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more Mercury Trail stories<< FOUR SUNS II DOMINATE TWO WAY!
Gressette Lands 44-Pounder in Brunswick
by Ian Warner
Over 120 boats arrived at the 19th Annual Two Way Sportfishing Club’s Kingfish Tournament this June 15th and 16th, each team eager to get a shot at the new Wellcraft boat with Yamaha outboard and Loadmaster trailer being given away as the grand prize. With one Georgia event in the books, some Division 4 teams like the Double J were looking to lengthen their lead, while others, like Captain Billy Gressette and the Four Suns II team, needed their first fish of the year to get in the race.
“We had a really busy day on the water,” related Captain Billy Gressette. “In the course of the day we caught a sailfish, an amber jack, two wahoo and three kings.” He and his team Doug and Harry Gressette and Brandon Long had quite a day of it, especially with the first wahoo. “He really got us excited. We were in the middle of releasing a small king when the prop wash bait got hit,” continued Captain Gressette. “I really thought the reel was going to explode. Brandon worked the fish for 45 minutes before we got to see the 40-pound wahoo.”
“But the fish of the day waited to the very end, and could not have been any more exciting,” continued Gressette. He and the Four Suns II team were set up in 120 feet of water and time was dwindling. “We had 45 minutes to fish and decided to forget all the flat lines and focus on the downriggers.” With Brandon on the starboard and Harry on the port downrigger, Harry was just making the final adjustment to the drag on the reel when he noticed the line moving and quickly wound up the slack.
“The king immediately scorched the rod. We knew we had a good fish,” recalled Captain Gressette. With Harry on the rod, Brandon maneuvered the boat while Billy and Doug got the remaining downrigger clear. The big king made several characteristically long runs before ending the battle near the Mercury powered Yellowfin with a lot of head shaking. “After 25 minutes of battle, the 40-pound fish rolled up on her side, allowing for easy work with the gaff. Brandon quickly aided me in hauling the fish over the gunnel,” said Gressette.
At the scales the Four Suns II team found that the initial 40-pound estimate was a tad shy as their king tipped the scale to 44.24 pounds, easily knocking The Spaniard’s 34-pounder down to second place, and awarding Captain Gressette and his team the grand prize Wellcraft boat with Evinrude motor and Loadmaster trailer valued at $18,000.
“The only thing that could have made the trip better was if our father, Doug Gressette, could have been on the boat to enjoy the excitement. That would have been a great Father’s Day gift,” said Billy Gressette. “We’d like to thank the SKA, Captain Rick Smith and the crew at Two Way for putting on a great tournament, and our sponsors Yellowfin and Mercury for their continued support in our team. We would also like to thank everyone who helped us; I could never list all of them.”
Captain Clinton Fonseca and his team on The Spaniard arrived at the scales at 4:30 with a 34.57 to top the leaderboard, only to get knocked down by the Four Suns II’s big 44-pounder. Captain Fonseca and his team of Dan De Young, Jason Jue, Jim Durham and Scott Weeks made a 25-mile run to fish just west of Gray’s Reef. “It was a little rough on the ride out, we were headed straight into the waves, but the Contender and Yamahas worked great,” reported Fonseca. Setting up in 55 feet of water at 9 a.m., the team had a two hour wait until their big fish of the day came calling at 11 o’clock.
“He came right before the major feed started at 11 o’clock,” reported Fonseca, “and he burned that reel really hard.” With the Captain on the rod the rest of The Spaniard’s crew cleared the lines while Dan De Young readied the gaff. Captain Fonseca didn’t waste any time with the king, and the team had the fish in the box in less than 15 minutes. With the bite just starting the team remained in the area, but could not better that 34-pounder.
Riding the bubble at the docks The Spaniard team had that proverbial bubble burst when they watched Captain Gressette arrive with his big 44-pounder, but this team wouldn’t let their enthusiasm be contained. “We’re hoping to roll this momentum forward,” continued Fonseca, who will be fishing the rest of the Georgia events in the team’s quest for Division 4 domination.
