2010 Lone Star Shootout Results and Recap Team Ruthless Gets The Win!!

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1st Place Champion-Ruthless

1st Place Tournament Champion- Ruthless

Forty Three (43) boats gathered in Port O’Connor, Texas for the Houston Big Game Fishing Club’s 6th annual invitational billfish tournament, newly named The Lone Star Shootout. The tournament was held June 23rd to June 26th at the new Caracol Waterfront Development in Port O’Connor. After a busy “calcutta” night on Wednesday, June 23rd, the boats began departing Port O’Connor at 5:00 PM on Thursday, June 24th , for the trip to blue water. The excitement was high as the total prize money was a new tournament record of $578,300.

The fleet was greeted by calm seas and a comfortable ride to the fishing grounds. When the start fishing time was announced at 12:00 midnight, most of the boats were 50 to 150 miles offshore and ready to begin their choice of night time tuna fishing or swordfishing. The bite was steady thru the dark hours as numerous big yellowfin tuna were landed at the deep water rigs. John and Joanne Kolius, aboard the 45 Viking, Argo, reported a swordfish in the boat as did Mike McLees on his 33 Grady White, Michelle Rae II. Swordfish had to meet a 60” short length minimum, 12” in excess of the federal minimum. Numerous big tuna were reported thru the night as well as several released swordfish.

The excellent fishing during the night continued with first light. The Ruthless, Greg Smith’s 53 Ocean, called in the first blue marlin release at 7:12 am and the real shootout was on! Bad Intensions, Debbie Conway’s 64 Viking, called in a blue marlin release at 7:18 and Ben Heilker’s 54 Bertram, Mechanical Man, got on the board with a released blue marlin at 7:35. The Ruthless jumped out in front with their second blue marlin at 9:25. Sea Mixer, Ronald Davis’ 55 Viking got hot and released a blue and sail before noon. The billfish release calls came in steady throughout day with the 48 Viking of Joe Fraser, Bottom Dollar, jumping in to a first place tie with 2 blue marlin releases at 4:35 and 5:15. Sea Mixer kept the heat on with a white marlin, giving them a grand slam and they added another sailfish before the end of the day. As day one came to a close Ruthless was sitting in first place, based on release time, with 2 blues for a 1,000 points. Bottom Dollar was tied on points with their 2 blue marlin releases and Sea Mixer was only 100 points back with a blue marlin, white marlin and two sailfish for 900 points. The Six Chicks, Russell Lindley and Mike Dowler’s 45 Bertram, was near the lead with a blue marlin and white marlin release for 700 points. Four other boats, Nemesis, Tailwalker, Ollie Dora and Hydrocarbon were all poised in good position as they each had blue marlin and sailfish releases for 600 points. Nine other boats released blue marlin on the first day and were on the board with 500 points. The first day tally saw a total of 18 blue marlin, 4 white marlin and 12 sailfish released and 8 boats had at least 2 billfish releases.

For the second year in a row the hot bite from day one did not continue into day two. Argo reported a second swordfish boated and the Blue Eagle, a 61 Viking owned by the Jones Brothers got on the board early with a blue marlin release at 6:46 AM. With so many boats with a shot at winning after the first day the radio stayed quiet as the teams grinded for the fish that might jump them in to the lead. Mike Thorn-Leeson’s 60 Hatteras, Nereus, released a blue marlin at 12:53 and Monty Scruggs on his 55 Viking, Happy Hour, released a blue late in the day to apply some pressure but the blue marlin bite seemed to have shut down. Surprisingly, none of the boats that got on the board on Friday were able to score another point on Saturday and the standings remained the same up to the 3:00 quit fishing time. Pending video review, team Ruthless had their first ever tournament win!

In addition to the outstanding billfish action, reports of big wahoo, tuna and dolphin had come in steady both days and the weigh station stayed busy throughout Saturday evening to the delight of the big crowd gathered.

