Talkin’ Trash takes it to the bank

Team’s day-one catch holds for a $70,000 victory in Mayport

MAYPORT, Fla. – Though One Flipper came close, it was Team Talkin’ Trash by a smidge at the Wal-Mart FLW Kingfish Tour’s third event of the season, held in Mayport, Fla. Trash’s day-one catch of 40 pounds, 10 ounces held its own through another day of competition, though if it had been for a good fish bag, the leaderboard might be slightly different.

Team One Flipper with Capt. Ed Langel brought in a 40-pound, 4-ounce kingfish today, but unfortunately for Langel, he didn’t have a fish bag to keep the king iced down. As such, some speculate the fish could have lost up to a pound of its weight. In the end, Langel had to settle for second and $35,750, though he says he’s pleased with the results.

Talkin’ Trash’s big king was the first fish to be weighed in on day one of the tournament, and it survived 65 other teams yesterday and 46 today to claim the No. 1 spot. Capt. Mike Edwards of Wilmington, N.C., was surprised that their king mackerel held court, as he expected at least one team to come in today with a fish weighing in the mid-40s.

“This is great,” Edwards said. “This is the first one I’ve won with you guys, and it’s especially great with the exposure you guys give us.”

Edwards said they caught their mighty king in a well-known area called Capt. House, about 30 miles south of the launch site.

“It’s a pretty common place around here,” he said.

Though anglers did report a rough ride today, conditions were not quite as bad as expected. A small-craft advisory was in effect at takeoff due to the expected 18- to 25-mph winds, but that advisory was later recanted. The forecasted thunderstorms also never hit the area – at least not at Harbortowne Marina – but the skies remained overcast, and high winds did indeed whip up the waves.

The bite this week was slow at best, and as such, Talkin’ Trash member Jim Brady said he had a feeling their fish would last simply because so few big kings were being brought to the scales.

“I thought we had a top-five fish because there were no fish being caught,” Brady said.

As for today, Brady said the team caught nothing but a shark and possibly a jack, but no matter. Talkin’ Trash claimed $40,000 as the tournament winner plus another $30,000 from Hydra-Sports.

“The seas were a little rough today,” Brady said. “It was hard to keep the lines straight. We went six miles off the beach today – 10 miles at the most. We thought (competition) was going to be called off, so we wanted to look out for safety and precaution first.”

Brady reported that the second-place fish brought in by Team One Flipper was caught right next to where they were fishing.

One Flipper takes it on the toenail

A fish on a weight-loss program was not the only thing troubling One Flipper’s Langel today. As he tried to boat the fish, the feisty king mackerel took a big, nasty bite out of his big toe.

“We were gaffing the fish, and I had my foot out there,” Langel said. “I should have been wearing tennis shoes. It lifted the toenail off.”

Langel said they caught the fish in a crowded area that he estimates held about 15 boats.

“It was so rough offshore that everybody just stayed inshore all day,” he said. “I’m in a smaller boat, so I just chose to fish the beach.”

Langel’s team was fishing very close to the launch site in an area just off the Sea Turtle Inn, the tournament’s official housing. One Flipper’s king was caught in 53 to 55 feet of water on a blue runner.

Regardless of whether or not he would have won the tournament had his fish been properly iced, Langel is content with the No. 2 position after a tough day one.

“Yesterday we only had two sharks, and I went 70 to 80 miles,” he said. “I’m happy with the outcome.”

One Flipper earned $17,750 plus a $9,000 Yamaha bonus and a $9,000 Wellcraft bonus.

Lured Away claims third

The Lured Away team with Capt. Robert Schoenfeld of Conroe, Texas, took third place with a 35-pound, 13-ounce kingfish caught on day two. The team earned $10,500 plus a $5,250 Yamaha bonus.

On stage, Schoenfeld revealed that the ticket for his team was returning to what works back home in Texas, as opposed to what is generally known to catch fish on the East Coast.

“We came in not knowing a lot about it, and a lot of guys have been helping us and telling us about tackle,” Schoenfeld said. “I got aggravated today and said, `I’m going to do what works at home.'”

The tackle, which Schoenfeld describes as more natural than typical skirted offerings, overcame the tough day-two bite and earned Lured Away a solid top-three finish. They caught their king about 17 miles offshore in 70 feet of water on a blue runner.

Though the bites didn’t come easy, Schoenfeld thought the fish were more active today than they were on day one.

“I thought the bite was better today,” he said. “I think the fish sense this low-pressure system, and they’re feeding before it comes in.”

He said they had three fish in 30 minutes after the bait change and quit after they caught the 35-13 due to steering failure.

Team Concept lands in fourth

In fourth place was Team Concept, captained by Blake Justice of Graham, N.C. Their day-two catch weighed 35 pounds, 9 ounces and earned them $8,250. Though the effort was good, they’re looking forward to the next event, which will be held in their backyard in Southport, N.C.

“Today was different from yesterday,” Justice said. “This morning it was rough, so we decided not to take that ride. We had heard there were some good fish caught on the beach.”

The decision not to make a long run was a good one, as the beach bite was the hottest today. Team Concept caught their king on a ribbonfish about 15 feet deep.

“It’s been a tough week,” Justice said. “Originally we went south – nothing. We went north – nothing. We went to the beach – nothing. We were going to go offshore, but it was too rough, so we stayed at the beach, and it paid off.”

Team Castrol glides into fifth

Team Castrol with Capt. Rick Smith of Brunswick, Ga., made a long and unprofitable run to Georgia yesterday, so they kept it close today and brought home the tournament’s fifth-largest fish, a 33-pound, 12-ouncer, to earn $7,250 plus a $3,750 Wellcraft bonus.

“We blanked out yesterday and went all the way to Georgia,” said team member Tony Thaw. “Team Raymarine told me where they found some 15-pound fish, and we needed something.”

Thaw said the team fished about 12 miles offshore and caught the big one on a ribbonfish in about 25 feet of water.

“We caught five or six today,” Thaw said. “We ran south where they caught the 40-pounders, but we only caught a couple of little ones.”

Rest of the best

Rounding out the top 10 teams in Mayport:

6th: Bonnie B VI with Capt. James Banks of Summerville, S.C., 31 pounds, $6,250 plus $3,250 Hydra-Sports bonus

7th: No Doubt with Capt. Trae Ross of Oxford, Ga., 30 pounds, 10 ounces, $5,250

8th: My Turn with Capt. Steve Venable of Rural Hall, N.C., 30 pounds, 8 ounces, $4,250

9th: Hard Tale with Capt. Joe Shuttlesworth of Perry, Ga., 30 pounds, 7 ounces, $3,300 plus $1,750 Yamaha bonus

10th: Sake with Capt. Neil Nix of Okeechobee, Fla., 30 pounds, 1 ounce, $2,700 plus $1,500 Yamaha bonus and $1,500 Wellcraft bonus

What’s next

The Wal-Mart FLW Kingfish Tour will next visit Southport, N.C., Sept. 16-17 for the season’s fourth and final regular-season event.