US Open Pier Tournament 2005
The U.S. Open Pier Tournament, sponsored by the Southport/Oak Island Area Chamber of Commerce, was held at Ocean Crest Pier and Long Beach Pier over June 3-5. There were 132 participants that fished on the overcast Saturday with scattered showers and then a sunny and warm Sunday.
The U.S. Open Pier Tournament is structured with three categories: Category I includes spot, croaker, whiting, spade, pompano, and pinfish; Category II includes spanish, blue, gray trout, speckled trout, red drum, black drum, and flounder; Category III includes king, cobia, jack crevalle, amberjack, sheepshead, and tarpon.
John Jenkins, from Southport, won Category I with a 2.10 lb. pompano caught from Ocean Crest Pier. Patrick Foster, from Raleigh, took second place with a 1.90 lb. spade caught from Long Beach Pier. Third place went to Ryan Minor, of Southport, with a 1.90 lb. pompano caught from Ocean Crest Pier.
The blues dominated Category II. Tyler West, from Matthews, NC, won this division by landing a 1.90 lb. blue from Long Beach Pier. Second and third place came from Ocean Crest Pier. Jerry Hunt, from Rowland, NC, took second place with a 1.80 lb. blue, and Nick Spurrier, from Kernersville, NC, finished in third with a 1.60 lb. blue.
There was only one fish weighed in Category III. Mike Martin, from Oak Island, landed the heaviest fish of the tournament, a 3.4 lb. sheepshead.
All of the winners in categories I, II, and III also received complimentary Gotcha plugs and t-shirts from Sea Striker.
The overall Junior Anglers were as follows: Ryan Minor in first with a 1.9 lb. pompano; Randy Hamilton in second with a 1.0 lb. blue; Austin Somers in third with a 0.7 lb. blue; Tanner Helms in fourth with a 0.4 lb. whiting; Rachel Woods in fifth with a 0.4 lb. blue.
Other anglers that made the leader board from Ocean Crest Pier include Eric McLean with a 1.3 lb. pompano and Pete Miller with a 1.4 lb. blue. Long Beach Pier anglers that made the leader board include Ken Foster with a 0.8 lb. whiting, Alicia Hadden with a 0.7 lb. whiting, Chad Goodnight with a 1.5 lb. blue, and Tim Johnson with a 1.5 lb. blue.
For more information on the U.S. Open Pier Fishing Tournament, please visit www.usopenpiertournament.com.
