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Jensen Beach, Florida-- Bobby Schoenfeld told me a week before the Francis Langford Memorial Fishing Tournament he was coming back to Florida from Texas to see if he and his Lured Away team of Albert Vrazel, Chico Chamorro and Sharon Kamp could win the Division 10 Open Class title. After scaling a 50.17 on the first day of the event, their Division win is certain.

“We followed my good friend Ron Mitchell all over the place Friday and watched in frustration as he captured one big fish after another,” said Vrazel. “We had a bait problem all day too. We had to keep stopping and finding more bait. Then we got a call from David Heavenridge on the Top Gun late in the afternoon that he was on the beach and there were all kinds of bait fish and kings too.” Schoenfeld didn't want to run into the beach but Vrazel figured it would be better to get some bait for next day’s fishing, besides it was getting late. “We arrived and found bait instantly so with a fresh bait in the boat I rigged it up and tossed it out,” said Schoenfeld. “Within just a couple of minutes she hit, Sharon picked up the rod, and in 15 to 20 minutes the bruiser was in the bag.” The fish hit his bait in just eight feet of water and because Sharon struck and fought the fish to gaff, she was proclaimed the tournament’s Top Lady Angler.

“That's my luck,” said David Heavenridge, Captain of the Top Gun, and a Mercury / Donzi team member of Lured Away. “I catch a 27, call Bobby in, and he bags the winning fish. Well that's OK. We go to Fourchon in three weeks for the third Pro event and he has promised to help me there.” The Lured Away won the Louisiana Pro event last year and should be an asset to his team members.

Immediately after the day’s fishing I must have gotten 20 people asking if the Lured Away broke the Division 10 three-fish aggregate record. They are ready to. Sandy Smith's Gator Bait scored a 141.60 aggregate in 2001, which stands as the record. It should be noted however that the all time three-fish aggregate was set in 2000 by Marcus Kennedy's Kwazar in Division 7 with 165.47. Sujac had a 162.75 aggregate in '03 in the same Division.

The Bandit team, Captain Ron Mitchell, Curt Johnson and Justin Bergreen, had their best event since the Key West Pro event in early March.

“We'd catch a 40, then catch one a little larger, then came our 48.49,” said the excited Captain before Lured Away scaled their 50 and spoiled the party. “Bobby and Albert are great friends, but the Line One did the same thing to us in Key West earlier this year. This is tough to take.” The truth of the matter is that Ron Mitchell and his team are having a great season so far and have a super shot at being the Angler of the Year. “Well now it's Bobby's turn to help me out in Fourchon.” On day two the Bandit caught another king in the 40's, just not quite as big as the one from day one. “We were fishing off Jupiter in 80 feet of water,” said Mitchell. The big king ate a bluefish on the downrigger. The Bandit was second.

The Southern Heat could only muster up a 28-pounder on day one, and needing some serious points, ran to the beach where they'd seen the Lured Away fishing on day one. Gary Riggins, Jr., Scott Meinter, Mike Carter, Mike Carter, Sr., Chris Carter and Junior Angler Hunter Riggins, Jr. had a good king on mid-morning. As the king was brought closer to the boat the team could see that this was no ordinary king. “Jack, this was the biggest king we've ever seen,” said Carter. “It would have dwarfed the 50-pounder.” Only one problem, instead of everyone at the AA Marine tournament site getting to see this behemoth, the last the Southern Heat crew saw was it swimming away in the jaws of a big hammerhead shark. “It was a real letdown but that's fishing,” said Riggins. Later in the day, fishing the same beach, the Heat hooked up to a 47.07, which with a little help was brought to the boat by the Junior Angler, Hunter Riggins, Jr. They caught that king at 2:30 in eight feet of water using a greenie with a blue and white skirt. Hunter was the event’s Top Junior Angler.

Team Sundance Marine was second in the Divisional standings going into this event. They were the ones who caught a 64.74 in Hog's Breath only to have Schoenfeld's Lured Away take first away from them on day two with that 66.77. They did what they needed to do here in Jensen Beach however, scale a 44.69 to capture fourth. “It was a good fish,” said Kevin Kates, the Captain. “Rich Clawges caught her at 11 o'clock on a blue runner. So we’re having a good season but with one event left in the Division, I will need a good fish if we want the title.” They will need a king better than 48 and a half pounds. Wouldn't it be ironic if they pulled it out after losing the win to the Lured Away in Key West? This final chapter has not been written yet.

Keith McCullar's Pilgrim, a Yamaha powered Contender with Danny Daniels and Jerry Stephenson on board, picked up fifth thanks to a 43.97 caught on the second day of the event.

