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Wilmington, North Carolina - Snotty seas and intermittent rain greeted anglers in this year's Greater Wilmington King Mackerel Tournament held July 28th through the 29th. Instead of the anticipated 250 boats, the inclement forecast kept the field down to around 130 boats.

Despite the weather and reduced field, anglers managed to find plenty of hefty king mackerel to bring to the scales. John Batis, fishing aboard his 31' Suzuki powered Contender Miss Emily, persevered through the rough seas to catch the tournament-winning 44.22-pound king and a check for $19,398.

Batis’ huge fish ate a pogy on the east side of Frying Pan Shoals around midday and proceeded to make a very long run. After clearing the other lines in the spread and the downriggers, Batis pointed the Contender at the fish and punched the throttles. He had angler Mike Daniels on the bow. The fish was still taking line, however.

“I fish Shimano 6.2:1 reels with 650 yards of line, and the fish had over half the spool out,” said Batis.

When the team finally got the boat near the fish, it began circling. As one of the circles of the massive king brought it near the boat, Batis left the helm. Both he and Bruce Martin gaffed the king at the same time. With the fish in the boat, the Miss Emily headed for the scales and the first place finish.

The Miss Emily team had no difficulty catching bait on Saturday in the Carolina Beach Yacht Basin. Batis gave credit to Martin for the menhaden, saying: “Bruce is very good with the net, and can see the pogies even when they are not flipping.” He also gave credit to the three livewell system in his Contender for keeping the baits fresh and active despite the rough seas on tournament day.

Batis estimated seas at four to five feet with steady winds of 15 knots gusting to 18 knots on an overcast day with a few drops of rain. He had no problems with the conditions, however, remarking, “Rough water separates the fishermen from the beer drinkers.”

Batis wishes to thank Saltwater Marine of Wilmington for keeping his Contender in perfect condition and going over it before each tournament that he fishes. He also feels the other members of his team deserve credit for their success, saying, “I've been fishing with this team for over 10 years. Everyone knows what to do and has his place.”

The 36.40-pound second place fish hit the deck of the Day Spring of Ocean Isle Beach, a 31’ Fountain powered by 225 horsepower Yamaha 4-strokes. The fish, worth $7,521, ate a naked pogy on the downrigger east of Frying Pan Shoals. Jessica Ryder was the angler, and this was her first king mackerel tournament. She took home the Lady Angler title for both the tournament and the SKA.

The bite came around 10:30 a.m. for Day Spring, and Captain Odell Williamson, Jr. gaffed the fish after a quick ten minute fight. Also aboard was Thomas Willis. Williamson described seas as six-foot and building to six to eight over the day. He added, “Everything came together. We had a good plan and it worked out.”

Third place went to Brett Barnes with a 28.20-pound king caught on the 25' Contender Hot Rod from Wilmington. The $2460 fish bit a pogy on the downrigger offshore of the 30/30. Angler Allen Barnes fought the fish for 15 minutes after it bit around 2:30 pm. Allen, commenting on yet another high finish this year, said, "We continue to be pleased with Terminator. The wire always pulls through for us."

A 26.06-pound king mackerel captured fourth place for angler Skip Blaylock of the On the Edge team out of Knightdale, North Carolina. The team earned $1,230 for their fish. Blaylock and teammate John Jernigan coaxed their mackerel to eat a pogy with a white/silver skirt on top at AR372, between Wrightsville and Carolina Beaches. The bite came around 9:30 a.m. on the long bait, and the king immediately made a big run. After clearing the other lines, the team turned the On the Edge, an 18.5' Yamaha-powered Edgewater, toward the fish and began to follow it.

Once the fish was near the boat, it took a second long run. When the anglers got the fish to the boat for a second time, it began circling, and they were able to gaff it after a 25 minute total fight. With the fish in the boat, Blaylock and Jernigan decided to head in due to seas building to solid three-footers.

The team struggled slightly to catch bait Saturday morning, but was able to fill the livewell eventually at the Carolina Beach Yacht Basin. Skip Blaylock wished to express gratitude to his sponsor Sweetwater Construction and to his good friends the Floyds at Atlantic Marine of Wrightsville Beach for all their help.

“This tournament is proof that you can take a moderately-priced small boat and compete,” Blaylock remarked. “You just bear down and fish as hard as you can.”

Allen Kinney and the Gambler team from Oak Island, North Carolina, reeled in a 24.02-pound fish and fifth place. Kinney and teammate Bruce Jones brought home a check for $2,472 for fifth place overall and third place in the TWT.

