Knot for Nothin’ Claims the Showdown Crown as Overkill and Reel Battery Win Big at the 28th Annual Mercury/SeaVee Pompano Beach Saltwater Showdown

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
AUGUST 2026

THE 2026 MERCURY/SEAVEE POMPANO BEACH SALTWATER SHOWDOWN CLOSES OUT ANOTHER EPIC SUMMER OF FISHING WITH BIG PAYDAYS AND NEW SERIES CHAMPIONS

The 2026 Mercury/SeaVee Pompano Beach Saltwater Showdown brought another summer in the Pompano Beach Saltwater Circuit to a fitting close as competitors lined up for the third and final leg of the series. After battling through the Saltwater Shootout in May and the Saltwater Slam in June, every pound carried a little extra weight with the Showdown Crown and season-long division titles all coming down to one final tournament.

THE SHOWDOWN RECAP

With the pressure turned all the way up, teams came ready to make their last shot count. From the BIG FISH and BIG BAG Divisions to Small Boat, Mid-Range, Semi-Pro, Grom Squad, Kids and Family awards, the Pompano Beach Saltwater Circuit once again proved there is more than one way to have a big weekend. Just ask the Reel Smokers crew, who won a $10,000 Teledyne Raymarine product installation package as part of the PBSC Earn Your Strikes Grand Prize Drawing, simply for weighing a single fish in the series. With the final points of the summer up for grabs and thousands in cash and prizes on the line, teams brought their A-game for one last run at the leaderboard.

BIG FISH DIVISION TOP TEAMS

Claiming 5th place, Controlled Slack, led by Captain Johnny Rodgers, put a 23.1-pound kingfish on the board aboard their 25′ center console. Their 62.6-pound total also earned third place in the Small Boat Division, while the Rodgers family filled up the angler leaderboard. Leah Rodgers earned Top Female Angler honors with 24.2 points, JJ Rodgers claimed Top Junior Angler with 38.4 points, and Leah added a third-place Junior finish of her own. JJ’s work throughout the summer also secured the Junior Master Angler title with 80.3 series points. When the weekend was over, Controlled Slack had collected $750 in tournament winnings along with plenty of hardware.

In 4th place, Mercury-powered A Salt Weapon, captained by Kyle Washington, brought a 28.6-pound kingfish to the scales and backed it up with an 80.8-pound total that proved to be the best Semi-Pro performance of the Showdown. Their day earned them first place in the Semi-Pro Division and the Semi-Pro Bonanza, for a total payday of $2,790.

Taking 2nd place, Tax Relief, led by Captain Marty Kidwell, showed up with a 33.9-pound kingfish aboard their 34′ SeaVee. The king also delivered 3rd-place checks in both The Big Three and Holy Mackerel Calcuttas, helping the crew cash out with $3,300.

The BIG FISH Division belonged to Reel Battery, led by Captain Jason Miller. The crew managed to claim both 1st and 3rd place in the division with kingfish weighing 36.1 and 30.6 pounds. Their 36.1-pound kingfish also earned runner-up honors in the Kingfish Heaviest Species category and helped the team finish 2nd in both The Big Three and Holy Mackerel Calcuttas. Add a victory in the Big Dawg Calcutta and Top Family honors for the Miller family with 109.3 points, the crew capped off one heck of a Showdown with $9,700 in total winnings.

BIG BAG DIVISION TOP TEAMS

The battle for 5th in the BIG BAG Division could not have been any tighter, with Let Er Eat and Steel Got It/Native Son finishing in a dead heat at 85.5 pounds.

Mercury-powered Let Er Eat, captained by Kevin Couriel aboard a 32′ SeaVee, added a third-place finish in the Mid-Range Division to their fifth-place BIG BAG check. Angler Kai Marcano did plenty of damage along the way, accounting for 59.1 points to earn Top Male Angler honors.

On the other side of the tie, Mercury-powered Steel Got It/Native Son, led by Captain Art Sapp aboard their 39′ SeaVee equipped with state-of-the-art electronics from Raymarine, made the most of the young crew on board. In addition to the fifth-place BIG BAG finish, the team claimed the Grom Squad Division with 85.8 points and $1,000 in Bass Pro gift cards, while Parker Steel earned runner-up honors in the Junior Angler Division with 24.9 points.

