Inaugural Kayak Fishing Tournament Paddles Its Way to AL Gulf Coast

January 10, 2009-- Gulf Shores / Orange Beach, AL-- Breath-taking coastal destinations throughout the nation are starting to experience an upsurge in kayak fishing tournaments as this highly competitive yet friendly sport quickly gains popularity. The abundant waters of Orange Beach and Gulf Shores, AL, will host the Inaugural Alabama Coastal Inshore/Offshore Kayak Fishing Tournament on September 18 and 19, 2009.

Presented by the Alabama Gulf Coast Sports Commission in partnership with the Mobile Bay Kayak Fishing Association (MBKFA), this tournament promises to be one of the largest tournaments of its kind in the state and attract anglers from around the Southeast, who will fish for king mackerel, Spanish mackerel, redfish, speckled trout and flounderin the gulf waters and back bays. Held at the Orange Beach waterfront park, this event will also feature conservation exhibits, children’s activities and live music, all of which is free to the public. Tournament proceeds will benefit Covenant Hospice of Mobile and Baldwin Counties.

“We are extremely excited to bring this emerging sport to Alabama’s beaches,” said Beth Gendler, director of sales for the Alabama Gulf Coast Convention and Visitors Bureau. “With our plentiful waters and scenic views, anglers should expect to have a great time fishing for the top prize. When they are not in the water, we hope these individuals have a chance to enjoy our destination.”

On a similar note, Mike Bosarge, president of MBKFA, shares the enthusiasm.

“Kayakers will have a wonderful time fishing this area, and we cannot wait for them to discover that our area is the ideal location for this type of tournament. We look forward to working with the Alabama Gulf Coast Sports Commission as our organization plans its largest event for 2009.”

The tournament fee is $50.00 per person, and individuals register online at www.mbkfa.com. For more information on this or any other sporting event on the Alabama Gulf Coast, please visit www.alabamabeachsports.com.

Marlin scales receive no hits on opening day

BILOXI --The Mississippi Gulf Coast Billfish Classic entered uncharted waters on Friday.

For the first time in its 12-year history, the popular blue marlin tournament didn't see a billfish hit the scales during the opening round at the Point Cadet Marina in Biloxi.

"We did have reports of marlin tagged and released," tournament director Bobby Carter said. "We had reports that the Annie Girl out of Orange Beach, Ala., and the Sea Goddess out of Texas tagged a marlin each.

Sun Herald

700.9 lb Tuna landed on the Annie Girl

May 25, 2009-- Capt. Mike Rowell (left) with his former 1st mate and current angler, Truitt (right), bring home the sushi.

This huge 700.9 lb bluefin tuna was caught in a secret location about 130 miles south of Orange Beach.

Truitt fought the monster for more than 7 hours.

More photos, detail & video coming soon...


Click image for larger view.

2008 Miller Lite Mack Attack

The first King Mackerel event of the season is just a few short hours away and getting closer by the minute. The 2008 Miller Lite Mack Attack is set for May 23 and 24 in Perdido Key, Fl. The mandatory Captain’s Meeting will begin at 6:30 p.m. Friday, May 23 at Hub Stacey’s at the Point — 5851 Galvez Rd. Pensacola FL 32507 — and registration closes at 9 p.m. The scales will be open at Lost Key Marina and Yacht Club — host site for the event — from 3 to 7 p.m. Saturday, May 24 and the awards will be presented at Hub’s at 6 p.m. Sunday, May 25.

The Mack Attack not only signals the beginning of what promises to be a stellar season of fishing along the Gulf Coast, it also provides several unique features to set it apart from the crowd. King Mackerel, Cobia and Amberjack will be the target pecies and all boats registered before May 19 will be eligible for a free artificial reef courtesy of Pensacola Reef Builders.

Set at Perdido’s Lost Key Marina — 10045 Sinton Dr. Pensacola FL 32507 — the Mack Attack is unique in location alone. Add kayak and pier divisions as well as bonus awards for the top lady and junior anglers as well as a target weight bonus and categories for single-engine boats and vessels 23 feet and under in length, and you have one of the most entertaining events on the water. The public is invited to attend the weigh-in and get a chance at great prizes and giveaways as well.

Entry forms and tournament brochures are available throughout the Pensacola area
at most bait and tackle stores. For more information, contact tournament director Brad Sauers at (850) 723-8834 or e-mail him at bradsauers@bellsouth.net.

Click here for more information.

The Bill Hargreaves Fishing Rodeo

For the past 37 years, Grand Lagoon Yacht Club has been home to The Bill Hargreaves Fishing Rodeo. Held every year on Father’s Day Weekend, this event offers families an opportunity to spend quality time together. Named for the man who made it possible, Bill Hargreaves, this fishing rodeo is Pensacola’s VERY FIRST children’s fishing tournament, and has grown from 12 anglers to over 300.

Featuring 32 species of fish for the kids alone, and special gift certificates for bicycles, no child goes unrecognized for his/her efforts. Grand Lagoon Yacht Club is proud to have presented over $40,000 in savings bonds to our junior anglers, thanks to our past sponsors and advertisers of this event. This is truly a family event, offering fish categories for adults also, so that Mom and Dad may include their entire family for this special weekend, June 13-15 at Grand Lagoon Yacht Club on Gulf Beach Hwy.
The Captain’s Meeting is Thursday, June 12th at GLYC at 7:00PM. All anglers MUST be registered by close of this meeting to compete. Registration is $35 and includes a fish fry ticket.

