Outdoors

Daily fishing report

By RICK FRAZIER
Published May 1, 2005

TREASURE ISLAND - Fishing Dreams Team weighed a 52.72-pound kingfish and won the Treasure Island Charities Suncoast Kingfish Classic on Saturday. The team was fishing the Egmont channel near buoys 9 and 10 when the winner hit a blue runner on a long flat line.

"We really have to thank Harry Thomas, because he gave us the report to go there," said Danny Mathis, who gaffed the winner.

Mathis' teammates were Lori Fuller, 10 year-old Jared Fuller, Andy Wilson and skipper Jeff Fuller, who actually caught the fish.

"At first we thought it was a smaller fish because of the way it ran," Jeff Fuller said. "We didn't realize it was a tournament winner until we saw it."

Fishing Dreams Team won $10,000 and a custom kingfish ring. Because the team was also registered in the 23-foot-and-under boat class, it won another $1,000 and a boat trailer certificate valued at $1,500.

Debbie Crisp, fishing on team Hook'er, won the women's division with a 28.08-pounder. Crisp fished with Justin Mastry, Ed Conte, Lezley West and Donald Kearney. The team was at the 90-foot Egmont hole when the king attacked a mullet on a flat line. Crisp won $600 in prizes and took seventh overall.

"It was so windy we felt extremely lucky we even got a bite," Mastry said.

In the youth division, Zack Luz caught a 19.84-pounder and won $230 in prizes. Treasure Island Charities said 132 teams entered the tournament, and 39 kingfish were weighed, four over 30 pounds.

Rick Frazier runs Lucky Dawg Charters out of St. Petersburg. Call (727) 510-4376.

[Last modified April 30, 2005, 23:59:18]