Just ahead of them in 4th place, Speculation and Captain Ryan Dingle brought 85.9 pounds to the scales aboard their 31′ center console. That total also earned runner-up honors in the Mid-Range Division, turning a solid finish to the summer into $1,250 in winnings.

Finishing 3rd in the BIG BAG Division was Mercury-powered Knot for Nothin’, but third place only begins to tell the story of their weekend. Captain Robert Clawges and his crew aboard their 34′ SeaVee weighed 88.8 pounds, led by a 37.2-pound kingfish that was the heaviest king of the tournament.

That fish became one of the most valuable catches of the Showdown. In addition to the BIG BAG check, Knot for Nothin’ claimed the Kingfish Heaviest Species title, third in the Bluewater Bonanza, and victories in the Bluewater Challenge, Holy Mackerel, Big Three, and Monster Fish Calcuttas. Then came the biggest prize of all. Their season-long total of 85 points secured the 2026 Showdown Crown, adding another $2,500 to the haul. When everything was counted, Knot for Nothin’ finished as the highest-earning team of the tournament with $17,890.

Taking 2nd place, Mercury-powered Living Water/Makin’ Time, captained by Alex Burgess, put together a 107.6-pound performance. The crew’s bag secured runner-up checks in both the Bluewater Bonanza and Ante Up Calcuttas, while their season-long consistency carried them to third place in the final Showdown Crown standings. Living Water/Makin’ Time closed out the summer with $4,525 in Showdown winnings.

But when the final numbers hit the board, it was Overkill standing alone at the top of the BIG BAG Division. Captain Bryce McMillan and crew brought an impressive 121.8 pounds to the scales aboard their 29′ SeaVee, capturing the tournament’s BIG BAG title and first place in the Mid-Range Division.

The winning bag was only the beginning. Overkill also took top honors in the Bluewater Bonanza, Ante Up, Fish & Chips and Charity Calcuttas, while a 22.1-pound tuna earned the crew the tournament’s Heaviest Tuna title. Their performance also vaulted them into second place in the final Showdown Crown standings with 81 series points. When all the checks were added up, Overkill closed their season with $14,000, the second-highest payday of the tournament.

SALTWATER SHOWDOWN RESULTS

BIG BAG DIVISION

1st place – Overkill – 121.8 pts – $3,500
2nd place – Living Water/Makin’ Time – 107.6 pts – $1,500
3rd place – Knot for Nothin’ – 88.8 pts – $1,000
4th place – Speculation – 85.9 pts – $750
5th place – Let Er Eat – 85.5 pts – $250
5th place – Steel Got It/Native Son – 85.5 pts – $250

BIG FISH DIVISION

1st place – Reel Battery – 36.1 lbs – $3,500
2nd place – Tax Relief – 33.9 lbs – $1,500
3rd place – Reel Battery – 30.6 lbs – $1,000
4th place – A Salt Weapon – 28.6 lbs – $750
5th place – Controlled Slack – 23.1 lbs – $500

SMALL BOAT DIVISION

1st place – Short Handed – 79.8 lbs – $1,000
2nd place – Marko H2O – 66.2 lbs – $500
3rd place – Controlled Slack – 62.6 lbs – $250

MID-RANGE DIVISION

1st place – Overkill – 121.8 lbs – $1,000
2nd place – Speculation – 85.9 lbs – $500
3rd place – Let Er Eat – 85.5 lbs – $250

SEMI-PRO DIVISION

1st place – A Salt Weapon – 80.8 pts – $1,500
2nd place – Short Handed – 79.8 pts – $1,000
3rd place – Wayt N Sea/Direct Threat – 72.3 pts – $500
4th place – Marko H2O – 66.2 pts – $250
5th place – No qualifying team

