Top Anglers Garner Cash Prizes and Trophies
With a total tournament prize distribution of $19,320, top anglers in the 2008 Bald Head Island Fishing Rodeo, May 29-31, were awarded some of the heftiest cash prizes in tournament history, according to recently released tournament statistics.
Captain Brian Smith and crew from Wrightsville Beach, N.C., fishing aboard the Tuna Trappe III reeled in the first-place prize of $8,280. The winning team caught a combined weight of 307.04 pounds of wahoo and dolphin.
Second-place winner Captain David Marshall and crew aboard Musicman won $4,140 for a total catch of 166.82 pounds, while the third-place prize of $1,380 went to Captain Chris Baily and crew for their 143.02-lb. catch, fishing aboard Reel Quick.
Lady and Junior anglers competed in their respective categories for heaviest fish, with Meredith Bost aboard Russellhatt taking the trophy for her 23.24-lb. dolphin. Andy Quattlebaum aboard Just One More 5 earned the Junior Angler trophy for his 23.74-lb. dolphin.
George and Frank Holding, fishing aboard Jollyman, took the $2,520 prize for the Catch and Release Billfish Tournament with their first day's sailfish and second-day's blue marlin. Trophies in the Billfish Tournament to Carroll Thomas for his blue marlin and to Elliott Koonce for his sailfish.
Combined catches from the three-day event totaled 1,925.07 pounds in all categories. The average weight of the 92 fish caught during the tournament was 20.92 pounds.
In addition to top prizes for competitors, the highly successful event made possible a donation of $1,240 to the Old Baldy Foundation, which benefits preservation of North Carolina's oldest lighthouse, Old Baldy.
Plans for next year's tournament scheduled for May 28-30, 2009, are already under way. For additional information, please contact Wendy Irick, Rodeo Chair, 1-800-234-1666 ext. 7393, or 1-910-457-7393.
