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Captain Ron Mitchell, Curt Johnson, Justin Burgreen, David Pendergraft and Tom Kenney have just won saltwater fishing's most prestigious title, the Southern Kingfish Association's Yamaha Professional Kingfish Tour Angler of The Year honors, and they did it in convincing fashion by shattering all the existing records (see related chart).

Side chart:

'91 Clayton Kirby 
'92 Joe Bruce..................... 255.75
'93 Wyndall Vereen............ 239.85
'94 Dave Workman, Jr....... 225.92
'95 Dave Workman, Jr....... 211.96
'96 Rick Smith.................... 185.68
'97 Clayton Kirby................ 241.55
'98 Steve Shook................. 248.91
'99 Dave Workman, Jr....... 264.86
'00 David Van Lent............. 234.50
'01 Chris Chase.................. 222.93
'02 Ed Mecchella................ 243.33
'03 Paul Massey.................. 251.78
'04 Dean Spatholt.............. 246.38
'05 Terry Johnson............. 245.06
'06 Ron Mitchell................. 283.14

Dave Workman, Jr. has held the highest seven-fish aggregate record for the Angler of the Year since 1999, 264.86 pounds. The Bandit team, with a seven-fish aggregate of 283.14, has now replaced that aggregate. That's an amazing 40.45 per fish average.
   The team started the season with a second place finish in Key West, scaling a 52.39 and a 38.72. Mitchell, from Port St. Lucie, Florida, then rallied his team to score well in his home waters off Fort Pierce but adverse weather moved in canceling day two. The team added nothing to help their overall standings.
They picked up seventh place money in Fourchon and scaled three fish, making up for the one day’s loss in Fort Pierce. It was reported in the August issue of Angler Magazine that the Bandit had the best five-fish average of all the teams, 42.97, fishing the Pros. With two events left we predicted the Bandit would end up between 275 and 280 points, more than enough to win the cup. We weren't wrong!
   Next they moved to Savannah, Georgia for leg four. It was here that they had their hiccup. They finished 15th with two fish that would become their drop fish going into Little River, South Carolina, a 22.92 and a 21.85. The team obviously had to be nervous fishing the unfamiliar waters around Myrtle Beach. When the SKA tournament team got to the weigh-in site Ron was sitting on his boat the day before the event. He was asked where he was fishing but reported he really didn't have a clue. He had lots of ideas but no definite plans. When the team came together and picked a spot it obviously was the right one. They weighed a 31.29 to replace the 21.85 on day one. Then with the Texas Team Lured Away breathing down their necks, and hearing they had a king that could go 60 pounds they were bringing to the scale, the Bandit team dug deep, knowing they needed a good second day fish. They got it, a 37.01 to replace their 22.92.
   In interviewing Ron for the Fishin’ the Trail television series, he confessed that Dave Workman, Jr. has always been his idol, a great guy with super credentials, and a winner. “I used to go in his store and look at his trophies, even touched them. I could only imagine accomplishing what he has done in the sport, now with the help of the team I've got my title.”
   The victory gave Contender boats and Yamaha Outboards something to celebrate about. They too can hang their hats on the Bandit team’s victory.
   There is a great rivalry forming however, between Bandit and the second place team, Lured Away. Albert Vrazel, Bobby Schoenfeld, Elvin “Chico” Chamorro and Sharon Kamp hail from Houston, Texas and have also had an incredible season. The Mercury powered Donzi team probably lost the title in Key West when they failed to capitalize on scaling a good fish. In Fort Pierce they scaled a 40.99 in the weather-delayed event and finished seventh. On to Fourchon where their two-fish aggregate of 86.18 pounds earned them seventh again.
   In Savannah they failed to make the board but had their seven-fish aggregate, 241.48 pounds, going into Little River, South Carolina, the final tour stop.
   On day one they scaled a 25.80 to replace a 22.32. They needed a big fish and got it on the final day, a 52.48, their biggest of the season. It propelled them to second place and the second biggest aggregate ever scored in the 16-year history of the Pros, 273.52. Plus, they picked up the Little River win. Sharon will be our Top Lady Angler in the Pros while Albert becomes our Top Senior Angler.
   There was a lot of speculation that the one of the quad-engine Fountain teams would pick up the title this season. Alden Thornton's Team Hooters had a lot of members talking. The boat was extremely fast, had range, and a Captain who knows how to run boats through four-footers. They were second going into Little River, just five points behind the Bandit, however their drop fish were larger. Even so, everyone knew they were running north to Hatteras with visions of putting a behemoth in the fish box. This threat never materialized but still does not belittle the effort put forth toward their fourth place, 254.74-point finish. Alden, Mike Collins, Dwayne Paugh, David Pennington and Alison Perkins’ biggest king, a 56.29, came in the Fourchon event which they won.