The 38th Bill Hargreaves Fishing Rodeo Sponsorship Committee has established a goal for 2008 to raise enough funds to make a special donation to The Ronald McDonald House in Pensacola.

Click here for more info.

OB Saltwater Series is Good for Alabama Coast Economy

by Kimberly Shumack

The Alabama Gulf Coast recreational fishing industry is offering the first Saltwater Series World Championship, from now until May 26, and thousands of fishermen are angling for their part of the $150,000 purse.

"We are really pleased with the turnout and ex citement surrounding the Saltwater Series World Championship," tournament director Tony Kennon said. "In response to the ever-changing red snapper regulations, we decided to move our fall fishing rodeo to the spring, and this tournament is the end result."

Offshore anglers are competing in the king mackerel, tuna, Wahoo, grouper, vermillion snapper, amberjack, triggerfish and cobia categories while speckled trout, redfish and sheepshead are the inshore categories.

Anglers may weigh in their fish at the following locations: Zeke's Landing Marina, Dauphin Island Marina, Dog River Marina, Fisherman's Discount, Gulf Shores Yacht Club and Marina, Orange Beach Marina, Outcast Marina, SanRoc Cay, Reel Surprise Charters and Scott's Landing.

To compete in this tournament, participants purchase a $10 daily ticket or a $250 full tournament ticket online at www.orangebeachsnapper.com. Tickets are also available at the following locations: Dauphin Island Marina, Dog River Marina, Fisherman's Discount, Gulf Shores Yacht Club and Marina, J & M Tackle, Orange Beach Marina, Outcast Marina, Reel Surprise Charters, Sam's Stop & Shop, Scott's Landing, Sportsman Marina, Top Gun Tackle, Zeke's Landing Marina, Mo Fish'n Bait & Tackle and Bluewater Ships Store.

"This tournament is an excellent opportunity for anglers to discover our extensive reef system," Kennon said. "Thanks to this tournament and the Red Snapper World Championship, proceeds generated over the years have given Alabama the world's largest artificial reef program. With three-to-one matching funds, these tournaments have raised almost $1 million."

Alabama has about 1,200 square miles of Gulf waters occupied by this artificial reef program.

Click here for Tournament Photos.

Click here for a map of the ticket outlets.

Click here to visit the Orange Beach Saltwater Series Tournament web site.

Orange Beach Anglers in Pensacola Tournament

The Outcast Cobia Invitational wrapped up over the weekend and paid out more than $400,000.

As the first major tournament in Pensacola and one of the richest, the Invitational drew 46 boats from four states for the three-day competition.

Clearbrook took first place weighing in four fish for a total of 213.56 pounds. Commotion and Never Better took second and third place.

The Annie Girl out of Orange Beach, Ala., weighed in the largest fish of the tournament at 84.82 pounds. One Hung Low was the top small boat — 29 feet or less.

Sea Hunter, who claimed one of the daily prizes with the largest fish weighed on Day 1, took home the most money — $99,135. Pensacola Beach's Hog Wild was second in money with $66,960. Clearbrook was third at $60, 570 and a Rolex worth $5,500. The remaining money winners are as follows: Commotion $54,375, Annie Girl $47,310, Mollie $28,800, Never Better $18,540, Just $18,184, Game On $5,250 and One Hung Low $2,100.

Click here

to read the full article from the Pensacola News Journal.

Miller Lite Mack Attack Fishing Tournament Announced

Friday May 23 & Saturday May 24 Captain’s Meeting at Hub Stacey’s at the Point Weigh-in at Lost Key Marina and Yacht Club

The first King Mackerel event of the season is just a few short weeks away and getting closer by the minute. The 2008 Miller Lite Mack Attack is set for May 23 and 24 in Perdido Key, Fl.

The mandatory Captain’s Meeting will begin at 6:30 p.m. Friday, May 23 at Hub Stacey’s at the Point — 5851 Galvez Rd. Pensacola FL 32507 — and registration
closes at 9 p.m. The scales will be open at Lost Key Marina and Yacht Club — host
site for the event — from 3 to 7 p.m. Saturday, May 24 and the awards will be
presented at Hub’s at 6 p.m. Sunday, May 25.

The Mack Attack not only signals the beginning of what promises to be a stellar
season of fishing along the Gulf Coast, it also provides several unique features to set it apart from the crowd.

King Mackerel, Cobia and Amberjack will be the target species and all boats
registered before May 19 will be eligible for a free artificial reef courtesy of
Pensacola Reef Builders.

Set at Perdido’s Lost Key Marina — 10045 Sinton Dr. Pensacola FL 32507— the Mack Attack is unique in location alone. Add kayak and pier divisions as well
as bonus awards for the top lady and junior anglers as well as a target weight bonus
and categories for single-engine boats and vessels 23 feet and under in length, and you have one of the most entertaining events on the water. The public is invited to attend the weigh-in and get a chance at great prizes and giveaways as well.

Entry forms and tournament brochures are available throughout the Pensacola area
at most bait and tackle stores. For more information, contact Tournament Director Brad Sauers at (850)723-8834 or e-mail bradsauers@bellsouth.net.

