Captain's corner

By LARRY BLUE

© St. Petersburg Times, published May 7, 2000

With 231 boats entered in the King of the Beach Kingfish Tournament, the competition figured to be fierce. Mark Goodwin of Team Economy Tackle pulled out a 35.10-pound king mackerel to win the tournament.

Mark and wife Jody were fishing near a school of baitfish off Sarasota in about 48 feet of water. He had just cast a thread herring, and, according to Mark, "the line just kept going out." Knowing that the bait couldn't swim that far that fast, he set the reel in gear. After about 40 minutes, the king mackerel was beside the boat. Trying to fight the fish and gaff it at the same time was awkward, as Jody was on the bow trying to catch more bait. The fish made it in the boat, and Goodwin's prize was $5,000 and the honorary title "King of the Beach." In the All Ladies Division, Capt. Dawn Hirsch on the Triple Z, won with a 17.84-pound king. According to Hirsch, the fish kept running around the boat and the anchor line. During the melee, a bottle of menhaden oil was spilled on the deck making it nearly impossible to get the fish in as the crew slid around trying to gaff it. First prize: $1,000.

Team Dogfish brought in a 25.58-pound king to take the Youth Division. Jordan Goodin, 14, proudly carried the fish in to be weighed. Jordan said that the king leapt from the water four times before finally hooking up.

-- To get in touch with Larry Blue, call 397-3773. To find out how to get your tournament results in the paper, call 893-8123.

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