Tournament Report: Seaview Pier Dogfish
When it’s the middle of February in Sneads Ferry, NC, with wind conditions light and variable and temperatures for the day forecasted to reach a balmy 52 degrees, only to drop off once the sun goes down, what better way to celebrate than to join Seaview Pier’s 7th annual Dogfish Tournament.
Tournament organizer Garret Fayne reported there was a group of 91 total entries for this year’s festivities. With a single weighed fish entry for each angler, the goal was simple: catch the single heaviest dogfish shark.
Jeremy Fisher went quickly to the top of the leaderboard when he found not only the first dogfish shark caught, but what would ultimately be the heaviest dogfish shark caught on the day—a 7.4 pounder.
The bite was steady but slow all day long, and then the action turned on as the sun set and the low light conditions produced dogfish after dogfish. With only three people to valiantly run the landing nets, there was more action than could be maintained. Overall, the tournament recorded around 100 sharks caught and released.
Even as the action broke open and the leaderboard got competitive, Fisher still found himself on top when the tournament concluded at 8:00 pm.
In second place was Joseph Anderson with a 7.3 lb. dogfish, a shark that was perhaps one meal short of clinching the top prize.
Even the third place fish, caught by angler Josh Sloop, weighed a respectable 7.0 lbs.
On a day when anglers would’ve been glad to find any action, the entire leaderboard was filled with good-sized fish.
Both future and repeat competitors alike are already looking forward to the next annual dogfish tournament coming their way in February 2024. Keep an eye on Seaview Pier’s Facebook page and newly revamped website for reports and announcements on this and other great yearly events.
