Living Water/Makin’ Time Punches a Mercury/SeaVee ‘W’ as 2025 Showdown Crown Champions
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
AUGUST 2025
THE 27TH ANNUAL MERCURY/SEAVEE POMPANO BEACH SALTWATER SHOWDOWN CLOSES OUT ANOTHER EPIC SUMMER OF FISHING AND COMMUNITY
The 27th Annual Mercury/SeaVee Pompano Beach Saltwater Showdown kicked off in true South Florida fashion on August 14, as 42 teams packed into the Charlotte Burrie Center in Pompano Beach for the final kickoff party of the summer.
The evening’s vibes were turned all the way up with beats by DJ Select while the crowd got rolling at the fan favorite Taylor Builders Over/Under Game to benefit Mission Fishin’. The Hooters Girls of South Florida brought the energy behind the bar and kept the drinks flowing with cold pours from Islamorada Brewery & Distillery and Landshark Lager, while Bonefish Mac’s laid out a spread that made sure no one left hungry, to make for the perfect pregame for a weekend on the water.
More than just a party, the captains’ meeting was also a showcase of the tournament’s backbone, the sponsors who have kept the circuit running strong. Mercury Marine rolled in their mobile support rig, ready to keep anglers on the water, while Eddie Forbes Art, APH Marine Construction, Raymarine, and Lindgren Pitman showed their support on-site. At the center of it all was Mission Fishin’, reminding everyone what this community is all about.
By Saturday, the action shifted to The Cove Waterfront Restaurant & Tiki Bar, where the weigh-in turned into a full-blown scene. Spectators packed the dock to cheer on teams as fish hit the scales, joined by tournament sponsors APH Marine Construction, Coolibar, and the Hooters Girls of South Florida. The weekend wrapped with cash prizes, gear from Bass Pro Shops, and plenty of hardware handed out to the top teams.
THE SHOWDOWN RECAP
There’s more than just bragging rights on the line in the Pompano Beach Saltwater Circuit. It’s where strategy meets saltwater, and every decision counts. Each leg of the series gives teams a choice of how they want to fish the edge, and elect how they want to compete. Go out on the hunt, chasing that one heavy-hitter in the BIG FISH Division and score some serious cash awarded to the top three teams in the category. Or load up the fish box in the BIG BAG Division, and compete for the heaviest aggregate bag with payouts going to the top eight teams.
With over $120,000 in cash and gear on the line in the Mercury/SeaVee Saltwater Showdown, teams showed up locked, loaded, and ready to roll. The scales at The Cove Waterfront Restaurant and Tiki Bar and Sailfish Marina Resort were set for teams ready to roll in.
BIG FISH DIVISION TOP TEAMS
True to form, the BIG FISH Division didn’t disappoint. Big bites turned into big money as teams battled it out for top honors on the leaderboard. With plenty of heavy hitters in the mix, the scales told the story.
Loadmaster Trailer sponsored team, Spiced Rum IV, captained by Bill Wummer, secured the 3rd place spot with a solid string of four Kingfish totaling 100 lbs. Their standout 30.2 lb smoker Kingfish, landed by Top Female Angler Sherri Beswick, helped the crew take home Top Family honors and a $1,000 payday.
Next up, in 2nd place, Captain David Markowicz and the Marko H20 crew landed their biggest fish, weighing in at 31.2lbs, aboard their 24’ center console, while stacking up three other quality kings for a total weight of 81.1 lbs, earning them 2nd in the Small Boat Division, 3rd in the Semi-Pro Division, and 3rd in the Semi-Pro Bonanza Calcutta, good for a total payout of $4,743.
Team Heavyhitters lived up to their name. Captain Nick Perrone’s crew showed up with four Kings for a combined 96.8 lbs, anchored by a 32.5 lb Kingfish. Their efforts topped the BIG FISH Division and top honors across the leaderboards, including Top Series Semi-Pro for the Rockford Fosgate Marine Audio package, 1st in the Semi-Pro Division, and 3rd in the Kingfish Species Division, as well as 1st in the Semi-Pro Bonanza and 3rd in the Holy Mackerel calcuttas, racking up $10,046 in total winnings.
