South Brunswick Islands KMT 2005
The South Brunswick Islands King Classic, put on by Blue Water Promotions and staged at Holden Beach Marina, held their 2006 tournament on the weather day of September 24. The tournament had been originally scheduled for August 26-27, but the unpredictable path of Hurricane Kitrina forced the reschedule date.
This year’s tournament attracted 91 boats, and the weather was good for offshore fishing; however, most boats never left sight of land to catch their kings.
The “Trick Z,” a 35′ Donzi out of Burlington, took top honors this year with a 40.47 lb. king. The crew consisted of Capt. Jeff York, Sherry Jones, Sonny York, and Tommy Lewis.
They caught the king around 12:20 in 32′ of water off of Oak Island. The king hit a pogy on top rigged behind a Fat Boy King Teaser.
They hadn’t had any bites the first three hours of the day, and then they got their first strike-a small king. The small king led to another small king, and then the big one hit.
In addition to overall first place, Sherry Jones won the Lady Angler. Everyone on the boat, other than Jeff York, qualified for the Senior Angler Award.
York thanked Lloyd Eastlack of Bug-Em Bait, Dale Routh with Fat Boy Teasers, and Calusa Nets.
Second place went to “Big Bad Wolf,” a 36′ Contender. Capt. Stacy Wester, Brian Justice, and Field Hucks, all from Wilmington, brought in the second place 34.57 lb. king. They caught the king on a naked pogy on the top set a medium distance behind the boat. They were fishing off of Georgetown, one of the few boats on the entire leader board that traveled to the Georgetown area.
In addition to the second place king, the “Big Bad Wolf” had other great fishing action. They released a big sail (estimated to be close to 70 lbs.), caught a 60 lb. cobia, and landed a total of 8 kings weighing in the 15-25 lb. range.
Wester thanked Power Marine Outfitters, Contender, and Yamaha for their support.
“Reel Commission” took third place with a 33.84 lb. king. Wes Hamilton, Dana Hamilton, and Craig Brown, all of Anglers Marine in Supply, caught the king in the old Cape Fear River channel with a naked pogy in the prop wash. They also had a couple of 25 pound kings and 18 pound kings in the box before the 33 lb. king hit at 3:30. W. Hamilton thanked Dirk Parson for the use of Dirk’s 31′ Fountain.
Jeff Crouch and Jeremy Ridenhour, out of Bolivia, took fourth place with a 29.24 lb. king. They were fishing the Yaupon Reef area on the “Strictly Business,” a Mercury-powered 27′ Contender. Crouch said the reef was crowded with at least 40 other boats.
The king hit a double pogy bait in the prop wash at about 12:00. Earlier they had landed a 20 and a 25 lb. king.
The fifth place spot went to “Ashley D” for a 27.97 lb. king. John McLauren and Jimmy Powell, fishing on a 23′ Key West out of Ocean Isle, caught the king at the mouth of the Cape Fear River. The king hit a pogy on the downrigger at about 10:00. They were fishing in 40′ of water.
Only 2/100 of a pound behind “Ashley D” was “Liquid Asset,” a 27′ Contender out of Oak Island. Chris Pardue and Brian Kimble caught the sixth place 27.77 lb. king in the Southport River Channel around 2:00. The king hit a pogy on top. It was on the long line, and they were in about 40′ of water.
The Junior Angler Award went to 15-year-old Trask Cunningham, from Myrtle Beach. He was fishing on the “Obsessed,” a 32′ Wellcraft out of Holden Beach, with Capt. Jeff Cunningham, Brent Elvington, Debby Price, and Jennifer Barefoot.
Trask caught the 27.69 lb. king at 2:00 at the Yaupon Reef. The king hit a pogy on the long line. The crewmembers were pulling in the baits to move to another spot when the king hit, and Trask was lucky enough to pick the right rod to pull in. “Obsessed” also took the overall seventh place.
The rest of the top ten are as follows: “Cool Profits” in eighth with a 27.33 lb. king; “Gone Again” in ninth with a 27.25 lb. king; and “Final Approach” in tenth with a 27.25 lb. king.
Tournament Director Terry Adkins noted, “I would like to thank the sponsors, volunteers and anglers for making the 2005 Loadmaster South Brunswick Island King Classic a success. Our rescheduled event was blessed with absolutely spectacular weather. With all the challenges, including other events on the revised date, a recent damaging hurricane along the North Carolina coast, two devastating hurricanes in the Gulf, and painful fuel prices, the anglers prevailed with great catches…We hope to see everyone in 2006.”
For more information on the SBI King Classic, you can visit www.sbikingclassic.com
