Cape Fear Blue Marlin Tournament 2004
Not only doesn’t the size of your boat matter in the Cape Fear Blue Marlin Tournament, but apparently it also doesn’t matter how many rudders you have. This year’s tournament winner released a blue, released a white, and released a rudder; he also took home $63,180 in prize money for the 550 point finish. The billfish total on the weekend, produced by 39 boats participating in the event, was two blues, three whites, and four sails.
Capt. Richard Sear, fishing on the 31′ Blackfin “Restitution,” finished Friday’s fishing with a white marlin release. Angler John Nesbitt hooked the sail at 1:00 at the 275 line. The boat hooked three whites that day, but was only able to successfully release the one white for 150 points. On the way in at about 30 miles off the coast, the “Restitution” lost one of its rudders. There was no time to order a new one, so the crew fished on Saturday with only one rudder.
Saturday they found two blues and another white, but again they were limited to only one release. The first blue was missed at 11:00, but then the team was successful with releasing a blue hooked at 12:40 in the same location as the first blue. On Saturday, “Restitution” was fishing the 100 fathom curve at the 295 line. In addition to Sear and Nesbitt, the “Restitution” crew consisted of Mate Billy Britt, Dan Joye, and George Fossing.
Second place went to “Rumor Mill” and Capt. Mike Britt. The boat, a 59′ Paul Spencer, released a blue marlin on Friday fro 400 points. They were fishing over 100 miles off of Carolina Beach straight off of the “Same Ole” when Angler Shane Snow brought in the blue after a 10-minute fight. The blue hit a spanish mackerel in 300 fathoms. Second place paid out $31,590.
“All Buoys,” and Capt. Ted Davis, took third place with the release of two sails on Saturday. Davis, Angler Rick Stoker, and Mate Richard Wright took the 31′ Shearline to the south and were trolling ballyhoo. They brought in $10,530 for third place.
In the meatfish division, the “Pura Vida,” a 42′ Hatteras, was the only boat to weigh in a tuna. Capt. Jordan Diemer and Marc Diemer caught a 56.95 lb. yellowfin north of the “Same Ole” on Friday.
The Dolphin Category was swept by “Forty Something,” a 47′ Rose Brothers, fishing about 80 miles offshore on Saturday. Capt. Dale Britt and Bradley Gibson weighed in a 35.60 lb. and a 24.15 lb. dolphin to win both places.
Capt. Ralph Webb and the 46′ Bertram “Commissions” won the Wahoo Division. Angler Sara Beth Webb caught a 49.10 lb. wahoo between the 385 and the 390 line. They caught three wahoo in that area. The biggest fish they saw that day was a wahoo estimated at 85 lbs. that bit the leader in two before getting to the boat. The second place wahoo, weighing 43.30 lbs., was brought in by Wendy Crumpler. She was fishing with Capt. Jerry Hedge on the “Ragin Regan.”
The Capt. Eddie Haneman Sportsmanship Award went to Gene Hodges on the “Round-A-Bout.”
