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more Mercury Trail stories<< AT&T THE REAL YELLOW PAGES WINS AGAIN
Crawford’s Team Takes Home 15 Grand!
by Ian Warner
“After winning the Ancient City tournament the weekend before, I had a really good feeling about catching one more good fish in the Capt. Hap's tournament in the same area where that 53-pounder came from,” related Doreen Fletcher of the AT&T The Real Yellow Pages Team. What’s that old saying about not arguing with women’s intuition? At 9:00 a.m. Doreen was hooked up with the reel screaming. “I knew she was a good one, a definite top five fish,” said Doreen, and she was right again. At the scales Doreen’s big girl topped the leaderboard, and by the conclusion of the second annual Capt. Hap’s Kingfish Bash on the Bluff Captain Kenny Crawford’s AT&T team had done it two weeks in a row! With “good feelings” like that, we’ll have to see who Doreen’s favoring in the Super Bowl this year.
The last-minute decision to fish the event forced the team to make some roster changes, and they brought along Doreen’s daughter Jennifer Lands and her boyfriend Morgan Lawrence. “Jennifer fished Division 5 with us as a Junior Angler so she’s very experienced and Morgan is quickly learning,” said Fletcher. With no check-out the team bought bait and headed out under the cover of darkness.
“We went right back to the same spot we fished last week in Ancient City,” reported Fernandina, Florida’s Captain Kenny Crawford. The 33’ Yamaha powered Contender made short work of the 81-mile run north to Jacksonville Beach, and setting up in 60 feet of water the team soon had a full spread of livies on top with a pair of ribbon fish down below.
The team’s only bite of the day came early, nailing the downrigger bait set at 25 feet, and with the Captain behind the wheel and Jennifer and Morgan clearing lines Doreen went to work. “We got on her quick, and within 10 to 15 minutes she was in the boat,” she reported. With such a good fish in the box the team wisely chose to head back, and they fished the tournament inlet for a time before heading in to weigh.
“After weighing the fish, they said we were in first place. We couldn’t believe it,” continued Doreen. They had just displaced Captain Lee Southard’s 37-pounder on the Just Fish’n, but the excitement wasn’t over, there were more big kings on the way. “It was a nail-biter! We were very nervous as each boat brought in their fish. Jerry Carter on the Reel Quick brought in a 38.03-pounder at the very end which just about gave us a heart attack, the fish were nearly identical.”
But when all was said and done the AT&T The Real Yellow Pages team’s 39.75-pound king stood atop the leaderboard. The team had just won their second tournament in as many weeks, this time to the tune of a $15,000 payday. “And the Lady Angler pendant made by Silverstar is absolutely exquisite,” said Doreen of her Top Lady Angler prize. If Crawford and his team can capitalize on this streak and keep the momentum going in Golden Isles, look for them to make a big jump up the Professional rankings. They currently have an open slot to fill and a teenage drop-fish, and they definitely have the ability to shake up the standings!
Jacksonville, Florida’s Reel Quick team knows how to land big kings in Georgia’s waters, last year the Carters won the Golden Isle event with a 47.85 king. This year Captain Jerry Carter’s 38.03-pounder was good for second place honors and a brand new Mercury 225 hp OptiMax. Attributing his decision to some good local information, Captain Carter headed the 33’ Mercury powered Contender to the Red Tops for the day’s fishing.
The Reel Quick worked an area at a depth of 45 feet, and they reported a fairly successful day of it, catching and releasing five small kings before their big one struck. At 1:30 a blue runner on the long line was the bait of choice, and the team’s biggest king of the year found himself on the business end of Jerry’s rod. Jim Thomas maneuvered the Contender while Jerry Carter got the gaff in place, and with a quick flash of steel the fight was over. “It was an 85-mile run back to the scale, so we headed out,” reported Captain Carter. Arriving mid-weigh-in, the Reel Quick knocked the Just Fish’n down another spot, earning that great new Mercury engine.
Captain Lee Southard’s Just Fish’n team was one of the first to weigh, and while their 37-pounder was dropped a total of three times, it could not be bested further and held at third place overall. Hailing from Richmond Hill, Georgia, Captain Southard and his team of Tracy Shaw, Mike McGaughey and Rocky Mallard had pre-fished and secured bait on Friday, and the plan was to head to the J Buoy. Trolling in 70 feet of water the team had a fairly slow day, noting two small kings in addition to their big 37-pound king that hit at 9:30. Tracy Shaw was the angler of the day for the team as he expertly worked the fish to the side of the 22’ Mako powered Suzuki and Rocky’s waiting gaff.
