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Sarasota, Florida-- The Class of 23’ boats dug deep and put a whooping on the Open Class boats at the 12th Annual Yamaha Contender Loadmaster Kingfish Tournament May 5th – 7th. Three of the top five boats were 23-foot or less, with Captain Brian Hasson’s 23’ Mercury powered Fountain, Knot Me, leading the pack.

After not finding a king on day one, Brian Hasson knew that he and his team had to change tactics if they wanted to see a king on Sunday. “We went to an old spot where we’ve always gotten a good fish,” reported Hasson. He and his crew of Bill Hasson and John Molfetto were trolling in 52 feet of water about 46 miles northwest of Clearwater. It was a slow day of fishing for the team but at 11:15 they got their one and only chance and they took control of the situation. Brian quickly angled the smoker to the side of the boat and Bill nailed her with a clean gaff shot. “We put her in the bag and went right to the scales,” smiled Captain Hasson. Not taking any chances paid off big for the Knot Me team, and their mossback would prove to weigh 39.10 pounds at the scale. That 39-pounder remained at the top of the leaderboard through the last fish, naming Knot Me Champion of the 12th Annual Yamaha Contender Loadmaster Kingfish Tournament. More importantly, this earned the team a 21’ Contender complete with 200hp Yamaha and Loadmaster trailer to trailer home to Seminole, Florida. Congratulations, guys.

Perennial West Coast Florida favorite Digestible dug deep in an effort to take the lead in the Division 11 race and landed their biggest king in this Division, a 36.58. Captain Jerry Stephenson and his crew of Mark and Rhonda Wicker and Sarah Stephenson were one of only three teams who managed to find fish both days, and after Saturday’s fishing Digestible had a 15.48-pound points-fish on the board. They knew they needed a lot more. “Fishing was very slow from SRQ to Clearwater so we made a 138-mile run to the south. We’re very familiar with the waters to the south,” related Captain Stephenson. The decision to make a big run was immediately validated as the team began hooking up with small fish, but just not the slob they were looking for. Then finally, at 12:30 a mullet on a prop wash line was hit and Captain Jerry ran down the big king quickly. With such a long run to make the decision was easily reached to head in, and at the scale Digestible’s king tipped the scales at 36.58 pounds, earning the team second place as well as Top Junior Angler honors for Sarah Stephenson and Top Lady Angler honors for Rhonda Wicker. While the 36-pounder wasn’t quite enough to take the Division lead in the Open Class, it did seal the deal in Division 11’s Lady and Junior categories, making it a three-year streak for Rhonda as this Division’s Lady Angler.

Lagerhead was another team that decided to make a big run for a big payoff. “We knew fishing had shut off on the beach and at some spots off shore, so we made a 124-mile run to the Middle Grounds,” reported Captain Steve Papen. Trolling in 90 feet of water their big girl came calling at 1:00, nailing a blue runner on a long line, and Corey Alley grabbed the rod while Doug Speeler waited with the gaff ready. The team shortly had their money-fish on deck and it was an easy decision what to do next. “We put her in the bag and went straight to the scale,” smiled Papen. The 33’ Yamaha powered Contender had them to the docks in time and the scale posted the largest digits of the day: 32.64 pounds. Not able to better that 32-pounder on day two, Papen and crew earned third place honors.

The Bonnells on the Bandit have been fishing very strongly this year in their 23’ Yamaha powered Bluewater, and they made their presence known to these Division 11 anglers by posting a 26.02-pounder to take fourth place overall. “We decided to fish the same spot as a few weeks ago, 20 miles west of Anna Marie Island,” said Captain Vernon Bonnell. The spot produced yet again for this St. Petersburg, Florida team when a blue runner on a long line trolled in 35 feet of water was snatched at 1:00. Jeremy Bonnell took angling duties, although he may not have known what he was getting himself into. “It wasn’t until 2:02 p.m. that we put the gaff in her,” reported Captain Bonnell. But the fight still wasn’t over. “As we were bringing her over the side the gaff broke! We had half the gaff in her, but we got another gaff out and got her.”