   John Griffin's Line One team had only six fish going into the final event which totaled 233.71, just 25.90 from tying the leader. However they could only drum up a 17-pounder on day one, then bettered that fish by six pounds on day two. Not enough to overcome Bandit and Lured Away. The team of Griffin, Brian Forehand, Tommy Howell, A.D. Register and Tim Eaton scaled a 61.76 in Key West and went on to win that event. They fish a quad Mercury powered Fountain and earned third overall and have earned the respect of the fraternity this season.
   The Kwazar / Wolf team of Marcus Kennedy, Stacy Wester, Jeff McCoy, Tyler Kennedy, Max Williams, Pete Shores and Field Hucks earned fifth for the Yamaha, Contender contingent. They were third after Savannah with 251.03 points but had a 24.51 and a 33.55 drop fish. That’s pretty hard to overcome but they did add to the 25-pounder but that was it for this year. Kennedy and his son Tyler are still considered the ones to beat in the Upper Gulf. Each year they inch closer to the one title Marcus wants to win. It's the crowning touch to any fisherman's legacy. His is full of great wins.
   Jeff and Greg Weathers from South Carolina still have not reached their title goal. However this year they stayed in the hunt right up till the last event, earning sixth. The Mercury powered Contender team named Triple Gobble scored 247.44 points, which in most years would have given them the title. This is a very solid team and is believed to be one of the front runners to capture next year's title. This may be the most consistent team fishing the circuit today!
   Seventh place went to Carl Carder and his “C” Crazy team of Greg Samuel, Paul Paulk, Suzy Carder and Bob Lail from Edgewater, Florida. This is Carl's first year on the tour in his own boat and he did what was expected, earned a top ten berth. He will do the same thing next year but it is expected that a title shot won't take this team more than another year to figure out. They're that good. The team had two nice ones in their seven-fish aggregate, a 47.61 and a 45.89.
   Mike Kaminsky, his wife Susan, Gary and Jimmy Stecki and Jay Robertson made up the Loose Lucy team this year. Mike had a chance to sell his boat early in the season and jumped on it. However, it seemed like it took forever to get his new ride out of the factory. His sub boat in Fort Pierce with the Steckis in charge moved the team up well scaling a 50.50. But not having their own boat plagued the team in Fourchon. The team has all the talent to be number one. An eighth place finish means you have to put them at the top of your list to win next year!
   Scott Elliott should have won it all this year. He and Dave Monda, Jon Pearman, Bobby Matarazzo, Sherry Alessa and Jim Ingalls scaled a 41.66, a 41.59, a 38.76, a 44.00 and a 40.48 through Fourchon. From then on it was all downhill. They just couldn't buy a fish. After Fourchon they were the team to watch, and nearly everyone you talked to agreed. But it didn't happen. But don't grieve too much for them. They still rank in the top five percent of teams fishing today and now have something to prove. That's a very dangerous combination for all the others fishing.
   Rounding out the top ten this year was three-time Angler of the Year, Dave Workman, Jr. His Strike Zone Donzi ended with a 243.04 seven-fish aggregate. Dave, who fishes with Rick Stinson, has been extremely busy with his new tackle center, Strike Zone in Jacksonville, Florida. It is widely known that the popular Pro wants to make another run at the title. Will it happen next season? If he is comfortable with his staff to put forth that extra effort on the road he will achieve another milestone in the annals of king mackerel fishing.
   A rookie team this season, Eric Smith's Comfortably Numb, earned seventeenth place overall however Eric's son Jake picked up the Top Junior Angler honors with a seven-fish aggregate of 231.68. He was followed by Steve Dellane with 222.21 points. Steve is one of the most recognized Junior Anglers on the trail, having won many events and Divisions. Both are from the west coast of Florida.
   Here are some other observations:
   Bob and Susan Woithe were within striking distance again this year, earning 11th. They fish The Reel Won.
   Andy Hinton's Hot Grits team has all the right ammunition to win the title. They picked up 12th this year. This is the third year in a row he has finished near the top. It’s just a matter of time before his team grabs the title.
   Linwood and Brad Clark with Greg Theodorakis picked up 13th this year, a marked improvement.
   Two other teams really did well, Jeff Dunbar's Fish Dancer and Randy Nader's Exterminader. Both are very well respected teams.
   A rookie this year, Kenny Crawford fishing the Bell South Real Yellow Pages boat, earned 16th. Give this team another year and they'll be banging on the number one spot.
   Two new teams, two veterans rounded out the top 20. Eric Smith's Comfortably Numb was 17th while veteran Ken Upton's Team Donzi picked up 18th. They were followed by past National Champion Forrest Taylor's That's My Dog and newcomer Ron Hildum executed well, putting the Sweet Caroline II into 20th.
   The season is over and now all the Pros have to get ready for the Championship. Was it a good season? No, it was a great season. Congratulations to all who participated.