Sea-N-Double, Captain Jim Mason’s Yamaha powered Contender team, had an incredible day on the water, landing two 30-pounders, the largest of the pair weighing in at 34.50 pounds to earn the third berth. Jim and his team of Tim and Billy Mason and Brad Hooks decided to fish 35 miles due east of the scales, and set up at a depth of 90 feet. Through the day the Sea-N-Double experienced a fairly productive bite, hooking up half a dozen kings, with the money-fish hitting a hard tail on the long line at 10:00. Brad Hooks took up angling duties while the Captain navigated the boat and Billy cleared the lines. “She made a long, long initial run, and then another short run before we got her close to the boat. Brad almost had her in range of Tim’s gaff, but then she dived straight down and when she came up she was tail-wrapped,” related Captain Mason. If was a tense few moments for the team, but Brad managed to get the thrashing fish close enough to Tim to seal the deal in under ten minutes.
The Sea-N-Double kept on digging, searching for an obvious tournament-winner, and got close with another low 30s king. “She would have taken third by herself if we hadn’t gotten that 34.50,” said Mason. A great weekend for the team, those 34 points propelled the Sea-N-Double to the top of the Open Class standings. “I don’t know how long it will last, we’ll see at St. Mary’s,” said Mason. Don’t let that modesty fool you, this team took third place in the Division in the Class of 23’ in 2005, and after fishing a light tournament circuit last year are leading the Open Class, quite an accomplishment.
The next team up is the Nette One, Captain Jimmy Bruner’s 23’ Yamaha powered Contender, with a 29.45-pounder to take top honors in the Class of 23’. “It was very rough going out. Between getting bait and the long run it took three hours to get to our spot,” reported the Captain. The team of Bruner, Daniel and Amanda Dowdy, Drew Thomas and Jeff Biser fished the R2 area, approximately 50 miles from the scales.
After the rough ride the Nette One team had a real morale booster when a hard tail on the long line was hit almost immediately after setting up shop. With Amanda on the rod the Captain maneuvered the boat while Jeff got the gaff out and Daniel and Drew cleared lines. “We knew it was a good fish from the initial run, but we managed to get right on top of her,” reported Bruner, who estimated the team had the king in the boat in ten minutes.
The Nette One continued fishing and had a very respectable day on the water, with Junior Angler Daniel Dowdy reeling in a 26-pound fish for the Junior competition, and the team scoring another three kings in the low 20s. At the scale their 29.45-pounder would prove to top Southbound’s king by less than three-tenths of a pound, earning the team their first Class victory and their best SKA finish to date. “I’d just like to thank Wiregrass Designs, Costal Cabinet Distribution and Hickory Bluff Marina for their continued support,” said a happy Bruner after the awards ceremony.
2006’s Division 4 Class Champions, Captain Lon Bryan and the Southbound team, hooked a 29.16-pounder to take fourth place honors. Captain Bryan headed his 23’ Yamaha powered Contender to his favorite spot, the Elton Bottom, and the team had a good day on the water, hooking and releasing at least 15 kings in the low 20s throughout the day.
“We fished the same bait mark for literally five hours,” reported Bryan, “but the perseverance paid off.” The team’s patience was rewarded at 1:45 when a ribbonfish on the downrigger was snatched, and Tyler Eicholz grabbed the rod while Andy Miska cleared lines and Ryan Keith readied the gaff. “That’s our system. I was behind the wheel. That’s pretty much where I am most of the time,” said Bryan. What’s the saying? “If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it”? The Southbound’s three-fish 101.70 aggregate beat all of Division 4 last year, both the Class of 23’ and the Open Class, so it’s safe to say Bryan and his team should stick to their system.
“If we can with the Division again it will be a great year for us,” stated Bryan. Southbound is currently sitting in second with the highest one-fish total in the Class of 23’, it looks like the team is on their way again!
Captain Inman Coleman’s Sea Quail team rounds out the top five with a 29.08-pound king. “It got a little nasty in the morning,” reported Captain Coleman, “and we broke our trim tabs so we couldn’t check some of our spots.” However, it turned out to be a fortunate turn of events for the team of Inman and Daniel Coleman, Jack Parker, and Tommy, Perry and Sonya Lane, as that 29-pounder hit a blue runner on the long line at 1:30 while fishing their substitute spot.
“Usually our Junior or Lady Angler does the fighting,” explained Coleman, “but they had been fighting fish all day, so they asked me to take a turn.” Daniel and Sonya missed out; Inman had a great fish on the line, although it didn’t appear so at first. “I really didn’t think he was that big from the way he ran,” said Coleman, who reappraised his opinion once he got an eye on the fish. “He was long! If he had been fat he would have been 40 pounds.”
