Stuart's Light Tackle Sailfish Tournament goes on despite the weather

Hans Kraaz said Saturday was "the weirdest day of fishing he has ever been a part of."

Kraaz of Fort Pierce, captain of the fishing team aboard Vintage, steered his crew through a series of challenges and raised a critical triple-header at the end of the day to win the Light Tackle Sailfish Tournament's daily award with nine sailfish releases. Vintage enters the final day of fishing in the overall lead with 15 sailfish.

The fleet of 12 boats fishing the Light Tackle Tournament's professional division combined to catch 49 sailfish on the day after 56 were caught Friday. Three boats entered in the fourth annual Florida Amateur Sailfish Championship chose Saturday as a lay day and will be fishing Sunday.

The Stuart Sailfish Club's 64th annual Light Tackle is fishing out of Hutchinson Island Marriott Marina in Stuart for the first time. Fishing Sunday will take place from 8:30 a.m. until 3:30 p.m. and boats must return observers and score sheets by 5 p.m.

Saturday's fishing teams were challenged by rough unsettled weather with the early morning arrival of the powerful cold front hammering the country with snow. As it passed through the Treasure Coast it generated rough seas while low lying clouds and heavy rainfall at times stole the will of many who were at sea. But by midday, most of the rain was gone, however, north winds kicked up building waves, and anglers found themselves wet and cold.

Kraaz is joined by Sebastian Blackman, Thomas Garmoney, Joey Trefelner, Matt Weber, Hunter Cross, Drew Dunton, Austin Robbins and Taylor Beckford. Kraaz said before the team even had its first sailfish release Saturday, he wasn't sure what was in store, only that everything about the day was weird.

"We had this yellow sky when we left," explained Kraaz. "Then, we had this black lightning bolt which we think hit us because it knocked out our Lindgren-Pittman teaser reels. After that we had a 500-pound hammerhead shark follow us for about 20 minutes until it ate one of our dredges taking about a dozen mullet. Then, we hooked a fish right off the bat, and jumped it right off."

But Kraaz had high praise for his team who went 9-for-12 in difficult conditions including a nerve-wracking, lead-cinching triple right at the 3:30 lines out call.

"The crew did great, and we're doing all right, winning five dailies in two years," said Kraaz. Then he joked, "I have the least expensive boat in the fleet and the most expensive crew."  

Showtime! with Capt. Wink Doerzbacher, owners Nancy and Fred Hardwick of Sailfish Point, Howard Webb, Ebby Hall, Tom Russell and Jon Meade caught eight sailfish Saturday. Boats with seven Saturday were Floridian with Capt. Glenn Cameron, Patti and Rob Miller of Palm City, Jimmy Vaughan of Lake Wales and J.J. Davidson; Challenge with Capt. Jim Hardee, owner Mike Fogel of Stuart, Bob Greene, P.J. Anson, James Robinson,  Phil Anson and Chris Storrs; and Sea Hag, with Capt. Chris Kubik, Charlie Duerr, Rob DeYoung, Junior Bass, Billy Joyst, Kevin Miles and Kenny Powers.

Saturday's top boats all helped themselves into the top of the overall standings as well. Vintage (15) leads Floridian and Sea Hag, both with 12, while Challenge and Showtime!, both with 11, are one more behind. Since sailfish tournament ties are broken based on time of last fish released, it means that a hot boat Sunday must get to 16 before any other in order to take the lead over Vintage.

"It's our first time fishing in these tournaments here," said Sea Hag's Kubik, "but the way fishing seems like it is, it may take 10 more fish Sunday to win."

Hardee agreed.

"We're going to be in the same place where it has been hot for us for two days," he said.

To follow the standings live, go to ReelTimeApps.com.

Saturday catches

9: Vintage, Capt. Hans Kraaz

8: Showtime!, Capt. Wink Doerzbacher

7: Floridian, Capt. Glenn Cameron; Challenge, Capt. Jim Hardee; Sea Hag, Capt. Chris Kubik

3: Alikai, Capt. Patrick Price

2: Lo Que Sea, Capt. Kevin Paul; Cowpoke, Capt. Mike Brady; Intents, Capt. Rhett Bailey

1: Ditch Digger, Capt. Jon Brooks; Unbelievable, Capt. V.J. Bell

Daily totals: 49 sailfish, 12 boats

No amateur division boats fished Saturday

Standings

Pro division

15: Vintage, Capt. Hans Kraaz

12: Floridian, Capt. Glenn Cameron; Sea Hag, Capt. Chris Kubik

11: Challenge, Capt. Jim Hardee; Showtime!, Capt. Wink Doerzbacher

9: Cowpoke, Capt. Mike Brady; Alikai, Capt. Patrick Price

8: Unbelievable, Capt. V.J. Bell

6: Ditch Digger, Capt. Jon Brooks

5: Lo Que Sea, Capt. Kevin Paul

3: Intents, Capt. Rhett Bailey

1: Toast, Capt. Next Cagle

Division totals: 105 sailfish, 12 boats

Amateur division

2: Kingsbury, Capt. Dewitt Davenport

1: Triple Net, Capt. Terry Wiler

Division totals: 3 sailfish, 3 boats

Fleet totals: 108 sailfish, 15 boats 

Marine Weather Forecast

Sunday: North winds 15 to 20 knots diminishing to 10 to 15 knots in the afternoon. Seas 5 to 7 feet. Choppy on the intracoastal waters.