TOP MALE ANGLER

Kai Marcano – Let Er Eat – 59.1 pts

TOP FEMALE ANGLER

Leah Rodgers – Controlled Slack – 24.2 pts

TOP JUNIOR ANGLER
Sponsored by Bass Pro Shops

JJ Rodgers – Controlled Slack – 38.4 pts

TOP PEE-WEE ANGLER
Sponsored by Bass Pro Shops

Dylan Sanchez – Reel Smokers – 55.6 pts

TOP FAMILY
Sponsored by Bass Pro Shops

The Miller Family – Reel Battery – 109.3 pts

GROM SQUAD
Sponsored by Bass Pro Shops

Steel Got It/Native Son – 85.8 pts – $500 plus $1,000 in gift cards

SPECIES DIVISION – HEAVIEST KINGFISH

Knot for Nothin’ – 37.2 lbs – $350

SPECIES DIVISION – HEAVIEST TUNA

Overkill – 22.1 lbs – $350

SPECIES DIVISION – HEAVIEST WAHOO

Wayt N Sea/Direct Threat – 15.9 lbs – $350

No qualifying dolphin or cobia were weighed for the species awards.

HIGHEST EARNING TEAMS

Knot for Nothin’ – $17,890
Overkill – $14,000
Reel Battery – $9,700
Living Water/Makin’ Time – $4,525
Tax Relief – $3,300

2026 POMPANO BEACH SALTWATER CIRCUIT FINAL SERIES RESULTS

SHOWDOWN CROWN

For three tournaments, the chase for the Showdown Crown came down to consistency, big performances, and making every point count. Mercury-powered Knot for Nothin’ (34’ SeaVee) entered the final leg on top of the standings with 58 points and slammed the door with another strong performance in the Showdown, finishing the season with 85 points and the title of 2026 Pompano Beach Saltwater Circuit Champions.

Overkill (29’ SeaVee) made a serious charge with their Showdown victory, climbing from 50 points after the Slam to 81 points and finishing 2nd overall. Mercury-powered Living Water/Makin Time rounded out the podium with 73 points.

1st place – Knot for Nothin’ – 85 pts – $2,500 + Championship Rings
2nd place – Overkill – 81 pts – $1,500
3rd place – Living Water/Makin’ Time – 73 pts – $500

TOP SEMI-PRO SERIES STANDINGS

Sponsored by Johnson Outdoors Cannon & MinnKota

Captain David Markowicz and his crew aboard their 24’ center console capped off another strong summer by finishing atop the Semi-Pro standings with 249.2 pounds.

1st place – Marko H2O – 249.2 lbs – MinnKota Quest Instinct Trolling Motor & Cannon Optimum TS Downrigger

2nd place – Runnin Outta Time – 239.2 lbs

3rd place – Let Er Eat – 231.9 lbs

TOP SMALL BOAT SERIES STANDINGS

JUNIOR MASTER ANGLER STANDINGS

HEAVIEST FISH OVERALL

Courtesy of Gray Taxidermy

Brian Sale and the Short Handed crew’s giant 51.5-pound wahoo from the Saltwater Slam held strong through the final leg to officially finish the summer as the heaviest fish weighed during the 2026 Pompano Beach Saltwater Circuit.

1st place – Brian Sale – Short Handed – 51.5 lb Wahoo – Gray Taxidermy Custom Fishmount

2nd place – Dan Earle – On The Reel – 48.6 lb Wahoo

3rd place – Chris Miller – Reel Battery – 43.8 lb Kingfish

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 FISH BLUEWATER

Based in the heart of South Florida, the sportfishing capital of the world, Fish Bluewater is a premier sports marketing company with over three decades of expertise. For 30 years, we’ve been at the forefront of the competitive fishing scene, developing some of the most successful tournaments in the industry. Our deep-rooted knowledge of tournament fishing, paired with cutting-edge event marketing strategies, has allowed us to deliver unparalleled experiences for both anglers and sponsors alike.

With a portfolio of seven highly sought-after tournaments, each hosted at iconic venues across South Florida, Fish Bluewater continues to set the standard in competitive sportfishing events.

For media inquiries, images, and additional information, please contact:

Chris Caravello

Phone: 954-725-4010

Email: Chris@bluewatermovements.com

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