The latest Ladies Kingfish Tournament was a battle for the heaviest fish after which the tourney is named, the strong and fighting kingfish.
Up to six entries were logged on the scoreboard, but each outweighed the first up to one minute before the official weigh-in came to an end at 7 p.m. Aug. 10 at the Port Isabel Marina.
The tournament, which celebrated its 43rd year, attracted 150 women who competed in bay and offshore waters during the day-long tournament.
In the bay fishing division, Laney Davis, of Harlingen, took the Grand Champion spot.
She caught a Texas Grand Slam, made up of a trout, a redfish and a flounder. The three fish weighed a combined 12.95 pounds.
“I am super excited. It was a tough day but it turned out great,” she said. “I have been fishing this tournament for about 25 years and this is the first time I have won this (the top prize).”
Davis said the boat also took the Calcutta first prize, which means some cash was taken home, as well. She said fishing was tough as it was hot with barely any wind.
Davis caught her trout at 9:30 a.m., the flounder at 11 a.m., and the redfish at 2:30 p.m.
In the offshore division, Debbie McNair, of San Antonio, was the big winner.
She caught all four fish in this category — a bluefin tuna, dorado, kingfish and a bonito. The four fish weighed a total of 26.2 pounds.
“I have fished LKT for more than 25 years,” she said. “But this is my first time I competed offshore.”
McNair said she and her team fished in honor of Sonia Schilling, an old friend and angler.
“We went more than 60 miles to get our fish,” she said.
McNair also caught a shark that took her about a half-hour to the boat.
Anglers said fishing in the bay started off fair but tailed off around 11 a.m., with fishermen left hoping for a breeze to pick up.
Jeanette Greider, South Pardre Island Chamber of Commerce president and tournament director, said LKT is one of the largest all-women tournaments along the Texas Gulf Coast.
