THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Saturday, November 4, 1995 TAG: 9511040508
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C5 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY BOB HUTCHINSON, OUTDOORS EDITOR
DATELINE: BUXTON, N.C. LENGTH: Short : 47 lines
The Rising Tides surf-fishing team from Nags Head on Friday became the first team to score consecutive victories in the two largest surf-fishing tournaments on the East Coast.
The team wrapped up a win Friday in the 38th annual Cape Hatteras Surf Fishing Tournament with a two-day catch of 18 fish, scoring 155 points. They won the annual Nags Head Surf Fishing Tournament last month with 18 fish and 56 points.
The Mer-Mullets, a women's team from Hatteras, also made it two in a row, but they did it differently: They were the top female team in the contest for the second consecutive year. They finished with 15 fish and 79 points, good for 11th overall.
Second place overall went to Singing The Blues with 15 fish and 142 points, while the Merchantville Fishing Club was third, with 19 fish and 114 points.
The defending champion Eastern Shore of Virginia Anglers Club was 19th, with 29 fish and 64 points.
The tournament's 100 six-person teams beached 1,292 fish and scored 3,842 points. Most catches were released alive. Fish were scored by length.
The tournament's largest bluefish caught by a female was an 18-inch chopper caught by Lynette Sawyer of the Fish Sueezers. Ted Moseley of The Rising Tides had the largest blue by a male at 21 1/4 inches.
The biggest channel bass caught by a female was a 26-inch catch by Janice Neuman of the Mer-Mullets, while Sean Mulligan of the Singing The Blues had the biggest by a male at 28 1/4 inches.
Members of The Rising Tides are: Pat Preston, Harvey Kelly, Richard Harcum, Donnie Ross, Budd McLendon and Moseley.
The Singing The Blues team featured Bo Abbott, Pat Flavin, Steve McGovern, Joe Crist, Rich Wakefield and Mulligan.
Fishing for the Merchantville Fishing Club were Marvin Thorn, Mike Flint, Charles Merkh, Steve Monahan, Carl Astorino and Arthur Astorino.
Crystal Blackmon, Chris Ballance, Patricia White, Janice Neuman, Betsy Smock and Pam Costenbader fished for the Mer-Mullets.
While two two-day team competition ended Friday, the contest continues today with an individual tournament, open to anyone. The event is sponsored by the Cape Hatteras Anglers Club. by CNB