SOUTHPORT, N.C. – Situated in the picturesque region of southeast North Carolina, South Harbor Village and the coastal waters of the Atlantic Ocean serve as the perfect host for the final regular-season tournament of the 2006 Wal-Mart FLW Kingfish Tour season. The only setback is that Hurricane Helene, situated more than 800 miles away, is creating some serious swells.
While the settings are serene, the plentiful waters are the main attraction. At the last Kingfish Tour event, held in Beaufort, S.C., storms pushed through during the final round, making fishing extremely tough. Roughly one month later and 250 miles to the north and east, expectations are somewhat higher.
Capt. Bernie Vinoski Jr. of Team Dr. Hook thinks a kingfish of 35 pounds or more will be needed to make the top five.
“The fishing has been difficult, but this is the time of year when it starts to get better,” said Vinoski.
“Ernesto brought a lot of rain water with it, and that has affected the salinity of the entire area. I’ve heard of some people who plan to make the 100-mile run up to Morehead City, N.C.”
Initial forecasts call for northeast winds of 5 to 15 mph, which normally would enable anglers to make long runs and fish wherever they please. With Helene looming to the east, Vinoski expects seas of 5 to 6 feet. His normal half-hour run could now take up to two hours.
Calm seas are especially important considering many teams are still searching for valuable points that could give them a berth into the no-entry-fee Wal-Mart FLW Kingfish Tour Championship. Remember, no fish equals no points.
Team Bounty, led by Capt. Tom Aberle, looks like an early favorite. Hailing from nearby Wilmington, N.C., Aberle and his crew have already garnered three top-10 finishes in only eight Kingfish Tour events. Included in those three top-10s is a victory at Venice, La., in 2005 and a second-place finish at the 2005 Morehead City qualifying event.
Tournament logistics
All teams will fish this event for two days, and each team is allowed to weigh one kingfish per day. The minimum length limit is 30 inches. The top five teams that record the biggest catches over Thursday and Friday will advance to Saturday’s final round. On Saturday, each team’s biggest kingfish will be added to their qualifying weight to determine the winner.
The winner of this event can win up to $100,000 if certain contingencies are met. And every team that records a catch will earn points toward the no-entry-fee FLW Kingfish Tour Championship to be held in Mount Pleasant, S.C., Nov. 9-11. Only the top 50 teams at the end of the regular season advance, so expect anglers to be pulling out all the stops this week.
The scales open today at 3 p.m. Eastern, and all teams must check in by 5 p.m. The morning takeoffs and afternoon weigh-ins are free and open to the public. Saturday’s weigh-in will be held at the Wal-Mart store located at 1675 N. Howe Road in Southport beginning at 4 p.m.
Thursday’s conditions
Sunrise: 6:59 a.m.
Temperature at takeoff: 57 degrees
Expected high temperature: 77 degrees
Seas: 5-6 feet
Wind: NE at 8 mph
Maximum humidity: 52 percent
Day’s outlook: sunny