Tournament Report: Riley Redfish Spring Shootout
High winds and weather pushed the annual Riley Redfish Spring Shootout from a Saturday to a Sunday this year, with competitors hitting the water April 2. Despite the weather moving groups of reds out from their usual spots causing unpredictability, several anglers ultimately found success by the 4:00 weigh in time.
Capt. Rennie Clark, of Tournament Trail Charters, along with Drew Arndt, placed first at the event, weighing in two drum for a total of 13.76 lbs. Not only did they win the overall event, but they also took home the award for Biggest Fish, with their heaviest single drum coming in at 7.34 lbs.
While out on a charter a few weeks before, Clark found some good-sized tournament fish on the flats. “I decided to leave them alone and hoped that they would be there in a few weeks,” said Clark. On tournament day, the duo found them again, and they were glad to see the reds had put on some weight, holding strong in the area feeding on shrimp, mullet, and pogies.
Capt. Rennie Clark, of Tournament Trail Charters, and Drew Arndt, with their winning fish at the first Riley Redfish Shootout event of the year. The duos two fish weighed in at a total of 13.76 lbs. The pair also won the prize for Biggest Fish, with one drum weighing in at 7.34 lbs.
Throughout the falling tide, Arndt and Clark pulled in over thirty fish, not including the ones that broke off or pulled hooks. “I wasn’t prepared like I thought I would be. I only had 15 lb. test on,” explained Clark, but as the tide lowered, the duo pulled reds out of small pockets, fighting the drum against structure and oyster shells.
“We culled all day and had to make a decision as the tide turned when we already had 12.6 lbs. in the live well,” said Clark. As the tide changed, they landed a perfect 27” red, but opted to throw it back in case he spit bait and grew a bit. “I’ve had that happen before, and I’d rather play it safe,” Clark clarified. The next fish hooked was the 7.34 lb. red that secured the win for the pair.
Father and son team Butler and Brett Anderson weighed in two fish totalling 12.22 lbs., securing the second place spot in the Riley Redfish Shooutout.
Clark credits his success on tournament day to Cinnetic reels, as using the 15 lb. test required him to crank his drag down to horse in the reds. The duo fished throughout the day with a variety of Category 5 soft plastics, switching types and colors often to fool the drum.
A father and son team, Butler and Brett Anderson, are a new addition to the Redfish Shootout competition this year, and they snagged second place with a total weight of 12.22 lbs. The pair hit familiar waters on the day of the event, a spot between Carolina Beach and Southport, which they fish at least once a week. Pulling a few fish onto the boat as the tide fell, the real action came close to the end of the tournament as the tide began to flow back in. With only 15 minutes left, back-to-back reds fell for Gulp paddle tails, securing these first time competitors with the second place spot.
For more information on the Riley Redfish series, visit their website at www.redfishshootoutseries.com.
