>>read more Mercury Trail stories<<

Little River, South Carolina - A forty thousand dollar payday is nothing to sneeze at, but the mood at the final leg of the 2006 Yamaha Professional Kingfish Tour had nothing to do about money. It was about the record book and the chase for Angler of the Year honors.
   After looking at the standings going into the final event, I determined that it was down to a six-team race. Ron Mitchell was our leader followed by Team Hooters, Kwazar / Wolf, Loose Lucy, Lured Away and the Line One. Three Fountains, two Contenders and one Donzi.
   After making a long run on day one of the two-day event, Albert Vrazel, Sharon Kamp, Bobby Schoenfeld, and “Chico” Chamorro, Team Lured Away, could only scale a 25.80. “Bandit gained points by bettering a 21-pounder with a 31,” said team Captain Albert Vrazel. “We had no choice, even with fishing time decreasing by an hour, we had to run up to Morehead City again to have any chance of the title. We needed a really big fish.” The thing everyone must remember is that this Houston, Texas team never gives up. Their Division 10 finish this year more than proves that.
    Up to Morehead they went, and dropped lines in 70 feet of water at the 1700 Rock, 140 miles from check out. “We had caught two small kings but when a blue fish on a long line got smacked we knew this was a good king,” explained Albert who had his hands on the reel and fate of this team. “She ran 350 yards of line off the spool, and then ran under a non-tournament boat fishing the area. She got caught on their downrigger line but didn't break off. As soon as she was to the boat, we picked up and ran for the scales.”
   The reports over the VHF radio were that the Lured Away was on the props and Albert had reported that it was the biggest king he had ever seen. You knew that the Bandit team heard the news but they too have a reputation of not giving up and they had a 23-pound drop fish.
   The Lured Away came to the dock ahead of the title contenders. It was a beautiful king, tipping the scales at 52.48, big enough to take the tournament lead when added to their 25.80 from day one, totaling 78.28 pounds.
   The first day's tournament leader, David Howard's Hooked For Reel, came to the dock next and presented Bob Flocken, the SKA's official weighmaster, with a 38.21. Added to the 38.01 from day one and they had 76.22 points. David and his two sons, Adam and Cory, had a great two-day event but it wasn't quite enough to overtake the Lured Away.
   William Gressette's Four Suns II had already scaled a 31.56 on day one to be in the top five for the Pro event. When they scaled a 43.79 on day two, everyone took notice. They were certainly going to take some money home with them. “We ran 40 miles southeast to a hard bottom area in 85 feet of water that the Triple Gobble had told us about. The king ate a double pogy rig down 40 feet,” said the happy Captain. “This was an exceptionally good event for us.” The Mercury powered Yellowfin team is made up of William, Doug and Harry Gressette and Brandon Long.
   Finally Bandit came around the corner into the Harbour Gate Marina. With all the confidence in the world, Mitchell pulled his king out of the bag, assembled teammates Curt Johnson, Justin Burgreen, David Pendergraft and Tom Kenney around him, waited for Johnny Z to take their picture, and then confidently strode to the scale. “If it's to be, it's to be,” said Mitchell as Flocken placed her on the scale and proclaimed 37.01. Not enough for the tournament victory, that belonged to Lured Away, but enough to go down in the SKA history book as the 2006 Angler of the Year team.
   David Howard's 76.22 commanded second place with Four Suns II picking up a $13,000 check for third. Bandit was fourth with 68.30 pounds and Triple Gobble earned fifth with 61.32 pounds. “Whatever the Four Suns told you, you can duplicate it for us,” said Greg Weathers whom with his brother Jeff caught their 30.69 on day one and 30.63 on day two. “We are very close friends and fished side by side this weekend.”
   Lured Away made the big run to the north and it paid off and gave us a great ending to a great year. Lured Away picked up the $40,000 cash prize for their tournament win and came from fifth in the overall standings to finish second. A tremendous effort.
   Team Donzi, with Ken and Dan Upton, earned sixth this weekend with a 31.34 and a 29.61, 60.95 pounds, while Jeff and Nancy Dunbar with Terry Adkins collected seventh place money for a 32.36 and a 27.17, or 59.53 pounds.
   Russell Stuart's Seafood Kitchen finished eighth with 57.82 pounds. Greg Slayton's Tenacious was ninth, 56.34 pounds, and Dean Spatholt's Fish Meister rounded out the top ten with 52.21 pounds.
   The Top Senior Angler and the Top Lady Angler of the event came off the Lured Away boat, Albert Vrazel and Sharon Kamp. Cory Howard picked up a nice Top Junior win fishing the Hooked For Reel.
   The 2006 Yamaha Professional Kingfish Tour is now in the record books. Thanks to Patrick Bellamy, Fred Coyne and the members of the Little River Saltwater Sport Fishing Club for recommending our partnership this year. Reports from the Pro teams were very, very positive. This stop on the tour needs to become permanent. I think all will agree!