Anglers to descend on Orange Beach

Ronald Davenport thinks he knows the secret to reeling in king mackerel. And redfish and speckled trout plus half a dozen other saltwater species lurking off the Alabama Coast.

Davenport and dozens of other anglers will test their fishing skills this weekend when the City of Orange Beach kicks off the Red Snapper World Championship with the 1st Annual Orange Beach Saltwater Series World Championship Tournament at Zeke's Landing in Orange Beach and the Orange Beach Marina.

"I've been fishing for a great many years, and I think I've got as good a chance as anyone. That's the best thing about these tournaments — with a little know-how, luck and skill, anybody can win," Davenport said. "Plus it's all to preserve what we anglers love to do, no matter where you're from."

This year, fishermen can double their tournament chances by entering both the Red Snapper World Championship Tournament and the Orange Beach Saltwater Series. The proceeds from the two tournaments are directed towards improving and preserving the future of recreational saltwater fishing. Last year's tournament donations, when combined with Alabama's matching funds, generated more than $250,000.

Click here to read the full article from the Pensacola News Journal.

Saltwater Series begins on Friday

Thursday, April 03, 2008

By JEFF DUTE

Outdoors Editor

The Orange Beach Saltwater Series Tournament kicks off Friday and ends May 26, giving one fisherman a chance to win $20,000 for a big king mackerel, $10,000 for a big cobia, gator speckled trout or slot redfish, or $2,000 for a first-place sheepshead or triggerfish.

Tournament organizers said the new tournament, along with the continuation of the Red Snapper World Championship, is an effort to counteract the effects of past and recent red snapper management decisions by the National Marine Fisheries Service. "It is also intended to help protect recreational fishing for people in small boats and big boats or who fish from the jetties or the beach," tournament director Tony Kennon said. "With ever-increasing regulation of our fish stocks, it is imperative recreational fishermen have a voice in how those stocks are managed."

Click here to read the full article from the Mobile Press-Register.

January's Offshore Bounty of Redfish

Captain Maurice Fitzsimmons

January’s a great month to take a charter and fish for redfish. We’re catching and releasing a tremendous number of redfish this month. You can catch 20- to 30-pound redfish on just about any bait you put in the water. Triggerfish and vermilion snapper (beeliners), which are both delicious to eat, have also really been biting well. During this month, we’re still catching and releasing large numbers of big red snapper.

The big news here at the Gulf Coast is that red snapper season has changed. It doesn’t open until June 1st and closes September 30th, so our Red Snapper World Championship (RSWC) held in Orange Beach that had run for the first 30 days of snapper season now will be held during the fall in September. However, during the spring, we’ll have a salt-water series tournament with 11-different species of fish, including tuna, wahoo, triggerfish, vermilion snapper, grouper, amberjack, king mackerel, speckled trout, redfish and several other species of fish, whether you fish inshore or offshore.

The Spring Saltwater Series, which will run from April 4 to May 26, will award $150,000 in cash and prizes to the winners. The speckled trout tournament will have a three-fish aggregate, and if you’re one of the lucky winners of this tournament, you’ll qualify for the Fall Shoot-off, a really-big tournament with a lot of cash and prizes.

The RSWC this year will run from August 22 until September 30 and award $35,000 in cash for the winning angler and the same amount of money to the boat captain, based on entry fees. So, this year, instead of having only one big tournament with only one or two fish that can be caught for prize money, we’ll have two tournaments – the first tournament in the spring and the Red Snapper World Championship in the fall.

In March, we expect to see our cobia turning-up, depending on the weather. Generally a lot of local tournaments related to cobia are held during this month. Every day, fishermen from Orange Beach and Dauphin Island will be running the beach looking for cobia.

The good news about our tournaments this year is you either can fish in the tournament off a charter boat, or you can fish both tournaments in your own private boat. Tickets for the tournaments will be available at various locations in Baldwin and Mobile counties, particularly on Dauphin Island and at Orange Beach and Gulf Shores. A $10 daily ticket qualifies you to compete in all 11 categories for the prizes and the money in the Spring Saltwater Series.

The RSWC in the fall only will cost $10 for a daily ticket, as it has in the past. In the spring tournament, almost any fish that bites your hook is a potential prize winner. I suggest booking early, if you plan to charter fish in either or both tournaments.


To book the “Miss Celeste,” and fish with Captain Fitzsimmons, call him at (251) 209-9166 or (251) 626-9437, or go to his webpage at www.missceleste.com to find prices and schedules.

FLW Kingfish Series returns to Orange Beach for 2008

BENTON, KY – January 14, 2008 –

FLW Outdoors, home of FLW Fantasy Fishing (www.FantasyFishing.com), and the largest cash payout in fantasy sports history, announced today that the 2008 Wal-Mart FLW Kingfish Series will feature six events advancing teams to a no-entry-fee championship that will be held Nov. 14-15 in Biloxi, Miss. Each qualifying tournament, four of which will be held in conjunction with Wal-Mart FLW Kingfish Tour events, will feature a guaranteed top payout of $15,000, and the Wal-Mart FLW Kingfish Series Championship will also feature a top payout of $15,000.

The top five teams from each tournament and the top 20 teams (who are not already qualified) from the year-end points standings will advance to the two-day championship. Teams finishing the season ranked in the top 20 will also receive priority entry into the 2009 Wal-Mart FLW Kingfish Tour.

