CFBW Battle of the Beaches 2006
“Defend your beach” was the slogan of the 3rd Annual Cape Fear Blue Water Fishing Club Battle of the Beaches fishing tournament, and if the mood of the anglers at the awards party was any indication, they took it to heart. Anglers from each traded verbal jabs in the Dockside Bar at Wrightsville Beach, which hosted the affair this year Sunday, October 8th. The party was the conclusion of this yearly contest which pits Wrightsville Beach’s finest anglers against the fishing savvy locals of Carolina Beach.
Entrants in the tournament could pay $200 to register to fish in any of four categories: Blue Water, Bottom Fishing, Inshore(between the stream and beach), and Nearshore(flounder, drum, trout, etc). However, the five Carolina Beach and three Wrightsville Beach boats that entered fished in only the Blue Water and Nearshore categories. Calcutta’s in each division cost $150, with the money paid out to the team with the largest single fish.
Capt. Mike Hoffman of Corona Daze Charters, and his partner Greg Martin topped the Nearshore category, weighing a three fish aggregate of 13.4 lbs. Their fish included twin 5.4 lb. red drum, and a 2.6 lb. speckled trout. They caught the drum fishing live peanut pogies along seagrass banks in the waterway, and the trout bit a green TT Mirrolure in the same area. The drum bit on a high and barely falling tide, and the trout came while it was still rising.
Hoffman and Martin were fishing for Wrightsville Beach, so Wrightsville scored a key victory in the Nearshore division. The payout for winning that division at Battle of the Beaches netted Hoffman $560, and an additional $300, since the 5.4 lb. drum topped the Nearshore Calcutta as well.
Second place nearshore went to Fred Davis on the “Turn It Up,” fishing for Carolina Beach. He and teammate Ryan Gilbert brought three flounder to the scales with an 8.65 lb. aggregate weight. Their biggest flounder went 4.4 lbs. For second, the pair received a check for $240.
The winner of the Blue Water Division was the “Desperado”, of Carolina Beach, captained by Ken Coffer. Three wahoo with an aggregate weight of 97.2 lbs. secured first place and a check for $420 for the “Desperado,” who brought the Blue Water victory to Carolina Beach.
Second place Blue Water was the “Large Time II,” also from Carolina Beach, with capt. Mike Britt. Their catch also featured three wahoo, weighing 92.2 lbs. The “Large Time II” also had the largest wahoo, at 43.4 lbs. For second, they received $180, and the largest wahoo netted the crew an additional $300.
With Wrightsville and Carolina Beach sporting one win apiece, how could the Battle of the Beaches be decided? By the top Lady Angler of course. Christina Boston, fishing with capt. Bruce Fields aboard the “Flat Dawg,” weighed a 2.25 lb. flounder to take home $250 courtesy of Secof Construction.
Boston was fishing for Carolina Beach, so for the next year, as it has for the past year, the Battle of the Beaches trophy will rest at the Sea Witch Cafe instead of at Dockside.
The Battle of the Beaches was a fun tournament that stirred a friendly rivalry between the two Wilmington-area beaches. However, that was not the sole purpose of the event, and the Cape Fear Blue Water Fishing Club also raised around $1000 for the Run For the Warriors organization, a group giving soldiers wounded in Iraq with recreational opportunities and other assistance.
Tournament director Rich Walter wished to thank Dockside and Hooters, the Battle of the Beaches hosts this year. He also wanted to express gratitude to sponsors Rock 104.5, Secof Construction, and BBX Computers, and to last year’s host Sea Witch Cafe.
