Knot for Nothin’ Claims Victory And Living Water/Makin’ Time Lands $86K Jackpot at 27th Annual Mercury/SeaVee Pompano Beach Saltwater Shootout
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
MAY 2025
THE 27TH ANNUAL MERCURY/SEAVEE POMPANO BEACH SALTWATER SHOOTOUT SETS THE TONE FOR ANOTHER EPIC SUMMER OF FISHING AND COMMUNITY
The highly anticipated 27th Annual Mercury/SeaVee Pompano Beach Saltwater Shootout officially kicked off on May 15th, welcoming 72 competing teams to a high-energy captains’ meeting at the Pompano Beach Civic Center. The evening served as both a launchpad for the weekend’s action and a celebration of community, camaraderie, and sport.
Teams were treated to an electric atmosphere fueled by music from DJ Select and the fan-favorite Over/Under Game, proudly presented by Taylor Builders and benefiting our longstanding charitable partner, Mission Fishin’. Guests enjoyed premium cocktails from Islamorada Brewery & Distillery and Landshark Lager, served by the Hooters Girls of South Florida, while enjoying a dinner spread courtesy of Bonefish Mac’s.
Series sponsors and partners accompanied the teams and vendors, including title sponsor Mercury Marine’s fully outfitted mobile support trailer, featured series artist Eddie Forbes Art, performance apparel sponsor Coolibar, official electronics partner Raymarine, and representatives from Mission Fishin’.
Saturday’s weigh-in festivities took place at The Cove Waterfront Restaurant & Tiki Bar, where the largest crowd in recent years assembled to watch the big fish hit the scales and root on their favorite teams. The momentum carried through to Sunday, where top competitors were celebrated and Smoky Bones served up some finger-lickin’ barbeque. The weekend culminated in a spirited awards ceremony, honoring standout teams with cash prizes, accolades, and prizes from Bass Pro Shops.
THE SHOOTOUT RECAP
All three legs of the Pompano Beach Saltwater Circuit present teams with two unique avenues for competition, where teams can elect to compete in either the BIG FISH or BIG BAG Division. Teams in the BIG FISH Division compete against each other for the heaviest single fish, paying out the top three teams in the category. In contrast, teams in the BIG BAG Division compete against each other for the heaviest aggregate bag, paying out the top eight teams in the category.
BIG FISH DIVISION TOP TEAMS
Sponsored By APH Marine Construction
The BIG FISH Division delivered heavy drama and even heavier fish, as teams battled it out for leaderboard positions and big payouts.
Team Marko H20, led by Captain David Markowicz, made noise this weekend in the small boat division aboard their 24’ center console while finishing 3rd in the BIG FISH Division. While they narrowly missed the $86,000 Pick 3 Jackpot by just two pounds, their performance sent a clear message: it’s not the size of the boat that matters, but the skill of the crew that counts. Their final haul of four Kingfish, two Tuna, and a standout 19lb Cobia earned them top-three placements across multiple categories, including 2nd in the Small Boat and Cobia Divisions, 3rd in both the Semi-Pro and Big Fish Divisions, and 2nd in the Small Boat Bonanza Calcutta. Total winnings: $4,648.
Next up, in 2nd place, the long-time series competitors and Mercury-Powered team Hank The Buffalo, led by captain Frank Langdon, secured second with four impressive Kingfish totaling 136.6 lbs. Their bag was headlined by a 42.9lb King, earning them 2nd in both the Big Fish and Kingfish Species Divisions, as well as top honors in the Bluwater Challenge Calcutta and 2nd in the Big Three Calcutta. With an average crew age of 69.5, the Buffalo gang proved they could hang with the young bucks. Total payout: $14,880.
With a total of four Kingfish and four Tuna weighing in at 177 lbs, Mercury-Powered team Maxed Out, led by Captain Blake Selesnick, claimed the BIG FISH Division title, which included the tournament-best 49.3lb Kingfish, landed by Top Female Angler Naeimi Thimmer. Maxed Out racked up a series of top-three placements across multiple categories, including 1st in the Big Fish and Kingfish Species Divisions, 2nd in the Semi-Pro Division, 3rd in the Mid-Range Division, 1st in both the Big Three and Holy Mackerel Calcuttas, and 2nd in the Semi-Pro Bonanza Calcutta. Weekend winnings: $18,368.
BIG BAG DIVISION TOP TEAMS
The BIG BAG Division offered its own set of fireworks, as teams competed for aggregate weight and serious prize money.
The 8th through 5th place finishers delivered standout aggregate performances and secured solid paydays. Team Reel Monkey weighed in 190.5lbs to claim 8th place and a $250 prize. Mercury-Powered team Caught Slippin followed in 7th with 196.3 lbs, earning $1,000. In 6th place, Speculation delivered a 197.6lb haul, collecting $7,714. Just edging them out, Mercury-Powered team 4 Coastal secured 5th with 198.2 lbs, taking home $6,002.
In 4th place, Mercury-Powered team, Gill Media/Out 4 Ya, led by Captain Ted Woolridge, brought in four Kingfish and four Tuna aboard their 39’ SeaVee for a total of 200.9 lbs, securing a $1,500 payout.