The top award in each qualifier includes $6,000 plus $9,000 in Hydra-Sports, Scarab, Seaswirl, Wellcraft, Yamaha and Evinrude contingency bonuses. The top award in the FLW Kingfish Series Championship also includes $6,000 plus $9,000 in boat and engine contingency bonuses. All 50 qualifiers will compete both days of the championship, and the heaviest cumulative weight will determine the winner.

Competition will kick off May 17 in Sarasota, Fla., followed by tournaments June 28 in Ft. Pierce, Fla..; July 26 in Beaufort, S.C.; Aug. 16 in Venice, La.; Sept. 13 in Orange Beach, Ala.; and Oct. 18 in Wrightsville Beach, N.C. The Ft. Pierce and Beaufort events will be stand alone FLW Kingfish Series tournaments. The other four tournaments, and the FLW Kingfish Series Championship, will be held in conjunction with FLW Kingfish Tour events held at the same venues.

“In 2008, FLW Kingfish Series anglers in four of the qualifiers will share the same national spotlight as competitors in the FLW Kingfish Tour,” said FLW Outdoors President and CEO Charlie Evans. “We will have two separate and distinct tournaments running simultaneously with separate fields and separate payouts. Teams in both events, however, will enjoy increased media exposure by virtue of having two high-profile tournaments held at the same time.”

Fields for 2008 will be capped at 50 boats per tournament, and entry fees remain unchanged at $500 per team for each event. Entries may be made online at FLWOutdoors.com or by calling (270) 252-1000. Entry dates will be released soon.

Tournament pros aren’t the only ones winning big this season. With the introduction of FLW Fantasy Fishing, FLW Outdoors will be awarding the largest fantasy sports payout in history. Players can become a virtual pro angler by signing up for Player’s Advantage, providing them with exclusive insider information that could guide them to a $100,000 victory at every Wal-Mart FLW Tour® stop and the Forrest Wood Cup. Player’s Advantage will give them an edge over the competition and increase their shot for a $1 million cash grand prize that will be awarded to the FLW Fantasy Fishing cumulative points winner. Those who visit FantasyFishing.com today can sign up for Player’s Advantage and FLW Outdoors will include a $15 Wal-Mart gift card.

FLW Outdoors, named after Forrest L. Wood, the legendary founder of Ranger Boats, is the largest fishing tournament organization in the world. In 2008 alone the organization is offering more than 90,000 anglers the chance to win over $40 million through 230 tournaments in 10 circuits targeting bass, walleye, redfish, kingfish and striped bass. FLW Outdoors is also taking fishing mainstream with the largest cash awards in the history of fantasy sports, $7.3 million.

For more information about FLW Outdoors and its tournaments, visit FLWOutdoors.com or call (270) 252-1000. For more information about FLW Fantasy Fishing and Player’s Advantage, visit FantasyFishing.com.

2008 Wal-Mart FLW Kingfish Series Schedule
May 17 Sarasota, Fla.
June 28 Ft. Pierce, Fla.*
July 26 Beaufort, S.C.*
Aug. 16 Venice, La.
Sept. 13 Orange Beach, Ala.
Oct. 18 Wrightsville Beach, N.C.
Wal-Mart FLW Kingfish Series Championship
Nov. 14-15 Biloxi, Miss.
* Stand alone FLW Kingfish Series events, all others held in conjunction with FLW Kingfish Tour events.

FSN to broadcast Redfish Series Championship

MINNEAPOLIS — Tune in Sunday, Dec. 23 to “FLW Outdoors” on FSN for the no-entry-fee $300,000 Wal-Mart FLW Redfish Series Championship held in Orange Beach, Ala.

The final Redfish Series event of the $1.9 million season will highlight the best anglers in the world as they compete for a cash prize of $100,000.

The “FLW Outdoors” saltwater series is a reality-format show told from the anglers’ perspective. Each week the top-five finalists are followed from takeoff to weigh-in, allowing the audience to feel the anglers’ nerves, listen to their strategy and learn from their mistakes. The stories evolve and the suspense grows throughout the one-hour show until the final weigh-in results are announced.

Click here to read the complete article from the FLW Outdoors website.

FSN to air FLW Kingfish Series Championship

Dec. 9 show to highlight $275,000 king mackerel tournament
from Orange Beach, AL.

MINNEAPOLIS (Nov. 29, 2007) — Tune in Sunday, Dec. 9 to “FLW Outdoors” on FSN for the $275,000 Wal-Mart FLW Kingfish Series Championship held in Orange Beach, AL. The final event of the season concludes with the winning team claiming a cash prize of up to $70,000.

The “FLW Outdoors” saltwater series is a reality-format show told from the anglers’ perspective. Each week the top-five finalists are followed from takeoff to weigh-in, allowing the audience to feel the anglers’ nerves, listen to their strategy and learn from their mistakes. The stories evolve and the suspense grows throughout the show until the final weigh-in results are announced. One hundred and twenty five teams – the top three from each of 15 qualifying tournaments and the top 16 in the points standings from each of five divisions – qualified to fish the tournament.

The FLW Kingfish Series Championship is a three-day, no-entry-fee event. The entire field competes on day one and day two and the top five teams compete on day three. The winning team is determined based on the heaviest kingfish from day one or day two plus the heaviest kingfish from day three.

