Reel Krazy Dominates the Greater Wilmington Open with a 46.74!
By: Barrett McMullan
This team has sure got a
reason to smile: Captain Bryan Edwards, Mike Glover and Top Lady Angler Joan
Myers on the Kellogg’s boat Reel Krazy with the 46.74 that won it all at Wilmington.
Tournament morning of the 2005 Greater
Wilmington King Mackerel Tournament brought end of the world type weather.
Fishermen were greeted with steady rain, lightning, and waterspouts as they try
to make their way through catching bait and getting to the fishing holes. I’d
like to tell a story about a team who awoke at 4:00 am and braved the
conditions in a 21’ boat overcoming Mother Nature by catching the winner, but
this isn’t exactly how it happened this time. This year’s Greater Wilmington
champion did not have to work harder to win, just smarter.
Captain Bryan Edwards, Mike Glover and Joan
Meyers are owners of Carolina Boat and Yacht Sales in North Myrtle Beach, SC.
They sell Sea Chaser and Wellcraft fishing boats and on the side they have been
known to fish a Kingfish tournament or two. Their boat, the Reel Krazy, maybe a
little more familiar to most as the Kellogg’s sponsored 35’ Wellcraft. As
Wellcraft dealers, the Reel Krazy team is constantly switching boats as theirs
is sold. The newest Reel Krazy is the brand new 2006 Tournament Edition 35’
triple powered Wellcraft, the third of its kind. Just one day before the Wilmington tournament, this boat arrived on
Carolina Boat and Yacht sales floor. On the day of arrival, Bryan, Mike, and
CB&Y mechanics/pit crew Bobby Lovingood and Sean Raynor spent the entire
day rigging the boat and trying to get it ready for the next day’s tournament.
By Friday evening the boat was far from complete, but the decision was made to
go ahead with the tournament and they would make do.
On tournament morning the Reel Krazy team
packed up the boat on the trailer and headed north to Southport’s Wildlife boat ramp where they
had planned to put in before heading to Carolina Beach inlet. Upon arrival at the ramp,
it only took a simple window lowering to convince the team they had better wait
the weather out for a while. So, while much of the rest of the tournament was
out getting rained on and dodging lightning bolts, Bryan, Mike and Joan were
having a nice warm cup of coffee at the local McDonald’s.
By 8:00 am the weather had subsided enough
that the decision was made to go ahead and drop the boat in and go catch the
winner. At this point in the morning it was known there were plenty of pogies
in the Cape
Fear River,
so on their way to Carolina Beach Inlet the team stopped and netted enough for
a short day. At 9:00 am the lines hit the water on the tide line at the inlet
with five other boats already fishing. Amidst a light rain, just as the baits
were all in the correct position, it happened. At 9:45 am a single pogy in the prop wash met
its maker. A quick 100 yards screamed off the reel as the fish on the other end
made a strange move heading in towards the beach. Mike was on the rod, Joan was
cleaning the deck and Bryan was on the wheel chasing down the fish. Once on top
of the fish, she figured out the game and didn’t like what was happening. She
took off for another 100 yards this time back offshore. This sequence took
place one more time before finally the up and down battle began. By this time
the weather had really picked up again as lightning rained down all around
while they were fighting the fish. Finally, 30 feet from the boat the monster
fish rolled up. She made one pass by the bow and Bryan nailed her with the
gaff. It was at this time the crew realized how big the fish was. Bryan attempted to pull the fish over
the rail, but was unsuccessful. Mike threw the rod to Joan and grabbed the gaff
with Bryan and with one motion brought the slob over the side and on the deck.
The thrill of catching a smoker kingfish on tournament day under these
conditions was summed up best by Joan when she said a few days after the win,
“now I understand what it’s all about.” The 46.74-pound stud kingfish would be
more than enough to hold off all challengers and take home the first prize of
$26,000. Just think, if they gotten drive-through instead of sit-down coffee,
they might not have been in the right place at the right time.
Greater Wilmington Open
Final Standings
1. Reel
Krazy/Kellogg’s………46.74
Wellcraft/Yamaha
Capt. Bryan Edwards
Mike Glover
Joan Myers
2. Reel Time…………………...40.44
Craig Hughes
Charlie Hughes
3. Trick Z………………………40.12
Donzi/Mercury
Jeff York
Lynn Fox
Thad Harris
Kevin Petty
4. Gone Again………………….38.52
Bayliner/Mercury
Daniel Mason
Andy Smeltzer
5. My Hooker…………………38.22
Palmetto/Mercury
Grady Gordon
Al Davis
Kyle Hughes
Winner, winner...lobster dinner!!!
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