2025 US Open King Mackerel Tournament
The 2025 US Open King Mackerel Tournament took place over the rescheduled weekend of October 30 to November 1, with Dutchman Creek Park in Southport, NC, once again serving as the tournament headquarters. Now in its 47th year, the event drew 226 registered boats, all chasing leaderboard glory and the prestige of a US Open win.
Southport’s own Captain Kenneth “Bubba” Howard II and teammates Brian Rowley and Cameron Howard, of Team Fishing Condition, claimed first place with a 45.40 lb. king mackerel, earning $46,653 in winnings. Fishing from a 23’ Sailfish, they launched early Saturday morning and made their way through the fleet to Northeast Rock, a longtime favorite among local anglers and the site of the old positioning buoy.
The morning started strong, with a 37 lb. king, followed by another 30 lb. king, and then a smaller fish. As they trolled away from the crowd toward a nearby mark saved on their machine, the team’s winning bite came just before 9:00 a.m. The fish hit a slow-trolled bluefish, and while they knew it was a solid catch, it wasn’t until they got the king in the boat and on ice that they realized it might be something special.
Capt. Kenneth “Bubba” Howard II (right), Brian Rowley, and Cameron Howard (not pictured), from Southport, with the 45.40 lb. king that earned Team Fishing Condition a first-place finish at the 2025 US Open KMT. The fish hit a live bluefish at Northeast Rock.
With only dead bait left and rough conditions building, Howard, who noted he was in the smallest boat out there, decided they’d done enough.
“We had two nice fish, and I said, ‘Let’s go see what they weigh’,” he recalled.
The 45.40 lb. king surprised even him, topping a field of strong 40+ lb. contenders and sealing the win. After 35 years of fishing the US Open and several top ten finishes, this was Howard’s first time cracking the top three.
“It’s like winning the Daytona 500,” he said.
Team Smoke Break celebrates a strong second-place finish in the 2025 US Open KMT with their 42.85 lb. king, landed by Paige Hartgrove and gaffed by Josh Hartgrove. The team also includes Jim Harrison and Tim Mabe.
Team Smoke Break, captained by Josh Hartgrove, of Holden Beach, earned second place with a 42.85 lb. king and also took home first place in the Super High Roller TWT, bringing their total winnings to $53,795. Fishing aboard a 36’ Yellowfin, Hartgrove was joined by his daughter Paige, neighbor Jim Harrison, and longtime friend Tim Mabe.
After a rough Friday, the team took advantage of calmer Saturday conditions and headed offshore to Northeast Rock. The morning brought a few fish, including a 17.6 lb. king and a missed opportunity when a promising fish broke off after a tail swipe under the boat. Around 1:30 p.m., their biggest fish of the day hit a beat-up bluefish slow-trolled on the downrigger. Paige reeled it in, and Hartgrove gaffed it.
“As soon as I gaffed it, we knew what it was,” he said. “We just hauled to the scales.”
Hartgrove credited Harrison’s experience and instincts.
“He came in second back in 2001, so he knew the size fish we needed,” Hartgrove said. “When we caught that one, he called out on the radio that it was bigger than the one he’d placed with.”
To see the full leaderboard and get details on next year’s tournament, visit USOpenKMT.com or check out their Facebook page at U.S. Open King Mackerel Tournament.