Tournament officials canceled day one due to a Small Craft Advisory issued by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), so teams will now commence competition on day two with the top five advancing to day three. The inclement weather improved on day two, albeit slightly, as anglers fished in gusty winds and seas that grew to 8 feet offshore. Not that anyone would wish for such harsh conditions, but Mobile, Ala., native Marcus Kennedy, whose Team “Kwazar” leads the event with a 51-pound, 11-ounce smoker king, said the foul weather actually worked in his favor. Joined by Max Williams of Pensacola, Fla., and Mike Ward and Todd Kercher, both of Mobile, Kennedy ran approximately 60 miles southwest of Orange Beach and fished over patches of natural bottom in 180 feet of water. Team “Kwazar” caught three other kingfish in the 30-pound class on day two. Their heaviest hit a live blue runner on a downrigger set 70 feet deep at 11 a.m. Kennedy usually mans the helm during tournaments, but with other tasks occupying his teammates, he grabbed the rod and fought the fish for about 10 minutes. Another smoker on day three would likely put Kwazar in the winner’s circle.

Team “Sake,” led by Capt. Neil Nix of Okeechobee, Fla., also braved the big seas, running 50 miles south. The result was a 41-pound, 9-ounce kingfish that was caught over a reef in 180 feet of water. When “Sake’s” big fish ate a live blue runner around 10:30 a.m., Danny Marasocci fought the fish and Nix gaffed it after a 35-minute fight. The team caught another 11 kings between 20 and 25 pounds. FSN also follows Team “Square & Level/Reel Wild,” captained by Frank (Pete) Eldridge of Waycross, Ga. On the strength of a 40-pound, 14-ounce king mackerel, “Square & Level/Reel Wild” is third with one day of competition remaining. FSN is the industry leader in providing the most up-to-date technology in TV production.

FSN puts viewers in the boats with the pros, shadowing them from sunrise until the final weigh-in using innovative camera work that gives fishing fans the most intimate viewing experience available. FSN broadcasts “FLW Outdoors” Sunday mornings. Check local listings for show times and channels in your area. FLWOutdoors.com also provides an online guide listing upcoming episodes on “FLW Outdoors.”

FSN is broadcast to more than 81 million homes through its network of 20 regional sports channels. Established in 1996, FSN is the only cable network that supplies national, regional and local sports programming. FSN serves as the cable TV home to 62 of the 82 MLB, NHL and NBA teams based in the United States, and produces more than 4,500 live events each year. FSN has an extensive catalog of original national programs, including “Best Damn Sports Show Period” and “Beyond the Glory” documentary series, along with national packages of collegiate sports. Based in Los Angeles, FSN is part of the vast FOX Sports television family. For the latest up-to-the-minute sports news and opinions, visit the FOX Sports/FSN website at www.FoxSports.com .

“FLW Outdoors” is also broadcast internationally to more than 429 million households in such countries as Germany, China, South Africa, Australia, Malaysia, Russia, Hungary and the United Kingdom, making it the most widely distributed weekly outdoor-sports television show in the world. Additionally, FLW Outdoors is proud to provide tournament coverage to more than 800,000 service men and women stationed around the world in 177 countries and aboard Navy ships through broadcasts on the American Forces Network.

For more information about FLW Outdoors and its tournament programs, visit FLWOutdoors.com or call (270) 252-1000.

Hatten & Macik Win FLW Redfish Championship in Orange Beach

Orange Beach, AL- October 20, 2007 – Bennie Hatten, of Deer Park, Texas, and Randy Macik, of Bay City, Texas, caught six redfish weighing 35 pounds, 1 ounce to win the Wal-Mart FLW Redfish Series Championship presented by BP in Orange Beach, Ala. The top prize of $100,000 included a $25,000 Ranger bonus and a $25,000 Yamaha bonus.

“We squeaked into this thing by a whisker,” said Hatten, who qualified for the championship in the next-to-last place in the Western Division. “We were just glad to be here. And then to come in here and win it is just unbelievable.”

Hatten said the team caught six fish Thursday and eight fish on the second day of competition by fishing off of the Mississippi Sound. The team made the 75-mile one-way run to their spot on the second day of competition in hopes of repeating their first day’s performance of two redfish that weighed 12 pounds, 6 ounces.

On the final day of competition, the team returned to the Mississippi Sound, where they caught their limit in 45 minutes Thursday and an hour and a half Friday.

“We got to the pond we had been fishing in, and the wind was blowing on the shoreline we had been fishing,” Hatten said. “We hadn’t been able to catch anything on the shoreline if the wind was blowing on it. We didn’t catch a fish for the first two hours. We got the jitters bad.”

Hatten and Macik were fishing a white Rapala Skitter Walk, and they jerked the bait away from the first two fish that struck. The team took a minute to compose themselves, resumed fishing, and eventually boated six redfish during the day. They caught every fish during the tournament except for one on the Skitter Walk. Their last fish of the tournament came on a silver Heddon Spook.

Rounding out the top five teams are Brett Phillips and Mike Patterson, both of Rockport, Texas (six redfish, 33 pounds, 13 ounces, $15,120); Kris Walter, of Hudson, Fla., and Danny Winters, of Tampa, Fla. (six redfish, 33 pounds, 1 ounce, $5,760); Steve White, of Petal, Miss., and Barnie White, of Brewton, Ala. (six redfish, 30 pounds, 8 ounces, $9,360); Gary McKenzie, of Bartow, Fla., and Sam Bertha Jr., of Bunnell, Fla. (four redfish, 22 pounds, 1 ounce, $7,200).