FINAL STANDINGS

1. BANDIT…………………........ 283.14, average 40.45 (New Record)
    Contender/Yamaha
    Ron Mitchell
    Port St. Lucie, Florida
    Curt Johnson
    Justin Burgreen
    David Pendergraft
    Tom Kenney

2.  LURED AWAY................... 273.58, average 39.08
    Donzi/Mercury
    Albert Vrazel
    Houston, Texas
    Bobby Schoenfeld
    Elvin "Chico" Chamorro
    Sharon Kamp

3.  LINE ONE......................... 256.73, average 36.68
    Fountain/Mercury
    John Griffin
    Cedar Point, North Carolina
    Brian Forehand
    Tommy Howell
    A.D. Register
    Tim Eaton

4. TEAM HOOTERS................. 254.74, average 36.39
    Fountain/Mercury
    Alden Thornton
    Morehead City, North Carolina
    Mike Collins
    Dwayne Paugh
    David Pennington
    Alison Perkins

5. KWAZAR/WOLF................ 253.88, average 36.27
    Contender/Yamaha
    Marcus Kennedy
    Mobile, Alabama
    Stacy Wester
    Tyler Kennedy
    Jeff McCoy
    Max Williams
    Pete Shores
    Field Hucks

6.  TRIPLE GOBBLE................ 247.44, average 35.35
    Contender/Mercury
    Jeff Weathers
    Moncks Corner, South Carolina
    Greg Weathers

7.  "C" CRAZY....................... 246.91, average 35.27
    Contender/Yamaha
    Carl Carder
    Edgewater, Florida
    Greg Samuel
    Paul Paulk
    Susy Carder
    Bob Lail

8.  LOOSE LUCY..................... 246.73, average 35.25
    Fountain/Mercury
    Mike Kaminsky
    Charleston, South Carolina
    Gary Stecki
    Susan Kaminsky
    Jimmy Stecki
    Jay Robertson

9.  USE OF PROCEEDS........... 246.39, average 35.20
    Contender/Yamaha
    Scott Elliott
    Bradenton Beach, Florida
    Dave Monda
    Jon Pearman
    Bobby Matarazzo
    Sherry Alessa
    Jim Ingalls

10. STRIKE ZONE.................. 243.04, average 34.72
    Donzi/Mercury
    Dave Workman, Jr.
    Jacksonville, Florida
    Rick Stinson

PROFESSIONAL KINGFISH TOUR

TOP LADY
SHARON KAMP........................ 273.58   LURED AWAY

TOP SENIOR
ALBERT VRAZEL...................... 273.58  LURED AWAY

TOP JUNIOR
JAKE SMITH............................ 231.68 COMFORTABLY NUMB