TJM Celebrity Charity Kayak Classic
Bob Dainton's 20.25" flounder earned him first place for the species and this new Heritage Featherlite 9.5 Angler Kayak and a carbon paddle in the first TJM Celebrity Charity Kayak Fishing Tournament.
With 70 kayak anglers from across the state and beyond showing up for the first TJM Celebrity Charity Kayak Fishing Tournament, held August 1 at Fort Fisher’s Federal Point Boat Ramp, the turnout blew away all expectations. Organized by Hook Line and Paddle’s Chris Tryon and Ryan Meddock as a fundraiser for Alzheimer’s research and named in honor of Meddock’s father, Terrence Jackson Meddock, who lost his battle with the disease in 2002, the huge turnout facilitated a sizeable contribution to the Eastern NC Chapter of the Alzheimer’s Association.
Kayaks and kayak fishing gear donated by the tournament’s myriad sponsors were awarded to anglers catching the longest speckled trout, red drum, and flounder in the event.
Topping the red drum competition, Wilmington’s Bryan McClosky caught a 25” red to earn a Freedom Hawk stand up fishing kayak, an Accent Carbon paddle, and a variety of other prizes.
McClosky fished the event with friends Ryan Gilbert and Trent McCumbee, and he had a good idea where he’d be fishing the morning of the tournament after a successful pre-fishing outing.
“I pre-fished yesterday,” McClosky explained, “and found this good school of reds. We went back there and caught a bunch of them today. Trent got the second place fish out of that school.”
Fishing a creek off of Buzzard’s Bay after launching their boats from the Fort Fisher surf, the anglers found the hungry school in the mid-morning.
“We started catching them around 10:00,” McClosky continued. “I caught that big one at 12:30 just before low tide.”
Live finger mullet on Carolina rigs produced most of McClosky’s strikes, and they were also responsible for the double hookup that produced his winning fish.
“I had two baits out at the same time,” he said. “I hooked up with the smaller one first, and I could tell he was little. Then the big fish took my other bait, and I set my rod down and caught the bigger fish.”
McClosky landed the second drum shortly thereafter. In keeping with the event’s rules, he photographed the larger fish on a tournament-supplied ruler and released it.
McCumbee’s red measured 24” and earned him an Accent paddle, a pair of Flying Fisherman sunglasses, an NRS Chinook fishing PFD, and additional prizes. Wayne Bradby caught third place along with a 21” red and won a Cannon paddle, Flying Fisherman sunglasses, and more.
On his fourth trip saltwater fishing and first in the Wilmington area, Pittsboro’s Bob Dainton hooked the event’s largest flounder, a respectable 20.25” flattie. A Heritage Featherlite 9.5 Angler kayak and Accent Carbon paddle were his rewards for the stout flatfish.
Scott Inge, of Raleigh, won a new Heritage Redfish 14 Angler kayak for topping the trout category of the TJM Celebrity Charity Kayak Fishing Tournament with a 17.25" trout he hooked on a D.O.A. shrimp.
“My buddy Joey caught a couple flounder in this hole yesterday and a few red drum this morning, and sure enough, there was one more flounder in there,” Dainton explained.
Dainton and his fellow angler fished a dock off the ICW after launching their kayaks into Masonboro Sound at Trail’s End Road.
“We went and got some live baits, and Joey caught those reds right when we got to the spot,” the winning flounder angler said. “I think it was around 7:30 or 8:00 when I caught the flounder. That fish hit and did not want to come up. I’d dragged my line over an oyster bar earlier and I was a little nervous about it breaking, but Joey threw me his net and it worked out.”
Continuing to fish nearby for the rest of the morning, Dainton landed his first speckled trout a few hours later.
“At about 11:00 I decided I had a pretty decent flounder that could place,” Dainton said, “so I headed for the weigh-in early. I was one of the first people here.”
Nathan Raycroft landed the18.75” second place flounder to win an Accent paddle, Flying Fisherman sunglasses, and a Scotty rod holder. Scott Inge took third place and a Cannon paddle and a pair of Flying Fishermans with an 18.5” flatfish.
Inge, of Raleigh, also topped the event’s speckled trout category with a 17.25” speck to earn a Heritage Redfish 14 Angler kayak and Accent Carbon paddle. Inge traveled from Raleigh to fish the tournament with Greg Bell and Nathan Raycroft, and he had a disappointing start to the event.
“I probably had the tournament’s first hookup,” he explained. “I got it all the way to the boat and it vanished. It was a nice trout.”
He didn’t have to wait too long for redemption, as he hooked his prize-winning speck around 8:30. A D.O.A. shrimp beneath a rattling float fooled the speck.
“I was fishing on the other side of Zeke’s Island,” Inge said. “I caught the trout on that oyster bar that runs from the rock wall all the way across the bay.”
After hooking, photographing, and releasing the trout, Inge hooked his third place flounder on a live pogy. A hookup with a large ray later in the day also provided some excitement.
Shaun Quinlan hooked the next largest trout, a 16.25” fish that earned him an Accent paddle, Flying Fisherman shades, and a RAM rod holder. Wayne Bradby hooked the 16” trout that took third and won him a Cannon paddle and a pair of Flying Fishermans.
A tremendous amount of raffle items at the tournament’s awards ceremony gave the anglers who didn’t win anything in the fishing competition a chance at walking away with some new kayak fishing gear. Panera Bread and Middle of the Island catering provided all the participants with meals each day.
With such a solid turnout in its first year, the TJM Celebrity Charity Kayak Fishing Tournament is destined to become an annual affair.
