Tournament Reports – Cy’s World Trout and Redfish Rodeo
The 9th annual Cy’s World Trout and Redfish Rodeo took place November 30, 2019, out of Ocean Isle Fishing Center. Anglers fished one day, Saturday, and weighed in their two heaviest fish at the end of the day. The two-fish aggregate could be any combination of trout or red drum. Usually flounder is the third species sought after, but due to the fishery closure, flounder was removed from the leaderboard.
John Cooke, Tripp Hooks, Shane Britt, and Tim Disano, of Team Captain Hook Outdoors, took top honors in the Cy’s World Trout and Redfish Rodeo with a two-fish aggregate weight of 12.55 lbs.
This year, eight-time champion Team Bone Crusher was defeated for the first time in tournament history. Tripp Hooks, Shane Britt, Tim Disano, and John Cooke, the members of Team Captain Hooks Outdoors from Ocean Isle Beach, took home the first place championship this year with a redfish and a trout weighing a combined total of 12.55 lbs.
“We’ve been trying for a long time to unseat them,” said Tripp Hooks. “Every year we all look up to them. They’re the best of the best.”
During the first three hours of fishing, the guys of Captain Hooks Outdoors caught two 5.5 lb. trout, setting a good mood for the rest of the day. Later, while fishing in a shallow hole near Sunset Beach, they upgraded one of the trout with a 7 lb. red drum. The whole day they fished with live shrimp.
Falling into second place with 11.75 lbs. of fish was Clay Morphis and Brandon Sauls, of the previously undefeated Team Bone Crusher.
The third place title was snagged by Larry Spainhour and Ken Craven, of Team Cloud 9, with their two trout that gave them an aggregate fish weight of 10.05 lbs. From Calabash, NC, Spainhour has fished almost all of the past Cy’s World Rodeos. He and his partner Craven also fished with live shrimp under a cork, and they stayed near the Little River jetties for most of the day.
Larry Spainhour and Ken Craven, of Team Cloud 9, with the two trout that gave them an aggregate fish weight of 10.05 lbs., good enough for third place in the 2019 Cy’s World Rodeo.
The pair endured a slow bite in overcast weather. “Great trout fishing conditions this time of year,” Spainhour described. All day they caught only four trout, one illegal red, a little black drum, and a few sheepshead. Luckily, two of their trout, a 6.75 lb. whopper and a 3.3 pounder, were large enough to earn them the third place ranking.
Around those jetties proved to be a great location for many tournament anglers to snag some bigger trout, as reported by Tournament Director Ned Garber.
This year two junior anglers were recognized, Brycen Walker and South Bellamy, both 8 years old.
For more details about next year’s event or to read about Cy’s World’s mission, visit cysworld.org.
