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Canaveral, Florida – The 2006 Canaveral Mac Attack marked the end of Division 10 competition in southeastern Florida, and 89 boats arrived to get that last fish in the season’s race. While Shoenfeld’s Lured Away was a ringer for the top position, you know these anglers were jockeying hard to position themselves highly enough to qualify for Nationals. However, it would prove to be Division 5’s Randy Nader who landed the biggest king of the weekend to take his first SKA win in style, earning a new 21’ Yamaha powered Contender complete with Float-On trailer.

Captain Randy Nader and his crew of Ray and Samantha Nader and Jerry Moulton found their winning 42.80-pounder during Saturday’s fishing. “We made the run to Ft. Pierce. Samantha said she wanted to go to Disney, so we went,” smiled Randy. The team worked the area hard all day, but just couldn’t dig up that big smoker that they knew they needed. “We were on a hunting trip and we didn’t have a lot of time left,” recalled Randy. But at 2:20 the Exterminader team got their chance when a blue runner on the long line was smashed while trolling in 37 feet of water off the beach. Ray made short work of the big king, and the team was quickly flying back to the docks in their 33’ Yamaha powered Contender. “Johnny Z had full faith in our fish, and at the end of day two it was still standing. This was our first win in the SKA in 15 years, and I’d just like to say thank you to Jack Holmes for the many good years,” said Nader. In addition, that 42-pounder was good to name Samantha the tournament’s Top Junior Angler. Nader and his team sure picked a good time to win an event, as they got to trailer that brand new 21’ Yamaha powered Contender home to Jacksonville, Florida.

With Nader’s 42-pounder ominously sitting atop the leaderboard, Captain Steve Carman and the Oviedo, Florida Reel Slick team knew they had their work cut out for them. “After not landing a fish on Saturday we decided to make a run to the Pines. We had gotten some numbers from a local friend,” reported Carman. The team was trolling their 23’ Honda powered Pro-Line in 60 feet of water and their good live bait was consistently producing small kings, just not that smoker they were looking for. “Then Keith decided to put a ribbon fish on the downrigger. That’s a good tip from Angler magazine, ‘Go Deep!’” smiled Carman. Dragging that ribbon five feet off the bottom proved enticing to a 38.50-pounder, and at 1:45 Keith Grovenstein found himself battling his biggest tournament king. That 38-pounder was not only good for second place overall, but also sealed the deal for Reel Slick; they’re going to the big show in November.

Another Class of 23’ boat is up next, Captain Russ Macy’s Snapper Head. “Well, we heard about some fish being caught on the beach, but no luck,” reported Macy. “So we ran offshore 15 miles to numbers that we had pre-fished.” Captain Macy and James Blair were having one long day of it, and by two o’clock they had yet to hook a king. “We had some real good live bait, but we couldn’t buy a fish,” joked Macy. But finally a ribbon on the downrigger set at 42 feet was nailed, and Blair carefully worked the king to the side of their 23’ Yamaha powered Key West. Their only fish of the weekend was good for third place overall, the team’s best SKA finish to date, and also propelled them to second place in the Class of 23’, just missing top honors by 2.5 pounds. Fourth place went to non-member High Tailin’.

Captain Keith McCullar and the Cocoa Beach, Florida team Pilgrim round out the top five with a 35-pounder. “After not landing a fish on Saturday, we decided on Sunday to fish the beach off of Sebastian,” reported Butch McCoy. Like many teams, the Pilgrim had to work hard all day to finally get just one fish, but at 2:05 their efforts were rewarded. “We were in 42 feet of water and put the magic bait of the weekend, a ribbon fish, 38 feet down,” continued McCoy. Mark Sislack made short work of the king, and at the scales their fish went an even 35 pounds. Non-members Danny Boy and 38 Special took sixth and seventh, respectively.

Captain Tom Kenney and the Offshore Warrior took eighth place with a 29.50-pounder. This Port St. Lucie team fishes a 31’ Yamaha powered Contender and also includes Tim Kellagher and Tony Vercillo. The Spiced Rum II is up next with a 27.30-pounder. Captain Bill and Bobby Wummer, Kevin Umphrey and Freddie Joseph, Jr. fish a 27’ Yamaha powered Contender out of Riviera Beach, Florida. That 27-pounder was also good to earn Freddie second place Junior Angler honors. ProMarineUSA.com / Hannon’s Cannon rounds out the top ten with a 27.30. Co-Captain Shannon Armstrong and Sebastian Bartinelli teamed on the distinctive 34’ Yamaha, Evinrude and Mercury powered Yellowfin for the finish.

With two Class of 23’ boats placing in the top ten overall, top honors in the Class went to Captain Grant Cloughley and Travis Whitfield on the No Limits. This extremely consistent Vero Beach, Florida team decided to make a trip home and it paid off. “We went to Ft. Pierce, about a 57-mile run,” relayed Cloughley. “We had pre-fished the area Friday and hooked and released a 42-pounder.” One of the few descent Saturday fish, their 31.60-pounder hit late in the day, but Cloughley made short work of bringing the king to Whitfield’s gaff, and they immediately had their 23’ Yamaha powered Contender hammered down to the scales. Non-member Reel Runner took second in Class with a 30.60.

Captain Terrill Ginn and the Addicted crew round out the Class of 23’ top three with a 27.90-pounder. Captain Ginn, Ben Bradway, Billy Martin and David Cortez fish a 23’ Yamaha powered Mako out of Vero Beach, Florida. Captain Thomas Mulligan and the Wound Tight crew round out the SKA awards with a 25.60 pounder, earning Kat Scharfschwerdt Top Lady Angler honors and Matt Scharfschwerdt third place Junior Angler honors.

Mac Attack Final Standings

1.   EXTERMINADER................................. 42.80
      Contender/Yamaha
      Rady Nader
      Ray Nader
      Jerry Moulton
      Samantha Nader

2.   REEL SLICK......................................... 38.50
      Pro-Line/Honda
      Steve Carman
      Paul Harnage
      Keith Grovenstein

3.   SNAPPER HEAD.................................. 36.09
      Key West/Yamaha
      Russ Macy
      James Blair

4.   High Tailin............................................ 36.06

5.   PILGRIM............................................. 35.00
      Contender/Yamaha
      Keith McCullar
      Butch McCoy
      Mark Sislak

6.   Danny Boy........................................... 33.50

7.   38 Special............................................ 30.00

8.   OFFSHORE WARRIOR.......................... 29.50
      Contender/Yamaha
      Tom Kenney
      Tim Kellagher
      Tony Vercillo

9.   SPICED RUM II................................... 27.30
      Contender/Yamaha
      Bill Wummer
      Bobby Wummer
      Kevin Umphrey
      Freddie Joseph, Jr.

10. PROMARINEUSA.COM/HANNON’S CANNON..... 26.60
      Yellowfin/Yamaha, Mercury, Evinrude
      Shannon Armstrong
      Sebastian Bartinelli

      Class of 23’

1.   NO LIMITS......................................... 31.60
      Contender/Yamaha
      Grant Cloughley
      Travis Whitfield

2.   Reel Runner......................................... 30.60

3.   ADDICTED.......................................... 27.90
      Mako/Yamaha
      Terrill Ginn
      Ben Bradway
      Billy Martin
      David Cortez
     
SKA Top Lady Angler
Kat Scharfschwerdt................................... Wound Tight

SKA Top Junior Anglers
Sponsored by Bethel Marine Electronics

1st Samantha Nader................................... Exterminader
2nd Freddie Joseph, Jr................................. Spiced Rum II
3rd Matt Scharfschwerdt.............................. Wound Tight