Below is a copy of the World Championship press release, it was great to meet several of the sportfishermen.com members and we hope you all made it home safely. We hope to see you again next year!
Amy

Cape Charles, VA – A 79.18 pound black drum landed by Belle Haven, Va., angler Joseph Harrison took top honors in the 2008 Black Drum World Championship Fishing Tournament held May 16-18, 2008 out of Bay Creek Marina in Cape Charles, Va. Harrison was fishing with team captain Jerry Moore of Exmore, Va., and fellow anglers Tommy Lewis and Chase Sturgis aboard the boat Running on Empty.
Team Running on Empty earned a $3,000 check for its efforts. Each team member also will receive an engraved wall plaque featuring a miniature hand-painted black drum mount. In addition, the angler and team name will be engraved on the tournament’s perpetual trophy, a black drum sculpture created by Turner Sculpture of Melfa, Va.
Parksley, Va.’s Ruby Taylor became the first female angler in the two-year history of the championship to claim one of the tournament’s top positions. Taylor landed a 76.35 pound black drum on the second day of fishing to take second place in the event. Taylor was fishing with husband and team captain Fletcher “Buddy” Taylor IV and fellow anglers Charles Gardner, Stacie Gardner, LeeAnne Taylor, and Seth Taylor aboard the boat Ultimate Tease. The Ultimate Tease crew earned a $2,000 check and individual custom wall plaques for their effort.
The third-place fish weighing in at 74.96 lbs., was captured by Bear, Delaware’s Jeff Macaron. Macaron was fishing aboard Rock Bottom, captained by Bill Petka of Belle Haven, Va. David Rew, Kevin Sherwood, Will Sexauer, and Chris Sexauer rounded out the Rock Bottom’s crew. The third-place catch was good for $1,000 and individual custom plaques.
The crew aboard the Eleanor Susan took first place in the Conservation Division with eight tagged black drum. Participants in this division were registered members of the Virginia Gamefish Tagging Program. Team captain Bill Brown of Keller, Va., and anglers Will Brown, Darden Barrett, and J.P. Hubbard earned individual custom wall plaques for their tagging effort. The Conservation Division Awards were sponsored by the Virginia Marine Resources Commission.
The 2008 Black Drum World Championship attracted a field of 336 anglers and 66 vessels. Anglers hailed from eight states, ranging from New York to Alabama, and as far west as West Virginia and Ohio.
Fish entered in the tournament were subject to examination by the Virginia Marine Resources Commission’s Fisheries Management Division, which was able to obtain biological samples for use in its Black Drum Stock Assessment Program. Anglers contributing to this program were awarded special hats or shirts for their participation. The VMRC Biological Sampling Team examined and collected samples from 64 fish during the tournament.
Another beneficiary of the tournament was the Foodbank on the Eastern Shore, which received more than 1,200 pounds of donated fish. The drum will be distributed to needy families on the Eastern Shore of Virginia.
Plans are already under way for the 2009 Black Drum World Championship Fishing Tournament out of the luxurious Bay Creek Resort and Club (www.baycreek.net) scheduled for May 15-17, 2009. To receive information or registration information, contact the Eastern Shore of Virginia Chamber of Commerce at (757) 787-2460 or at www.esvachamber.org.