Raleigh Saltwater Sportfishing Club KMT
David and D. Logan, of Wilmington's "Logan's Run" fishing team with the massive 52.92 lb. king mackerel that took first place in the Raleigh Saltwater Sportfishing Club's KMT. Their fish ate a double pogy rig on top at a rock in 60' of water east of Lookout Shoals.
Posting the largest king mackerel yet weighed in an NC tournament this year, Wilmington’s “Logan’s Run” fishing team took first place at the Raleigh Saltwater Sportfishing Club’s King Mackerel Tournament by storm, weighing in a 52.92 lb. king mackerel that bested the second place fish by over 15 lbs. D. and David Logan made up the crew for the event and fished aboard their 34’ Yellowfin powered by triple Yamaha 250 four strokes.
The anglers had an ambitious game plan for the tournament, but it failed to come together at first.
“We left out of here at 3:30 AM and rode a couple hours north, off Hatteras,” D. Logan explained, “but we didn’t do anything at all up there. We came back on the ICW, caught some fresh bait, headed back out Beaufort Inlet, and went over to the east side and bumped around a little bit.”
Crossing Lookout Shoals after their long morning of running, the anglers began their search for a money-winning mackerel anew despite a lack of encouraging signs.
The big fish bit around 2:30 in the afternoon as they prepared to leave one spot, a rock in 60’ of water about 15 miles north of the shoals.
“We were actually picking up lines to move to another spot,” Logan continued. “He bit one of our last lines out, a double pogy rig on the flat line. The fish didn’t run that hard at first, not that straight, haul-butt up-sea run like a big king usually does. I knew the fish had some weight, but I figured it was in the 30’s.”
With David Logan on the reel, the anglers followed with the boat as their big king took a bizarre series of short runs in every direction.
“It was like he couldn’t make up his mind,” Logan continued. “I knew it wasn’t an AJ because it was too quick, but it was weird. It stayed deep. That’s actually one of the longer fights we’ve had. It probably lasted 20-25 minutes.”
Towards the end of the fight David was able to work the fish to the boat a few times, but not quite into gaff range.
“Every time he’d get her close, she’d just make another little run” Logan said.
Finally, the third time the anglers got a look at the massive mackerel, D. Logan was able to plant a gaff in it and haul it over the gunnel.
Capt. Stan Jarusinski, of the "Mister Stanman" fishing team, with the 36.96 lb. king mackerel that earned second place in the Raleigh Saltwater Sportfishing Club's KMT. The king fell for a double pogy rig 50' deep on the downrigger at the 1700 Rock.
With a 50+ lb. king in the boat, most teams would head immediately for the scales, and the Logans were no different.
“We just cracked a cold one and eased her on in,” the winning captain said.
Stan Jarusinski and the “Mister Stanman” team, out of Swansboro, took second place in the Raleigh tournament with a 36.96 lb. king. Jarusinski fished with his usual tournament partners Don Poling and Dave Newsome aboard his Yamaha-powered 23’ Onslow Bay, and the anglers stuck it out at a favorite spot despite a lack of action over the morning.
“We fished the 1700 Rock all day,” Jarusinski explained. “We had a pair around 12 lbs. and nothing else, but we never left it because we were marking fish. I’ve got one of the new Lowrance HD systems, and it was actually marking individual fish at 57’.”
Seeing the fish at 57’, the “Mister Stanman” anglers dropped both downriggers to around 50’.
“I like to put those baits just over the top of them,” Jarusinski continued.
The team’s number was finally called around 3:00 when something ate a double pogy rig on one of the downriggers.
“I didn’t know what it was at first because she didn’t really take off,” Jarusinski said. “I think she was just down there eating our two pogies.”
The fish finally made a big run, then turned toward the boat and streaked back.
“We were drifting towards the fish while it was running down on us,” Jarusinski reported. “I had to reel like mad to keep up. Fortunately she didn’t come all the way to us. She turned around and made another big run. I was starting to wonder what kind of a fish it was. I was thinking 20-25 lbs. at that point.”
The battle eventually turned in Jarusinski’s favor and he was able to work the fish back towards the boat until it evidently objected.
“She made another hellacious run,” he explained, “almost as long as that first one.”
The anglers finally got the boat right on top of the fish and began easing her up.
Newsome was the first to get a look at the fish.
“He said, ‘We’ve got color and she’s a keeper’,” Jarusinski said.
A few moments later, Newsome planted the gaff and swung the big king aboard.
The “Mister Stanman” anglers would like to express their gratitude to sponsors Yamaha, Onslow Bay Boatworks, Lowrance, Shimano, Keep Alive, Hi Seas, Gamakatsu, and Spro for their roles in the team’s success.
Posting a 29.82 lb. king to finish third were Wilmington’s Brett and Alan Barnes on the “Hot Rod.” The “Sea Drag’N” team, out of Jacksonville, took fourth place with a 27.88 lb. fish, and “Searching II” rounded out the top five with a 27.50 lb. king.