A naked pogy fished on top fooled the king into biting around 10:30 a.m. near the Cucumber. The team was fishing at anchor when the king bit, and therefore did not chase the fish. After a 15-minute fight featuring two strong runs, Kinney was able to gaff the fish and bring it aboard the Gambler, a 24' Hydra-Sport powered by twin 200 Evinrudes.

The fifth place fish was Gambler's only king bite of the day, but prior to it they caught a few spanish and three sharks in the 150-pound range. Kinney estimated seas at three to four feet with SW winds around 15 knots under overcast skies where the Gambler was fishing.

Bait was abundant close the beach at Oak Island, Kinney's home, but because of the sloppy seas, he and Jernigan decided to run up the river and through Snow's Cut to catch pogies in the Carolina Beach Yacht Basin.

Sandlapper, with Thomas Haselden out of Aynor, South Carolina, took top honors in the Class of 23' with a 24.04-pound king. Haselden was fishing with teammate Warren Todd aboard the 22' Yamaha-powered Sea Pro.

The Sandlapper fish bit at the 23 Mile Rock around 9:30 Saturday morning. A naked pogy trolled 50 yards behind the boat fooled the king to hit. That fish took a long run after biting, but after a short fight of around 10 minutes, Haselden was able to gaff the fish and secure the team a check for $2,004. Bait was scattered in the Carolina Beach Yacht Basin when Sandlapper arrived. “We had to throw the net a good bit to get enough to go,” Haselden said.

Second place in the Class of 23' went to Thomas K. Hemphill and the Playin Hooky, a 21' Yamaha-powered Star Craft from Shallotte, North Carolina. Hemphill and teammate Jason White's 17.72-pound king earned them a check for $900. They got the fish to bite a naked pogy around the Carolina Beach Inlet tideline. The bite came around 3:30 for angler Jason White, and Hemphill was able to gaff the king after a quick fight.

The Playin Hooky team caught bait in the river after resolving some early morning motor trouble and proceeded to the Carolina Beach tideline, where Hemphill estimated seas at three to four feet with winds of 15-20 knots.

The Greater Wilmington King Mackerel Tournament directly benefits the Children's Fishing Foundation, an organization dedicated to introducing underprivileged local children to fishing.

Money generated by the tournament is used to fund a fishing trip for local children, many of whom would never have a chance to go fishing otherwise. The Foundation takes the children out on one of the Winner boats from Carolina Beach, along with a group from UNCW who teach the children about the fish they catch and other ocean life.

Final Standings

1.   MISS EMILY.......................................... 44.22
      Contender/Suzuki
      John K. Batis

2.   DAY SPRING......................................... 36.40
      Fountain/Mercury
      Odell Williamson
      Jessica Reiter

3.   HOT ROD............................................... 28.20
      Contender/Yamaha
      Brett Barnes
      Alan Barnes

4.   ON THE EDGE....................................... 26.06
      Edgewater/Yamaha
      Skip Blaylock
      John Jernigan

5.   GAMBLER.............................................. 24.02
      Hydra Sports/Evinrude
      Allen Kinney

6.   ON THE SPOT........................................ 22.88
      Triton/Mercury
      Richard Barkley
      Hutch Strickland

7.   Wave on Wave....................................... 22.14

8.   SLIP N SLIDE........................................ 21.68
      Hydra Sports/Yamaha
      Tom Aberle
      Adam Aberle

9.   Tricky Ricky........................................... 21.60

10. THE LAW.............................................. 20.02
      Contender/Yamaha
      Jeff Drake
      Michelle Evans
      Pete Fickling

11. KNOCKIN FIRE...................................... 19.96
      Fountain/Mercury
      John Gertz
      Adam Herring

12. Captain Woody Carter............................. 19.40

13. Incognito................................................ 19.06

14. CAPTAIN’S CHOICE.............................. 18.82
      Hydra Sports/Yamaha
      Don Williamson
      Jordan Williamson
      Amy Jordan

15. Simply Storage....................................... 18.80

      Class of 23’

1.   SANDLAPPER........................................ 24.04
      Sea Pro/Yamaha
      Thomas Haselden
      Warren Todd

2.   PLAYIN HOOKY..................................... 17.72
      Star Craft/Yamaha
      Thomas K. Hemphill

3.   Abracadabra.......................................... 14.34

SKA Top Lady Angler
Jessica Reiter............................................... Day Spring

SKA Top Junior Anglers
Sponsored by Guy C. Lee Building Materials

1st Austin Allen............................................. Double Down
2nd Joshua & Crockett Henderson.................. Liquid Fire
3rd Brandon Hudson..................................... White Lightning