Wrightsville Beach KMT 2006
Once again, high winds and nasty seas met anglers participating in another KMT weekend—this time it was the 20th annual Wrightsville Beach King Mackerel Tournament. Held October 19-21 with a captain’s choice format allowing teams to fish Friday or Saturday, the event tested captains’ and crews’ abilities to find and land big kings in rough water. Just 30 boats of the 158 registered chose to battle Friday’s 5-8′ seas, but two of the top five fish, including the “Rawhide” team’s 40.15 lb. tournament-winning king mackerel, were caught the first day.
Coming off of a second place finish at the TOFC KMT the week before, the Wilmington-based “Rawhide” crew elected to fish Friday despite the snotty seas, correctly believing they knew where some big fish were and that Friday’s low barometric pressures would have them biting.
When the “Rawhide” left Carolina Beach Inlet on Friday morning, Terry Godwin, Jake Godwin, Alexis Gorton, Caroline Sheperd, Bill Thomas, and Jamie Thomas were all aboard the 28′ Evinrude-powered Hydra-Sport. Running along the beach before heading east off Bald Head, the crew beat their way through a confused 5-6′ sea all the way to the Cabbage Patch, at times making only 9 knots.
After catching only a few small sharks, one of which put a treble hook into Terry Godwin’s hand, the team got a big bite on a live bluefish with a pink/white skirt at 8:00 am. Godwin grabbed the rod, and Thomas cleared the other lines and downrigger.
Soon Jake Godwin, Terry’s son, took the wheel, freeing his dad to battle the fish. After the king made a long run on the surface, Godwin pumped it back towards the boat with Jake maneuvering to keep the fish off the bow.
When the fish got closer, Terry Godwin said, “She tried to go down a couple times, but with Jake’s fancy driving, she couldn’t.” As the fight drew to a close, Caroline Sheperd stood at Godwin’s side with the gaff, and when the fish was boatside she gave it to Godwin, who gaffed the fish, passed the rod to Sheperd, and swung the king into the boat.
With the 40 lb. king in the box at 8:30, the “Rawhide” crew stuck it out at the Cabbage Patch for another hour before deciding to head in and fish off of Kure Beach where it would be slightly calmer. Catching just a few smaller kings near the beach and still getting tossed around by an angry ocean, the “Rawhide” team headed back into the inlet and to the scales at Wrightsville Beach Marina.
Catching the winning fish at the Wrightsville Beach King Mackerel Tournament earned the “Rawhide” team a check for $20,770. Caroline Sheperd also won an additional $500 as the top Junior Angler in the event, and she would like to dedicate her victory in memory of her brother, Justin Sheperd.
Saturday’s fishing produced some big fish as well, such as the Smithfield, NC-based “Nail It” team’s 36.45 lb. second place fish. Tim, Todd, and Sterling Casey caught the king aboard their Mercury-powered 234 Mako, and they won a total of $7,815.
The Casey’s were fishing east of Cape Lookout Shoals at the George Summerland Reef when their big king bit around 8:00 am. A live bluefish fooled the king into striking, after which Todd Casey took the rod. The king took a solid run at first, staying on the surface, as Sterling Casey drove the boat towards the fish in the bumpy seas. The Casey crew followed the fish for around 15 minutes before it came within gaffing range. Tim Casey sank a gaff in the king and brought it aboard the Mako.
With the king in the boat, the “Nail It” continued fishing at the Summerland for a few more hours, although at 9:00 am the wind shifted to the NE and the bite died.
They would like to thank sponsors AW Rhodes Plumbing Co. and Bay Racer Marine of Havelock.
Wilmington’s “Reel Buzz” fishing team, consisting of Chip Nifong, Wes Hege, and Brian Schoenwisener, caught the third place king mackerel. It weighed 35.75 lbs. The crew won $7,231 with the king, which they caught aboard their 21′ Mercury-powered Sea Pro.
The “Reel Buzz” crew was trolling in Saturday’s 15-20 N winds and 5-6′ seas around the Cucumber when their big king struck around 10:30 am. The fish ate a naked pogy on top, and it didn’t take much line from Schoenwisener, who picked up the rod at first. However, the king eventually realized it was hooked and took several long runs, staying deep throughout the fight. After 15 minutes, the fish tired, and when it came to the boat, Nifong planted a gaff in it.
Allen Kinney and Shane Berry, last year’s Wrightsville Beach KMT champion, caught the fifth place 35.00 lb. king on Friday fishing aboard their 24′ Evinrude-powered Hydra-Sport “Gambler.” The Oak Island-based “Gambler” also won money in both the High Roller and regular TWT’s, for a total of $8,094.
Kinney and Berry caught their king trolling east of Frying Pan Shoals, around 13 miles off the beach in 55′ of water. Kinney picked up the rod after the mackerel took a naked pogy on top, and the fish took off on a long run.
Ordinarily the crew would have chased the fish, but according to Kinney, “There wasn’t much chasing due to the 6-8′ waves.” Berry got the boat pointed down sea, and Kinney was able to work the fish to the vessel in around 10 minutes. When the tired fish was at the boat, Berry planted a gaff in it and brought it aboard.
Hampstead’s “Godspeed,” captained by Braith Lovett, Sr., took fifth place and $1,860 with a 34.00 lb. king.
The tournament’s top Lady Angler was Tonya Gilley, fishing aboard the Oak Island boat “Liquid Asset.” She pocketed $500 from the event.
The Wrightsville Beach King Mackerel Tournament benefits both the Wrightsville Beach Lions Club and the UNCW Seahawk Club, which helps provide scholarships for student athletes.
The teams who weighed fish in this event, whether they fished Friday or Saturday, had to overcome adverse ocean conditions, and they should be commended for their persistence and skill. Looking at the leader board, the top names are there tournament after tournament, and it is obvious that the teams who placed high really put the time and effort in to be on top of the king mackerel fishing game.
