June 14, 2021; Biloxi, Mississippi:
By Capt. Dave Lear
In resounding fashion, It Just Takes Time, led by owner/angler Nick Pratt and Captain Chris Hood, took top honors and the biggest payout in the 2021 Mississippi Gulf Coast Billfish Classic. The 72 Viking, based in Orange Beach, Alabama, boated a blue marlin weighing 793 pounds to win $418,775, a sizable chunk of the overall $2 million-plus in prize money. One-hundred and one boats competed in 25th edition of this popular Gulf Coast big-game contest.
It Just Takes Time won top crew, top team and most of the optional blue marlin categories to claim that payout. The boat was also the 2020 MGCBC champion, making it only the second to repeat in the tournament’s long history. Freedom won the Classic in 1998 and 1999.
C- Student, led by Capt. Kenny Blackman, swept second place in the marlin division and optionals to earn $248,005 in prize money. The Texas-based 66 Viking scored the second-heaviest marlin at 629.7 pounds, wound in by Hunter Megarity. Third-place marlin honors and $108,328 went to CE and angler Scotty Cooper. George Crenshaw is the skipper of the 80 Viking, home-ported in Point Clear, Alabama.
Bandito, a 66 Jim Smith based in Orange Beach, was the top release boat with 1,800 points. That effort resulted in a $69,698 payout. Southern Charm, a Hatteras 63 GT from Orange Beach, came in second in the release division with 1,450 points. With optional entries, Capt. Landon Bell and company won a considerable payout of $171,524. All In, a 55 Viking (Capt. Blake Bridges), earned $81,604 for third-place release and optionals. Other boats winning money on released fish included Breathe Easy and Done Deal.
Tails Up, with owner/angler Donnie Jackson, Jr., caught the largest swordfish in that competitive division, a stout 309.9-pound broadbill. His catch is pending certification by the state, but will earn an additional $250,000 if it breaks the record. Tails Up’s (33 Contender, Venice, LA) tournament payout was $33,923. Angler Joseph Crookshank, Capt. Todd Black and the Fish Heads team aboard a 42 Freeman caught the second-place swordfish at 238.2 pounds to earn $20,549. Dirt Pit scored third-place in the swordfish division with a 202.5-pound fish. The 60 Hatteras is run by Capt. Cody Williams. Dirt Pit also caught the second-place wahoo, so with optional money the team earned $38,163. Rod Bender, FishMonger and No Name also won optional money for their swordfish entries.
Angler Mike Woods and his team aboard Snafu, a 67 F&S (Capt. Luis Perez) bested the top tuna for the week, a 212.2-pound yellowfin, winning $20,198. Second place went to Single Barrel, a 60 Hatteras (Capt. Ruston Rood), for a 204-pounder. That catch with optionals was worth $84,524. Miss Virginia (Capt. Justin Galagher) boated a 179.7-pound yellowfin for a $65,674 payout. Other optional winners in the tuna division included Walk West, Reelentless, Sea Mixer, Cold Motion and Whippin Post.
Blue Water (62 Viking, Capt. Reuben Guthrie) and angler Eric Daughtry scored the largest dolphin of the week, a 48.7-pound bull. That winning fish, combined with optionals, was worth $82,028 to the team. JD Dugas and his crew aboard Crawgator (61 Viking/Capt. Eric Chandler) cranked in a 34.6-pound fish, good for $15,149. Breathe Reel Deep, (Capt. Shawn Clemons) and his daughter, Shay, boated a 33.7-pound dolphin, good for $51,319 with optional money.
Neal Foster and his team aboard Intense (39 Contender) topped the wahoo leaderboard with a 67-pound entry. That catch was worth $62,723 in tournament and optional entries. Perseverance, a 54 Hatteras, wound in two wahoo including a third-place 53-pounder to pocket $29,809. Keith Wade was the angler on the biggest entry. Linedout also won an optional wahoo payout.
MacKenzie Davis, competing aboard Southern Charm, was named the Top Lady Angler for the 2021 Classic. Scotty Cooper (CE) was the Top Junior Angler.
The 101-boat fleet tallied 24 blue marlin, seven white marlin, one sailfish and 22 swordfish in 2.5 days of fishing. A total of 24 tuna, 14 wahoo and five dolphin were caught in the game fish divisions.
“It was a fantastic week with some really nice fish weighed, ideal weather and some impressive payouts,” says Tournament Director Bobby Carter. “I’d like to thank all the teams for helping us celebrate our 25th anniversary and my hard-working crew for making it happen. We look forward to welcoming everyone back June 6-12, 2022, for the 26th edition of the Mississippi Gulf Coast Billfish Classic.”
