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KNOT ME TOPS SARASOTA TWO YEARS IN A ROW!
Hasson Wins New 21 Yamaha Powered Contender

by Ian Warner

Sarasota, Florida - The 13th Annual Contender Yamaha Loadmaster Suncoast Kingfish Classic marked the end of 2007s Division 11 competition in southwestern Florida. Held April 20th through the 22nd, 89 teams arrived at the Sarasota Cay Club on Friday for the Captains meeting and their chance to win the beautiful new 21 Yamaha powered Contender on a Loadmaster trailer. In fine Division 11 fashion 15 to 25 mph winds and three- to five-footers greeted anglers on Saturday, but the seas calmed down to a manageable two- to four-foot chop for Sundays fishing. Thats the day Captain Brian Hasson and the Knot Me team reeled in a 42.27-pounder to top the Leaderboard and win the Suncoast KFC.

Well, with no fish on Saturday and the boat problems we were having we really thought Sunday was going to be a wash, reported Hasson. But the team managed to find a 29 Yamaha powered Intrepid to function as a sub-boat, and Captain Brian and Bill Hasson and Jason Gell were back out fishing hard on the final day. Hasson reported a very slow bite, and after a long, unproductive day the team made a move to the Long Boat Key at 2:30. We were about a half-mile off the shore, 15 miles from the scale, in very clear water with a lot of bait around, said Hasson. However, in spite of perfect conditions, the Knot Mes trolled bait spread remained unmolested over the course of the next hour.

With the seconds ticking away a lady fish in the prop wash was finally nailed while trolling in 20 feet of water. The Captain grabbed the rod and quickly fought the king to the side of the Intrepid. We just put a fast gaff to her and raced to the scale, said Hasson.

An incredible last-minute fish, the Knot Mes king proved to weigh 42.27 pounds, topping previous leader Re-Cooperating by an even five pounds. This is the second year in a row that Hassons Knot Me has won this event, he took top honors in 2006 with a 39.10 and took home last years 21 Yamaha powered Contender as well. Thats consistency! In addition, that 42-pounder also served to qualify the Knot Me for Nationals in both the Open Class and the Class of 23 as the team was fishing that 29 Intrepid sub-boat. For the complete story on the Division 11 race and the final standings, check out the wrap-up in this issue.

Fresh off a second place finish in Naples, Captain J. Cooper Cordin and the Re-Cooperating team landed a 37.27-pounder to take second place in Sarasota. Captain Cordin fishes a 36 Mercury powered Yellowfin, and was joined by George Atkinson and Doug Newell for the event. Being from Naples we went back home to fish, said Cordin. After a 152-mile run we set up at a spot called the Tool Box, about 42 miles off Marco Island.

The Re-Cooperatings big king came at 11:20, hitting a blue runner on the long line. Doug Newell was quickest to the rod and soon had the 37-pounder safely in the boat. We put her in the bag and made the long run back to the scale, continued Cordin. Their 37-pounder held the board for the rest of the day, but Knot Mes big 42-pounder knocked Cordin and company down to second place.

Naples, Floridas Captain P.J. Myers and the Triple J team caught two good kings. The team started with a 29.10-pounder on Saturday, then backed it up with a 36.10 on Sunday to take third place honors. We went back home to Naples both days, recalled Myers at the awards ceremony. Today we ran 82 miles southwest to a spot called the Camel Monkey. At 1:05 a ribbon fish set 39 feet down in 110 feet of water was hit, and Jeff Smith stepped up to the plate while Keith Mangus cleared the remaining lines. Once the 36-pounder was on the deck the decision to head back to the scales was quickly reached, and Myers had the 36 Mercury powered Yellowfin on plane to Sarasota.

Captain Vic Vazquez and the Midnight Madness team reeled in a 35.63-pounder to take fourth place, Top Junior Angler honors, and Division 11s Open Class title! Another Naples team, Vazquez and his crew of John, Mike, Nicholas and Michael Guitard and Sean Morton headed the 39 Yamaha powered Midnight Express southward to familiar waters both days. The Midnight Madness could only find one small fish on Saturday, but Sunday proved to pay off for the team. We ran 149 miles to the T Tower and set up in 78 feet of water, reported Vazquez.

