Greater Wilmington KMT 2006
Snotty seas and intermittent rain greeted anglers in this year’s Greater Wilmington King Mackerel Tournament. The inclement forecast kept the field down to around 130 boats (instead of the anticipated 250).
Despite the inclement weather and reduced field, anglers managed to find plenty of hefty king mackerel to bring to the scales.
John Batis, fishing aboard his 31′ Suzuki-powered Contender “Miss Emily,” persevered through the rough seas to catch the tournament-winning 44.22 lb. king and a check for over $16,000. Batis’ huge fish ate a pogy on the east side of Frying Pan Shoals, and it promptly tore 350 yards of line off the reel of angler Mike Daniels.
The Carolina Beach, NC, team then chased the fish down, and both Batis and Chris Martin gaffed the fish when they got it to the boat.
The 36.4 lb. second place fish hit the deck of the “Day Spring” of Ocean Isle Beach, a 31’ Fountain powered by 225 horsepower Yamaha 4-strokes. The fish, worth $7521, ate a naked pogy on the downrigger east of Frying Pan Shoals.
Jessica Ryder was the angler, and this was her first king mackerel tournament. She took home the Lady Angler title.
The bite came around 10:30 am for “Day Spring,” and Capt. Odell Williamson Jr. gaffed the fish after a quick 10 minute fight. Also aboard was Thomas Willis.
Williamson described seas as 6′ and building to 6-8′ over the day. He added, “Everything came together; we had a good plan and it worked out.”
Third place went to Brett Barnes with a 28.20 lb. king caught on the 25′ Contender “Hot Rod” from Wilmington. The $2460 fish bit a pogy on the downrigger offshore of the 30/30. Angler Allen Barnes fought the fish for 15 minutes after it bit around 2:30 pm.
Allen Barnes, commenting on yet another high finish this year, said, “We continue to be pleased with Terminator. The wire always pulls through for us.”
A 26.06 lb. king mackerel captured fourth place for angler Skip Blaylock of the “On the Edge” team out of Knightdale, NC. The team earned $1230 for their fish.
D. Allen Kinney and the “Gambler” team from Oak Island, NC, reeled in a 24.02 lb. fish and fifth place. A naked pogy fished on top fooled the king into biting around 10:30 am near the Cucumber.
At first Kinney and teammate Bruce Jones did not think the fish was very large, but after the 15 minute fight, it proved sizable enough to place fifth.
Drake Garver took home a $250 gift certificate to Tex’s Tackle for a 19.40 lb. king that placed first in the Junior Angler Division. He was fishing aboard the “Maverick,” a 25′ Parker walkaround, with Woody Garver, Tommy Farmer, and Gavin Taylor.
The team coaxed their fish to eat a naked pogy on the downrigger 20 miles off Topsail Island. The fish bit around 11:00 am, and was at the boat after a quick 15 minute fight.
The rest of the top ten are as follows: “On the Spot” from Leland in sixth with a 22.88 lb. king; “Wave on Wave” from Fayetteville in seventh with a 22.14 lb. king; “Slip-N-Slide” out of Wilmington in eighth with a 21.68 lb. king; “Tricky Ricky” from Albemarle in ninth with a 21.60 lb. king; and “The Law” out of North Myrtle Beach in tenth with a 20.02 lb. king.
And “Sandlapper,” with Thomas Haselden out of Aynor, SC, took top honors in the 23’ and Under Division with a 24.04 lb. king.
The Greater Wilmington King Mackerel Tournament directly benefits the Children’s Fishing Foundation, an organization dedicated to introducing underprivileged local children to fishing.
Money generated by the tournament is used to fund a fishing trip for local children, many of whom would never have a chance to go fishing otherwise. The Foundation takes the children out on one of the Winner boats from Carolina Beach, along with a group from UNCW who teach the children about the fish they catch and other ocean life.
It would be impossible for the Greater Wilmington King Mackerel Tournament to accomplish the good it does for the community without the support of its sponsors, including Vector Marine, Budweiser, Loadmaster Trailers, and Dockside Restaurant and Marina.
For more info on the Greater Wilmington King Mackerel Tournament, you can visit www.gwkmt.com.
