Jolly Mon King Classic
Timmy Clemmons, Jeff Beck, Rickey Beck, and John Hayes, fishing on the Ocean Isle-based "Do Work," took the top spot at the 2010 Jolly Mon with this 33.65 lb. king mackerel. They hooked their fish at the old Cape Fear sea buoy on a double pogy rig in the propwash and took home over $20,000.
Posting a 33.65 lb. king mackerel on Sunday, the final fishing day of the two-day event, Jeff Beck and the local crew of the “Do Work” topped the 306 boat field in the 2010 Jolly Mon King Classic, held out of the Ocean Isle Fishing Center, and walked away from the event over $20,000 richer.
Beck, fishing with his father Rickey (who earned the event’s Senior Angler title) and friends John Hayes and Timmy Clemmons, fished the Jr. Jolly Mon event Friday, but they found little worth returning to on the big-money day.
“We didn’t catch a fish all day,” he explained. “Sunday we headed out one direction. The seas were hard that way, so we turned the other direction to go catch some bait and ended up heading to the spot we caught the fish.”
After catching some small pogies Sunday morning, the crew began fishing the old Cape Fear shipping channel. They found fast action but nothing worth hauling to the scales.
“We had small baits and they were producing small fish,” Beck continued, “so we made the call to run back and catch some big baits.”
After locating some larger pogies on the beach, the anglers headed back out and had their fateful strike at 11:45.
“We went back out and that fish ate a double pogy rig in the propwash,” Beck revealed. “I don’t mind telling you where we were—right at the old Cape Fear sea buoy. We were talking when it bit, so we didn’t see it”
Hayes took the rod as the fish began its initial run, and the anglers settled in for what turned into a long battle.
“That fish made four strong runs,” Beck said. “The fight lasted about an hour.”
With Clemmons keeping the lines clear, Rickey Beck manning the 24’ Sea Hunt’s helm, and Jeff Beck standing by with the gaff, the anglers followed the fish waiting for an opportunity to put it in the boat.
“It showed itself after 30 minutes,” continued the captain, “but she went back deep and made two more strong runs.”
As the fight rounded the hour mark, the team finally closed in and Beck was able to plant the steel and put the fish in the boat.
“I finally got a good gaff shot in her,” he said.
With the fish in the boat, the team wasted no time in heading to the scales.
“I had some buddies out there,” Beck explained, “and when they saw us packing stuff up, they knew something was up. I got a couple calls on the radio and told them we were heading to the scales.”
Arriving just after 2:00, the anglers weighed their fish and watched and waited as the remainder of Sunday’s fishing field hauled their fish in. When the scales closed at 5:00, their fish remained supreme, and the “Do Work” crew’s victory was on the books.
Asheboro, NC's Keith Clapp and "Team Autocraft" earned second place and over $20,000 in the 2010 Jolly Mon King Classic with this 33.05 lb. kingfish they landed near Yaupon Reef on a live pogy.
“I’d like to thank Brant and the OIFC,” Beck concluded. “They do a lot for us, and we’re based out of here and do all our business here. I actually took my king mackerel school with Brant 4-5 years ago, so this is pretty cool.”
Weighing in just behind the “Do Work,” Keith Clapp and Asheboro, NC’s “Team Autocraft” scaled a 33.05 lb. kingfish to secure second place. Fishing aboard a 31’ Yellowfin along with Ronald Lineberry and Mike and Brian Walker, the crew’s catch pocketed them over $20,000 as well.
The second place fish fell for a naked pogy in the Yellowfin’s propwash around 9:00 Sunday morning as they were trolling just off Oak Island at Yaupon Reef.
“I saw him jump right behind the prop,” Clapp said. “I was fired up when I saw that fish.”
Lineberry was first to the screaming rod.
“He took a good first run,” Clapp explained. “He was down and gone. We worked the boat to keep him off to the side and kept a couple of short lines out.”
Lineberry was able to work the fish back to the boat reasonably quickly, but the battle wasn’t over.
“We got him close and then he shot off again.” Clapp continued. “Once he took his second run, we got everything in.”
After they made the call to chase the fish down, Brian Walker was able to make the gaff shot and haul the 33 pounder over the gunwale.
With a sure money fish in the boat, the team made a few more passes over the reef before hightailing it inshore, catching another 18 lb. king before they decided to cruise the waterway and wait for the scales to open.
The second place crew wished to express their gratitude to Autocraft and Team Rooster Charters for their roles in supporting the team.
The “All In” fishing team, from Greensboro, NC, earned third place in the Jolly Mon with a 31.60 lb. fish to take home over $8,000. Team captain Ken Strickland fished the event with Roy Strickland and Lynn Fox aboard a 31’ Cape Horn.
Their fish fell for a naked pogy on the long line at the Shark Hole while the anglers were already fighting another king. Ken Strickland took the rod for the big fish, and he fought it to the boat in about 15 minutes.
A 30.10 king mackerel earned fourth place in the Jolly Mon for Allen Rippy and the “Satisfied” crew, from Wrightsville Beach. Chris Pardue and Oak Island’s “Liquid Asset” rounded out the top five with a 29.30 lb. fish, which also earned Heather Stover the tournament’s Top Lady Angler honors.
Reagan Eubanks, fishing aboard the “Hooked,” captured the Junior Angler award for a 27.70 lb. king.
