Atlantic Beach KMT 2006
The Atlantic Beach King Mackerel Tournament attracted 343 boats to fish this year, the annual event’s 22nd year. Friday’s high winds and big seas made getting to and landing fish tough, but Saturday’s weather was much milder.
Sam Ottaway’s “Out of Reach” team, out of Holly Ridge, NC, topped the leaderboard with a 37.65 lb. king. Ottaway and teammates Keith Sink and Mark Foster earned a check for $51,239 for their fish by battling 5-6′ seas and morning rain on Friday to catch the winning fish.
The team’s big king hit a naked pogy on the surface around 1:00 on Friday. They were trolling an area 5 miles from Beaufort Inlet in 60′ of water. After the bite, Foster grabbed the rod and began fighting the fish. The rough seas made the fight tricky, and the tough conditions were compounded by the large number of boats fishing the same area.
“We had to dodge a few boats,” remarked Ottaway. The fight lasted around 20 minutes before the fish was close enough for Ottaway to gaff and boat it.
The “Out of Reach” is a 31′ Yamaha-powered Contender.
Ottaway wished to thank the team’s sponsor Outreach Electrical Service and Jim Justice.
Second place and over $26,000 went to the Waycross, GA-based boat “Hammer Time.” Teammates Randy Howell and Johnny Wilds brought a 32.40 lb. king to the scales aboard the 31′ Yamaha-powered Contender.
The second place king bit a naked mullet trolled on the long line around 10:30 on Friday. They were fishing with a number of other boats at the jetty rocks when the fish hit. Wilds took the rod after the bite, and settled in for what Howell called “the shortest kingfish fight of my life.” The king never made a long run, and Howell gaffed it in less than 5 minutes.
The “Hammer Time” crew would like to express gratitude to sponsor Howell Roofing and to Berrington Page.
Ashley Jones and the “Miss Teny” team, out of Walstonburg, NC, secured third place with a 30.85 lb. king. He and teammate Mark Jones caught their fish Friday while dealing with 6-8′ seas and 18-20 knot northeast winds.
The “Miss Teny,” a 23′ Mercury-powered Palmetto, enticed their king to eat a bluefish on top around 11:20 on Friday. The Joneses were drifting and chumming when the king struck.
The king stayed right on the surface and made several long runs. While Mark was able to get the fish close enough to see color for much of the fight, the king was hooked for 30 minutes before he could bring it within gaff range.
The “Ocean Athlete” team of Skip Conklin, Sandy Conklin, and Jay Russell captured fourth place, weighing a 29.95 lb. king on Saturday.
Their fish ate a naked pogy on top at 1:45 on Saturday. The “Ocean Athlete,” a Mercury-powered 28′ Privateer, was trolling at 30 Minute Rock with a number of other boats when they got the strike. Russell fought the fish, but not for very long, as Conklin gaffed it within 5 minutes of the bite. Skip Conklin described the fourth place king mackerel’s struggle as “very polite, which was good because there was a crowd out there.”
Skip Conklin wished to express gratitude to sponsor Mercury Motors and to Outback Marine of Morehead City, NC.
Fifth place went to the “Reel Weiner,” a 30′ Mercury-powered Fountain from Jacksonville, NC. Thedore Mercer and teammates Ernie Gurganus and Frank Goertz showed up at the weigh-in on Saturday with a 27.30 lb. king mackerel.
Their fish bit a gold skirted pogy on top around 2:00 on Saturday. The team was trolling around the Southeast Bottoms out of Swansboro when the fish bit. After striking, the king tore nearly all of the 350 yards of line off angler Goertz’s reel. Following the huge run, the fight went quickly. Mercer estimated it was no more than 15 minutes after the bite that he was able to gaff the fish.
Topping the Class of 23′, the “Amelia Ann,” a 21′ Evinrude-powered Southern Skimmer, brought in a 23.65 lb. king mackerel. Steve Marriner and teammates Jonathan Graham and Myson Marriner earned $3,260 for their finish.
The “Amelia Ann” king bit a naked cigar minnow on top at the rock jetty. The strike came around 1:00 on Friday. Myson Marriner took the rod for what Steve Marriner described as an exciting but short 10 minute fight, ending when Graham gaffed it.
The Top Lady Angler in this event was Lauren Morris aboard the “Sea Drag’N.” Her 26.85 lb. king was worth a check for $500.
David Jackson, aboard the “Reel Greedy,” was the top Junior Angler. He weighed in a 26.25 lb. king to earn $500.
For more information, you can visit www.abkmt.com.
