One hundred six teams competed in the Flounder Bowl on June 28. These anglers had to deal with very challenging conditions as they tried to capture a winning catch of flatfish. Small craft advisories were issued after the start of the tournament. The stiff easterly winds made boat handling and flounder fishing a challenge. All of the captains did well keeping their crews safe. One boat did have to be towed in due to mechanical issues but they ended up doing fine.
Of the one hundred six teams, fifty-one were entered by tournament sponsors and competed against each other for the Sponsors Trophy in addition to fishing the Flounder Bowl. The winner of this year’s Sponsor Challenge was M & M Custom Painting. Their team was captained by Kenny Hoffman and their winning 3-fish stringer weighed in at 14.89 pounds. M & M Custom Painting gets to keep the Sponsors Trophy until next year’s tournament where they can try to win it again.
The Flounder Bowl is a team tournament but there were three individual awards presented. The largest flounder caught by a lady angler was a 4.76 pound fish caught by Michelle Dix. She won $100 and a pair of Costa sunglasses. The largest flounder caught by a youth was a 3.43 pound fish caught by Austin Bradley. Austin won $100 and a pair of Costa sunglasses. The largest flounder caught by a member of the Peninsula Salt Water Sport Fisherman’s Association was a 6.13 pound fish caught by Randy Dedmond. He won $500.
Tournament winners were determined by the combined weight of their team’s heaviest three flounder. Cash prizes were paid through six places. There were two optional calcuttas. One was for the single heaviest flounder. The second was for the heaviest stringer. The proceeds from each Calcutta was a 100% payout to the winner. Forty-nine boats entered the Big Fish Calcutta. Thirty-five boats entered the Stringer Calcutta.
The winner of the 2014 Flounder Bowl won it big. Look-N-Hook, captained by Aubrey Williams, III weighed in a 3-fish stringer of 17.68 pounds. This took first place in the overall tournament and won the Stringer Calcutta. They were also entered into the Big Fish Calcutta and they won that with a 7.68 pound flounder. Their winnings are a Flounder Bowl record payout of $13,400!
The second place team was the Sponsor Challenge winner with 14.89 pounds. Rest Time, sponsored by M & M Custom Painting, was captained by Kenny Hoffman. They won $2,000.
Third Place was Bunker Down captained by Clayton Hicks. They weighed in a stringer of 14.53 pounds and won $1,500.
Fourth Place was Hound Dog captained by Derick Hall. They won $1,000 with a stringer of 14.51 pounds.
Fifth Place was No Regrets captained by Steven Hodges and sponsored by Hopkins Gun and Tackle. They weighed in 14.32 pounds and won $500.
Sixth Place was Hogchoker, sponsored by Walsh Electric, and captained by 2-time Flounder Bowl champion, Brian Hogge. They weighed in 13.98 pounds winning $250.
All of the teams not placing in the top six were entered into a “Lucky Dog” drawing for $500. This year’s Lucky Dog was team Zing Zang captained by Troy Waller. Zing Zang donated all of the mixed drinks at this year’s event so nobody was too upset when Zing Zang won the Lucky Dog.
Each team received door prize tickets for chances to win the many great prizes donated by the tournament sponsors. The tournament started Friday night with a barbeque and a captains meeting and finished on Saturday with a seafood feast and award presentation party.
Total payout for this year’s Flounder Bowl was $19,850 and merchandise. The Flounder Bowl is held out of Dare Marina and is conducted by the Peninsula Salt Water Sport Fisherman’s Association. The Tournament Director is Nelson Ortiz. Tremendous sponsor and angler support has allowed the Flounder Bowl to donate proceeds to various worthy causes like the Children’s Hospital of the King’s Daughters, the CCA, the RFA, and locally to families in need. This year, donations have already been made to the Children’s Fishing Clinic and to the Salem United Methodist Church Wickel Food Pantry.
The Flounder Bowl is not possible without hundreds of hours of volunteer work and the support of the sponsors:
Gold
Dare Marina & Yacht Sales, Multi-Print Inc., Dr. K. E. Neill, Michael Surveying & Mapping, P. C., Just Plumbing, Pomoco Auto Group, Thomas E Wilson Insurance Agency, Wanchese Fish Company, Dodd RV, Yorktown Materials, Harbor Mechanical, C. A. Barrs Contractor, Pyramid Roofing, Bay Propeller, Tow Boat U.S., Whitehouse Cove Marina, York River Electric, Inc., Water Street Grill/York River Oyster Company, M and M Custom Painting, Green Top Sporting Goods, Douglas Aquatics, Mercury Mulch, Inc., ASI Security, Randy Blanchard, MD Plastic Surgery Center of Hampton Roads, Parks Orthodontics, Teagle Insurance Agency, Inc., VBSF.net, Threat Tec, LLC
Silver
Hopkins Gun and Tackle, LLC, Zing Zang, Grafton Fishing Supply, Rudees Inlet Station Marina, Bishop Fishing Supply, Holland Corp., Sinkerman’s Wholesale Sinkers & Lures, Pig Out BBQ, Hunt Smile Design, Pop’s Drive In, Oyster Cove Boatworks & Yacht Brokerage, Costa Sunglasses, Yorktown Pub, Joseph C. Jones, Inc., Parker Piano Outlet, Beachcomber Restaurant, Amory Funeral Home, Wayne Harbin Builder, Inc., Riptide Electric, Coca Cola Refreshments, Reel Fast Tackle, Back River Rods, Geary Family & Cosmetic Dentistry, West Marine, Mountain Breeze Taxidermy, Sea Tow Lower Chesapeake, Pankoke Marine Construction, Berkley, Seaford Scallop Company, Oceans East Bait & Tackle, Cycle City Corp., Sandman Hook & Tackle, Walsh Electric Company
More photographs from the 2014 Flounder Bowl can be found here: www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.914438378572620.1073741840.124271620922637&type=1
The largest fish caught during the tournament was caught by the Never Enough team with David Brabrand. Unfortunately for them, red drum are not eligible for the Flounder Bowl. The citation-sized red put up a great fight on their flounder gear though.
The one boat that got towed in was our second place finisher. They made it out to the Chesapeake Bay Bridge Tunnel and broke down. After a long tow in, they got their boat fixed and went fishing. It was too late and too rough to run back out to the CBBT so they just fished inside the York River. There are some nice flounder in the York, nice enough to win second place and the Sponsors Challenge!
Most of the other winning catches were made by boats braving the rough conditions at the CBBT where flounder catches were good with multiple boats coming back with limit catches.