The 2010 Lone Star Shootout set tournament records for boat entries with 43, total prize money of $578,300.00, total billfish released of 40, blue marlin released of 20 and a new tournament record dolphin of 53.2 pounds. Most importantly the tournament set a new record for it’s charitable contribution to the Houston Big Game Fishing Club’s Scholarship and Conservation Fund of $28,915.00. Lone Star Shootout Tournament dates for 2011 are June 22 to June 26. For more information on the Lone Star Shootout go to www.thelonestarshootout.com.

2010 Lone Star Shootout Final Results:

TOURNAMENT CHAMPIONSHIP

Boat Model Owner Captain Points Released

1st Place
Ruthless 53 Ocean Greg Smith Mike Jackson 1000 2 Blue Marlin

2nd Place
Bottom Dollar 48 Viking Joe Fraser Joe Fraser 1000 2 Blue Marlin

3rd Place
Sea Mixer 55 Viking Ronald Davis Devin Potts 900 1 Blue Marlin, 1 White Marlin, 2 Sailfish

4th Place
Six Chicks 45 Bertram Mike Dowler and Russell Lindley Troy Day 700 1 Blue Marlin, 1 White Marlin

Friday Daily
Ruthless 53 Ocean Greg Smith Mike Jackson 1000 2 Blue Marlin

Saturday Daily
Blue Eagle 61 Viking Brad, Hal & Stewart Jones Jason “Tiny” Walcott 500 1 Blue Marlin

TUNA DIVISION
Boat Model Owner Captain Angler Weight

1st Place
Reel Attitude 68 Viking Jim Douglas Jim Douglas Edgar Artecona 147.2

2nd Place
The Situation 60 Hatteras Clayton Reaser Dean Pfifer Craig Sander 133

3rd Place
Patron 66 Custom Tom Shumate Joe Lyall Mike Bertagna 85.4

WAHOO DIVISION

Boat Model Owner Captain Angler Weight

1st Place
Hydrocarbon 40 Cabo Ramsey & Jon Richards Ramsey Richards Kenny Milne 72

2nd Place
Pipe Dream 60 Spencer Don & Barry Milner Justin Drummond Russell Bailey 59.1

3rd Place
Nemesis 64 Sunny Briggs Nemesis Bluewater Warren Beatty Tom Gray 54.6

DOLPHIN DIVISION
Boat Model Owner Captain Angler Weight

1st Place
Bandit 74 Viking Bert Steindorf Kevin Scott Ben Scott 53.2

2nd Place
Chachalaca 48 Cabo Jody McCord Anthony Mendillo, Jr. Jody McCord 48.9

3rd Place
First Choice 60 Hatteras Dennis Pasentine Jerry Jones Johnny Pasentine 40.1

SWORDFISH DIVISION
Boat Model Owner Captain Angler Weight

1st Place
Argo 45 Viking John and Joanne Kolius Ryan Doxey John Kolius 187

2nd Place
Argo 45 Viking John and Joanne Kolius Ryan Doxey Joanne Kolius 117

3rd Place
Michelle Rae II 33 Grady White Mike McLees Mike McLees Christopher McLees 113.7

Top Captain
Mike Jackson Ruthless 53 Ocean Greg Smith, Owner

Top Mate
Will Smith Ruthless 53 Ocean Greg Smith, Owner

Top Female Angler
Diana Wood Smoker II 51 Bertram Dudley Wood Bob Burns, Captain

Top Junior Angler
Ben Scott Bandit 74 Viking Bert Steindorf Kevin Scott, Captain

The Lone Star Shootout is produced by the Houston Big Game Fishing Club. The Houston Big Game Fishing Club is a 501-C3 non-profit corporation and is organized for educational, conservation, social and recreational purposes and to foster, promote and increase the interest in the sport of big game fishing and related fields. The Houston Big Game Fishing Club places a priority on conservation and education including its college scholarship program and support of billfish conservation projects. For more information on the Houston Big Game Fishing Club please visit: www.hbgfc.com.

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