MSSA Tunament Report

[pellicot]

Crew - Buster, Paul, Tim. We fished all 3 days from Chincoteague and with great reports on Thursday from the Porman's we headed there on Friday. Trolled a 10 line spread with the shovel and mixed bag of bars and ballys. Went 2 for 2 on dolphin, largest only 14.7 lbs and 1 for 1 on YFT which was 53.3 lbs. Caught the tuna on a mini GM spreader bar in the shotgun. The highlight was a white we released on a pink squidwitch. Congrats to Paul who got his 1st white. Chris Dollar of the Fisherman Magazine did a ride along so I'm waiting on pics of the white from him. Not a bad day but it was not on fire like earlier in the week. Seas flattened out until we were 30 miles from the beach and we got our but kicked the rest of the way in on my 24' Hydrasports. We had the largest tuna in Chincoteague today and we were only in the small boat divison.

Fished deep into the Washington on sat and had 1 dolphin. Buddies had some bites and boated YFT in 200-250 just short of the tip but we managed 0 there. We couldn't catch our butt with our hands today.

Sunday we went just north of the tip and inside. Arrived at 6:45 and put lines in. Caught 2 YFT the largest a 45.9 lber. The largest tuna hit a Blue /White Shell Squid with a Mini GM trailer on the flatline. The other hit a Squidnation Rasta Chain with a eliminator chase bait (GM type) . We also had 2 dolphin on meat the largest a 16.4 lber. Only fished 1/2 day and headed for the barn in flat calm seas.

We did win the special marlin catch & release divison.

[Bert Rodgers]

Congrats on the white and the div win!! Pretty work!!!

Bert

[ReelSmith]

Congrats Rob!!! Congrats to the angler on his first White too!!!!

[Sea J]

Good Report....Thanks

[Foul Hooked]

congrats Rob

[pellicot]

Thanks everyone. I have pics but they are too large and I'm can't figure how to reduce. I can email them if someone can post them.

[Squidnation]

Rob - email them to me at bill@squidnation.com and I will try and put them up. BTW - I never thought for a second that we did anything in this tournament. I checked my voicemail and found Rich Novatny on the voice mail telling me we won $1200.00 We took second place in the $200.00 skill Level for best 6 fish stringer. WHO KNEW!!!!

[pellicot]

PRESS RELEASE

On June 22, 2007 the Maryland Saltwater Sportfishermen’s Association (MSSA) sponsored its annual offshore fishing tournament. This was the 18th Annual MSSA Tuna-Ment held along the Atlantic Coast. The official weigh-in stations are hosted by Sunset Marina in Ocean City, Captain Bob’s Marina in Chincoteague, Virginia and Wachapreague Marina in Wachapreague, Virginia.

Lines were allowed in the water at 6:30 a.m. and had to be out of the water by 3:00 p.m. The official scales were open from 4:00 p.m. to 6:30 p.m.

Bluefin, yellowfin and big eye tuna were the targeted species. At the end of the first day Charles Wallace from Baltimore checked in a 64.8 pound yellowfin tuna at Sunset Marina. John Romm from Chester, Maryland placed second on day one with a 64.1 pound yellowfin in Wachapreague, Virginia.

Although they were only forecasting winds of 10 to 15 knots, our contestants had to battle four to five foot seas on the way home from their 50 to 60 mile run from the Canyons. In fact, one boat did not make it back to Wachapreague Marina until 9:00 p.m. Friday night. However, this was not due to sea conditions but a hook up on a huge big eye tuna for four hours. Rick Nadolny of Annapolis, aka “Monster Fish”, stated that it was a fierce fight. Rick had to wait until Saturday Morning to have is fish weighed at the marina. It weighed in at 137 pounds.

The leader board changed on Saturday when Mike Bogdon of Annapolis brought his yellowfin tuna to Wachapreague. Mike’s fish weighed in at 65.1 pounds. The skill level category for dolphin changed throughout the weekend as well but was finally captured by Keith Neal of Wachapreague with a 25.2 pounder.

Although the scales did not open until 4:00 p.m., Captain Sam Fisher from Heathsville, Virginia was patiently waiting there by 2:00 p.m. Sam was not taking any chances for entering his catch in the tournament. One never knows what might happen on that long ride home. At 4:00 sharp Sam and his crew offloaded his huge big eye. Hanging it from the scale it came to rest at 116.1 pounds. Needless to say, this put Sam in first place and he held that position for the remainder of the tournament. Sam walked away with $9,360 for his fun-filled weekend on the Atlantic.



2007 MSSA TUNA-MENT RESULTS

DIVISION I

CHARLES WALLACE 64.8 $1,433.25
GEORGE WENDLING 62.8 $ 614.25
BRETT CLARENCE 60.6 PLAQUE & $300 GC

DIVISION II

SAM FISHER 116.0 $1,638.00
MIKE BOGDON 65.1 $1,228.50
CHARLES WALLACE 64.8 $ 819.00
JOHN ROMM 64.1 PLAQUE
DRAWING FOR 5TH PLACE-AWARDS MEETING $ 409.50

$50 SKILL $100 SKILL

GEORGE WENDLING 124.1 $202.50 SAM FISHER 162.9 $1,260.00
CHARLES WALLACE 120.9 $121.50 GEO WENDLING 124.1 $ 756.50
RICK NADOLNY 110.1 $ 81.00 MIKE BOGDON 122.4 $ 504.00

$200 SKILL $300 SKILL

GEORGE WENDLING 333.8 $1,980.00 SAM FISHER 116 $5,670.00
BILL PINO 238.8 $1,188.00
SAM FISHER 204.9 $ 792.00

DOLPHIN BLUEFISH

KEITH NEAL 25.2 $1,305 RICHARD STRAUSS $855

1ST TIME ENTRY – MARLIN RELEASE
SAM FISHER- PLAQUE ROB PELLICOT - $500 BW GIFT CARD

FISHER - $9,360
WENDLING - $3,552.75
WALLACE - $2,373.75
BOGDON - $1,732.50
NEAL - $1,305.00
PINO - $1,188.00
STRAUSS- $855.00
NADOLNY - $81.00

[pellicot]

Bill the pics were sent last night. let me know if you did not rec them

[Squidnation]

Here you go rob. nice pics