The Just Fishin’ team is looking great for the year, they just took a second place finish at Two Way and are currently sitting at the top of the Division’s Class of 23’ standings by nearly nine pounds. In fact, the Just Fishin’s 85.51 three-fish aggregate tops the Open Class for some added bragging rights. With just one event to go, Southard and his team have a great shot at the title.
The Playground got their first points of the Division in a big way, scaling a 34.13-pounder for fourth place. Captain Joe and Guerry Greenwood and Tony and Guerry Reagan fish a 25’ Yamaha powered Mako, and the team made a 52-mile run to the R-2 for that king. “We had a very hard time getting bait, so we went to ribbon fish,” reported the Captain. Trolling in 81 feet of water a ribbon fish worked just fine at 2:00 when it was snatched 30 feet below the surface. Guerry Greenwood stepped up to the plate, and he patiently worked the 34-pounder to Captain Greenwood’s boat and dangling gaff.
A slow day overall, The Playground team only found one other king, and with the difficulty securing bait, who on the team would have thought they just earned their best finish in seven years of SKA fishing? It just goes to show: Never quit digging!
Captain Ken Murray’s Backlash team rounds out the top five with a 32.75-pounder. “We had to work hard for bait,” reported the Captain, and after an early delay the team had their 31’ Yamaha powered Yellowfin racing to Gray’s Reef. Captain Murray was joined by Mike Blackerby, Scott Donovan and Ken Murray for the event, and the team reported only two bites throughout the day.
Trolling in 65 feet of water on the south side of the reef the Backlash’s big bite came at 10:00 when a pogy in the prop wash was stolen. With Blackerby performing angling duties and Ken Murray manning the gaff the team smoothly worked the king to the gaff and the waiting ice box.
That 32-pounder earned fifth overall, and perhaps more importantly provided a big boost to the Backlash standings, shooting the team up to first place in the Open Class. With a six-pound cushion and a 16-pound drop fish look for Murray and crew to fish hard to bring the title back to Brunswick, Georgia.
Gray Beard took the seventh position with a 26.15-pounder. Captain Jim Wilson’s Yamaha powered Grady White team hails from Amelia Island, Florida, and includes George Lannon and Bob Caster. Captain Blake Merrill’s Yank ‘Em is up next in eighth place. Captain Merrill, Trevor Holland, Ryan Waters and Sutton Biletzskov fish a 25’ Yamaha powered Contender out of St. Simons Island, Georgia, and they landed a 25.06-pounder.
The Spaniard landed a ninth place 24.84 to jump up the Open Class standings to third place. Captain Clinton Fonseca, Dan DeYoung, Jason Jue and Jim Durham fish a 31’ Yamaha powered Contender, and sit less than eight pounds out of first with a great 15-pound drop-fish. You know they’ll be fishing hard in the last event!
Captain Mike Hinely’s Miss D rounds out the top ten with a 24.36-pounder. Captain Mike, Bo and Cody Hinely and Tommy and Kelly Waddell fished their 23’ Mercury powered Pro-Line out of Savannah, Georgia.
Captain Patrick Barger’s Swift Mortgage team led the Class of 23’ charge in Darien, weighing a 37.20 king to just barely edge out Just Fishin’s 37-pounder. “On Friday we had pre-fished north of Gray’s Reef,” reported the Captain, “so we headed right back there on Saturday, armed with good bait.”
The Swift Mortgage team also experienced a slow bite on Saturday, hooking and releasing only one other king the whole day. The slow day was quickly forgotten, however, when while trolling in 60 feet of water a blue runner on the long line started the reel screaming. Captain Barger grabbed the rod and brought the king to the side of the 23’ Yamaha powered Contender in short order for such a large king.
That 37-pounder meant a colossal jump up the standings for Barger’s team, they now sit in fourth in Class with 62.96 pounds. While the team is 23 pounds out of first, they have a 10-pound drop fish and could conceivably come from behind for the sleeper title shot of the year.
The King Seeker, Captain Cal Lang, Jr.’s 23’ Yamaha powered Bluewater team, took second place in the Class of 23’ with a 28.89-pounder. Hailing from St. Marys, Georgia, Captain Lang was joined by family members Tripp, Lisa and David Lang for the team’s best finish to date.
