THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Monday, August 5, 1996 TAG: 9608050131
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C10 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY BOB HUTCHINSON, OUTDOORS EDITOR
LENGTH: 96 lines
Jim Wright of Virginia Beach moved into the lead Saturday in the exciting chase for angler-of-the-year honors in the Virginia Salt Water Fishing Tournament.
Wright, an eye surgeon, earned his 11th citation award of the year from the state-sponsored contest.
He did it in grand fashion, releasing a blue marlin estimated by his son, David Wright, at ``more than 800 pounds.'' Father and son were aboard David Wright's charter boat High Hopes.
The elder Wright now is one award-winning catch ahead of Denny Dobbins, an attorney from Portsmouth, who has earned awards for 10 species.
The honor goes to the angler with award-winning catches in the most categories. The contest runs through Dec. 31 and offers the awards to anglers catching or releasing big fish.
Elsewhere, bigeye tuna made a strong showing Sunday off Oregon Inlet, south of Nags Head, where several big fish were boated. The top catch was five bigeyes, the heaviest 204 pounds, reported by a group with skipper Bobby Sullivan on the charter boat Marlin Fever, sailing from the Oregon Inlet Fishing Center.
Meanwhile, recent heavy rains and high water levels on local lakes apparently combined to keep freshwater catches at a minimum.
Here's a rundown of other recent catches by anglers from Southeastern Virginia and Northeastern North Carolina:
VIRGINIA BEACH INSHORE: King mackerel: Andrew McBurney, Virginia Beach, 28-0, caught from the boat The Blitz; and David E. Dobbins, Chesapeake, 21-0, Oh No. Cobia: Fred Barnes, Chesapeake, 56-0, no name on boat; and David E. Dobbins, Chesapeake, 45-0, Oh No. Spadefish: Theodore E. Hartung, Chesapeake, 8-0, no name; and Bill Close, Virginia Beach, 7-2, no name.
VIRGINIA BEACH OFFSHORE: White marlin releases: Holly Waters, Virginia Beach, and Michael Lozano, Chesapeake, both from the High Hopes; William D. Moyer Jr., Chesapeake, The Beast; and Stephen Shrewsbury, Virginia Beach, Poor Girl. Yellowfin tuna: Robert S. Dyas, Virginia Beach, 78-0, Sea Bird. Dolphin: Ellen Winn, Chesapeake, 20-0, Poor Girl.
LOWER CHESAPEAKE BAY: Red drum release: Timothy G. McKown, Virginia Beach, No Gas Money. Cobia: Scott Cole, Virginia Beach, 66-4, Electric Fisherman; Charles Harbin, Virginia Beach, 65-0, Ed's Boat; and Buddy Ellis, Virginia Beach, 63-12, John's Addiction. Flounder: Thomas Hill, Chesapeake, 6-0, Wildabeast. Spadefish: Andrew Shuyler, Virginia Beach, 7-8, Salty Slut.
EASTERN SHORE BAYSIDE: Kingfish: Charles D. Tankard, Cape Charles, 1-10, Fish Tales II. Croaker: Penny Meilhammer, Cape Charles, 3-4, no name. Flounder: George Fraser, Seaview, Va., 6-2, Horny Toad.
EASTERN SHORE SEASIDE: White marlin releases: Glenn Clawson, Chincoteague, Shammy; and Rick Nadolny, Wachapreague, Master Fish. Yellowfin tuna: David Dehaven, Wachapreague, 81-0, Crack O Dawn. Wahoo: Frank Molden, Wachapreague, 46-8, Heat Wave.
OUTER BANKS INSHORE: Cobia: Tom Harris, Elizabeth City, 51-0 and 49-8, caught from Kitty Hawk Pier. King mackerel: Mark Meilton, Kitty Hawk, 41-0, no name. Flounder: Glenn Paul, Manteo, 5-13, Oregon Inlet Bridge. Pompano: Tom Ballard, Buxton, N.C., 2-4, caught from the surf. Kingfish: Mildred Brand, Avon, N.C., 1-12, surf; and Harvey Marriner, Buxton, 1-9, surf.
