Eddy Haneman Sailfish Tournament
Capt. Robbie Wolfe and the “Whipsaw” anglers accept the first place trophy in the 2012 Eddie Haneman Sailfish Tournament, held July 27-29 out of Bridgetender Marina. They released the first of two sails caught during the event to earn the title. Photo courtesy of Salty Lens Productions.
Taking the top spot in the event for the third time in its 13 year history, Capt. Robbie Wolfe and the crew of the “Whipsaw” tallied the first sailfish release in the Capt. Eddie Haneman Sailfish Tournament, held out of Bridgetender Marina on July 27-29, to top fellow Wrightsville Beach boat “Chicken Ship” and earn the win.
Wolfe fished the event with his brother Chris, Walt Blackmon, Tony Brannock, and mate Jed Galloway aboard his 42’ Harkers Island sportfisherman and, like the rest of the fleet, went fishless on the first day of the two-day tournament.
“We ran down south Friday,” Wolfe explained, “to some ledges offshore of the Schoolhouse. It was rough and that gave us the best ride—we were basically in survival mode.”
The anglers began pulling their spread, dredge teasers and dink ballyhoo around the area, and lost a suspected sailfish to a pulled hook, but they found no more action.
The anglers woke to calmer seas on Saturday and took the opposite tack, heading to the edge of tournament-eligible waters.
“We went up to 180/200 line,” Wolfe said, “northeast of 23 Mile Rock as far north and offshore as you can go.”
The “Whipsaw” encountered better conditions than they had down south, marking bait on the surface, and they began their sailfish hunt.
“The bait was up top when we got there, but it started going away while we were fishing,” Wolfe said.
Around 8:00, the crew’s number was pulled, as a pair of sailfish swam into the spread, one tracking the dredge and one on a short outrigger bait.
The anglers managed to hook both fish, but one was quick to spit the hook during a jump. Blackmon’s fish stayed connected, and the anglers cleared lines and got down to the business of fighting their fish.
“He jumped 4-5 times,” Wolfe continued. “He stayed up top, and we backed right up to him.”
The anglers got the tournament-mandated photo of the leader in Galloway’s hand and released their sailfish, taking the lead in the event for the first and final time.
Hearing the sail release on the radio attracted a few more boats, and Capt. Adam Thompson, on the “Chicken Ship,” answered the “Whipsaw” sail release with one of his own.
“We were excited with our fish,” Wolfe said, “and I’d figured the first release would win it. After Adam caught his and four to five other boats came up there, I got a little worried. I’d like to thank Adam for leaving there early.”
None of the other competing boats were able to release a fish over the rest of Saturday’s fishing, and the “Whipsaw” carried their early release to the winner’s circle.
Another local Wrightsville boat, the “Mitz-Chievous,” earned the top honors in the Eddy Haneman’s dolphin category by weighing the largest dolphin ever caught in the event, an 18.21 lb. fish.
