Tournament Report: Sarah James Fulcher Redfish Tournament
The 5th annual Sarah James Fulcher Redfish Tournament was held August 5-7 out of Cedar Island, NC, featuring a main leaderboard consisting of the largest red drum measured by length (submitted by photo). The event also has a second place prize, as well Lady Angler and Youth Angler awards.
The largest payout of the tournament, though, is the Ramsey Family Calcutta, which is a winner take all voluntary buy-in that costs $100 to enter. With a record-breaking 982 anglers fishing the tournament this year, an additional 328 anglers on the water from last year, the prize for first place was significantly larger than last year’s impressive, record-setting figure of $61,000.
Festivities for the tournament began on Friday at the Cedar Island Resort with a pig-pickin’, silent auction, live music, and kids’ activities. Saturday began again at the Cedar Island Resort with a Captains Meeting at 2:00 p.m. at the main stage, with anglers retrieving their official tournament measuring tape and verifying licenses.
Following the meeting, captains and anglers made way to their favorite fishing spots before lines were allowed in officially at 5:00 p.m. The fishing time ended strictly at 9:00 p.m., with anglers having to directly text in photos of their catch to the tournament council.
Although wind made the conditions a little choppy, anglers stayed dry for the duration of the tournament, providing for some good action on the old drum that frequent the area every late summer. The nearly full moon also aided anglers in receiving a good evening/nighttime bite.
Up on the main stage, with what seemed like the entire island crowded around at the weigh-in to see the results, it was announced that Wilson Harrel, a 13-year-old from Fayetteville, NC, had won first place on the main leaderboard, along with claiming the youth angler title and the Ramsey Family Calcutta Prize. Harrel took home a staggering $80,300 payout for his prized bull drum, a payout that was the largest in red drum tournament history.
Harrel secured first place with a massive 52.5-inch red drum that he caught just under an hour into fishing the tournament. He reeled in the catch nervously as it was the first fish caught of the night among the 982 anglers.
Second place on the leaderboard was won by Max Eliscer, earning a solid $3,000 payout after catching a stud 52-inch bull drum. Joni Murphy went on to take home the title of Lady Angler, earning a $3,000 payout as well, which she secured with an admirable 49.5-inch red drum.
The tournament had previously been hosted each year by founders Hunter Parks and Stephanie Fulcher, to honor Sarah Fulcher, Stephanie’s daughter, who passed away from semilobar holoprosencephaly. Unfortunately, both founders passed away in a tragic plane accident last February, leaving a huge hole in the Down East community. This year’s tournament was spent commemorating the lives of those lost in such a close-knit community and celebrating the community that they call home.
Proceeds of the tournament will go directly to Another Perspective, who use funds to provide for community involvement in and around eastern North Carolina through the creation of parks and other recreational areas.
More information on both this year’s event, as well as next year’s, can be found at www.aperspective.org/sjf-2022 or on Facebook at Facebook.com/SJFRedfishTournament.
Wilson Harrell, from Fayetteville, NC, holds up the $80,300 prize check for winning this year’s Sarah James Fulcher Redfish Tournament. Harrell landed (and released) a 52.5″ red drum to earn the record-setting payout.
