Shallotte Point VFD Flounder Tournament 2006
One of the longest running flounder tournaments in the region, the Shallotte Point Flounder Tournament is in their 23rd year of hosting the event. In spite of a torrential storm Thursday night during registration, the tournament attracted 90 boats this year. The 90 boats caught a total of 450 lbs. of flounder, and this year’s winning flounder weighed in at over 9 pounds.
Wilson Sellers, from Sunset Harbor, and Don Matthews, from Fayetteville, were the big winners in the Shallotte Point Flounder Tournament. They caught a 9.21 lb. flounder late on Saturday, the last day of fishing, to take the title.
Their 9 lb. class flounder was caught in Shallotte River on a live menhaden. The strike came at 3:30 pm, with only a little over one hour left to get to the weigh-in.
Sellers and Matthews, who fish on a 20’ Sea Ark with a 90hp Johnson, had only weighed in one flounder on Friday; however, they caught a total of six on Saturday. Other than the 9 lb. fish, their next biggest flounder weighed 2.5 lbs.
Sellers and Matthews have been fishing together in this tournament for the past six years, and they individually have been fishing the tournament for the past 18 years.
Their highest finish before this year was third place.
The 9.21 lb. flounder brought them over $2400 in prize money.
They were fishing as boat #13. People were refusing number 13 at registration, but Wilson said, “Thirteen has always been my lucky number.”
Chris Robinson and Dewayne Kirby, both from Supply, came in second with an 8.98 lb. flounder.
They hooked the fish Saturday morning at 9:15 am and had it at the weigh-in by 10:00.
The fish was caught in Lockwood Folly on the falling tide using a pogy with a green skirt. Robinson explained, “I’ve caught flounder on (the green skirt) before.”
Robinson and Kirby, who were sponsored by Guy C. Lee and Supply Boat, won over $1500.
Third place went to the boat that weighed in the heaviest five fish total. This year that award went to Billy, Terry, and Reba Lefler. The Leflers, from Shallotte, had a five fish total of 19.52 lbs. Their biggest individual flounder weighed 8.04 lbs.
All of their fish were caught in Lockwood River slow trolling with menhaden and mullet.
Furthermore, Travis Lefler (age 20 months) was the Saturday Junior Angler winner with a 2.95 lb. flounder.
Fourth place went to John, Nita, Jacob, and John (father) Starnes with a 5.01 lb. flounder. The family traveled from Albemarle to fish the event.
They caught the 5 lb. flounder on Saturday at 11:30 in Lockwood Folly using a mullet. In addition, Jacob (age 2) was the Friday Junior Angler winner with a 2.85 lb. flounder.
Jeff and Matthew Taylor, from Lumberton, took fifth place with a 4.87 lb. flounder. The caught the fish on Friday in the Sunset Beach area on a mullet minnow.
James Dutton came in sixth place with a 4.74 lb. flounder.
Guy C. Lee of Shallotte sponsored the Lady Angler award. This year’s winner was Beverly Patterson, from Stoneville. Patterson landed a 6.57 lb. flounder in Lockwood Folly using a pogy.
The Shallotte Point Flounder Tournament is a fundraiser for the Sudan Daredevils of the South Brunswick Islands Shrine Club. The Sudans support crippled and burned children, providing free treatment from birth to age 18 at 22 hospitals nationwide.
Tournament Director Wiley Snow thanked all the sponsors that supported this community event. In addition to raising money for the Sudans, the tournament donates fish heads to Marine Fisheries for the purpose of conducting stock analysis.
