The Virginian-Pilot
                             THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT 
              Copyright (c) 1994, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: Tuesday, September 6, 1994             TAG: 9409060186
SECTION: SPORTS                   PAGE: C5   EDITION: FINAL 
SOURCE: BY BOB HUTCHINSON, OUTDOORS EDITOR 
                                             LENGTH: Medium:   91 lines

PURSUER WINS VA. BEACH MARLIN TOURNAMENT

The Pursuer, a private boat skippered by Ray Temple, won the annual Virginia Beach Marlin Tournament by releasing two white marlin Monday to go with two others released Friday, opening day.

The fish were caught by John Oatman, Mark Nemann, Ronnie Neighbors and Temple, all from Virginia Beach.

Although each tournament crew was allowed to fish any two days of its choice, many of the 27 registered boats didn't get to sail either day because of strong winds and turbulent seas.

Second went to the Poor Girl, skippered by Jack O'Donnell, with two releases.

The High Hopes, David Wright at the helm, was third; the Tom Cat, skippered by Billy Carroll, was fourth; and the Al Paschall-skippered Miss Behavin' was fifth. Each had one white marlin release, with time-of-catch the tiebreaker.

They were the only nine billfish caught during the contest.

The Pursuer was one of 11 boats which fished Friday in brisk northeast winds, as a low pressure center developed off the southeast coast. The No Problem, skippered by Paul Trumphour, fished alone Saturday, while no one sailed Sunday and only nine boats sailed Monday.

The contest's heaviest tuna was a 48-pound, 12-ounce yellowfin caught by Tony Guadagnino on the Poor Girl. Joe Woodington had the largest dolphin at 34-12 and Bud Mimchan the heaviest wahoo at 31-12, both on the No Problem.

A rundown of recent catches:

Virginia Beach inshore: Cobia: David Wroton, Norfolk, 54-6, caught from the Sea Weed; and Wayne Couch, Virginia Beach, 50-4, and David Wood, Virginia Beach, 49-14, both Big Orange.

Chesapeake Bay Bridge-Tunnel: Flounder: Gene Parker, Norfolk, 7-8, The Claw; and Michael Jones, Chesapeake, 6-1, T-Sea. Cobia: L.B. Brandon, Suffolk, 49-8, Ole Joe.

Virginia Beach offshore: Blue marlin release: Mike Buckhalter, Media, Ohio, Outer Limits; and Wes Laine, Virginia Beach, Wahoo. Sailfish release: Wes Laine, Virginia Beach, Outer Limits. White marlin release: Steve Sadowski, Virginia Beach, Tom Cat; E.K. Morrison, Virginia Beach, High Hopes.

White marlin release: Don Leneski, Virginia Beach, Hooker; Todd Kline, Virginia Beach, Wahoo; David N. Vaughan, Chesterfield, Carroll Foster, Chesterfield, and Michael W. Lawry, Midlothian, all Outer Limits; James D. Shute, Alexandria, and Joe Delcampo, Norfolk, both Miss Behavin'; Randy Butler, Virginia Beach, Why; and Freddy Jastrow, Virginia Beach, Summer Wind.

Wahoo: William A. Igel, Hampton 56-0, Outer Limits; and Dave Machacek, Northfield, Minn., 47-8, Lucky Lady. Dolphin: Melvin G. Rhoades, Lancaster, Pa., 32-3, and Donald T. Matthews, Arnold, Md., 25-6, both Auctioneer.

Lower Chesapeake Bay: Cobia: Frank Gattuso, Virginia Beach, Old Joe, caught at Bluefish Rock.

Eastern Shore: Blue marlin release: Dek Allen, Media, Pa., Trashman. White marlin release: Jim Burton, Church Creek, Md., Black Widow. Flounder: Geraldine Manaut, Ridgefield Park, N.J., 7-0, Sea Nymph. Red drum: Otis Evans, Melfa, Va., Bay Toy.

Outer Banks inshore: Jack crevalle: Richard Labounty, Moyock, N.C., 26-8, caught at the Kitty Hawk Pier. Pompano: Michael Markovich, Concord, Ohio, 2-10, surf.

Outer Banks offshore: Blue marlin release: Stacey Riddle, Virginia Beach, Blue Magic; Arthur Sharman, Newport News, and Velda Whitehead, Newport News, both Pelican; Karen Campbell, Arlington, and Kenneth Nye, Hopewell, both Carolinian; David Young, Hopewell, Sea Witch; John Furr, Trinity, N.C., Fast Lane; and Gary Scrogham, Crimora, Va., Jo-Boy II.

White marlin release: Tim Wehrle, Kill Devil Hills, no name; Casey Harrington, Vienna, and Forrest Kinsley, Vienna, both Hooker; Stephen Plunkett, Roanoke, Right Hook; Stephen Bingham, Hopewell, Sea Witch; Nathan Burns, Oakton, Va., and Clint Cunningham, Hopewell, both Capt. B.C.; Harold Jones, Hopewell, and Craig Strosnider, Prince George, Va., both Fintastic; Barney Biglecki, Nags Head, Doris Reiley, Alexandria, Christopher Ide, Alexandria, Rex Reiley, Alexandria, William Thomas, Toano, Va., and Hilda Foster, Toano, all Pelican; James Linnell, Spotsylvania, Va., Temptress; and York Poole, Portsmouth, and Jay Matthews, Williamsburg, both Tarheel. Sailfish release: Charles Cashwell, Long Beach, N.C., Cinnamon Girl; Edward Barnett, Mechanicsville, Wahoo; John Purdie, Williamsburg, Right Hook; Robert Sykes, Hopewell, Capt. B.C.; Ronald Smith, Newport News, Fight-N-Lady; and Elizabeth Voight, Carey, N.C., Grand Slam.

Wahoo: Charles Goniwicha, Chester, Va., 53-0, Grand Slam; and Kevin Miller, Virginia Beach, 42-0, no name. Dolphin: Mitchell Beyerl, Manassas, Va., 47-0, Sizzler; Gordon Roughton, Norfolk, 39-0, and Kelly McFarland, Norfolk, 37-0, both Arouser; and Martin Lowry, Winston-Salem, 35-8, Sea Creature. Spanish mackerel: Kurt Barrett, Mechanicsville, 12-0, Miss Liza.

Fresh water: Largemouth bass: Morris Joseph, Norfolk, 7-4, caught at Lake Prince. Muskellunge: Joe Smith, Suffolk, 11-0, Prince. Striped bass: Ray Hawkins, Norfolk, 8-0, Prince. Shellcracker: David Spenson, Chesapeake, 1-0, Western Branch Reservoir. by CNB