Fish weren’t biting for 2022 Fire Charity tourney, but here’s how the winning team did it
When Captain TJ Stewart says the fishing was tough, most likely the fish just weren’t biting.
Last weekend, Stewart and team FL Fishing Team Sponsored by Richardson Stinton Roofing Powered by Skeeter struggled during the 2022 Fire Charity Fishing Tournament.
As the undisputed inshore tournament favorites, the team had little to show for their morning efforts on day one of the tournament.
“It was a bit of a train wreck,” said Stewart. “By three o’clock I think we had one fish on the board. We were fishing for big fish so it’s whatever. We tried tarpon fishing a little around lunchtime and hooked a fish on the first bait but didn’t catch it and that’s when the train wreck started.”
Luckily for Stewart’s team, the one fish they had on the board was a 42-inch snook. After losing the tarpon a line of storms rolled into Tampa Bay, sending their team and many of the other 56-inshore competitors looking for safety. Driving straight through storms the team set up to continue fishing when the weather finally cleared.
“We got to where we wanted to go around 3:30 in the afternoon. We didn’t have any bites and were about to leave the hole and then caught the first redfish, it was a nice one around 36 inches. I put another bait out there and hooked a tarpon, it was a small one probably 40-44 inches but was enough to get on the board,” Stewart recalled. “I couldn’t believe we got that lucky.
“After that we got a few smaller snook then a big 39-inch redfish. 5-minutes later a 40-inch snook bit. It all came together so fast. I’m not sure if it was after the rain caused the outgoing tide to pick up but once it went slack there was nothing again. It was super fun fishing for a bit especially after not catching much all day.”
With their two redfish, two snook and a tarpon in their total they spent much of the remaining tournament time trout fishing. At night Stewart said the tide was slow and fishing was even slower.
“That weather had to screw everything up. The night bite was dead, and I think a lot of people experienced the same thing.”
But the next morning the teammates caught bait before the sun rose, and eventually found their way to a 24-inch trout to round out their six fish tournament catch at 435-points. That was enough to comfortably win over second place Team Godzilla with 400-points and third place team Hoff Enterprises at 391.
The win adds to the trophy mantel and $5,000 for Stewart’s team who took the Fire Charity victory last year and in 2019 after previously winning last month’s Crosthwait Memorial.
The offshore division was won by Randy Langley and team Gotcha with 370 points, while the juniors division was taken home by Caleb Bennett and team Big Blue with an impressive 372 points.
Team H20 STORPRO took home the spearfishing crown with 283 points.
