Gambler holds onto lead at close of first day

June 13, 2005 – MOREHEAD CITY N.C. – In 2000, Hatteras charter boat captain Steve Garrett motored to the Big Rock Blue Marlin Tournament scales with a fish that weighed more than 500 pounds. Garrett duplicated that feat Monday afternoon, this time making a trip to the tournament weigh station with the first billfish catch of the 47th annual Big Rock.

“I like fishing on June the 13th,” said Garrett, who weighed in a 515.5-pounder to take the inaugural tournament lead. “I feel mighty lucky. I think 13 is a lucky number.”

Garrett got lucky again Monday night at 8:30 p.m. when Tuna Trappe, captained by Brian “Squid” Smith, arrived at the scales with a 491.5 pound blue marlin. That put Tuna Trappe in second place overall with just one more boated blue marlin coming to the scales.

That fish, aboard the Tailwalker, weighed 415 pounds when it finally reached the scales. Tailwalker experienced a myriad of fuel problems after it boated its blue and did not reach the scales until 10:40 p.m.

“We had a tough time getting in,” Smith said shortly after learning the weight of his blue marlin. “We fished north, and all this (sea) grass that got wrapped in the (propellers) when I was backing down. The engines got pretty hot on the trip in. I’ve got to check it out. I doubt we’re going to fish tomorrow because of this.

But Smith and company will have a nice time on the docks since Tuna Trappe is currently in first place in the Winner Take All” division. Garrett elected not enter Gambler in that division. That means Tuna Trappe could receive $502,720 if the standings stay unchanged.

Garrett, who finished second in 2000 and collected nearly $273,000 that year, is in line to win nearly $425,000 this time. But that depends on whether or not he can hold onto the lead.

That’s something Garrett wasn’t able to do in 2000 when the Summertime Blues came to the scales with a tournament-record 831-pound catch. Garrett, who led most of the week that year, was knocked to second place.

“Right now it feels real good to put a number on the board,” said Gambler angler Wayne Wray, who was in the fighting chair today and five years ago. “We led for a long while but got beat out by that big fish. Maybe we can hold on.”

Maybe.

A 515.5-pounder would only have won five of the previous 20 tournaments. What worries Garrett is the fact that another boat is headed to the scales with blue marlin.

TailWalker, captained by Fred Walker out of Southport, is only entered in the first two levels of the tournament. That means it would receive just $72,7300 if it could hold on and finish third.

“It’s early,” Garrett said when asked about his chances to hold on for the victory. “It feels real good to be back at the weigh station again with a big fish. I have a good angler and a good crew. They made it easy today. We had our fish in the boat in about an hour. Winning … we’ll have to wait and see what happens.”

Competitors in 174 of 181 boats entered in the event elected to head offshore Monday. Near-perfect fishing conditions yielded 31 billfish hookups: six blue marlin, 21 white marlin and four sailfish.

Monday’s hot fishing conditions also yielded first-day leaders in the dolphin, tuna and wahoo categories. Sea D, captained by Michael Rivenbark out of Jacksonville, brought a 35.95-pound dolphin to the scales. The Bottom Line, captained by Kirk Casey of Pittsboro, N.C., weighed in a 27.3-pound wahoo to take the lead in that category. Frequent Flyer, captained by Glen Loftin out of Greenville, brought a 109.05-pound tuna to the weigh station to grab the lead in that division. These three catches are guaranteed the $1,204 daily prize for these categories and could win an additional $7,225.

The six-day event continues Tuesday at 9 a.m. Each boat is allowed to fish 4 out of the 6 days during the competition.


“This is a great start,” said Crystal Watters, tournament director of the Big Rock. “We’ve had a great first day and look forward to having a great week.”

Gambler holds onto lead at close of first day
Bruce Paul

June 13, 2005 – MOREHEAD CITY N.C. – In 2000, Hatteras charter boat captain Steve Garrett motored to the Big Rock Blue Marlin Tournament scales with a fish that weighed more than 500 pounds. Garrett duplicated that feat Monday afternoon, this time making a trip to the tournament weigh station with the first billfish catch of the 47th annual Big Rock.

“I like fishing on June the 13th,” said Garrett, who weighed in a 515.5-pounder to take the inaugural tournament lead. “I feel mighty lucky. I think 13 is a lucky number.”

Garrett got lucky again Monday night at 8:30 p.m. when Tuna Trappe, captained by Brian “Squid” Smith, arrived at the scales with a 491.5 pound blue marlin. That put Tuna Trappe in second place overall with just one more boated blue marlin coming to the scales.

That fish, aboard the Tailwalker, weighed 415 pounds when it finally reached the scales. Tailwalker experienced a myriad of fuel problems after it boated its blue and did not reach the scales until 10:40 p.m.

“We had a tough time getting in,” Smith said shortly after learning the weight of his blue marlin. “We fished north, and all this (sea) grass that got wrapped in the (propellers) when I was backing down. The engines got pretty hot on the trip in. I’ve got to check it out. I doubt we’re going to fish tomorrow because of this.

But Smith and company will have a nice time on the docks since Tuna Trappe is currently in first place in the Winner Take All” division. Garrett elected not enter Gambler in that division. That means Tuna Trappe could receive $502,720 if the standings stay unchanged.

Garrett, who finished second in 2000 and collected nearly $273,000 that year, is in line to win nearly $425,000 this time. But that depends on whether or not he can hold onto the lead.

That’s something Garrett wasn’t able to do in 2000 when the Summertime Blues came to the scales with a tournament-record 831-pound catch. Garrett, who led most of the week that year, was knocked to second place.

“Right now it feels real good to put a number on the board,” said Gambler angler Wayne Wray, who was in the fighting chair today and five years ago. “We led for a long while but got beat out by that big fish. Maybe we can hold on.”

Maybe.

A 515.5-pounder would only have won five of the previous 20 tournaments. What worries Garrett is the fact that another boat is headed to the scales with blue marlin.

TailWalker, captained by Fred Walker out of Southport, is only entered in the first two levels of the tournament. That means it would receive just $72,7300 if it could hold on and finish third.

“It’s early,” Garrett said when asked about his chances to hold on for the victory. “It feels real good to be back at the weigh station again with a big fish. I have a good angler and a good crew. They made it easy today. We had our fish in the boat in about an hour. Winning … we’ll have to wait and see what happens.”

Competitors in 174 of 181 boats entered in the event elected to head offshore Monday. Near-perfect fishing conditions yielded 31 billfish hookups: six blue marlin, 21 white marlin and four sailfish.

Monday’s hot fishing conditions also yielded first-day leaders in the dolphin, tuna and wahoo categories. Sea D, captained by Michael Rivenbark out of Jacksonville, brought a 35.95-pound dolphin to the scales. The Bottom Line, captained by Kirk Casey of Pittsboro, N.C., weighed in a 27.3-pound wahoo to take the lead in that category. Frequent Flyer, captained by Glen Loftin out of Greenville, brought a 109.05-pound tuna to the weigh station to grab the lead in that division. These three catches are guaranteed the $1,204 daily prize for these categories and could win an additional $7,225.

The six-day event continues Tuesday at 9 a.m. Each boat is allowed to fish 4 out of the 6 days during the competition.


“This is a great start,” said Crystal Watters, tournament director of the Big Rock. “We’ve had a great first day and look forward to having a great week.”