Bluewater Charity Classic Raises $5,000 for Taunton Home

The Bluewater Charity Classic Offshore Fishing Tournament in Port St. Joe survived a breezy start and ended with a beautiful day for the exciting weigh-in at the Port St. Joe Marina. After an exciting Captain's Party attended by over 260 people, some of the 59 registered boats braved rough waters to begin fishing. Bluewater owner and tournament promoter George Duren promises that this will be the first of many Bluewater Classic Tournaments. Fishermen from Florida, Georgia, Alabama, Tennessee and South Carolina competed and can plan on fishing the tournament again next year on June 5.

Tournament Chairperson, Mitch Coleman of FLoridazeAdventurs.com concurred that the whole tournament was a resounding success.

Judge David Taunton of the Taunton Family Children's Home, the event's charity, spoke at the family day event and shared with the crowed the joy that he has experienced in giving over 300 children a home over the last 30 years. The proceeds of the tournament after expenses are to go to the rebuilding of the Taunton Family Children's Home (www.tauntonhome.org), which they lost to a fire last fall.

Sponsors from Port St. Joe, Mexico Beach, Indian Pass and Cape San Blas helped make it all possible.

A link of the results and many photos of the vent can be viewed at www.bluewatercharityclassic.com.

Bluewater Charity Classic Results

Spanish mackerel: 1. Hog Wild, Capt Glenn Sowell and crew Jim Codd and Ty Sowell, 4.8 pounds. 2. Polar Sweesy, Capt. Mark Sweesy and crew Mat Sweesy, Rick Lewis and Tristan Pendergrass, 3.9 pounds. 3. Key West 2020, Capt. Mark Aultman and crew Daniel Dickson and Herbie Miller, 3.7 pounds.

Grouper: 1. Bite This, Capt. Ryan Combs and crew Orin Combs, Stacy Driggers and Steven Peak, 31.8 pounds. 2. Just One More, Capt. Zach Ferrell and crew Bo Spring, Matt Terry, John Wiley and Grant Terry, 29.7 pounds. 3. Bluewater Bandit, Capt. Blair Morgan and crew Carl Sheline, Sherry Thacker and Carter Thacker, 21.5 pounds.

Red snapper: 1. Grand Reserva, Capt. Tim Edwards and crew Bryan Hobbs, Hurley Booth, Brad Preston and David Whitefield, 16.31 pounds. 2. Bite This, Capt. Ryan Combs and crew Orin Combs, Stacy Driggers and Steven Peak, 16.2 pounds, 3. Lady J, Capt Danny Tankersley, 15.8 pounds.

King mackerel: 1. Salty Mule, Capt. Blake Anderson and crew Ben Thornton, Josh Aspinwall and Robert Pattie, 39.8 pounds. 2. Polar Sweesy, Capt. Mark Sweesy and crew Mat Sweesy, Rick Lewis and Tristan Pendergrass, 35.4 pounds. 3. Green Banana, Capt. Josh Bloodworth and crew Rooster, Todd and Scott, 32.0 pounds.