FORT PIERCE — Lesley Pfeiffer caught a 45.7 kingfish to earn first prize in its category and the Lady Angler award at the 33rd Annual Exchange Club Blue Water Open Charity Fishing Tournament Saturday, June 6, at Fort Pierce City Marina. She fished with her husband Jesse on the Straight Shot. Their daughter Jessie Lee drew the winning tickets for the door prizes to be the star of the May 22 Captains’ Meeting. Rain plagued this popular tournament, the Treasure Coast’s oldest. When the first Captains’ Meeting ended in rain and high seas were predicted for the original May 23 tournament date, the Blue Water Open was rescheduled for June 6. Driving rain before the June 5 Captains’ Meeting did not keep the Straight Shot and 44other boats from fishing in rainstorms the following day. A 31.8-pound king captured second place in the category for Joey Casson’s Legacy, and Scott Lambeth’s Sundance earned third prize for a 23.7-pound kingfish.Tony Huerta and crew won first place in the grouper category for the Lo Que Sea with an 18.2-pound fish. The Trying to Think’s crew, led by Captain Ben Bryan, took a close second place with a grouper one-tenth of a pound less, and Emil Laviola and the Sunseeker Two crew took the third place prize in the category with 16.8-pound grouper. Each first, second, and third place winners in each category won cash prizes and an engraved plaque.
Captain Reid Macy’s Bottom Line won the Top Boat Award, weighing in a 9.4-pound dolphin, a 6.3-pound grouper, and an 18.4-pound kingfish to capture the Blue Water Open’s top prize.
Nine-year-old Michael Cook landed the 9.4-pound dolphin to become the tournament’s 2009 Junior Angler. Both the Junior and Lady Anglers won a plaque and a rod and reel; DeBrooks Fishing Corner sponsored the Junior Angler’s prize, and Vero Tackle & Marina sponsored the prize for the Lady Angler.
Commander-level sponsors were George E. Warren Corporation, National City, Jeffrey R. Smith CPA, and Winn-Dixie. Fast Food Enterprises dba Burger King, Proctor Construction Company, and R.J. MacMillan were sponsors at the Lieutenant level.
Information: Club President Scott Wallace (772) 538-5484, tournament chair John Binkley at (772) 532-9375, or Robert Poore at (772) 360-3137 or visit