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Venice, Louisiana -  David Rogers, Jr., J.J. Gilmore and Jason Andrews are four for four in top finishes this season. They started in Fourchon with a 46.45 and a Class of 23’ win. Then at the Alabama Deep Sea Rodeo they won it all with a great 59.50. Next was Cypress Cove where they won the Class and third overall scaling a 45.90. Now in the Venice Marina tournament they picked up an overall winning 50.00-pounder. What a tremendous season they're having! Through four events they have the biggest aggregate of all teams this season.
   Marcus Kennedy's Kwazar still holds the two biggest aggregates in the upper Gulf, a 159.24 in '97 and a 165.47 in '00 for two Divisional wins. Next is Cecil Capps' Sea Hagg, another Class boat. He has one overall win and one Class win with three-fish aggregates, 157.70 in '99 and 154.39 in '00. Quietus has a Class win in '00 with 154.39 and is on a roll for his team’s first overall win.
      “We kind of knew where the fish were from the Cypress event two weeks earlier,” said Rogers. “We ran to the east side of the River, and worked the 200 ledge. Sea conditions were great, just one to two feet. By 10:45 we had two mid-40s in the boat. Then our big hard tail on the long line got hit and we had the 50-pounder in the bag in no time. We couldn't find a bigger one on Sunday, so we’re glad she held up.”
   James and Don Hosman and Thad Delconte are having a good season fishing their Yamaha powered Cape Horn, My Dinghy. “This is the best finish we've had in SKA competition,” James said after seeing the electronic scale read 48.56, ultimately good for second place. “We stayed on the west side and fished in 216 feet of water. After going through seven kings in the mid-30s, we were determined to stick it out and wait for the big fish.” It was the right thing for the team to do. This time patience paid off. She hit a big hard tail set at 91 feet deep. At 3:10 the Cape Horn was on the props heading for the scale and their accolades.
   Another Class boat, Linedout, picked up third place honors with a 45.78. But because of the money, they earned first place in the Class of 23’. Mitch Mosley and Bubba Carter are having a good season sitting in third overall in the Class. On day one they fished 70 miles from Venice Marina in good clean water. “We caught a nice one but on day two she was just a little bigger,” said Mosley. “We were in 90 to 100 feet of water when she hit a hard tail in the prop wash. Bubba made short order of getting her to the boat.” Mosley and Carter fish a Mercury powered Contender.
   Third place fell to the Connection with a nice 44.82. David Jones, Chandler Lunsford, Mark Jones and Glen Jones chose a spot they had pre-fished on the west side. “We were fishing in 120 feet of water and had found some low 40s,” said David. “It was getting late, but at 3:30 our big girl skied on a hard tail in the prop wash. After a 15 minute fight she was in the boat and we were scale bound.” The Connection is a Yamaha powered Contender.
   Mike Dees made the board for fourth, thanks to his daughter Jenny who bagged a 44.37. “We found some good fish on Friday pre-fishing” said Dees. “We fished the west side in 190 feet of water and already had a 40 in the bag when our long line got smacked at 2:55. After 30 minutes she was in the boat.” Jeff Dees and Mike’s wife Sheree also fished the Yamaha powered Contender. Jenny and Sherry were the event’s Top Lady Anglers.
   The Kennedys, Robby, Cliff and Ricky, and Scott Smallwood scaled a 42.94 to pick up fifth place. The Hyer Standards team, fishing a Mercury powered Palmetto, went to the 90 block on Saturday but had little to show for their efforts. Back to the same spot Sunday and still found smaller fish. “The bite even slowed down on Sunday,” said Cliff Kennedy, team Captain. “At 2:30 a hard tail trolled 65 feet down got hit. When she came over the gunwale we thought we had a top five fish. We were right.”
   The Purse Snatcher, Captained by Bob Wyres and fished by Aaron, Melissa and Alecia Wells, fished the east side where they caught a nice 44.15, good for second place in the Class of 23’. At 3:30 Aaron picked up the screaming rod and did a quick job of getting her to the boat. They fished the east side on their Mercury powered Fountain. Alicia was the event’s Top Junior Angler.
   Close to the one year anniversary of Hurricane Katrina, Mike and Bill Butler have literally worked their butts off bringing the Venice Marina back to life. It was totally gone and one just has to drive down Highway 23 to see what devastation is. From Port Sulfur south nothing remains but FEMA trailers. It's as if a bomb went off. The Butler’s Marina is better now than before the ravishing storm. Yes, there's still much work to be done, but it's up and running. A very special thank you for getting this event together and to Contender for the great prize. You guys are the best!!!         

Venice Final Standings

1.   QUIETUS.................................. 50.00
      Yellowfin/Mercury
      David Rogers Jr.
      J.J. Gilmore
      Jason Andrews

2.   MY DINGHY.............................. 48.56
      Cape Horn/Yamaha
      James Hosman
      Don Hosman
      Thad Delconte

3.   CONNECTION........................... 44.82
      Contender/Yamaha
      David Jones
      Chandler Lunsford
      Mark Jones
      Glen Jones

4.   TOP PRODUCER........................ 44.37
      Contender/Yamaha
      Mike Dees
      Jeff Dees
      Sheree Dees
      Jenny Dees

5.   HYER STANDARDS................... 42.94
      Palmetto/Mercury
      Robby Kennedy
      Cliff Kennedy
      Ricky Kennedy
      Scott Smallwood

6.   CAVALLA................................. 42.22
      Endurance/Mercury
      Van Woodham
      Mike Galster
      Richie Ladnier

7. SEA HAGG.................................. 42.11
      Contender/Yamaha
      Cecil Capps, Jr.
      Earl Burbridge
      Gerry Rucker
      Landen Rucker
      James Doole

8.   LURED AWAY........................... 41.98
      Donzi/Mercury
      Bobby Schoenfeld
      Albert Vrazel
      Elvin “Chico” Chamorro
      Sharon Kamp

9.   SPECKULATOR......................... 41.09
      Contender/Yamaha
      George Simon
      Jason Leblac
      Mike Allen
      Rhonda Allen

10. TRISHA ANN............................ 40.58
      Contender/Yamaha
      Starnes King
      Mike Wallace
      Trisha King
      Heather Grahn

CLASS OF 23’

1.   LINEDOUT................................ 45.70
      Contender/Mercury
      Mitch Mosley
      Bubba Carter

2.   PURSE SNATCHER.................... 44.15
      Fountain/Mercury
      Bob Wyres
      Aaron Wells
      Melissa Wells
      Alecia Wells

3.   GOT SALT?............................... 43.73
      McKee Craft/Evinrude
      Jamie Mixon
      Drew Mixon
      Drew Stroud
      Micha Mixon


TOP JUNIORS
Presented by Cypress Cove Lodge & Marina:

1.   PURSE SNATCHER...................... ALECIA WELLS
2.   GOT SALT?................................ MICHA MIXON
3.   SEA HAGG................................. LANDEN RUCKER

TOP LADY
TOP PRODUCER................................ SHEREE AND JENNY DEES