NSBNews.net video by multimedia editor Sera Frederick and photo by Henry Frederick / Here are video highlights of Saturday's crowd during FishStock 2011 at Riverside Park in New Smyrna Beach, home of the Memorial Weekend Striker Fishing Tournament. Shown at left is Cory Troiano of Gainesville with his dog, Alex. In the smaller photo, Donny Van Dingenen, 5, of Winter Park, sits for a pose. Shown above and below, is one of the boats in the fishing tourney.NEW SMYRNA BEACH -- Several thousand people jammed Riverside Park on Saturday for the Memorial Day Weekend Striker Tournament, also known as FishStock. People of all ages enjoyed the sights, sounds and sunshine. Some, like 11-year-old Cory Troiano, didn't leave home without man's best friend, in this case, a shepherd mix, named Alex.
Don Van Dingenenen, of Winter Park, who has a weekend home here in New Smyrna Beach, said he took note of the fact the fish being caught aren't as big as a few weeks ago, but that's not stopping fishing enthusiasts from following the results of the catches.
"I would have been in the tournament this year, but being a lawyer, I've been busy," he said.
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With picture-perfect weather, locals and visitors alike enjoyed the tournament, the boats, the food, drinks, live music and the overall festive mood of Fish Stock 2011.
Fishstock 2011 Striker Tournament Highlights
After two days of fishing in the New Smyrna/Daytona Beach Striker, team Virgin Hooker came out on top in the Top Boat division thanks to Jeff Rogers' 32.8-pound first-place kingfish and Donny Testa's 67-pound first-place tuna - which also won the Heaviest Tuna category. Jason Poole also caught a 20.5-pound and Justin Desy
weighed a 26.3-pound tuna to add to the team's total points. The team earned a total of $13,663.20.
Coming in second place in the same division was the Fog Ducker with 46.8 points, which earned the team $4,165.20. Third place went to Let It Ride, who caught the biggest fish of the tournament, an 80.8-pound wahoo on Day 1, which earned them $1,602 as well as an additional $1,068 jackpot in the Heaviest Wahoo category.
In the Dolphin category, Brenna Croft of Ocala, weighed a 34.6-pounder worth $1,068 and a
first place finish in the Lady Angler category. In the Young Angler category, Cody Van Eck of Daytona Beach, caught a 22.3-pound dolphin that was good enough for first place.
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Top Boat Overall
1st Place: 23 Virgin Hooker 150.7 points (Jeff Rogers 29.6-pound dolphin, Jeff Rogers 32.8-pound kingfish, Donny Testa 67-pound tuna) + Ricky Virgin, Aaron Watson, Randy Bearsaly ALL OF ORMOND BEACH.
2nd Place: 33 Fog Ducker 46.8 points (Jason Poole 20.5-pound wahoo, Justin Desy 26.3-pound tuna)
3rd Place: 16 Let It Ride 80.8 points (James Marble 80.8-pound wahoo)
4th Place 9 Misguided 37 points (Tony Huerta 37-pound wahoo) Wahoo Category (Largest Fish)
1st Place: 16 Let It Ride James Marble, Orlando 80.8 pounds
2nd Place: 9 Misguided Tony Huerta 37 pounds
3rd Place: 1 Perfect Drift Matt Snell 22 pounds
4th Place: 33 Fog Ducker Jason Poole 20.5 pounds
Dolphin Category (Largest Fish)
1st Place: 29 Cardiac Rest Brenna Croft, Ocala 34.6 pounds
2nd Place: 23 Virgin Hooker Jeff Rogers 29.6 pounds
3rd Place: 22 Sea Genie II Jason Neat 29.3 pounds
4th Place: 44 Savannah Smiles Jason McDowell 29.1 pounds
King Mackerel Category (Largest Fish)
1st Place: 23 Virgin Hooker Jeff Rogers, Ormond Beach 32.8 pounds
2nd Place: 49 Inside Out Karen Crabtree 24.6 pounds
3rd Place: 19 Overtime Kyle Smith 21.5 pounds
4th Place: 23 Virgin Hooker Randy Bearsaly 21.3 pounds
Tuna Category (Yellowfin, Blackfin or Bigeye Only) (Largest Fish)
1st Place: 23 Virgin Hooker Donny Testa, Ormond Beach 67 pounds
2nd Place: 33 Fog Ducker Justin Desy 26.3 pounds
3rd Place: N/A
4th Place: N/A
Lady Angler Awards
1st Place: 29 Cardiac Rest Brenna Croft, Ocala 34.6-pound dolphin
2nd Place: 42 Haig R Bomb Doris Haigh 24.8-pound dolphin
3rd Place: 49 Inside Out Karen Crabtree 24.6-pound king mackerel
Younger Angler Awards (Age 17 and Under)
1st Place: 35 That's Right Cody Van Eck, Daytona Beach 22.3-pound dolphin
2nd Place: 31 Plumb Crazy Harrison Dicus 20.6-pound dolphin
3rd Place: 52 Game Over Lane Griffin 17.8-pound dolphin
Optional Tournament Within A Tournament (TWT)
Category 1: Overall Points Winners
1st Place: 23 Virgin Hooker 150.7 points (Jeff Rogers 29.6-pound dolphin, Jeff
Rogers 32.8-pound kingfish, Donny Testa 67-pound tuna) + Ricky Virgin, Aaron Watson,
Randy Bearsaly ALL OF ORMOND BEACH
2nd Place: 33 Fog Ducker 46.8 points (20.5-pound wahoo, 26.3-pound tuna)
3rd Place 9 Misguided 37 points (37-pound wahoo)
Category 2: Heaviest Offshore Fish
Largest Tuna: 23 Virgin Hooker Donny Testa, Ormond Beach 67 pounds
Largest Wahoo: 9 Misguided Tony Huerta 37 pounds
Largest Dolphin: 29 Cardiac Rest Brenna Croft 34.6 pounds
Largest King Mackerel: 23 Virgin Hooker Jeff Rogers 32.8 pounds
Day 1 Results
It's that time of year again, Memorial Day Weekend in New Smyrna Beach and the 8th annual FishStock event presented by Salt Water Sportsman, Sport Fishing, Marlin, Fly Fishing in Salt Waters magazines, Hellsbay Boatworks, Mercury, G•Loomis, Everglades Boats, Penn and the Sunshine Network.
