FLW Atlantic Beach 2006
Team East Coast Sports, headed by Captain Randall Edens of Hampstead, NC, caught a kingfish weighing 42 lbs. 10 oz. on Saturday, September 16, to win the Wal-Mart FLW Kingfish Series North Carolina Division event in Atlantic Beach. The top prize of $30,000 included a $9,000 Wellcraft bonus and a $9,000 Yamaha bonus.
Teaming with his father, George Edens of Surf City, NC, the top captain fished off Cape Lookout and targeted ledges in 80 feet of water. “It’s an area that’s known for producing good fish, and we finished seventh in another tournament at the same spot last week,” Randall Edens said. “The water clarity was good. There was a decent amount of bait, but when we found the bait, we found the fish.”
The father-son duo struck early with a double header. A 22-pounder ate a live pogy on the shotgun line, and the winning fish followed by grabbing a double pogy rig on the medium flat line.
“The smaller fish hit, and when I pulled that rod out of the holder, the big fish hit,” Randall Edens said. “I had two rods in my hands, and my dad was cranking up the downriggers. I was telling him to hurry because I was losing line quick.”
The younger Edens fought the big fish to the boat, and his dad gaffed it around 9:30 a.m.
Rounding out the top five teams were Wild Ride Fishing Team, captained by Randy Griffin Jr. of Hampstead, NC (40 lbs. 12 oz., $5,221 plus $3,915 Yamaha bonus and $3,915 Wellcraft bonus); Team Gain, captained by Joe Buie of Welcome, NC (38 lbs. 3 oz., $3,480 plus $2,610 Yamaha bonus and $2,610 Wellcraft bonus); Team Bear Cat, captained by Barrington Page of Swansboro, NC (34 lbs. 15 oz., $2,610 plus $1,958 Yamaha bonus); and Team Wrench Head, captained by Kevin Lawson of Ramseur, NC (30 lbs. 7 oz., $1,740 plus $1,305 Wellcraft bonus).
