Seagull B & T Surf Tournament 2005
The 11th annual Seagull Bait and Tackle Surf Fishing Tournament started Friday, Oct. 7, at midnight in the middle of a torrential rainstorm. In a 48-hour period, Carolina Beach received 12+ inches of rain. The result was a flooding of Carolina Beach, 10″ of water in Seagull Bait and Tackle, and a great deal of seaweed in the surf.
Seagull’s Surf Fishing Tournament, however, has a very loyal following, and 292 participants took to the beach in spite of the conditions.
The winner of the Flounder Division was Thomas Marlow from Carolina Beach. Marlow caught a 5.00 lb flounder Sunday morning at the north end using a live mullet minnow.
Tony Pendergrass, from Wilmington, took second place with a 4.00 lb flounder caught on Saturday. The flounder hit a live finger mullet on the south end. Jarid Davis, from Wilmington, came in third with a 3.75 lb flounder caught at the north end on a live minnow. Fourth place went to Troy Jones, from Kelly, NC, for a 3.0 lb flounder caught at the north end on Saturday using a live mullet minnow.
The winner of the Red Drum Division was Nathan Miller, from Salisbury. Miller caught a 6.50 lb red drum on Saturday evening at the south end on cut mullet.
Billy Brooks, from Avery County, came in second with a 5.25 lb red drum caught Saturday afternoon at the south end on a dead mullet minnow. Third place went to Tim Fowler, from High Point. Fowler caught the 4.75 lb red Saturday early afternoon on a live mullet minnow at the south end. In fourth place was Heath Parker, from Wilmington. Parker caught a 4.50 lb red at the south end on cut mullet on Saturday afternoon.
The heaviest bluefish came from Matt Hagerty, from Concord. Hagerty landed a 1.50 lb blue Saturday morning at the south end on cut bait.
Tom Dixon, from Wilmington, came in second place. His blue also weighed 1.50 lbs, but it was weighed in almost three hours after Hagerty’s. Dixon’s blue came from the south end on cut bait. Jarid Davis weighed in a 1.50 lb blue on Sunday, so he took third place. His blue came from the north end on a live finger mullet. Kenneth Hager, from Kannapolis, was in fourth with a 1.00 lb blue caught at the south end on cut finger mullet.
Joe Thomas, from Wilmington, won the Trout Division with a 3.50 lb fish weighed in at noon on Sunday. The trout came from the north end on a live mullet minnow. Mark Hedgecock, from High Point, took second with a 2.50 lb trout. He caught the fish Sunday morning at the south end on a finger mullet.
David Hinson had the heaviest whiting. His fish, weighing in at 2.50 lbs, was caught early Sunday morning. Donald Barefoot, from Benson, came in second with a 2.25 lb whiting caught early Sunday morning at the south end on a sand flea.
Michelle Francis, from Wilmington, weighed in the heaviest pompano. Her pompano was caught Saturday morning at the south end on cut shrimp. Francis also won the tournament’s Lady Angler Award.
John Jones, from Kelly, had the second heaviest pompano. His 1.25 lb pompano came Saturday at midnight from the north end on cut shrimp.
Michael David Cox, from Fayetteville, was awarded the Junior Angler Award. Cox, age 11, caught a 2.25 lb flounder on Sunday at the south end on a dead mullet.
The Seagull Bait and Tackle Surf Fishing Tournament enjoys a long list of local sponsors, with the three major sponsors as Key Largo Rods (who donated all of the surf rods given away as awards and fish bowl prizes), C.R. Miles Rod Holders (who donated all of the rod holders and a cash prize), and Powell Bail Bonds (who donated all of the reels for the awards and a cash prize).