After the Kickoff party for the 34th Annual New Smyrna, Daytona Beach Striker tournament Thursday night, there were 53 boats registered for two days of fishing and their chance at $75,000 in cash and prizes. Anglers fishing the Striker Friday and Saturday target tuna, dolphin, wahoo and kingfish to earn points for various categories.
When lines out was called at 5:30 pm, all the boats piled into the docks at the Brannon Center at Riverside Park to weigh their catches. The first weighed fish of the day ended up being the catch of the day. Angler James Markle of Orlando, fishing aboard Let It Ride, bested a monster 80.8-pound wahoo putting him in the lead in the heaviest wahoo category.
There were a considerable number of dolphin weighed Friday and Palm Coast angler, Jason Neat who fished on the Sea Genie II, beat the heaviest one of the day that weighed in at 29.3. The tuna bite was slow by normal standards, but Justin Desy of Edgewater, fishing on the Fog Ducker, weighed a 26.3 pounder that put him in the top position in the tuna category. Some nice king mackerel were weighed, but there weren't any that were able to top Jeff Rodgers of Ormond Beach's 32.8 he caught fishing on the Virgin Hooker. After day 1, Karen Crabtree of DeLand, weighed a 24.6-pound kingfish on the Inside Out, which puts her in the lead in the lady angler division. Conner Sikorski's 17.5-pound dolphin puts him in the position of top Junior Angler.
In the top boat division, Roger Markle's wahoo puts Let It Ride in first place. Currently in second place is MisGuided thanks to Tyler Beckford's 22.7-pound dolphin and Tony Huerta's 37-pound wahoo. Connor Sikorski on the Tegemareeb had a good day and weighed 17.5- and 15-pound dolphins. Donnie Sikorski added some points with his 22-pound dolphin, putting team Tegemareeb in third place.
Closer to shore, anglers funneled into the Brannon Center to register and take part in the captains meeting for the 8th Annual Redfish-Trout Challenge. The kickoff for the inshore tournament began Friday at 4 pm and ended with rules given by tournament director, Dan Jacobs, during the Redfish-Trout captain's meeting. In the end, 90
boats registered for the event and will set out early Saturday morning for a 5:30 am
lines-in call.
34th Annual New Smyrna Beach/Daytona Beach Striker Tournament Day 1 Results
Striker Top Boat Overall — Day 1
1. Let It Ride 80.8 pounds Anglers: Roger Markle, James Markle, Greg Markle, Gary
Markle
James Markle, Orlando, Florida, 80.8-pound wahoo
2. MisGuided 59.7 pounds Anglers: Tony Huerta, Melissa Huerta, Taylor Beckford,
Tyler Beckford
3. Tegemareeb 54.5 pounds Anglers: Patrick Kollar, Kevin Callahan, Donnie Sikorski,
Connor Sikorski, Corrado Gionfriddo
4. Virgin Hooker 54.1 pounds Anglers: Ricky Virgin, Aaron Watson, Donny Testa, Jeff
Rodgers, Randy Bearasly
Wahoo — Day 1
1. James Markle, Orlando, Florida 80.8 pounds Let It Ride
2. Tony Huenta 37 pounds MisGuided
Dolphin — Day 1
1. Jason Neat, Palm Coast, Florida 29.3 pounds Sea Genie II
2. Dave Winters 28.6 pounds Legal Eagle
3. Doris Haigh 24.8 pounds Haig-R-Bomb
4. Mary Ann White 24.3 pounds Lady Bart's
King Mackerel — Day 1
1. Jeff Rodgers, Ormond Beach, Florida 32.8 pounds Virgin Hooker
2. Karen Crabtree 24.6 pounds Inside Out
3. Kyle Smith 21.5 pounds Overtime
4. Randy Bearsaly 21.3 pounds Virgin Hooker
Tuna — Day 1
1. Justin Desy, Edgewater, Florida 26.3 pounds Fog Ducker
Lady Angler — Day 1
1. Karen Crabtree, DeLand, Florida 24.6 pounds Inside Out
2. Mary Ann White 24.3 pounds Lady Bart's
3. Corrine Kunkle 22.2 pounds Unleashed
4. Caroline Butler 19.9 pounds Reelin & Chillin
Young Angler — Day 1
1. Wyatt Griffin Jr., Christmas, Florida 16.2 pounds Game Over
2. Connor Sikorski 15 pounds Tegemareeb