Teams caught eight redfish Saturday weighing 39 pounds, 3 ounces.

The $300,000 Wal-Mart Redfish Series Championship presented by BP — the final event in the most lucrative redfish tournament trail in the world — is a three-day event. A field of 85 teams competed Thursday and Friday, and the top five teams, based on heaviest combined weight, advanced to Saturday’s final round. The winning team was determined Saturday based on the heaviest three-day accumulated weight.

The FLW Redfish Series consists of two divisions — Eastern and Western. Each division is comprised of four qualifying events with a $200,000 purse for each event. The top 100 teams — 50 from each division after four qualifying events — qualified for the three-day, no-entry-fee $300,000 Wal-Mart FLW Redfish Series Championship presented by BP.

Coverage of the Wal-Mart FLW Redfish Series Championship presented by BP will be broadcast to 81 million FSN (Fox Sports Net) subscribers in the United States as part of the “FLW Outdoors” television program airing Dec. 23. “FLW Outdoors” airs Sunday mornings at 11 Eastern time. “FLW Outdoors” is also broadcast internationally to approximately 350 million households in Europe, Africa and Asia, making it the most widely distributed weekly fishing program in the world. Additionally, FLW Outdoors is proud to provide tournament coverage to more than 800,000 servicemembers stationed around the world in 177 countries and aboard Navy ships through broadcasts on the American Forces Network.

844 lb Record Shark Caught in Destin Tournament

PATRICK RICE
Sunday October 14th, 2007

DESTIN – Adlee Bruner’s fishing story is about the big one that didn’t get away. Bruner and five friends headed out Saturday morning on a charter boat, hoping to catch some grouper to enter in the annual Destin Fishing Rodeo. Instead, Bruner landed a gargantuan 844.4-pound mako shark, setting a new record for the decades-old tournament.

“It was tense,” Bruner, 47, said about the fight to land the 11-foot shark with a mouthful of huge teeth. “I’ve fished for 40 years. I’ve never see one that big.”

Click here to read the full story and see more pictures from the Northwest Florida Daily News.

Local pro Marcus Kennedy leads FLW Anglers into Final Day

(Photo- Marcus Kennedy & Max Williams taken by David A. Brown)

By David A. Brown - 06.Oct.2007

ORANGE BEACH, Ala. – As the rising sun peeked through Ferris wheel framework at The Wharf in Orange Beach, Alabama, a quintet of kingfish teams headed into a bumpy Gulf of Mexico for their own brand of thrill ride in the Wal-Mart FLW Kingfish Series Championship’s final round.

Local pro Marcus Kennedy, a perennial favorite heading the Mobile, Alabama-based Team Kwazar leads the field with a 51-pound, 11 ounce kingfish. The leaders caught Friday’s top king over natural bottom structure about 65 miles southwest of Orange Beach, and they’ll stick with the same plan today.

“We’ll probably do about the same thing that we did yesterday,” Kennedy said. “We might change the area a little bit, but not much.”

Live baitfish like blue runners (locally called “hardtails”) will be the dominant offering, but Kennedy said he’ll also run dead ribbonfish in his spread. He’ll dress a couple of his live baits with pink or chartreuse skirts to enhance their attraction.

“The water’s clear, but it’s rough out there and I think (a skirt) helps the kings find the bait better,” he said. “I’ll run skirts on two of my baits and the rest of them will be naked.”

Team Kwazar holds a 10-pound lead over second-place Team Sake led by Neil Nix of Okeechobee, Fla., and a 15-pound margin separates the first and fifth spots. However, with the Northern Gulf of Mexico’s reputation for hordes of monster kings, one lucky break can quickly redirect fortune’s favor.

“If we had any sense we’d go catch a 30-pounder somewhere, but we have to go back and try to catch another big fish,” he said. “If we catch a 40-pounder, it’ll be tough to beat (91 pounds). But there are a lot of good fishermen fishing this tournament so you can’t take anything for granted.”

Tournament officials cancelled Thursday’s scheduled start when inclement weather and extremely rough seas created unsafe boating conditions. Losing one qualifying day in what was originally to be a three-day event put most teams in a swing-for-the fence mode on Friday. FLW Kingfish Series Tournament Director Chris Hoover said the adjusted schedule amplifies the feeling of accomplishment for Saturday’s top-five teams.

“Yesterday was a big day for these teams to go out and get as much weight as they could, but today’s going to take a little bit of pressure off of them because they’ve already made the top five,” Hoover said. “Everyone would love to win, but they all want to make it to that TV day and have the opportunity to (win the Championship).”

Hoover also pointed out that while local knowledge and experience clearly factor into the competitive equation, the first-place prize remains within reach of all top-five teams until the last fish hits the scale Saturday afternoon.

“It’s anyone’s game,” Hoover said. “These teams network so much that they all have (GPS) numbers and locations (to fish). So really all of the teams will have the same opportunity because they’ve networked and they’ve done their homework before they even got here.

“Anything can happen out there today, so it’s going to be really exciting.”