“We had pre-fished and found some right at Gray’s Reef,” reported the Captain, and that’s where they headed. With all the other boats in the area, the King Seeker team knew they were going to have to dig, and when three o’clock approached with no king they knew they were not doing well. Finally, while trolling in 62 feet of water a runner 45 feet down was hit, and the fight was on with Tripp on the rod. Time was ticking and Captain Cal finished the fight with a clean gaff shot and jumped the Bluewater on plane for the 39-mile run back to the scale.
That 28-pounder puts the King Seeker less than nine pounds out of first headed to the Divisional ender. It also places Lisa in the lead in the Lady Angler race with a six-pound cushion. With a 22-pound drop-fish, it’s a safe bet the Lang family will be digging even deeper in the Golden Isles.
It’s certainly shaping up to be an exciting Divisional finale at this year’s Golden Isles Kingfish Classic. It’s down to the wire for many, and while the Class leaders each have an eight and nine pound lead to work with, there are plenty of hungry teams within striking distance with a great king. Titles will be won the first weekend of August, keep reading Angler for all the exciting results!
Final Standings
Captain Hap’s Kingfish Bash on the Bluff
Darien, Georgia
Division 4: |
| 1. |
AT&T THE REAL YELLOW PAGES•••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••• |
39.75 |
| Contender/Yamaha
Kenny Crawford
Doreen Fletcher
|
| 2. |
REEL QUICK•••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••• |
38.03 |
| Contender/Mercury
Jerry W. Carter
Jim Thomas
Jeremy Carter
|
| 3. |
JUST FISH’N•••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••• |
37.00 |
| Mako/Suzuki
Lee Southeard
Rocky Mallard
Tracy Shaw
Mike McGaughey
|
| 4. |
THE PLAYGROUND •••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••• |
34.13 |
| Mako/Yamaha
Joe Greenwood
Tony Reagan
Guerry Greenwood
Guerry Reagan
|
| 5. |
BACKLASH •••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••• |
32.57 |
| Yellowfin/Yamaha
Ken Murray
Cliff Murray
Mike Blackerby
Scott Donovan
|
| 6. |
Backsight •••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••• |
27.39 |
| 7. |
GRAY BEARD •••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••• |
26.15 |
| Grady White/Yamaha
Jim Wilson
George Lannon
Bob Caster
|
| 8. |
YANK ‘EM •••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••• |
25.06 |
| Contender/Yamaha
Blake Merrill
Trevor Holland
Ryan Waters
Sutton Biletzskov
|
| 9. |
SPANIARD•••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••• |
24.84 |
| Contender/Yamaha
Clinton Fonseca
Dan DeYoung
Jason Jue
Jim Durham
|
| 10. |
MISS D•••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••• |
24.36 |
| Pro Line/Mercury
Mike Hinely
Bo Hinely
Cody Hinely
Tommy Waddell
Kelly Waddell
|
Class of 23’: |
| 1. |
SWIFT MORTGAGE ••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••• |
37.20 |
| Contender/Yamaha
Patrick Barger
|
| 2. |
KING SEEKER•••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••• |
28.89 |
| Bluewater/Yamaha
Cal Lang, Jr.
Tripp Lang
Lisa Lang
David Lang
|
| 3. |
DOUBLE DEUCES ••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••• |
28.52 |
| Aquasport/Evinrude
James Karwacki
Michael Karwacki
Lauren Karwacki
Randy Newbury
John Oddy
|
| 4. |
DOUBLE TROUBLE•••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••• |
25.15 |
| Sea Hunt/Yamaha
Jason Owens
Wiley Merriman
Robert Karwacki
Johnathan Rozier
Don Rozier
|
| 5. |
3 Brothers Fishing Team••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••• | 24.32 |
SKA Top Junior Anglers
Presented by Hickor Bluff Marine: |
| 1. |
Michael Karwacki••••••••••••••••• |
Double Deuces |
| 2. |
Cole Hunt•••••••••••••••••••••••••• | Big Nasty |
| 3. |
Josh & Will Owens ••••••••••••••• | Jet Lag |
SKA Top Lady Angler: |
|
Doreen Fletcher••••••••••••••••••• |
AT&T The Real Yellow Pages |
|
