Check out our incredible junior angler essays! (in alphabetical order)

Morgan Domeyer - Choppy

My name is Morgan Domeyer. I am 10 years old and I just completed my second season fishing Southern Kingfish Association tournaments. I fish in Division 10 aboard Choppy. If you ask me what it means to be a member of the SKA, I would say that it means spending time with my dad and friends, learning about the ocean, supporting charities and friendly competition. Being a member of the SKA means spending time with my dad and friends. I think that spending time with my family and friends really matters. I will always remember the time I have spent on the ocean with my dad. When I fish a tournament, my dad and friends are always with me and that’s what I like. They are good to spend time with because they make sure that I stay safe and have fun. I think that fishing is fun, but when my friends and family are together it makes fishing even more fun. My second reason would be learning about the ocean. For example, my dad and teammates are always teaching me little facts about the ocean and the animals that live in it. I have learned about the different types of fish and what they like to eat. I have also learned about conservation, like leaving the small fish and fish we won’t eat in the ocean so that they have a chance to grow up. Another reason that I like being a member of the SKA is that we support charities. For example, part of the money that is raised at the tournaments goes to charities for groups that need our help and money. So, almost every time you spend money at the tournaments it goes to charity. I think that the money that is spent on food, drinks and raffle tickets goes to charities. At some of the tournaments, I even get to donate my fish to charity. Finally, I love being a member of the SKA because I love competition. It’s fun to go out and do your best and hope that you can get an award. I especially love competing in fishing tournaments because when I do well, it shows other girls that fishing isn’t just for boys. As you can see, I really enjoy being a member of the Southern Kingfish Association. I hope to compete in SKA events for many more years.

Doc Massey - Hotspot

Hi, my name is Doc Massey, I am eleven years old and I am the junior angler on the Hot Spot fishing team. I have fished with my Dad, Cameron Mattingly, Tiger Roraback, and Ben Carter for four years. It has been so much fun learning how to tie rigs, work lines, and run the boat. For example my Dad took Cameron and I out to pre fish before a tournament and I got to learn how to work lines, run the boat, and a little bit about tying rigs. Over the four years that we have fished as a team we have been in two different boats, and have had many different sponsors. We have only won a few tournaments but it’s not all about the winning it’s about having fun. The two tournaments that we have won have been the Captain Haps two years in a row. Right now our biggest sponsor is Powerade brought to us by Coca - Cola. If we go, it will be our third year that we have competed at nationals and we are hoping for somewhere in the high rankings. Over the years it has been a really fun experience fishing with these guys and I hope that it will continue on with the next generation of fishermen,especially Ben and Cameron's kids. I have placed first, second, and third in many of the junior angler tournaments. The biggest kingfish our team has ever caught was a 46.71 pound kingfish. My favorite part about fishing in the tournaments is that when you have a big fish on it is exciting to see what it is when it comes up to the boat. Now, I know I said the biggest kingfish we have ever caught was a 46.71 pound king fish but the biggest “fish” we have ever caught was a six hundred pound Tiger shark. I think one of the funniest parts of fishing in the SKA is the captains meetings, it is so fun watching everybody walk around and be so secretive about where they’re going the next day, especially since we are the rookies and there are many other teams helping us find the fish. Last year when we won the Captain Haps tournament the morning of the tournament when we went out to get bait we threw the net one time and filled the boat with Pogies.. After that we went to the Jacksonville pier, put out lines and waited for the fish to hit. After an hour or so we decided to pack up and go to a different spot but right as we were about to pull in the lines we received a text from a friend that said that we should just give it some time, and sure enough about ten minutes after we got the text we caught the 45 pound king fish and we knew then and there that we were going to the weigh in. I hope that you have enjoyed hearing about my life fishing in the SKA.Seth McCullers - BoneheadThere are three very important things in my life. They are family, friends, and fishing. The Southern Kingfish Association has allowed me to enjoy all three of these at the same time. I get to be with family while fishing with friends. However, the most important of these three is my family. Family is at the top of my list because my dad took me on my very first fishing trip back in June at the Two Way Sportfishing Club tournament. I finished as top junior angler and received a plaque from the SKA! My dad has shown me how to bait and catch a King fish while staying safe on the boat. He is patient and teaches me about different fish and how to catch them. He has helped me become part of the team as well as help me to make new friends. I have made many friendships through fishing. Although I am the youngest member on the team, I am friends with the other guys on the boat too. They included me in on their jokes and they always make sure that I have a good time. All of them, as well as my dad, have helped me learn how to be a good fisherman and a good sport. Learning how to be a good fisherman has been so incredibly fun! Now my favorite part of going offshore is Fishing! When I catch a big fish it is a feeling like no other. The best part is when that line starts screaming and you have a fish on. I enjoy the chance to fight the King once it has taken the bait. I have also caught fish that I honestly didn’t even know what they were. It didn’t matter because I had such a blast. Fishing has taught me a lot in general and about myself. It’s not always easy to wake up super early, but it’s definitely worth it! I can only hope that I have explained what the SKA has meant to me and the experiences the tournament trail has given to me. Family, friends, and fishing are very important to me. We had a great season with a lot of jokes, fun, and plenty of fish caught. Fishing isn’t always easy and you may not catch the biggest King, but as long as you are with your family and friends then it is a great day to be on the ocean!

