Seapath Spanish Mackerel Tournament 2009
Making a long run to fish outside the crowd paid off for Carl Allen, of Wrightsville Beach, who weighed in a 1.48 lb. spanish mackerel to take first place in the Seapath Spanish Mackerel Tournament, held out of Seapath Marina at Wrightsville Beach on June 20.
Allen ran from Wrightsville to Sheepshead Rock off Fort Fisher in his successful search for a winning mackerel.
“I knew there were some big fish down there,” Allen explained. “It may have been pure luck, but I felt like I had a better chance down there by myself where I could do what I wanted to.”
Trolling Clarkspoons behind planers and on flat lines as he fished alone from his 25’ lobster boat, Allen found plenty of action when he got to the rock.
“I caught the big one around eight or nine, but I was catching them pretty steady from when I got there until ten o’clock,” Allen continued. “I just kept the boat in a circle around the rock the whole time. I caught my limit twice over and just threw back the small ones the whole time.”
Shortly after 10:00, Allen made the call to head back towards Wrightsville for the weigh-in, and he pointed the lobster boat’s bow north.
“I trolled up to John’s Creek but didn’t hook anymore after I left Sheepshead,” said the winning angler.
For topping the field in the event, Allen received a rod and reel combo and a commemorative winner’s plaque.
Daniel Golf took second place the in tournament for a 1.28 lb. spanish mackerel, and a 1.13 lb. spaniard earned third for Bill Stafford.
This year’s Seapath Spanish Tournament attracted 40 boats.