Another Class of 23’ team rounds out the top five, Captain Mike Burnett’s Team KO. Fishing a 21’ Evinrude powered Wellcraft, Captain Mike and Brian Burnett and John and Jason Ford had done their homework and had a spot all picked out 20 miles west of John’s Pass. After weeding through and releasing at least 10 small fish Team KO got their chance at 2:00 when a blue runner in the prop wash was taken in 50 feet of water. Jason was the man of the hour as the brought in what would turn out to be a 25.82-pounder, earning this team fifth overall as well as a Class bonus to take home to Indian Shores, Florida.

Captain Pete Tsourakis and the crew of the Four Mary’s knew they had to avoid the dreaded goose egg if they wanted to stay at the top of Division 11’s Open Class, and they did that in spades by landing a 22.51 and then backing it up with a 25.22 for a solid sixth place overall Division-clincher. Captain Pete, Harry and Keith Thomas and Joel Zalud fish a 34’ Mercury powered Fountain out of Wesley Chapel, Florida. Captain Mark Goodwin’s Economy Tackle, a 31’ Yamaha powered Contender out of Sarasota, Florida, trolled to the dock with a seventh place 24.94-pounder. Captain Steve Hays and Rob York teamed on the 34’ Mercury powered Fountain, Surreel, to come to the scales with a 24.52, earning this Sarasota, Florida team eighth place.

The Midnight Madness scored a 24.51-pounder on the 39’ Yamaha powered Midnight Express Captained by Vic Vazquez out of Naples, Florida. He was joined by second place Junior Anglers Michael and Nicholas Guitard, as well as John and Mike Guitard and Sean Morton. The Rouths on Devocean round out the top ten with a 24.08. Captain Scott and Paige Routh and third place Junior Angler Adam Routh fish a 36’ Mercury powered Yellowfin out of Sarasota, Florida.

Another great Division 11 tournament in the bag, another beautiful boat given away to a skilled and determined team, and two more teams go into the history books as Division 11 Champions! For all the details on Divisions 11’s final standings check out the Open Class and Class of 23’ stories in this issue.

Sarasota Final Standings

1. KNOT ME .................... 39.10
Fountain/Mercury
Brian Hasson
Bill Hasson
John Molfetto

2. DIGESTIBLE ............... 36.58
Contender/Yamaha
Jerry Stephenson
Mark Wicker
Rhonda Wicker
Sarah Stephenson

3. LAGERHEAD ................ 32.64
Contender/Yamaha
Steve Papen
Corey Alley
Doug Speeler

4. BANDIT ....................... 26.02
Bluewater/Yamaha
Vernon Bonnell
Jeremy Bonnell
Chris Bonnell
Matt Bonnell

5. TEAM KO ..................... 25.82
Wellcraft/Evinrude
Mike Burnett
John Ford
Brian Burnett
Jason Ford

6. FOUR MARY’S .............. 25.22
Fountain/Mercury
Pete Tsourakis
Harry Thomas
Keith Thomas
Joel Zalud

7. ECONOMY TACKLE ....... 24.94
Contender/Yamaha
Mark Goodwin
8. SURREEL 24.52
Fountain/Mercury
Steve Hays
Rob York

9. MIDNIGHT MADNESS ... 24.51
Midnight Express/Yamaha
Vic Vazquez
John Guitard
Mike Guitard
Sean Morton
Michael Guitard
Nicholas Guitard

10. DEVOCEAN ................ 24.08
Yellowfin/Mercury
Scott Routh
Adam Routh
Paige Routh

Class of 23’
1. KNOT ME ...... 39.10
2. BANDIT ........ 26.02
3. TEAM KO ...... 25.82

SKA Top Lady Angler
Rhonda Wicker ............................Digestible

SKA Top Junior Anglers
Sponsored by Cedar Bay Marina

1st Sarah Stephenson ................. Digestible
2nd Michael & Nicholas Guitard .... Midnight Madness
3rd Adam & Paige Routh ............. Devocean