Rumble in the Jungle KMT
Taking his second trip to the event’s winners’ circle in as many years, Kevin O’Neale and the “In 2 Deep” fishing team, of James Island, SC, weighed a 31.70 lb. king mackerel to take home first place and over $13,500 in the 9th Annual Rumble in the Jungle KMT, held October 14-16 out of Harbourgate Marina in North Myrtle Beach.
Missing his usual teammate and lady angler Michelle Stroud, O’Neale teamed up with Preston Knight aboard his 23’ Sailfish, and the anglers pre-fished a day before the event, catching a 30 lb. king in the same area where the “In 2 Deep” winning fish came from last year.
“We caught that fish Saturday,” O’Neale explained, “so we went back Sunday. I hadn’t been there all year, but that’s been a great late season spot for the past 3-4 years.”
The spot, a live bottom area in 100’ of water 75 miles southeast of Little River Inlet, didn’t disappoint on the morning of competition.
“We started catching fish right away that morning,” O’Neale said. “I think we had seven total out there, and we had one bite through the wire at the boat that was bigger than the one we weighed. I was upset about that one, but after we won, we didn’t care as much.”
Their 31 pounder hit O’Neale’s favorite bait, a ribbonfish, that he was trolling in an unconventional spot in the spread.
“That one wasn’t on the downrigger,” he explained. “I had it naked in the propwash. I’ve never caught a really big fish on one in the propwash before.”
The anglers also didn’t hear the usual blistering first run of a king mackerel, one that makes a reel’s clicker sing, either.
“The bite was kind of funny,” O’Neale continued. “We’d forgotten to put the clicker on that reel, but the rod was sitting in the holder right over my head. We both heard something weird and looked up and that fish was peeling line.”
Knight took the rod after the anglers realized they had a fish on.
“When he grabbed the rod,” the winning captain explained, “the fish ran straight back at the boat and went under us. Preston had to go around the bow with it.”
The fish kept Knight moving around the Sailfish’s gunnels throughout the fight, but it never took the screaming run for which big kings are famous.
“He never took more than 100 yards of line,” O’Neale reported. “He pretty much ran on the surface the whole time, but never really got that far away from us.”
After another short surface run, O’Neale maneuvered the boat towards the fish, and the anglers closed the gap on their quarry.
“He took another little run and laid right up,” he said.
O’Neale was ready when the fish appeared near the boat, and sank the gaff, hauling the winning mackerel into the boat.
“He didn’t look that big,” he continued. “I was thinking it was in the 20’s, but that was the fattest king mackerel I’ve ever caught. If it ate another cigar minnow, its stomach would’ve split.”
After catching several more kings, the “In 2 Deep” pair decided it was time to make the long run back to Little River, and they made it to the weigh-in line without incident.
O’Neale wished to express his gratitude to Sailfish Boats.
Keith Bergunas and team “EZ Mow” took home second place in the Rumble with a 30.74 lb. kingfish. Mark Henderson and the “Liquid Fire” crew rounded out the top three by scaling a 29.34 lb. king.
More Rumble in the Jungle information and a full leader board are available at www.littleriverfishingclub.com.