Another top team, the Loose Lucy from South Carolina, was in third in the Division going into this event. Mike Kaminsky, Gary and Jimmy Stecki and James Noakes won the Fort Pierce event with a 50. In Jensen Beach they scaled a 43.57 in a borrowed boat. Mike sold his Fountain and the factory is frantically trying to get his new one built in time for the next event. He needs a 64-pounder to pull it off.

The Grinder was the first day's leader in the Class of 23’ with a nice 40.07 but it was the Gatorfan who took the Class win with a 40.12 weighed on day 2. “Chuck Moody caught the king on our boat at 2 o'clock,” explained David Albritton, Captain of the Gatorfan. “It ate a goggle eye and we were one of the only boats who ran north to Fort Pierce to find our fish.” Fishing with Albritton was Ralph Moody, Jr., James Addison and Anthony Oakes.

The Gatorfan was seventh overall in the event and the Grinder team consisting of Mark Whitmire, Mark Odell and Steve Klimck was eighth. The Grinder was given the overall team award by tournament director Jim Scharfschwerdt, a beautiful perpetual trophy that will stand in the offices of the Jensen Beach Chamber of Commerce.

Ninth place went to the 2001 National Open Class Champion, Tom Kenny and his Offshore Warrior team with a 38.88.

Tenth went to Tommy Mulligan's Wound Tight. Katherine Scharfschwerdt caught a nice 38.48.

It should also be noted that an SKA boat also won the dolphin category. Frank Dlouhy, Mike Altman and Junior Angler Zachary Burns caught a 44-pounder.

A special thank you goes out to Scott Miser and Diana Helfrich from the AA Marina who hosted the event, as well as the Jensen Beach Chamber of Commerce and all their volunteers. This not only was a very well run event but also has the potential for being one of the best on the eastern seaboard. Congratulations to all including Brother Jim and the entire Scharfschwerdt family.

Final Standings

1. LURED AWAY ........................ 50.17
Donzi /Mercury
Bobby Schoenfeld
Albert Vrazel
Elvin “Chico” Chamorro
Sharon Kamp

2. BANDIT ................................. 48.49
Contender/Yamaha
Ron Mitchell
Curt Johnson
Justin Bergreen

3. SOUTHERN HEAT ................... 47.07
Contender/ Yamaha
Gary Riggins Jr.
Scott Meitner
Mike Carter
Mike Carter Sr.
Chris Carter
Hunter Riggins, Jr.

4. TEAM SUNDANCE MARINE ..... 44.69
Fountain/Mercury
Kevin Kates
Tom Hill
Wesley Thomas
Rich Clawges

5. PILGRIM ................................ 43.97
Contender/ Yamaha
Keith McCullar
Danny Daniels
Jerry Stephenson

6. LOOSE LUCY ........................... 43.57
Formula
Mike Kaminsky
Gary Stecki
Jimmy Stecki
James Noakes

7. GATORFAN ............................ 40.12
Contender/Yamaha
David Albritton
Ralph Moody Jr.
James Addison
Anthony Oakes

8. GRINDER .............................. 40.07
Contender/Yamaha
Mark Whitmire
Marc Odell
Steve Klimck

9. OFFSHORE WARRIOR ............ 38.88
Contender/Yamaha
Tom Kenney
Tony Vercillo
Tim Kellagler

10. WOUND TIGHT ................... 38.48
Donzi/Mercury
Tommy Mulligan
Bart Hinson
Katherine Scharfschwerdt

11. TEAM CHAOS ..................... 35.78
Yellowfin/ Mercury
Dan Hess
Don Lamb
Chris Lemieux

12. SUNDANCE KID ................. 35.17
Yellowfin/Mercury
Scott Lambeth
Rick Hodge
Jack Barker
Adam Lambeth

13. KATS RIVAL ...................... 34.93
World Cat/Yamaha
Frank Langdon

14. SNAPPER HEAD ................ 34.90
Key West/Yamaha
Russ Macy
James Blair
Bobby Macy
Randy Macy
Scott Bell

CLASS OF 23
1. GATORFAN ............. 40.12
2. GRINDER ................ 40.07
3. SNAPPERHEAD ....... 34.90

TOP JUNIOR ANGLER
HUNTER RIGGINS JR …… SOUTHERN HEAT

TOP LADY ANGLER
SHARON KAMP …........... LURED AWAY

MYSTERY WEIGHT
AGGREGATE ….............. TEAM CHAOS 69.85