GOOD DAY FOR FISH: Redfish, Speckled Trout Shootouts Prove Fruitful
By Al Jones, The Sun Herald, Biloxi, Miss.
Jul. 2–GULFPORT — The second day of the 59th Annual Mississippi Deep Sea Fishing Rodeo started slowly, which is typical for a five-day event.
The ending, however, was anything but typical under the pavilion at the Harrison County Fairgrounds.
From the redfish and speckled trout shootouts to the main event, the final two hours at the scales were busy, including a Biloxi father taking the red snapper lead by a three-ounce margin over his son.
A former South Mississippi high school football coach, along with his son, also earned a little cash in the redfish shootout.
In the Redfish Shootout — which featured a slot limit between 18 to 27 inches — Justin McGuffie took top honors with a three-fish limit of 20 pounds, seven ounces.
Taking second was the team of retired Pearl River Central football coach Curtis Thaxton, Bobby Thaxton with three-fish weight of 17 pounds, seven ounces. Also fishing was Brad Seal, Curtis Thaxton’s son-in-law.
“We caught the fish in Smack Bay,” Curtis Thaxton said. “We caught seven fish, four on live shrimp.
“The others were caught on spinner baits.”
The Thaxtons took home $660 while McGuffie earned $990.
In the Speckled Trout Shootout, Dudley Vandenborre of Slidell won first place with five fish weighing 25 pounds, three ounces and a check for $1,890. The team of Jamie Dearman, Jamie Favre and Jamie Parker were second at 24 pounds nine ounces and a check for $1,260.
One of the best stories from Day Two involved retired Col. Dick Wilson of Biloxi and his son, Steve Wilson, also of Biloxi.
The Wilsons left Biloxi on Saturday, the opening day of the rodeo. Instead of coming in Saturday evening to weigh fish, they decided to night fish a set of oil rigs to the west of the Horseshoe Rigs.
The end result had Steve Wilson landing a 25-pound, two-ounce red snapper.
Dick Wilson, however, followed suit with a 25-pound, five-ounce red snapper.
“That’s not a problem,” Steve Wilson said of his dad getting the bigger fish. “We like fishing together and mine was still a big fish.”
Steve Wilson caught his red snapper in 206 feet of water just before midnight. After landing the fish, he decided to lie down.
Dick Wilson landed his red snapper at 2 a.m. while his son slept.
“I laid down while Steve caught his,” Dick Wilson said. “When I saw his, I told him that fish was going to the rodeo.
“Then I got mine.”
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Game plan
What: 59th Annual Mississippi Deep Sea Fishing Rodeo
Where: Harrison County Fairgrounds off County Farm Road
Scales: Noon to 8 p.m.
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Copyright (c) 2007, The Sun Herald, Biloxi, Miss.
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