Island Harbor KMT 2005
The 17th annual Island Harbor Marina and KenCraft Challenger King Mackerel Tournament was held August 5-7 out of Island Harbor Marina in Emerald Isle, NC. The tournament, which helps raise funds for the Swansboro Shrine Club and the Shriner’s Hospital for Children, features one day of fishing with a multiple prize structure.
The tournament was won by one of the sponsor boats. Team KenCraft, out of Wilson, NC, took the overall first place with a 28.98 lb. king. Capt. Clay Croom, Ronnie Hudson, and Angler Hugh Sutton, fishing in their 25′ KenCraft Challenger, started at Lost Rock early in the day, but spent the last six hours of the tournament at the SE bottom.
It was at the SE bottom that the winning king hit the last live menhaden they had in the live well. On the tournament win, Croom thanked his fishing partners and KenCraft Boats out of Wilson.
Second place went to the Tyndall family fishing on the “Some Beach,” a 21′ Bay Rider. Capt. Travis, Margie, and Krystal Tyndall (angler), all from Emerald Isle, caught the 26.57 lb. king between Bear Rock and Brown’s Rock on a “little greenie.” Krystal was also awarded first place in the Lady Angler Division.
“Sarah II” took the overall third place with a 25.16 lb. king. Capt. Ben Moss, from Cape Carteret, and Tim Cunningham, from Emerald Isle, caught the king at East Rock with a live menhaden on top.
Capt. Steve Hamilton, fishing on the “Fifty-Fifty,” took fourth place with a 25.10 lb. king. Hamilton was fishing with Rich Downing, Fred Lee, and Chad Hamilton. Chad Hamilton was the angler, and he caught the king at Ashe Rock with a live menhaden on the long line.
The winner of the overall fifth place also took the Senior Angler Award. Ronnie Moore, from Durham, NC, landed a 24.92 lb. king while fishing on the “Sarah Michelle.”
Hunter Kornegay (age 12), from Kinston, NC, was the Junior Angler champion. He was fishing with Deens Kornegay on the “Reel Estate” and landed a 20.24 lb. king. Hunter was awarded a $2000 savings bond/scholarship award in the memory of Gordie McAdams, a good friend of Island Harbor Marina and the town of Emerald Isle who recently passed away.
The largest wahoo of the tournament weighed 47.9 lbs., and it was caught by Eddie Rudder. Rudder was fishing about 60 miles off the beach with Capt. Joe Webb on the “Billy Anna II.”
The largest dolphin came from Tommy Williams, from Deep Run, NC, fishing on the “Misty Seas.” He landed a 19.92 lb. fish.
Some of the other prizes are as follows: the largest king caught on a KenCraft went to Buddy Johnson on “Gemini” with an 18.90 lb. king; the largest king caught on a KenCraft Bay Rider went to Frankie Brinson on “Loose Lines” with an 18.44 lb. king; the largest king caught by a SeaTow Captain went to Michael Andrews on “A Team” with a 21.58 lb. king.