Tournament rules
The Wal-Mart FLW Kingfish Series Championship, which concludes today, gathers the top finishers from five divisions – North Carolina, South Carolina/Georgia, East Florida, Gulf, and Upper Gulf. The top five teams compete in today’s final round for a top award of as much as $70,000.

Action continues at today’s weigh-in, scheduled to take place at 4 p.m. (Central Time) at The Wharf, located at 23101 Canal Road in Orange Beach. The National Guard Family Fun Zone opens at noon with free games and giveaways.

Friday’s conditions:
Sunrise: 6:47 a.m.
Temperature at takeoff: 79 degrees
Expected high temperature: 92 degrees
Water temperature: 79 degrees
Wind: from the east-northeast at 10-15 mph
Humidity: 79 percent
Day’s outlook: Cloudy with isolated thunderstorms

Weather Conditions for FLW Tournament Better by a Little Today

Weather slightly yields to delayed Kingfish Series Championship

By David A. Brown

Orange Beach, AL - October 5, 2007 – After sitting out the first scheduled day of competition, teams launched under threatening skies and faced only mildly improved sea conditions at the start of the Wal-Mart FLW Kingfish Series Championship at Orange Beach, Ala.

When a passing low pressure system built offshore seas to eight feet or more, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) issued a Small Craft Advisory for the Northern Gulf Wednesday afternoon. That prompted FLW management to cancel Thursday’s competition and adjust the tournament to a single day of full field qualifying, followed by Saturday’s top-five finale.

John Akers of the Ozona, Fla. based Team Mutual Fun plans on running 40-50 miles southwest from Mobile Pass, but he realizes the day’s conditions may limit his range. “Weather permitting, we’ll hit some of the spots where we prefished. The weather’s going to dictate what we’re going to be able to do or not do.

“During prefishing we didn’t find great fish, but we found fish. That in and of itself could be a winning tactic as tough as it is out there. If we can find some fish, we’ll weed through the smaller ones and hopefully get a bigger bite.”

At the check out, most teams headed west down the Intracoastal Waterway toward Mobile Bay. This course affords an easy run through protected waters. At the bay, the majority of teams will head south or southwest to fish near drilling rigs, which harbor voluminous baitfish of the baitfish king mackerel seek.

Capt. Jared Landry of Jeanerette, La. and his Mowinsargassum teammates are well-accustomed to fishing Northern Gulf waters. Fortunately, the easterly blow favors a run toward their home waters of the Mississippi delta. “With the seas coming out of the east, we’ll just try to chug-a-lug with them and go as far as we can. We’re going to target the 80- to 100-foot range. We found some decent fish over there (during practice) so we’ll go back and try to find them again.”

Slow trolling live baits such as blue runners, cigar minnows, and menhaden on wire “stinger” rigs will be the dominant strategy. Rough seas will complicate the task of keeping lines clear, so teams will likely fish three to four rods, rather than the usual five to six.

Earl “Radar” Blake, who fishes the FLW Kingfish Tour with Team Chevy, joins Team Sea Bandit for the Series Championship. Blake said teams will need a heavy fish to make the top-five cut. “I think it’ll take one in the 40’s or 50’s.”

Akers intends to balance competition with security. “We’re excited to be here and we’re looking forward to a great day of fishing. It going to be a little gamey out there today, but we just hope everybody stays safe and has a great day.”

Tournament rules
The Wal-Mart FLW Kingfish Series Championship, which runs Oct. 4-6, gathers the top finishers from five divisions – North Carolina, South Carolina/Georgia, East Florida, Gulf, and Upper Gulf. The full field fishes today and the top five teams advance to Saturday’s final round. Teams are competing for a top award of $70,000.

Action continues at today’s weigh-in, scheduled to take place at 4 p.m. (Central Time) at The Wharf, located at 23101 Canal Road in Orange Beach.

Friday’s conditions:
Sunrise: 6:46 a.m.
Temperature at takeoff: 79 degrees
Expected high temperature: 91 degrees
Water temperature: 79 degrees
Wind: from the east at 10-15 mph
Humidity: 82 percent
Day’s outlook: Cloudy with showers and possible thunderstorms

Day One of FLW Kingfish Series Canceled due to Weather

Orange Beach, AL- October 4, 2007 — Day one of the Wal-Mart FLW Kingfish Series Championship in Orange Beach has been cancelled due to high winds, strong thunderstorms and turbulent seas.

“With the present and forecasted conditions we have deemed it unsafe for our crews to head out today,” said FLW Kingfish Series tournament director Chris Hoover. “Our main priority is the safety of teams. We don’t want to do anything that will jeopardize their well being.”

With the cancellation of day one, competition will start Friday morning at the regularly scheduled time. The full field will compete Friday, and the top-five teams based on the day’s heaviest catches will move on to Saturday’s final round. The winner will be determined by the total weight of both Friday and Saturday’s catch.

The winning team will earn as much as $70,000 cash, which includes $30,000 for the win plus a $20,000 bonus from Hydra-Sports, Scarab, Seaswirl or Wellcraft and a $20,000 bonus from Evinrude or Yamaha if contingency guidelines are met.

