Tournament Report – US Open KMT
Scaling a 50.40 lb. king mackerel to top their nearest competition by over 12 lbs., Stan Hollingsworth and Wilmington’s “Bug N A Rug Exterminating” fishing team handily secured the $25,000 first place check in the 2015 U.S. Open King Mackerel Tournament, held October 30-31 out of Southport Marina.
Hollingsworth, fishing with Ryan Lisk and Stuart Flynn aboard a 27’ Onslow Bay center console, were already in the running for a check in the event, as they’d weighed a 36 lb. king mackerel on Friday, the event’s first fishing day.
When Saturday dawned, the anglers headed out of Carolina Beach Inlet again to the spot where they’d hooked their previous day’s fish, the Cabbage Patch, a live bottom area off Frying Pan Shoals.
After a very slow morning of trolling around the area, the anglers got a screaming bite on a live bluefish at 1:00 that afternoon.
Flynn was quick to grab the rod while his companions cleared the spread, and he quickly came to the realization that the reel was running out of line.
“Stuart was on the bow and told me to go,” Hollingsworth explained. “I got on the gas and nearly planed off chasing the fish down.”
After they caught up to the king, Lisk took over the helm duties while Hollingsworth readied the gaff.
Though some other boats had seen the “Bug N A Rug” fish sky on the crew’s bait, the anglers themselves didn’t get a look at the fish until they chased it down.
“She rolled and things got really tense,” Hollingsworth added. “I reached a 12’ gaff about 8’ into the water and yelled to the guys to grab my pants.”
The long stretch proved successful, and Hollingsworth was soon hoisting the 50 lb. fish over the Onslow Bay’s side.
Scaling a 37.75 lb. fish to wrap up second place and take home $10,000 were Hampstead, NC’s Brad Knight and “Team Onslow Bay,” interestingly the manufacturer of the “Bug N A Rug” crew’s boat. Mark Henderson, of Cape Carteret, NC, and the “Liquid Fire” fishing team were hot on Knight’s heels with a 37.55 lb. fish that secured third place and $5,000.
Ryan Lisk, Stan Hollingsworth, and Stuart Flynn with the 50.40 lb. king mackerel that earned them more than $1,000 per pound in the 2015 U.S. Open. The monster mackerel bit a live bluefish while they were trolling at the Cabbage Patch.
