US Open KMT
Todd Matthews, Derrick Smith, Andy Sheperd, and Jessica Matthews--"The Right One Baby" fishing team--with the 43.50 lb. king mackerel that earned them the win and over $50,000 in the 2010 U.S. Open. They big king fell for a live bluefish just off Topsail Beach's Jolly Roger Pier.
In a last minute rally, the anglers of Swansboro, NC’s “Right One Baby” fishing team hauled a 43.50 lb. fish to the scales at Southport Marina to take the top spot in the 2010 US Open King Mackerel Tournament earning the event’s $25,000 guaranteed first place prize and TWT money totaling over $50,000.
Todd Matthews, Derrick Smith, Andy Sheperd, and Jessica Matthews crewed the team’s 33T Contender for the event and returned to the area where they’d caught a number of kings up to 26 lbs. on the first day of the two-day event.
“We were about a half-mile off Jolly Roger Pier,” Matthews explained. “We didn’t have a bite before the big one on Saturday.”
Trolling a spread of bluefish and pogies, the “Right One Baby” anglers’ number was finally called around 2:15 that afternoon.
“We saw that fish come into the spread,” Matthews continued. “She came up on a double pogie rig and wheeled away. I grabbed our propwash bait, a bluefish, and dropped it back. She turned, swam up, and ate it.”
Matthews held onto the rod as the fish took a slow run away from the boat.
“She didn’t really fight the usual way,” he said. “She ran 100 yards real slow, came up, and we got on top of her, but then she just went deep and made these 50 yard bursts over and over again.”
Following the fish with the big Contender, the crew was unable to work it within gaff range for a frustrating half-hour.
“She was just staying deep under the boat,” Matthews recalled. “That fish was hooked really well in the top of the head, but I think we might have lost her if not; she knew what she was doing.”
Finally, Matthews was able to bring the fish within reach, and Smith leaned over and planted the gaff. The big king hit the boat at 2:46 that afternoon, and with a 4:00 weigh-in deadline looming, the “Right One Baby” crew wasted no time in stowing their gear and pointing the boat towards Southport.
They arrived with 25 minutes to spare, took over the top spot on the leader board, and stayed there until the scales closed.
Todd Matthews wished to express the team’s gratitude to sponsors Sewell Quality Turfgrass, Sewell Insurance Agency, Century 21 Waterway, Emerald Isle Builders, The Reel Outdoors, and First Citizens Bank.
Leading the pack after the event’s first day, Mike Williams, from Clayton, NC, and the “Release” fishing team scaled a 38.25 lb. king to earn second place and over $17,000.
Like the winners and many of the other big fish weighed in the event, Williams and “Release” teammate Gordon Dunn chose to fish just off Topsail Beach, and had a banner day on Friday.
“Within five minutes of getting to our spot, we had a 25-30 sky the propwash bait 5-6 times,” Williams reported, “but we never got the hooks in it. Shortly after that we started catching fish.”
Their big one fell for a live bluefish around 8:30 that morning, and Williams took the rod.
“It acted just like a typical big fish,” he said. “It took a short run, then stopped, and then ran about 250 yards dead offshore.”
The anglers followed in their 33T Contender, and soon after getting on top of the fish, Dunn was able to plant a gaff in it.
The hot bite continued for the anglers for most of the morning, and then slowed around midday.
Soon before heading for Southport, the anglers caught another fish rivaling their 38 pounder, but hand scales showed it to be slightly smaller and they weighed the big fish.
The “Release” anglers would like to thank Contender Power Marine Outfitters, Yamaha, Magic-Tilt Trailers, and the “Dig It” fishing team for their support.
Hampstead’s Randall Edens and the “East Coast Sports” crew locked up third place in the event with a 37.30 lb. kingfish.
Fishing with his father, George, aboard a 23T Onslow Bay, Edens also chose to fish the Topsail area, returning after scaling a 21 lb. king on Friday.
The anglers targeted bait pods near New Topsail Inlet on Saturday, and they landed several kings in the 20-25 lb. range before their big fish bit around 12:30 that afternoon.
“We saw him in the spread when he whirled on a propwash bait,” Edens explained.
The fish then turned and attacked a naked pogy on a medium line, and Randall Edens grabbed the rod.
“He ran off about 100 yards pretty slowly,” Edens said, “and then made another pretty slow 100 yard run. We pretty much drove right up to him after that.”
George Edens sank the gaff and boated the fish when it was within range, and the anglers fished a few more hours before heading for Southport.
Randall Edens wished to express his gratitude to East Coast Sport of Surf City for their sponsorship.
A 37.15 lb. fish earned fourth place in the tournament for Tommy McAlister and “Team Evergreen,” and the “Thumpin” crew rounded out the top five with a 36.35 lb. king.