Jett and Chase Perry - Choppy

Hello, we are Jett and Chase Perry. We fish aboard Team Choppy in division 10. We have a 31 foot Contender powered by twin Yamaha 300’s. Choppy Fishing Team is a team that competes in the Southern Kingfish Association (SKA). We fish tournaments all around the state of Florida. Fishing in the SKA has given us the opportunity of a lifetime. One of our favorite reasons about being in the SKA is to travel to new places. In January 2015, we fished the Stock Island King Mackerel Tournament in Key West and it was a trip we will never forget. The fishery down there was incredible and with Duval Street not too far away, the fun never ended. Hopefully, in November, we can make it up to North Carolina and fish the Nationals. Choppy Fishing Team has never been there, and it would be a phenomenal experience for us. Traveling to exciting places, meeting new people is very important to us. It is crucial to have as many friends as possible, because that’s how we exchange information on where the bite is and share helpful tactics. The best place to meet new people are the captains meetings. At these meetings all the team members from each boat show up and have a great time together. There is a good vibe that flows through these meetings that make us feel welcome, and we love it! Throughout our two years in the SKA, we have made some amazing friends that have taught us some valuable techniques to help us catch kingfish. Above all, the SKA has changed our lives. We love and cherish the ocean and have much respect for it. We are inspired when we can teach other junior anglers our way of fishing! We have been fishing as a family since we were very young. As we got older, we gained more experience and started fishing competitively in 2011 and definitely stacked up our trophy wall as the years went on. Fishing as a family helped us become better anglers. The SKA has played a major role in our lives. It has great events to make friends, learn new tips and has a magnificent tournament trail to fish throughout the Southeast United States. We greatly appreciate being a part of the SKA and hope to have many more great years to come.

Chase Strelec - Reel Anarchy

What The Southern Kingfish Association Means To Me. The Southern Kingfish Association has been the home for me and my dad-Gill Strelec- for exciting and memorable fishing tournaments every year. The SKA has allowed dad and I to be introduced into the lives of many other families involved with the SKA like The Spragues', The Wummers' and also many many more. We think of The Association as one big rowdy family with the same passion and exhilarating action of the sport of fishing tournaments as I do. My Dad who is an avid sport fisherman himself was introduced to the SKA in early 2002 and since then has been letting his son tag along a couple times, letting me snag a couple (or should I say a whole walls worth?) of plaques and wonderful trophies. Dad and I have fished around 20-24 SKA events together and man has every tournament been a blast, yes occasionally we do have some tough days but we look back and say, "That sunrise was absolutely great this morning" or dad will say, "How about that Bull Shark today son!" and later be followed up by "Hey dad, can I get a Advil that shark tore my back up today." The events we have fished together have been truly extraordinary with the SKA. Not only have the functions The SKA have helped put together been a great experience but the fishing memories have been remarkable. I remember so many of my first catches, biggest catches to even seeing some of the biggest kingfish I have seen in my life. I remember dad and I talking about getting my new Personal Best while driving down to the Keys to attend the first Division 10 tournament in 2014 the Stock Island Marina Village King Mackeral Tournament. I did end up getting a new PB a 43 pound Kingfish with a nice plaque as well but I also caught my first Permit that weekend too. I later won the Division 10 and The SKA National Junior Angler Award that year rounding up a historical year. A year later I upgraded my PB kingfish to a 47.7 pounder that I soon look forward to upgrading in a later SKA event in the future! The SKA Junior Angler Division is the most coolest and also one of the toughest group of kids and teens out there. We battle every weekend striving for that one goal of holding up that beautiful Divisional trophy but also battling to raise the SKA Junior National Champion Trophy over our heads. This I strive for on our boat "The Reel Anarchy Fishing Team" and constantly beat in the heads of my co-mates -My Dad, Donnie and Carl "Slob City"- and also captain Floyd. The SKA means many words like fun, family, fishing, excitement but I have to say the SKA means home to me. It's where I can relax and have a good time with family and friends. Having everyone in a circle while dad tells us his stories of "The one that got away" and that moment where your name gets called to receive that famous plaque. That is what the SKA means to me and I hope it is every bit of thrilling to you as well. P.S. Keep it up Southern Kingfish Association you are doing great things! Thank you!