of the season scaled in Division 4. “We fished the Elton Bottom also,” said the popular Captain. “At 11 o'clock we picked up and ran to the Red Tops where we've found fish before. We found a few small kings but at 2 o'clock the double pogy rigged long line got hit. By 2:30 she was in the bag and we were on the way to the scale.” He's now 13th in the Division.
   Johnny Wildes, last year's Class of 23’ winner, caught a 32.76 to pick up the Class win. Last year's Lady Angler Courtney Herndon did the honors for the team, which also consisted of Johnny, Joey Wildes and Sly Elderide. “We knew that everyone knew where the Southbound was fishing and we didn't want to get in that mess, so we ran to the D Buoy which has produced some good fish over the years,” said Wildes. “When we arrived we had it all to ourselves. We had caught five kings with the biggest being 28 pounds when a ribbonfish set 35 feet down enticed our big king to eat at 1:30. By 2 o'clock Courtney had her in the bag and we were on the way to the scales with high hopes.” Wildes is now in fourth place in the Division.
   Third place in the Class went to Jimmy Bruner's Nette One with Bryant Tatum, Drew Thomas and Daniel Dowdy. They scaled a 25.06 which moved them into third in the Class. The Yamaha powered Contender team has accumulated 57.55 points through three events.
   Todd Veal's Sea Ducer now leads the Open Division Class thanks to a sixth place finish with a nice 30.71. Rhett and Dillon are our Top Juniors so far and Kelly is out Top Lady. This family always seems to scale good fish and pick up a payday.
   Joseph Toth earned seventh with a 30.20 fishing his Code IV Yamaha powered Cobia while Mike Woolard earned eighth with a 28.97 on the Blue Ribbon.
   Richard Stone put the Tail Chaser into ninth with a 28.63 and Steve Greer, Jr.'s Reel Dawg rounded out the top 10 with a 27.86.
   This tournament was postponed from June 17th due to bad weather. A great call as the weekend of July 1st brought great weather. Congratulations to the committee and all the teams that fished the event!   

TWO WAY FINAL STANDINGS

1.   SOUTHBOUND...................... 36.24
      Contender/Yamaha
      Lon Bryan Jr.
      Andy Miska
      Ryan Keith

2.   Rocky Top.............................. 34.38

3.   Fishing Dixie........................... 34.18

4.   DOUBLE GOBBLE................... 33.54
      Hydra Sport/Yamaha
      Ellis Phillips
      Rodney Rogers
      Larry Phillips
      Elliot Phillips
      Reagan Rogers

5.   Rajun Rebe............................ 32.40

6.   SEA DUCER.......................... 30.71
      Contender/Yamaha
      Todd Veal
      Kelly Veal
      Dillon Veal
      Rhett Veal
      Tom Whittingslow
      Mitch Matthews

7.   CODE IV............................... 30.20
      Cobia/Yamaha
      Joseph Toth
      Steve Frabrizio
      Allen Wiggins

8.   BLUE RIBBON....................... 28.97
      Regulator/Yamaha
      Michael Woolard
      Richie Deloach
      Neal Anderson
      Walt Rogers

9.   TAIL CHASER....................... 28.63
      Fountain/Mercury
      Richard Stone
      Nathan Stewart
      Don Smith

10. REEL DAWG.......................... 27.86
      McKee Craft/Yamaha
      Steve Greer Jr.
      Mark Covington
      Jeff Greer
      Michael Greer
      Dawson Covington
      Steve Greer Sr.

11. KATASTROPIC...................... 26.97
      Pro Kat /Yamaha
      Ashley Thompson
      Missy Thompson
      Cole Waters

12. Royal C................................. 26.71

13. GONE WISHIN...................... 26.26
      Ranger/Mariner
      Jimmy Mason
      Mamie Mason
      Wess Mason

14. REEL DIRTY.......................... 26.08
      Contender/Yamaha
      Gavin Hodges
      Nathan Hodges
      Brandon Parker
      James Kennedy
      Drew Thomas

15. WAVE RIDER........................ 23.55
      Mako/Yamaha
      Brad Walker
      Steve Anderson


CLASS OF 23

1.   REEL WILD........................... 32.76
      Contender/Yamaha
      Johnny Wildes
      Joey Wildes
      Sly Elderide
      Courtney Herndon

2.   Got Your Spot........................ 25.40

3.   NETTE ONE.......................... 25.06
      Contender/Yamaha
      Jimmy Bruner
      Bryant Tatum
      Drew Thomas
      Daniel Dowdy  

TOP LADY ANGLER
REAGAN RODGERS ...................... DOUBLE GOBBLE

TOP JUNIOR ANGLER
ELLIOTT PHILLIPS......................... DOUBLE GOBBLE

COASTAL MARINE'S SKA TOP JUNIORS
1.   ELLIOTT PHILLIPS................... DOUBLE GOBBLE
2.   RHETT & DILLON VEAL............ SEA DUCER