By Cullen Lea
Intern
Around 117 anglers converged on Johnnie Mercer’s Pier for the 10th Annual Dogfish Tournament, Saturday, Jan. 25. Compared to last year’s single snare, the event was bountiful, with around 70 dogfish caught.
The top prize went to Aaron Collier of Wrightsville Beach with his 10.9-pound catch. Brian Cain of Cary, N.C., landed in second at 10.3 pounds while David Hannah of Wilmington came in a close third at 10.1 pounds. Overall 497 pounds of dogfish were caught, with an average weight of 7.6 pounds.
This year’s weather was the determining factor of how fishing would proceed. Long cumulus clouds occupied an overcast sky from 1 p.m. until dusk, causing the dogfish to populate the waters. To the layman, fishing is synonymous with warm, sunny skies but the opposite is true when angling this small shark species.
“I’m always happy when I see cloudy skies on the day of our tournament,” said Al Baird, tournament director. “Bad weather equals fish, so if the sun’s out it’s a beach party.”
For the anglers that have traveled from far away places such as Massachusetts and Ohio, the 50-degree weather felt like summer.
“The weather here is nothing compared to what it’s like in Ohio right now,” said Eric Kielmeyer of Columbus, Ohio. “Back home it’s below zero.”
Kielmeyer, who has attended the tournament the past seven years, discovered the event online and jumped at the chance to fish in January.
“It’s not all about the fishing,” Kielmeyer said. “I love Wrightsville Beach and seeing my friends once a year.
To Kielmeyer, the dogfish tournament has become as much a reunion as a competition. His daughter, Jessica, also participates by operating the registration table.
“The tournament is a chance for me to be with my father,” Jessica Kielmeyer said. She has been helping with the tournament since 2011.
Eric Kielmeyer, along with the other anglers bordering the edges of the pier, was in good spirits because of the slew of dogfish hooked.
“The weather is great and the fishing has been on fire,” Kielmeyer said. “The results have been much better than last year.”
Animal Life, the tournament’s charity beneficiary of choice, gained more than $500 in donations.
“This has turned out to be one of our best years yet,” Baird said. “Everyone’s happy and the dogfish are bigger than ever before.”
