FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
May 2024
Kicking Off The 26 Annual Mercury/SeaVee Pompano Beach Saltwater Shootout
Pompano Beach, FL – The 26th Annual Mercury SeaVee Pompano Beach Saltwater Shootout launched its weekend-long festivities on May 16th with an exciting captains’ meeting at the Pompano Beach Civic Center. Seventy-six teams gathered for an evening filled with music, games, and camaraderie.
The night featured lively tunes by DJ Select and the Taylor Builders-sponsored Over/Under Game, which benefited charitable partner Mission Fishin’. A special appearance by the Miami Dolphins mascot, ‘T.D.,’ added extra flair, promoting the FINS Weekend Tournament happening May 31 – June 1st. Participants enjoyed complimentary co*cktails from Islamorada Brewery & Distillery and Landshark Lager, served by the Hooters Girls of South Florida. Bonefish Mac’s dished out a delicious spread as teams mingled with sponsors and vendors including tournament title sponsor SeaVee Boats with their new 400z model on display, as well as our:
- New Audio Sponsor: Rockford Fosgate
- Official Apparel Sponsor: PELAGIC Gear
- Marine Construction Sponsor: APH Marine Construction
- Marine Detailing Sponsor: Clearshine Detailing
- Featured Trophy Artist: Eddie Forbes
- Reel Battery Sponsor: Bloody Battery
- Marine Fuel Service Sponsor: Floridian Fuel
- Fishing Day Food Sponsor: Jersey Mike’s Subs
- Featured Kids Fishing Clinic Artist: Painting Passports
- Dock and Seawall Lighting Solution Sponsor: APEX Lighting
- Tackle Shop Sponsor: How Ya Reelin’ Tackle
Saturday saw teams hitting the scales at The Cove Waterfront Restaurant & Tiki Bar for the ‘Rock the Docks’ Weigh-in, powered by Rockford Fosgate. The excitement continued into Sunday afternoon with top teams treated to a hearty meal from Fat Boyz Barbecue. The weekend concluded with an awards ceremony featuring cash prizes as well as gifts from Bass Pro Shops, celebrating the achievements of the best anglers.
Shootout Recap
Big Bag Division
In 5th Place Mercury-Powered team MacDaddy, captained by Mac Herman, hit the scales with a bag of four Kingfish and four Tuna, scoring an aggregate weight of 193.7lbs for a payday of $1,200.
Next up in 4th Place, Overkill, captained by Bryce McMillan, aboard their 29’ Sea Vee reeled in four Kingfish and four Tuna for an aggregate weight of 223.7lbs to secure 1st Place in the Mid-Range Division and 1st Place in the Mid-Range Bonanza calcutta for a total payout of $5,008.
Coming in 3rd Place, in a touching tribute to Capt. Mark Lamb a long-time competitor and close friend to the Bluewater Movements Inc. organization, honoring his healthy recovery from a liver transplant team Doing It All/Hardway, led by Capt. Daryl Deka reeled in four Kingfish, four Tuna, and a 40.2lb Wahoo for an aggregate weight of 228.9lb to earn the team 3rd Place in the heaviest Wahoo Division and 3rd Place in the Bluewater Bonanza calcutta to cash in a total of $3,600.
And in 2nd Place, Caught Slippin, led by Capt. Eric Neidorf, owner of How Ya Reelin’ Tackle, hit the scales at Sailfish Marina in Palm Beach with four Kingfish, four Tuna, and a Dolphin for an aggregate weight of 232.2lb, 117.6lb of which were reeled in by Master Angler of the tournament, Cody Durham. The team landed in 2nd in the Heaviest Dolphin and Show Me the Mahi Divisions and 2nd in the Bluewater Bonanza and Ante Up calcuttas for a payout of $9,295.
Mercury-Powered Teams Sweep the Big Fish Division Powered by APH Marine Construction
This year, the Shootout introduced an exciting new twist with the Team Division, offering two unique avenues for competition. Teams had the option to compete in either the traditional Big Bag (aggregate weight) or the new Big Fish Division, each presenting its own distinct challenge and strategy.
The Big Fish Division was a hit, adding a total of $9,000 to the general payout structure, and resurfacing teams of the past while introducing a number of new teams to the tournament.
Mercury-Powered team Breaking Waves, captained by Blake Selesnick, reeled in two tuna and four Kingfish for an aggregate weight of 130.9, which included a 33.4lb Kingfish that earned the team 2nd in the Big Fish Division for a payout of $2,500.
Mercury-Powered team Ability, captained by Allen Gulley, reeled in four kingfish, two tuna, and a wahoo for an aggregate weight of 160.9lbs, which included two kingfish weighing 49.1 reeled in by Top Lady Angler of the tournament, Kiely Selvanik and 31.7lbs that earned the team 1st and 3rd in the Big Fish Division, 2nd in the Heaviest Kingfish Division, 3rd in the Semi-Pro Division, 2nd in the Big Three and Holy Mackerel calcuttas, and 3rd in the Semi-Pro Bonanza calcutta for a big pay day of $13,474.
