Walker's Cay Open Recap: Sea Birds Soar to Capture The Flag

The flag has been captured from atop the iconic Walker’s Cay gantry, safely in the possession of New Jersey Sea Birds Angling Club. The final leaderboard:

1) New Jersey Sea Birds - 1050 Points
2) Lights Out New England - 525 Points
3) New York Granders - 525 Points
4) South Florida Sails - 450 Points
5) East Coast Remix - 450 Points
6) North Carolina Flare - 75 Points
7) South Carolina Outcast - 0 Points

The Sea Birds left early this morning for Charleston, South Carolina; the site of next week’s Huk Billfish Cup. Captain Blaine Birch and the squad now sit atop the SFC Atlantic Division standings. 

“I’ve never fished here before and it took us a couple of days to figure it out,” said New Jersey Sea Birds Captain Blaine Birch. “But once we figured it out we started to got the bites.”

It was slow start for the ‘Birds on day one, and what they did find, they were struggling to convert into qualified catches. 

“We had the bites, we just couldn’t stay connected,” Birch said.

What did they figure out? Birch had the Sea Birds first out of Walker’s Cay Marina on Friday and ran northeast all the way to the 50 mile boundary. They didn’t find much action out there, but the Sea Birds worked their way back south towards Walker’s, but a little further to the east. 

That’s where they found action.

“A friend of mine out here who is a legend in the Bahamas told me: ‘when you find the fish, stay there,’” Birch said. 

Not only did he stay there, he went back the next day. Action started slow, and as the afternoo bite began to heat up, the Sea Birds lost a sailfish, and the 75 points that would hve extended their lead. That’s when Jarrett Birch called the Sea Birds’ shot, calming the boat saying a blue marlin was coming up next.

Birchstradamus. The Sea Birds hooked a blue marlin. Steve Melchiorre reeled it in and secured the extra 450 points, sealing the win. The boys from exit 98 were climbing the gantry to capture the flag. 

Trends are emerging. 

Fun fact: The angling club that won the season opening tournament in each division, finished last in the second tournament. South Carolina Outcast won the Fort Lauderale Billfish Open, but placed seventh at the Walker’s Cay Open. In the Gulf Division,Mississippi Blues Angling Club won the East Pass Challenge, but placed seventh at the Hurricane Hole Louisiana Open. The Blues tied for seventh with three other clubs. 

For the South Carolina Outcast, there was extra salt in the wound. A trim tab issue required angler Steven Lackey to swim in the shark-infested waters of Walker’s Cay Marina to fix the bracket where the actuator links to the port side trim tab. 

One day you’re the top angler, another day you’re swimming with the sharks.

Another fun fact: The angling club that finished second in the season opening tournament of each division, won the next tournament. The Gulf Division’s Third Coast Renegades Angling Club hooked up and released a fish at the closing minutes of the East Pass Challenge for second place, then they ran away with the Hurricane Hole Louisiana Open. New Jersey Sea Birds made an epic run on Championship Saturday of the Fort Lauderdale Billfish Open to take second, and now they’re calling this legendary rock in the Abacos “Flock’ers Cay.” 

The Flock is flying high for now, but will the New Jersey Sea Birds continue to soar at the Huk Charleston Billfish Cup? We’ll find out in a few short days.