Teams will take off and weigh in at The Wharf located at 23101 Canal Road in Orange Beach. Friday’s takeoff is at 6:45 a.m. with the scales opening at 4 p.m. Saturday’s final takeoff is at 7 a.m. followed by the weigh-in at 4 p.m. The FLW Kingfish Series Family Fun Zone will open at noon Saturday and will include a National Guard HD theater, rock climbing wall and Humvee display. Admission to all activities is free.

The Alabama Gulf Coast Sports Commission is hosting the event along with The Wharf, Brett-Robinson, Live Bait at the Wharf and the cities of Orange Beach and Gulf Shores.

Wal-Mart FLW Kingfish Series Championship set for Orange Beach

ORANGE BEACH, Ala. (Sept. 24, 2007) — The $1.78 million Wal-Mart FLW Kingfish Series will stop in Orange Beach, Ala., Oct. 4-6 for the season-ending Wal-Mart FLW Kingfish Series Championship, where top teams from five divisions will compete for a top award of $70,000.

Team “Baitmasters” captained by Robert Ayelsworth of St. Petersburg, Fla., will lead the Gulf Division qualifiers in Orange Beach while Ron Mitchell of Port St. Lucie, Fla., will captain team “Bandit,” winner of the East Florida Division points race. Team “Intense” captained by Neal Foster of Mobile, Ala., is the No. 1 qualifier from the Upper Gulf Division, and team “King of Kings2” led by Bart Wetherington of Richmond Hill, Ga., is the top team from the South Carolina/Georgia Division. The top qualifier from the North Carolina Division, team “Wrench Head,” is captained by Kevin Lawson of Ramseur, N.C.

Overall, 125 teams, the top three from each of 15 qualifying tournaments and the top 16 in the points standings from each division, will compete in the lucrative championship.

“Things worked out well for us last year,” said captain Kevin Alexander of Conroe, Texas, whose team “Force 10,” from the Upper Gulf Division, will be looking to defend its 2006 FLW Kingfish Series Championship title in Orange Beach. “To win back to back title would definitely vindicate some of the bad luck from the tuff season we have had this year. We are going to give it our best shot. We are planning to put in our time and do a lot of homework. All my guys are pumped and ready to go. We are a group of hard workers, and we are very committed to what we do.

“I think the key to winning this event will be finding the right forage the kings are after and staying with them. The key will be to locate bait and stay close to it. With the weather the area is getting right now, a few fronts could scatter the fish and throw everything off.”

Alexander predicted that is would take a kingfish in the 40-pound range to make the top-five cut on Friday. He also said that teams will have to follow things up on Saturday with one about the same weight, making a prediction for 70 to 80 pounds to win.

The winning team will earn as much as $70,000 cash, which includes $30,000 for the win plus a $20,000 bonus from Hydra-Sports, Scarab, Seaswirl or Wellcraft and a $20,000 bonus from Evinrude or Yamaha if contingency guidelines are met.

The full field will compete Thursday, Oct. 4 and Friday, Oct. 5. The top-five teams based on the heaviest kingfish from either day will continue competition Saturday, Oct. 6. The winner will be determined by the total weight of the heaviest kingfish from Thursday or Friday plus Saturday’s catch.

Teams will take off and weigh in daily at The Wharf located at 23101 Canal Road in Orange Beach. Takeoff is at 6:45 a.m. Thursday and Friday with the scales opening at 4 p.m. Saturday’s final takeoff is at 7 a.m. followed by the weigh-in at 4 p.m. The FLW Kingfish Series Family Fun Zone will open at noon Saturday and will include a National Guard HD theater, rock climbing wall and Humvee display. Admission to all activities is free.

As points champions in their respective divisions, teams “Baitmasters,” “Bandit,” “Intense,” “King of Kings2,” and “Wrench Head” will also advance to the $500,000 Wal-Mart FLW Kingfish Tour Championship presented by BP in Biloxi, Miss., Nov. 2-4, where they will compete against the top 50 teams in the FLW Kingfish Tour Land O’Lakes Team of the Year points standings for a top award of $150,000.

The Kingfish Series Championship will be featured in a one-hour episode of “FLW Outdoors” broadcast to 80 million FSN (Fox Sports Net) households in the United States and more than 429 million households in such countries as Germany, China, South Africa, Australia, Malaysia, Russia, Hungary and the United Kingdom on Dec. 9. This reach makes “FLW Outdoors” the most widely distributed fishing program in the world. Additionally, FLW Outdoors is proud to provide tournament coverage to more than 800,000 service members stationed around the world in 177 countries and aboard Navy ships through broadcasts on the American Forces Network.

The Alabama Gulf Coast Sports Commission is hosting the event along with The Wharf, Brett-Robinson, Live Bait at the Wharf and the cities of Orange Beach and Gulf Shores. For more information, visit www.gulfshores.com.

Named after the legendary founder of Ranger Boats, Forrest L. Wood, FLW Outdoors administers the Wal-Mart FLW Tour, Wal-Mart FLW Series, Stren Series, Wal-Mart Bass Fishing League, Wal-Mart Texas Tournament Trail presented by Abu Garcia, Ranger Owners Tournament Championship Series, Wal-Mart FLW Walleye Tour, Wal-Mart FLW Walleye League, Wal-Mart FLW Kingfish Tour, Wal-Mart FLW Kingfish Series, Wal-Mart FLW Redfish Series and Wal-Mart FLW Striper Series. These circuits offer combined purses of nearly $43 million through 241 events in 2007.