Next up, in 3rd place, Mercury-Powered team, MacDaddy, led by Captain Mike Khashman, tallied four Kingfish, four Tuna, and a Dolphin for an impressive 203.3 lbs total. Their effort earned 3rd place in the Bluewater Bonanza Calcutta and $3,665 in winnings.
And with the weekend’s most lucrative performance, Mercury-Powered team, Living Water/Makin’ Time, led by captain Alex Burgess, brought in a staggering 225.8 lbs of meat comprised of four Kingfish, four Tuna, and a Cobia. Their efforts not only landed them 2nd overall but also took down the long-standing $86,760 Pick Three Jackpot, 1st in the Cobia Species Division, and 2nd in the Ante Up and the Bluewater Bonanza Calcuttas. Total payday: $97,138.
NOTABLE ACCOLADES
Top Male Angler
Cody Durham – Caught Slippin’ – 136.6 pts
Top Female Angler
Naeini Thimmer – Maxed Out – 77.9 pts
Top Junior Angler
Amelia Gaskin – Party’s Over – 93.1 pts
Top Pee-Wee Angler
Ridge Beattie – Preferred Marine – 81.5 pts
Top Family
The Fishman Family – Living Water/Makin’ Time – 156.7 pts
Species Division – Heaviest Kingfish
Maxed Out – 49.3 pts – $1,000
Species Division – Heaviest Tuna
Georgina – 34.7 pts – $1,000
Species Division – Heaviest Wahoo
Ability – 39.5 pts – $1,000
Species Division – Heaviest Dolphin
TBI/Liquid Addiction – 16.4 pts – $1,000
Species Division – Heaviest Cobia
Living Water/Makin’ Time – 19.9 pts – $1,000
Small Boat Division
1st place – Bobbers Under – 188 pts – $2,500
2nd place – Marko H20 – 160 pts – $1,250
3rd place – Wild Kat – 150.1 pts – $500
Mid-Range Division
1st place – Speculation – 197.6 pts – $2,500
2nd place – OverKill – 183.3 pts – $1,250
3rd place – Maxed Out – 177 pts – $500
Semi-Pro
1st place – Speculation – 197.6 pts – $2,000
2nd place – Maxed Out – 177 pts – $1,500
3rd place – Marko H20 – 160 pts – $750
4th place – Party’s Over – 157.5 pts – $500
5th place – Wild Kat – 150.1 pts – $250
HIGHEST EARNING TEAMS
Living Water/Makin’ Time – $97,138
Knot for Nothin’ – $32,181
Maxed Out – $18,368
Hank the Buffalo – $14,800
Speculation – $7,714
MERCURY-POWERED SEAVEE TEAM KNOT FOR NOTHIN’ WINS THE 27TH ANNUAL MERCURY/SEAVEE POMPANO BEACH SALTWATER SHOOTOUT
When you pack a boat with anglers who’ve been there, done that, and hung hardware on the wall to prove it, it’s only a matter of time before they start cashing checks and claiming titles. Mercury-powered team Knot for Nothin’, led by Captain Robert Clawges on their 34’ SeaVee, showed up locked, loaded, and ready to handle business, hanging up 233.8 lbs of Kingfish and Tuna on the scale to let everyone know exactly why they’re a team to watch.
This wasn’t their first rodeo. With a lineup that includes multiple Showdown Crown winners and a few anglers who were just a hair away from claiming the Burgundy Jacket in the 2025 Quest for the Crest, this crew came with credentials, and they backed it up. They took home 1st in the Ante Up and Bluewater Bonanza Calcuttas, swept both the Fish & Chips and Charity winner-take-alls, and even added a 3rd in the Holy Mackerel Calcutta, racking up a weekend payday of $32,181.
Congratulations, Knot for Nothin’, on earning the well-deserved title of 2025 Mercury/SeaVee Pompano Beach Saltwater Shootout Champions.
CELEBRATING 30TH YEARS OF THE MERCURY/SEAVEE POMPANO BEACH SALTWATER SLAM
School’s out and the fish are biting! The Mercury/SeaVee Pompano Beach Saltwater Slam hits at just the right time for families to round up the kids and enjoy a weekend of summertime fishing in a family-oriented South Florida fishing tournament.
Signature prize categories include big fish payouts in excess of $15,000, a semi-pro division with payouts to five places, a small boat division for boats 26 feet or smaller and a mid-range division for boats 27-32 feet. With over 65 ways to win and the best parties in town, the Slam is a must-attend tournament every summer!
Teams can lock in the early entry rate of $475 per boat now through May 29, 2025. After that, entry fees jump to $575, so don’t wait to claim your spot in the lineup. Please note that all entry fees are non-refundable.
Teams can register online at fish.bluewatermovements.com, by mail to Bluewater Movements, Inc., PO Box 50114, Lighthouse Point, FL 33074, or in person at the Kickoff Party. Mail-in entries must be postmarked by the early entry deadline. At Kickoff events, accepted payment methods include cash, Visa, Mastercard, and American Express (a 3% convenience fee applies to credit card transactions). All tournament and calcutta payments must be finalized by the close of the Kickoff Party.
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 FISHBLUEWATER
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