Notable Top Finishes
Top Male Angler
Cody Durham – Caught Slippin – 117.6 Points
Top Female Angler
Kiely Selvanik – Ability – 86.6 Points
Top Junior Angler
Cam Hussey – On Point Fishing – 70.4 Points
Top Pee Wee Angler
Louis Tiernan – Billy Goat – 54.5 Points
Top Family
Wildkat – 186.6
Species Division – Heaviest Dolphin
Short Handed – 25.7 Points – $1,000
Species Division – Heaviest Wahoo
Seapremacy – 47.3 Points – $1,000
Species Division – Heaviest Kingfish
Seapremacy – 58.5 Points – $1,000
Species Division – Heaviest Tuna
Reel Battery – 28.4 Points – $1,000
Species Division – Heaviest Cobia
Divided Sky – 25.4 Points – $1,000
Small Boat Division (26 feet and under)
1st Place – On Point Fishing – 189.7 Points – $2,500
2nd Place– Reel E Sea – 158.8 Points – $1,250
3rd Place– Outnumbered – 139.8 Points – $500
Mid Range Division (27 to 32 feet)
1st Place – Overkill – 223.7 Points – $2,500
2nd Place – Bobbers Under – 193.2 Points – $1,250
3rd Place – Wildkat – 186.6 Points – $500
Semi-Pro Division
1st Place – On Point Fishing – 189.7 Points – $2,000
2nd Place – REEL-EM-IN-3 – 182.5 Points – $1,500
3rd Place – Ability – 160.9 Points – $750
4th Place – Reel Battery – 154.2 Points – $500
5th Place – Outnumbered –139.8 Points – $250
Highest Earnings
1st Place – Seapremacy – $46,665
2nd Place – Ability – $13,474
3rd Place – Caught Slippin – $9,295
4th Place – On Point Fishing – $7,038
5th Place – Overkill – $5,008
Picking Up Where We Left Off With Seapremacy
Not even 48 hours after the Showdown Crown rings were presented to the 2023 Series Champions, Seapremacy, a bold text from Jonah Bennett, an angler on the team, came through to tournament director Jamie Bunn hours before lines out. The message read, “Send the champagne up to Palm Beach.” At that moment, we knew a heavy fish bag was bound to hit the scales at Sailfish Marina in Palm Beach. After lines out, committee members watched as the tournament fleet pulled up to the docks at The Cove Waterfront Restaurant & Tiki Bar in Deerfield. To our surprise, team Seapremacy, led by Capt. Alex Burgess was one of the boats leading the charge. It was clear that we were in for a spectacle. Spectators crowded the stage as the team hit the scales with four kingfish, four tuna, and a wahoo for an aggregate weight of 288.4 lbs, breaking a ten-year tournament record by 35.7 lbs. The team’s haul earned them a laundry list of awards for a total payout of $46,665.
- 1st Place – Big Bag Division – 288.4 Points
- 1st Place – Wahoo – Species Division – 47.3 Points
- 1st Place – Kingfish – Species Division – 58.5 Points
- 1st Place – Tuna – Species Division – 27.9 Points
- 1st Place – Bluewater Bonanza Calcutta – 288.4 Points
- 1st Place – Bluewater Challenge Calcutta – Kingfish – 58.5 Points
- 1st Place – Big Three Calcutta – Kingfish – 58.5 Points
- 1st Place – Holy Mackerel Calcutta – 58.5 Points
- 1st Place – Ante Up Calcutta – 288.4 Points
- 1st Place – Charity Calcutta – 288.4 Points
- 1st Place – Fish & Chips Calcutta – 288.4 Points
- 3rd Place – Big Three Calcutta – Wahoo – 47.3 Points
Congratulations, Seapremacy, on earning the well-deserved title of 2024 Mercury/SeaVee Pompano Beach Saltwater Shootout Champions.
Chasing The Crown
The race for the Showdown Crown is just starting to heat up. Here are the Pompano Beach Saltwater Circuit Summer Series standings through leg one:
1st Place – Seapremacy – 31 Points
2nd Place – Caught Slippin– 29 Points
3rd Place – Doing It All/Hardway – 28 Points
4th Place – Overkill – 27 Points
5th Place – MacDaddy – 26 Points
Gearing Up For The Saltwater Slam
The South Florida angling community is abuzz with excitement as they gear up for The Mercury/SeaVee Pompano Beach Saltwater Slam, a family-friendly event that fosters a sense of camaraderie and competition. From June 13-16th, families and seasoned anglers alike will come together to enjoy the thrill of summer fishing in sunny South Florida and the chance to win big.
Signature prize categories for the Saltwater Slam include Big Fish payouts in excess of $18,000, a Semi-Pro category paying out $5,000 across the top five places in the division, Mid-Range and Small Boat Divisions with over $4,000 in cash dispersed between the top three teams for each category, along with amazing prizes from Tuppen’s Marine & Tackle awarded to the top Family and Gifts from Bass Pro Shops handed out to the competitors in the Junior and Pee-Wee Angler Divisions
For more information about the Pompano Beach Saltwater Slam, visit saltwaterslam.com
About The Pompano Beach Saltwater Circuit
If you like fishing for Dolphin, Wahoo, Kingfish, Tuna and Cobia, then you will love the format of the Pompano Beach Saltwater Circuit. The PBSC is a 3-leg tournament that takes place annually in South Florida from May to August. Leg 1 of the series begins in May with the Saltwater Shootout, followed by the Saltwater Slam in June and the Saltwater Showdown in August. In addition to a $600,000 purse, teams that register for the tournaments will enjoy premier hospitality including free drinks, great food, live entertainment, tournament shirts and a team bag loaded with sponsor swag! It’s no wonder why the PBSC has become one of the most popular series on the east coast.
About Bluewater Movements
Bluewater Movements, Inc., is a sports marketing company based in South Florida, the sport fishing capital of the world. Throughout the past 30 years, our team has developed some of the most successful competitive fishing events in the industry. Our background in tournament fishing, coupled with our expertise in event marketing, has enabled a premium experience for tournament anglers and sponsors. Within our portfolio, there are seven wildly popular fishing tournaments, all hosted at various venues across South Florida.
For media inquiries, images, and additional information, please contact:
Chris Caravello
Phone: 954-725-4010
Email: Chris@bluewatermovements.com