OUTER BANKS OFFSHORE: White marlin releases: David Stumpf, Virginia Beach, Lagniappe; Billy Bowen, Plymouth, N.C., Jimmy Vanhorn, Plymouth, and Sidney McCombs, Plymouth, all from the Suspense; Robert Jones, Newport News, Obsession; George Knott, Virginia Beach, and John Evans, Virginia Beach, both from the Mary-John; Heather Galgan, Seaford, Va., Smoker; and Christopher Gilmore, Portsmouth, Biddison. Sailfish releases: Clint Williams, Williamston, N.C., Douglas Willoughby, Williamston, Linwood Wynne, Williamston, and Christopher Rhea, Williamston, all from the Hatteras Fever. Bigeye tuna: Richard Bradshaw, Suffolk, 210-0, Pelican; William Deas, Newport News, 157-0, no name; and Dave McCoy, Newport News, 156-0, no name. Yellowfin tuna: Robert Martin, Virginia Beach, 81-0, Sea Toy; and James Misiak, Kill Devil Hills, 72-10, Wanchese Genesis. Wahoo: Lisa Armstrong, Manteo, 47-0, Blue Water Jack. King mackerel: Vincent Winstead, Kill Devil Hills, 31-0, High Time. Barracuda: Alan Levenstein, Chesapeake, 25-0, Outer Limits.
FRESH WATER: Largemouth bass: Butch Kretzschmar, Virginia Beach, 22 inches, caught at Western Branch Reservoir. Yellow perch: Ken John, Virginia Beach, 12 inches, Lake Burnt Mills. Shellcracker: Gary Johnson, Virginia Beach, 11 1/2 inches, Lake Prince.
TOURNAMENTS: Results of the Norfolk Marine Co. Grady White Owners Tournament, out of the Marina at Marina Shores, Lynnhaven, Virginia Beach:
Adult: Trout, Cliff Ingram, Virginia Beach, 2.15 pounds, Shady Grady. Tuna, L.E. Crews, Virginia Beach, 33.70, Teresa Marie. Billfish (released), Billy Mayer, The Beast. Bluefish, Jean Sheridan, Virginia Beach, 4.25, The Rodman. Cobia, Buddy Ellis, Virginia Beach, 63.80, John's Addiction. Croaker, Ron Scarborough, Moyock, 2.50, Sea Toy. Flounder, Dick Thurmond, Virginia Beach, 5.75, Having Fun. Sea bass, Joe Parrish, Chesapeake, 2.85, Parrish Pleasure. Spanish mackerel, Mark Peele, Virginia Beach, 1.65, Chesapeake Lady. Spot, Jean Riggs, Norfolk, 0.55, Carol Ann. Tautog, David Couch, Virginia Beach, 7.00, Plan Sea. Amberjack (released), Tony Kaczka Jr., Virginia Beach, Our Only Child.
Youth: Trout, Collin Dozier, Virginia Beach, 2.80, Enginuity. Tuna, Jason Hoffman, New Columbia, Pa., 2.65, Carolina Mist. Bluefish, Jonathan Malbon, Virginia Beach, 2.50, no name. Croaker, Cristi Vanoverberghe, Norfolk, 1.35, Carol Ann. Flounder, Collin Dozier, Virginia Beach, 3.10, Enginuity. Sea bass, Crista Ketterman, Virginia Beach, 1.50, Dream Chaser. Spanish mackerel, Crista Ketterman, Virginia Beach, 1.65, Dream Chaser. Spot, Cristi Vanoverberghe, Norfolk, 0.55, Carol Ann. Tautog, Joshua Hall, Gordonsville, Va., 1.95, Big Bite. by CNB