After a slow morning the Midnight Madness finally had their ticket called when a Spanish mackerel in the prop wash was snatched. Knowing the Open Class title was on the line Captain Vazquez grabbed the rod himself and made short work of the 35-pounder. With a long ride back to the scale we started our ride north, hoping to win the Division, reported Vazquez. The teams dream turned reality as that 35-pound king propelled them to the top of the Open Class by over five pounds. Congratulations, guys.

The Digestible, Captain Jerry Stephensons team, rounds out the top five with a 32-pound king. Captain Jerry, Sarah and Tommy Stephenson and Mark and Rhonda Wicker fish a 36 Yamaha powered Contender out of Ft. Myers Beach, Florida, and started the event with a goose egg after fishing to the north on Saturday. Switching plans on Sunday Stephenson and crew ran 112 miles southwest to a piece of hardbottom south of Ft. Myers. They found a hungry king early, a blue runner on the downrigger set at 36 feet was the enticement, and at 10:00 Captain Stephenson was already boating the fifth place fish.

The Digestible stuck it out for the rest of the day, trying to beat that first fish, but it was not to be as three small kings were all the team could hook up. At the scales their king went 32.27 pounds, securing the fifth position as well as naming Sarah Stephenson and Rhonda Wicker the tournaments Top Lady Anglers and earning Tommy Stephenson second place Junior Angler status.

Sixth place and top Class of 23 honors went to Captain Todd Parrish and the Top Down team. Captain Todd and Ryan Parrish and Jeffri Durrance fish a 23 Mercury powered Triton out of Sarasota. On Saturday the team could only find small kings, and set out on Sunday with the intent of fishing the Tampa Bay channel. The area was partially successful for the team; they found four kings, but they were all on the small side. We decided to pick up lines and run to a spot of hardbottom off New Pass, about 15 miles from the scale, reported Parrish.

With an empty fishbox and time running out things were looking dire. We were thinking it was all over when a blue runner 15 feet down was hit at 3:45, continued Parrish. Durrance was the angler of the hour as he worked the 31-pounder to the side of the Triton, and the Top Down was throttle down to the scales. 31.34 pounds was the final verdict, and Parrishs Top Down took the Class crown for the event.

Miami, Floridas Captain Rick Maloney and the Knot 4 Sail team picked up seventh place honors with a 29.12-pound king. Captain Maloney was joined by Mike Bates, Mike Ryan, Doug Sawyer and John Travaline on the 33 Yamaha powered Contender.

The Wiltshire Fishing Team picked up eighth place overall and second place Class of 23 honors with a 28.46-pounder. Naples, Floridas Andrew E. Gunn and Will Geraghty fish a Yamaha powered Contender 23T, and like many Naples teams chose to make the trip south. With no fish from Saturday we decided to make the run home to Naples on Sunday, said Gunn. After the 151-mile run the team hopped from spot to spot, but had nothing to show for it with noon approaching.

We decided to make a move to the Hummer, continued Gunn. Deploying their spread of bait the team was rewarded at 12:15 when a blue runner with a purple Turbo Rattler was nailed. With the Captain on the wheel and Geraghty on the rod the team soon had their king iced down and packed up. We put her in the bag and made the run back north hoping this fish would be heavy enough to take the Division, smiled Gunn. It was down to the wire, but that last king positioned the Wiltshire Fishing Team at the top of Division 11s Class of 23 standings in addition to eighth place in the event and the Class bonus money. Great job, guys.

Captain Mike Rinaldo and the Never-E-Nuff team are up next, ninth place with a 27.45-pounder. Captain Rinaldo and his team of Spencer Bass, James Heinbaugh and Kent Allen fish a 31 Yamaha powered Contender out of Englewood, Florida. The Buggin Out rounds out the top ten with a 26.67. Captain Glenn Gee, Scott Toedman, Aaron Bishop and Mel Stowe fish a 31 Yamaha powered Contender out of Bradenton, Florida.

The 13th Annual Contender Yamaha Loadmaster Suncoast Kingfish Classic is a great way to end the Division 11 leg of the Mercury Tournament Trail. Anglers reported that the event was efficiently executed and generally very well run. Another Division 11 year is in the books, for those of you that missed out on the action first hand be sure to read the wrap-up in this issue of Angler.