YAMAHA PROFESSIONAL KINGFISH TOUR, FINAL EVENT
FINAL STANDINGS

1.   LURED AWAY                         25.80 … 52.48 ...... 78.28
      Donzi/Mercury
      Albert Vrazel
      Bobby Schoenfeld
      Elvin “Chico” Chamorro
      Sharon Kamp

2.   HOOKED FOR REEL                 38.01 … 38.21 ...... 76.22
      Fountain/Mercury
      David Howard
      Adam Howard
      Cory Howard

3.   FOUR SUNS II                        31.56 … 43.79 ...... 75.35
      Yellowfin/Mercury
      William Gressette
      Doug Gressette
      Harry Gressette
      Brandon Long

4.   BANDIT                                  31.29 … 37.01 ...... 68.30
      Contender/Yamaha
      Ronald Mitchell
      Curt Johnson
      Justin Burgreen
      David Pendergraft
      Tom Kenney

5.   TRIPLE GOBBLE                     30.69 … 30.63 ...... 61.32
      Contender/Mercury
      Jeff Weathers
      Greg Weathers

6.   TEAM DONZI                          31.34 … 29.61 ...... 60.95
      Donzi/Mercury
      Ken Upton
      Dan Upton
      Jack Wood
      Sean Edmunds

7.   FISH DANCER                        32.36 …. 27.17 ...... 59.53
      Donzi/Mercury
      Jeff Dunbar
      Nancy Dunbar
      Terry Adkins

8.   SEAFOOD KITCHEN                37.02 … 20.80 ...... 57.82
      Donzi/Mercury
      Russell Stuart
      Rocky Cusack
      David McCord

9.   TENACIOUS                           25.92 … 30.42 ...... 56.34
      Donzi/ Mercury
      Greg Slayton
      David Wallace
      Preston Hendrix

10. FISH MEISTER                       22.74 … 29.47 ...... 52.21
      Yellowfin/Yamaha
      Dean Spatholt
      David Haynes, Jr.
      Dennis Watson
      Greg Spatholt
      Russell Spatholt

11. KILL-N-ME                             24.41 … 27.80 ...... 52.21
      Donzi/Mercury
      Howard Poe
      Donna Gowen Poe
      Chris Cathey

12. SIDE JOB                               21.52 … 30.59 ...... 52.11
      Fountain/Mercury
      Chris Jonsson
      Brad Richards
      Otis Humphrey

13. LOOSE LUCY                          23.44 … 28.24 ...... 51.68
      Fountain/Mercury
      Mike Kaminsky
      Gary Stecki
      Susan Kaminsky
      Jimmy Stecki
      Chris Chase
      Jan Chase

14. EXTERMINADER                     22.79 …. 28.47 ...... 51.26
      Contender/Yamaha
      Randy Nader
      Jerry Moulton
      Lance Cote
      Ray Nader

15.  “C” CRAZY                            27.18 … 23.26 ...... 50.44
      Contender/Yamaha
      Carl Carder
      Paul Paulk
      Bob Lail