Heading the 27’ Evinrude powered Pro-Line back to the docks the Sea Quail led the leaderboard at 4:15 before being dropped four spots. Their first fish of the Division, the Sea Quail is sitting in 11th and has a great shot at qualifying for the big show this year.
The next five teams all slid into qualifying positions with their Two Way kings. Captain Bill Bufler and Scott Harding teamed on the Strike 2, a Mercury powered Fountain, for sixth place with a 28.76. Captain Mike Reed and the Yamaha powered Contender team, the Saltrageous, scaled a 28.51 for seventh. Next up is another Yamaha powered Contender, Captain Colby Harris’ Bullet Proof, with a 26.96-pounder. Captain Steve Taylor fished his Yamaha powered Grady White, the Taylormade, into a ninth place berth with a 26.71. Finally, Captain Ashley Thompson and the Katastrophic team round out the top ten with a 26.09. After a 17-pounder in Sapelo, the Katastrophic sits in fifth place in the Division.
With the Division 4 race just starting to take shape, the St. Mary’s event will be a true proving ground for these Georgia teams. With Sea-N-Double in the Open Class lead by less than two pounds, Mason and his team are going to be working hard to score some big kings and erase their 15-pound potential drop-fish. In the Class race, Derek Meadows’ Cash Money has a strong lead, one of the few Class teams with two fish so far, but you know he’s looking over his shoulder to watch how quickly Bryan and the Southbound team catch up. With three events to go its still wide open, look for these Division 4 teams to take it to kings at St. Mary’s this June.
|
Two Way Final Standings: |
| 1. |
FOUR SUNS II•••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••• |
44.24 |
| Yellowfin/Mercury
Billy Gressette
Harry Gressette
Brandon Long
|
| 2. |
THE SPANIARD•••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••• |
34.57 |
| Contender/Yamaha
Clinton Fonseca
Dan De Young
Jason Jue
Jim Durham
Scott Weeks
|
| 3. |
SEA-N-DOUBLE•••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••• |
34.50 |
| Contender/Yamaha
Jim Mason
Tim Mason
Billy Mason
Brad Hooks
|
| 4. |
SOUTHBOUND•••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••• |
29.16 |
| Contender/Yamaha
Lon Bryan
Ryan Keith
Tyler Eicholz
Andy Miska
|
| 5. |
SEA QUAIL•••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••• |
29.08 |
| Pro Line/Evinrude
Inman Coleman
Tommy Lane
Daniel Coleman
Jack Parker
Perry Lane
Sonya Lane
|
| 6. |
STRIKE 2•••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••• | 28.76 |
| Fountain/Mercury
Bill Bufler
Scott Harding
|
| 7. |
SALTRAGEOUS•••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••• |
28.51 |
| Contender/Yamaha
Mike Reed
Gregg Howarter
Sam Roach
|
| 8. |
BULLET PROOF•••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••• |
26.96 |
| Contender/Yamaha
Colby Harris
Jarred Wilder
Ty Swindell
Warren Collier
|
| 9. |
TAYLORMADE•••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••• |
26.71 |
| Grady White/Yamaha
Steve Taylor
S.D. Harrison
|
| 10. |
KATASTROPHIC••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••• |
26.09 |
| Pro Kat/Yamaha
Ashley Thompson
Missy Thompson
Donnie Newman
|
Class of 23’: |
| 1. |
NETTE ONE••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••• |
29.45 |
| Contender/Yamaha
Jimmy Bruner
Amanda Dowdy
Drew Thomas
Daniel Dowdy
Jeff Biser
|
| 2. |
JUST FISHIN•••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••• |
25.89 |
| Mako/Suzuki
Lee Southard
Tracy Shaw
Rocky Mallard
|
| 3. |
KING SEEKER•••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••• |
25.61 |
| Bluewater/Yamaha
Cal Lang
Lisa Lang
Tripp Lang
|
Top Lady Angler: |
| Amanda Dowdy••••••••••••••••••••••••• |
Nette One |
SKA Top Junior Anglers
Presented by Hickory Bluff Marine: |
| 1. |
Daniel Dowdy ••••••••••••••••••••••••••• | Nette One |
| 2. |
Daniel Coleman ••••••••••••••••••••••••• | Sea Quail |
| 3. |
Dawson Covington •••••••••••••••••••••• | Reel Dawg |
|
