THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Saturday, October 12, 1996 TAG: 9610120562
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C3 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY BOB HUTCHINSON, OUTDOORS EDITOR
DATELINE: NAGS HEAD LENGTH: 56 lines
Only two points separated the three top teams in the 46th annual Nags Head Surf Fishing Tournament, won Friday by the Drum Runners fishing sextet from Wanchese.
The Drum Runners caught 22 fish and scored 61 points, while the Outer Banks Hurricanes of Nags Head were second with 22 fish and 60 points. The Raleigh Salt Water Sport Fishing Club finished third, also with 22 fish, scoring 59 points.
TW's Mullet Mamas of Kitty Hawk topped all female teams with 12 fish and 32 points, good for overall fifth.
Fish were scored by length.
The two-day team event was the closest in the contest's 46 years. It was also one of the lowest-scoring. The 480 anglers on 80 teams caught 370 fish and scored 946 points.
By contrast, a record 7,824 fish were beached in the 1976 event, while the 1984 contest produced a record 26,454 points.
Session winners were the Diamond Shoal Anglers of Hatteras, Outer Banks Saltmasters of Nags Head, Sanduners International Fishing Team of Kill Devil Hills and Raleigh Salt Water Sport Fishing Club, Raleigh.
Individual winners were:
Largest fish: Male, Paul Leary, Stiff Rods, Nags Head, 24-inch red drum; female (tie), Jan Holloman, Tight Lines, Kill Devil Hills, 18-inch black drum, and Jane Wirth, North Carolina Sea Hags, 18-inch red drum.
Most fish: Male, Milton Phelps, Drum Runners, 7; female, Sharon Newbold, Beach Outcasters, Virginia Beach, 4.
Most points: Male, Paul Leary, Stiff Rods, 22; female (Alice Kelly Memorial Award), Jan Holloman, Tight Lines, 4.
The contest continues today with an individual segment, open to any-one. Hosted by the Nags Head Surf Fishing Club, the event is headquartered at George's Connection.
Members of the winning teams:
Drum Runners: Budgie Sadler, Irvin Forbes, Milton Phelps, Kelly Maturis, Robin Smith and Will Ross.
Outer Banks Hurricanes: Lance Newman, Jeff Wright, Charlie Griffin Sr., Charlie Griffin Jr., Tom Nixon and Elmer Midgett.
Raleigh Salt Water Sport Fishing Club: John Knight, Lenny Walsh, J.B. Nichols, Roy Zweidinger, Chuck Doerr and Mike McCombis.
TW's Mullet Mamas: Teri Andrews, Margaret Veneer, Judy Aycock, Diana Miller, Robin Stewart and Linda Toler.
Other top teams:
4. Stiff Rods, Nags Head, 10 fish and 41 points; 6. Sanduners International Fishing Team, Kill Devil Hills, 14 and 29; 7. Outer Banks Saltmasters, Nags Head, 12 and 28; 8. Raleigh Beer Busters, Raleigh, 8 and 28; 9. Virginia Beach Challengers, Virginia Beach, 10 and 25; 10. Tight Lines, Kill Devil Hills, 9 and 25; 11. Fish Hawks, Kill Devil Hills, 10 and 24; 12. Showstoppers, Nags Head, 5 and 24; 13. Sand Bunnies, Nags Head, 11 and 23; 14. F-Team, Kitty Hawk, 13 and 21; 15. Diamond Shoal Anglers, 11 and 19. by CNB