Outdoors Column | Celebrating the winners of the Crosthwait fishing tournament
When wind forecasts remained elevated for last weekend’s 37th Annual Crosthwait Memorial Fishing Tournament, some teams changed plans while others watched from the sidelines.
“It changed our plans big time,” said BJ Grant, angler on team Sea Saw. “Normally we’re running 150 to 170 miles just to get to our first spots. I was counting on lower scores out deep so we played it safe nearshore. Luckily we put together the best box I could ever put together staying inside 130 feet.”
As the offshore limited and unlimited anglers left the Bradenton Yacht Club early Friday afternoon they were faced with 20-knot northeast winds and seas that were as high as 5-feet offshore.
“As rough as it was, we never really felt in danger,” Grant explained. “When we left Tampa Bay we started at a wreck in 110 feet out of Sarasota for tuna and kingfish. Our plan was to try to get them with African pompano then maybe sneak in a black grouper and permit.”
On the first night, team Sea Saw’s catch was limited. Early Saturday morning seas kept from three to five feet in shallow, while teams further offshore said they experienced seas up to 10 feet! Grant and teammates Lee Blenker, Joe Sicking, Jeremy Rzonca, and Matt Purington awoke on another wreck out of Venice in 110-feet, and started catching African pompano.
“We caught a bunch, probably 10 of them. Most were smaller but we got a 37 and 23-pounder in there which was good. After that we trolled out for a few hours to 130 feet to a place known as carbo alley to try for black grouper and got lucky and picked up a tuna on the way.”
Fishing potholes to try for grouper, Grant says they found what they were looking for.
“We normally go down by the Keys and Fort Jefferson for the black grouper. We bounced around to different pot holes and picked the right ones. I’d say on one out of four trips we could get a carbo, and we just happened to get them in this.”
The big black grouper, 51 pounds, ate a mullet. The next largest, 37 pounds, ate a pinfish on a knocker rig intended for a red or scamp grouper.
With even higher winds approaching overnight Saturday, they slowly pushed east to fish another wreck closer to shore in 70 feet in hopes of a permit to round out their quality fish box.
“One of the problems we had was that it was so rough we would lose crabs when we’d open the livewell. We only left with two dozen and there weren’t many left. Saturday evening we lost two permit to goliaths and didn’t get anything at all during the night. Sunday morning at daylight we had one crab left and that got hit.”
Pulling the permit away from the predators was a chore, but ended as the last of six fish they’d take to the scale at 20-pounds. When all the points were tallied they blew away the competition setting a new record with 518 points, despite fishing no where near they’re normal fishing grounds.
“I think we burned 220 gallons of fuel in this tournament,” Grant said. “Normally that’s a one-way trip for us. We’re fortunate to be fishing the same crew for over 10 years now. Even with the bad weather I knew attitudes would stay positive and stay safe in rough conditions.”
For winning they would bring home $5,000.
Second place in the offshore division went to team Fat Bottom Girl whose catch was highlighted by a 67- and 60-pound amberjack, giving them 379 points.
Not far behind in third place with 374 points was Reel Big Deck.
Team Jumbo Shrimp and Haulin’ Grass rounded out the top 5 of the seven total offshore boats.
In the inshore division Capt. TJ Stewart and team Richardson-Stinton Roofing powered by Skeeter Boats remained the team to beat of the 57 entries in a close battle for the top spot. Their tournament best 42-inch snook and 35-inch redfish went with a 34-inch snook, 34-inch redfish, 24-inch and 22-inch trout for 366 points.
Only four points behind, team Sandhoff Construction and Capt. David Sandhoff weighed in a 36- and 34-inch snook, 31-inch redfish, 25- and 23-inch trout and one of the tournament’s six total tarpon for their wildcard, worth 75 points.
Capt. Beau Bell and Hoff Enterpirse powered by Starfish Co. also had a wildcard tarpon to go with a pair of 36-inch snook and trailed second place by only three points for third.
Rounding out the top five was Suncoast Fishing Charters andAdams Cooling and Heating. Stewart’s team will take the lead in the triple crown race ending at the June Fire Charity Fishing Tournament.
The Offshore Limited Division was taken home by team SaltyBonz and captain Terry Calderon with a catch that included a 5-pound grouper, a pair of 36-pound African pompano and a pair of 4-pound mangrove snapper.
Team Scuba Quest Bradenton would win the spearfishing division, behind the big catch of a 61-pound amberjack. They would also bring a 31- and 28-pound African pompano to the scales with a 5-pound grouper and pair of snapper.
Team On to the Next would top the nine junior angler teams for first place. Matthew Garrott and Caleb Bennet would weigh in a pair of snook at 35 and 28-inches, redfish at 28 and 26-inches and trout at 20 and 17-inches.