Long Bay Lady Angler 2007
If you’re looking to participate in a king mackerel tournament that is well run, competitive, friendly, and full of enthusiasm, then the Long Bay Lady Angler, held this year on August 3-5 at South Harbour Marina and Smith Park, should have been on your fishing schedule.
This was the first year that “Bout Time” decided to fish the event, and their first place finish with a 28.86 lb. king that paid out $5,300 will probably bring them back in 2008.
Nancy Shackelford, from Wrightsville Beach, and Kathy Schoenick, from Wilmington, were the lady anglers fishing with Capt. Terry Schoenick on “Bout Time,” a Mercury-powered 29’ Fountain.
The team started out at the Dredge Wreck, but the fishing there was slow with only one barracuda and a small king. They moved to the Cabbage Patch and then finally Christmas Rock, where the winning king struck a naked menhaden on the downrigger.
“We were at the Dredge Wreck, and I thought that was a real good place to fish,” explained Cathy. “I was in total disagreement with him (Terry) that we move. He took us to Christmas Rock, and for one time I’m glad he disagreed with me.”
The 28-pound king was the only strike the team had at Christmas Rock.
Nancy grabbed the rod when the king popped the downrigger clip. “He went on about four good runs,” she remembered about the 20 minute fight that brought the king boatside.
The “Bout Time” team had no trouble finding bait for the tournament, as one throw of the cast net in the Cape Fear River gave them all they needed for the day.
This was Nancy’s first ever king mackerel tournament, and the first time Kathy had fished the Long Bay Lady Angler. “Sometimes those other ones (KMT’s) are just too intense,” Kathy said about why they decided to fish this event. “We just wanted to have fun.”
The “Bout Time” team thanked Budweiser/Jackson Beverage for their support.
“The Sea Horse” took second place with a 28.34 lb. king caught at the Jungle. The lady anglers were Mandy Smart, from Southport, and Amy Morris, from Troy, NC. They were fishing with Capt. Scott Buff on an Evinrude-powered 35’ Wellcraft.
Their big king was part of a triple hookup. The first king hit a dead cigar minnow on the downrigger, and then the middle line and the long line also started clicking. Mandy picked up the first rod (which would ultimately have the biggest of the three kings), Amy the second, and with only had two lady anglers onboard, they had to leave the third rod in the rod holder.
The fight with the 28-pound king lasted about 40 minutes, as the king was foul hooked.
The “Gambler” took third place with a 25.52 lb. king. Lady anglers Denise and Allison Kinney, from Southport, and Cassy Whitney, from Wilmington, were joined by Capt. Allen Kinney. The “Gambler” has been fishing this event for over 12 years now.
Their king hit a plain pogy at the Cucumber. Denise picked up the rod as the king went on an initial 150 yard run. She got the king to come back to the boat, where it then made one more big run before the tired fish came boatside where it was gaffed.
Allison Kinney (age 9) also was awarded the top Junior Angler (ages 12 and under), and the “Gambler” was the highest placing boat by an Oak Island Fishing Club member.
“Widespread,” the fourth place boat, caught their 25.12 lb. king in the Cape Fear River Channel.
Michelle McArthur and Becky Noble, from Ocean Isle Beach, were fishing with Capt. Nesbit Noble and Keith Carter on a 29’ Privateer.
They caught a 23 lb. king earlier in the day at the Dredge Wreck, but they kept fishing hard for a bigger one.
“We had the 23 in the bag, but we were fishing for the winner, so we went to the river channel,” explained Becky.
They were fishing the river channel by 3:30, but then at 4:15 they hadn’t had a strike and decided they needed to leave to make weigh-in. That’s when the 25-pounder hit the last bait they had in the water.
“We were getting all the lines in, and as we had the last line in our hands to reel it in a king took off about half the spool,” said Becky about their fourth place king that hit a pogy on a top line.
The “Widespread” team has been fishing the Long Bay Lady Angler off and on for about 5 years.
Rounding out the top five was “Spread M Wide,” another regular competitor in the Long Bay Lady Angler. Franky and Bird Easley were the lady anglers fishing with Bill Easley and Capt. Mike Wright on a 23’ Parker.
They jumped the shoals to find their 24.86 lb. king. It hit a menhaden on a top line at about 9:00 in the morning. It was their second king in the boat.
“It came right to the boat,” said Bird of the king’s uneventful fight.
Franky Easley also took home the Sweet Teen prize (ages 13-16).
In the Long Bay Lady Angler, the ladies must bait, rig, grind chum, jig bait, and fight the fish. Men are limited to gaffing, cast netting bait, and driving the boat.
