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SHINGLED OUT WINS TAILWALKER!
Nobles Scales 38-Pound King

by Jack Holmes

Georgetown, South Carolina - Derek Nobles bought a new Class of 23’ Mercury powered Sea Fox boat to fish the trail and won a new Yamaha powered Contender boat in Stuart Ballard's Tailwalker Offshore Challenge. It wasn't an easy task. Nobles and fishing partner Mike Saunders rolled up a big goose egg on Friday but on day two they got down to business.

The duo was fishing five miles out from the jetties in 35 feet of water. “We had caught 15 other kings, all small, then at three o'clock our winning fish ate a menhaden trolled on the surface,” explained Nobles to SKA representative Don Ewing. “Mike picked up the rod and I cleared lines and chased the fish. We got her in the boat, cleaned the decks of equipment and headed for the scales.” This was the team's first big win. What a great way to start the season!

Robert Olsen is not new to winning; he won the Class of 23’ National Championship in 2003. He's starting the Carolina season off with a bang, capturing third in Ballard's tournament with a nice 36.97. He and George Saville ran 50 miles south of Georgetown, a spot he knew no one else would be fishing. “We were in 35 feet of water. It was early, about 9:30, when a double pogy rig on a medium line got smacked. I picked up the rod and within a few minutes also stuck her with the gaff,” said Olsen. The team released four other kings but it was this one that set the stage for the third place finish.

Second, fourth, and fifth place went to non-members.

Rusty Campbell's Half Mine, a Yamaha powered Triton, captured sixth place with a 34.38. Campbell, Mike Davis, Scott Rizer, Allan Smith and Racy Florence made a long run on Friday, 90 miles to the south. “It was a good run, the right choice,” said the experienced Campbell. “We were in 70 feet of water at ten o'clock when she hit a pogy 15 feet down. Scott grabbed the rod and made short order of the fight.” The team released 20 other kings but found none to replace the 34-pounder.

Bruce and Chris Cusack picked up second place honors in the Class of 23’ with their boat, the One Shot. They caught a nice 33.50. “We could only scale a 16-pound king the first day,” Bruce explained. “We ran 13 miles north on day two and fished the beach.” The One Shot's king came in the boat at 9:30 after striking a double pogy rig off a medium line.

A 31-pound king caught at 9 a.m. was good for third place Class money. Jeffrey Mitchell fishing the Bowed Up caught it. He and teammates Matt Preister and Tony Armstrong fished the tide line 25 miles to the north to catch the fish on Saturday. They made a 100-mile run on day one and only could muster up a 15-pounder. That had to be depressing but they rallied and got the job done.

Craig, Todd and John Hoover and Billy Bryan piloted the Blue Runner to eighth place with a 33.62 while Dan Mussman, Frank Clemons and Mark Ballard ran Stuart Ballard's Tailwalker Contender to tenth with a 33.31.

While SKA teams missed four spots in the top ten, they fared better in 11th through 20th places. This was the opening tournament of Division 3 and is by all accounts the tournament others should try to emulate. The meals, fun games and open bars make this event one of the best. Stuart and his staff appreciate all his customers who shop at Tailwalker Marine and this is just a little token of his appreciation. Imagine if all the marine dealers felt this way! My hat is off to you, Stuart.

FINAL STANDINGS TAILWALKER'S OFFSHORE CHALLENGE DIVISION 3:
1.	SHINGLED OUT ••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••	38.14
	Sea Fox/Mercury Derek D. Nobles Mike Saunders Dallas Dellinger Brantly Saunders
2.	What the Helm •••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••	37.02
3.	KNOT @ WORK••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••	36.97
	Sailfish/Yamaha Robert Olsen George Saville
4.	Fishin' Frenzy•••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••	36.27
5.	Sails Pressure ••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••	35.87
6.	HALF MINE ••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••	34.38
	Triton/Yamaha Rusty Campbell Mike Davis Scott Rizer Allan Smith Racy Florence
7.	Ranger••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••	34.30
8.	BLUE RUNNER ••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••	33.62
	Contender/Yamaha Craig Hoover Todd Hoover John Hoover Billy Bryan
9.	ONE SHOT ••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••	33.50
	McKee Craft/Yamaha Bruce Cusack Chris Cusack
10.	TAILWALKER•••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••	33.31
	Cape Horn/Yamaha Don Mussman Frank Clemons Mark Ballard
11.	Agitator••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••	33.25
12.	TEAM WINNERS WORLD ••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••	32.76
	Triton/Mercury Ralph Turner Michael Smith Will McLeod
13.	DR. HOOK••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••	32.52
	Pursuit/Yamaha Bernie Vinoski, Jr. Marsha Vinoski David Hughes Henry Madlinger
14.	Schools Out••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••	31.70
15.	FISHING TOO••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••	31.62
	Contender/Yamaha Darrell Starnes Tyler Neal Bryan Sealy
16.	No Worries••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••	31.44
17.	NAUTI BUOYS••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••	31.32
	Contender/Yamaha Walter Warren Jim Horton Scott Johnson Jake Horton
18.	BOWED UP••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••	31.00
	Grady White/Yamaha Jeffrey Mitchel Matt Preister Tony Armstrong
19.	NOTHIN LIKE IT•••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••	28.93
	Contender/Mercury Ricky Rowell Chad Stewart Nick Rowell Andrew Lathrom Justin Brunko Douglas Buckheister
20.	IN 2 DEEP••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••	28.91
	Sailfish/Yamaha Kevin O'Neale Michael O'Neale Flynn O'Neale

TOP LADY ANGLER:
	Marsha Vinoski •••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••	Dr.Hook
SKA TOP JUNIOR ANGLERS: Presented by Tailwalker Marine:
1.	Jake Horton ••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••	Nauti Bouys
2.	Nick Rowell•••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••	Nothin Like It
3.	Flynn O'Neale•••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••	In 2 Deep

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Southern Kingfish Association, LLC - 15 Garnett Avenue - St. Augustine, FL 32084
Phone 904.819.0360 - Fax 904.819.0331 - E-Mail: sokingfish@aol.com