THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1994, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Monday, August 22, 1994 TAG: 9408220172
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C5 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY BOB HUTCHINSON, OUTDOORS EDITOR
LENGTH: Medium: 81 lines
All those billfish available off Virginia and North Carolina just over a week ago have pulled a disappearing act in recent days.
Only one billfish was caught over the weekend by the 19 boats registered for the annual Little Creek Marina Billfish Release Tournament. That was a sailfish claimed by the winning boat, Black Watch, skippered by Mike Standing of Virginia Beach.
The charter boat Pelican, skippered by Arch Bracher, won the annual Pirate's Cove Marina Billfish Release Tournament at Nags Head, N.C., by releasing two sailfish and a white marlin.
The contest opened Tuesday and ran through Friday, with contestants allowed to fish three days of their choice. The 64 registered boats released 20 blue marlin, 20 white marlin and seven sailfish.
Here's a rundown of some recent catches:
Virginia Beach inshore: Speckled trout: Stanley Bennett, Virginia Beach, 6-9, caught from the boat Surfrider.
Virginia Beach offshore: Blue marlin release: Marshall Luck Jr., Richmond, Branch Office; Bonnie Hardiman, Richmond, Wahoo!; and John Joseph, Midlothian, Captain's Choice. White marlin release: Ray Curry, Ashland, Wahoo!; and Willie Dammeyer, Annapolis, Md., and Ben Dammeyer, Annapolis, Que Pasa. Sailfish release: Robert J. Bosley Jr., Virginia Beach, Black Watch; Norman Staples, Midlothian, Southern Breeze; Matt Anderson, Richmond, Mike Barb, Franklin, and John Lees Jr., Richmond, Outer Limits.
Dolphin: Norman Clark, Chesapeake, 46-3, Tom Cat; Jamie Stanford, Virginia Beach, 28-0, 04; Edward Cunningham Jr., Virginia Beach, 24-0, Dixie; Thomas L. Flagle, Virginia Beach, 22-0, My Cin VI; and Rob Phillips, Virginia Beach, 20-0, Mary M. Wahoo: William R. Morton, Midlothian, 35-0, Our Dream; and Greg Fuhs, Virginia Beach, Reelenin.
Chesapeake Bay Bridge-Tunnel: Spanish mackerel: Bill Ashton, Chesapeake, 5 pounds, 2 ounces, no name on boat. Cobia: Kevin Foley, Williamsburg, 53-0, no name.
Eastern Shore: Red drum release: Rossi D. Baker Sr., Suffolk, no name; and John D. Griffin III, Suffolk, no name. Red drum: Catherine Powers, Richmond, 43-0, Jenny Lee. Cobia release: Alfred Nottingham, Townsend, Va., Fish Tales II. Cobia: Charles Genslicki, Machipongo, Va., 61-0, Jenny Lee; and Ivan Lee Caplinger, Mechanicsville, 48-4, no name.
Outer Banks inshore: Pompano: Eddie Ochs, Buxton, N.C., 3-1, caught from the surf; Justin Morgan, Norfolk, 2-6, surf; Charles Welch, Dobson, N.C., 2-1, surf; and Shirley Zeleznik, Pittsburgh, Pa., 2-0, surf.
Outer Banks offshore: Blue marlin release: Dana Sallon, Manteo, N.C., For Play'n; Glenn Spain, New Bern, N.C., Hatterascal; Paul Trobaugh, Mount Crawford, Va., Wildfire; Albert Lester, Richmond, Fishing Frenzy; and Stacy Miller, Woodbridge, Va., Release. White marlin release: Melanie Saunders, Kill Devil Hills, Diana Miller, Nags Head, Robin Stewart, Kitty Hawk, and Jim Bayne, Poquoson, Va., all Pelican; Deborah Merryman, Greensboro, and Todd Collett, Greensboro, Chaser; and Terry Maxwell, Raleigh, no name.
Sailfish release: Christopher Widen, Virginia Beach, High Seas; Thomas John, Gum Spring, Va., Hatteras Fever II; Kimberly Cummings, Raleigh, Release; Michael Steiner, Rocky Mount, N.C., Capt. B.; Jake Broughton, Springfield, Va., Top Billin'; Brian Cunningham, Arlington, Va., Hatteras Fever; Jonathan Springfield, Richmond, and Jim Bayne, Poquoson, Va., Pelican; Ralph Christmas, Wilmington, N.C., Sizzler; Kenneth Clift, Fredericksburg, Va., Wildfire; and Rodney Chamblee, Raleigh, Temptation.
Bigeye tuna: Clay Piffert, Virginia Beach, 121-0, Hasty Exit. Dolphin: Jim Bayne, Poquoson, Pelican. Yellowfin tuna: Stewart Jordan, Elizabeth City, N.C., 77-0, Capt. B.C., and Pete Demarest, Virginia Beach, 70-0, Gannet.
Fresh water: Largemouth bass: Sonny Pruitt, 8-8, caught at Lake Whitehurst; and John Spurlock, Virginia Beach, 6-14, Lake Prince. Shellcracker: Greg Clark, Virginia Beach, 1-1, Western Branch Reservoir.
Tournaments:
Results of the Pirate's Cove Billfish Release Tournament: 1. Pelican, skippered by Arch Bracher, two sailfish, one white marlin; 2. Pursuer, skippered by Ray Temple, two white marlin; 3. Sea Hag, skippered by Randy Graham. (Time-of-catch was the tiebreaker.).
Little Creek Marina Billfish Release Tournament: 1. Black Watch, skippered by Mike Standing, one sailfish. Largest tuna: Fat Rat, skippered by Mike Harrell, 43-12; dolphin: Demolition Man, Tim Seary, 10-0; wahoo: Carol J., Alan Ormond, 20-4; junior: Mel Oldham, tuna, 20-0. by CNB