Mike Martin Pier Tournament 2006
The Surf City Ocean Pier held its second annual Mike Martin Memorial Fishing Tournament over the weekend of August 19-20. It was a 30-hour fishing marathon that left all who fished or worked on the pier exhausted.
There were eight species of fish eligible for the tournament: king mackerel, spanish mackerel, sheepshead, bluefish, spot, whiting, flounder, and puppy drum. The tournament paid two places for each species: $100 for heaviest fish and $50 for second heaviest. There was an additional $500 prize for the largest speckled trout weighed. Participants paid $5.00 for each species they wanted to fish for, or $30.00 for all of them.
Eddie Murchison took home the big $500 prize with a 1.28 lb. speckled trout that bit a live shrimp fished under a float.
Anthony Kirk caught the only king mackerel brought to the pier during this year’s event. It weighed 19 lbs. The king bit a live spot fished on a slider, or trolley rig, and never made a big run, swimming around the pier and the other lines in the water. The fish was gaffed after a quick fight of around 15 minutes.
In the spanish mackerel division, Jimmy Grubb took home first with a 4.10 lb. spanish that hit a live menhaden. Trevor Hooks brought in a 3.41 lb. spanish good for second place.
Mike Martin topped the flounder category with a flatfish weighing 1.61 lbs. It took a live shrimp fished on a carolina rig near the pilings. Bill Covington caught the second place 1.37 lb. flounder on a Carolina-rigged finger mullet fished beneath the pier.
First place for bluefish went to Eric Meza with a 1.05 lb. fish. Charles Hawley had second with a .85 lb. blue.
The heaviest whiting was caught by Cody Hairr, and it weighed .92 lbs. A .72 lb. whiting secured second place for Blake Phillips.
Cody Hairr continued a good day by sweeping the spot category. His .77 and .67 lb. spots topped the field.
No sheepshead or puppy drum were caught this year.
There was also a children’s division for anglers under 12. It had a $5.00 entry fee, and prizes were based on heaviest fish of any species.
Emily Phillips won the $50 first prize with a .71 lb. spadefish. Makayla Jackson took second place with a .62 lb. lizard fish. Garrett Burgess’ .46 lb. speckled trout earned him third place. All the participating children got a fishing-related gift package.
A $700 Phoenix propane grill and a Dale Earnhardt grilling set were raffled away as door prizes at this tournament.
Everyone who fished the event seemed to have a great time, and the mood at the awards ceremony was jovial, if somewhat restrained due to collective fatigue.
For more information on this and other Surf City Ocean Pier events, please visit www.surfcityoceanpier.com.