BIG BAG DIVISION TOP TEAMS
The BIG BAG Division brought its own brand of heat, as crews focused on consistency and stacked weight to climb the leaderboard and cash in on serious payouts.
In 8th place, Plane Bills hit the scales with a respectable bag weighing in at 90 lbs, thanks in part to a pair of solid Tuna that earned them 2nd and 3rd in the Tuna Species Division, landing them a $1,000 payday.
Sea Otter/No Fly Zone, running a Mercury-powered 32’ center console, led by captain Jim Ott, put up 92.2 lbs of fish on the scales with a bag good enough for 7th place overall and 2nd in the Mid-Range Division, earning the team a $1,750 payout.
In 6th place, Gill Media/Out 4 Ya weighed in at 95.3 pounds aboard their 39’ SeaVee, adding $750 to the bank.
Next up, Reel Battery grabbed 5th place with 99.6 lb, anchored by a standout 42.5 lb King. That fish helped them earn 1st in the Kingfish Species Division, 1st in Holy Mackerel calcutta, and 2nd in the Big Three calcutta for a hefty $7,063 payout.
Climbing higher, Caught Slippin, powered by Mercury and outfitted with cutting-edge Raymarine electronics, put on a strong showing under Captain Cody Durham. Their four Kingfish totaled 103.4 pounds, earning them 4th place in the Showdown and locking in 3rd in the Series Standings overall for a solid $2,500 payday.
Taking 3rd in the Showdown, the 2024 Showdown Crown Champions, Team Overkill, led by Captain Bryce McMillan, fishing on their 29’ SeaVee, stacked four hefty Kings for a 120 lb total. The bag earned them top honors in the Mid-Range Division, 2nd in the Kingfish Species Division, 2nd in the Holy Mackerel Calcutta, and 3rd in both the Bluewater Bonanza and Big Three calcuttas, adding up to a strong $9,032 finish.
Saltwater Showdown runners-up, a name that needs no introduction, Mercury-powered team Macdaddy, led by Captain Mike Khashman, dropped four Kings and two Tuna on the scales for a 130.9 lb total. That bag locked them into 2nd place in Leg 3 and the Series Standings, along with 1st place in the Tuna Division and a couple of 2nd place finishes in the Ante Up and Bluewater Bonanza Calcuttas. Total payout: $9,403. Just another day at the office for the crew.
PICK 3 AND KAY DEE DUBYA JACKPOT TAKE DOWN
Every once in a while, the stars align, and when they do, someone’s walking away with a monster payday. That was the case this weekend when both rollover jackpots fell in one shot. Separately, these jackpots aren’t easy to win. For the Pick 3 Jackpot, three of the five eligible species are randomly drawn before lines-in as the day’s targets, and in the KDW Jackpot, teams need to bring a weighable Dolphin, Wahoo, and Kingfish trio to the scales to claim the cash. More often than not, both pots roll over, but not this time.
With Mahi reports trickling in and the first real pushes of Wahoo starting to show, we knew someone had a shot. As the Pick 3 rolled out Kingfish, Dolphin, and Wahoo, the stage had been set for a double KDW. Enter Mercury-powered team Wayt N Sea, led by Captain David Wayt. They were the only crew to deliver the magic mix, weighing in a 17.1 lb King, a 24.5 lb Wahoo, and a 10.9 lb Dolphin, all landed by Top Male Angler Tom Barba. That trio alone earned the team a staggering $36,235 payday with a bump from top spots on the leaderboard, including 1st place in the Dolphin Division, 2nd place Semi-Pro Division, 3rd place in the Wahoo Division, and 2nd place in the Semi-Pro Bonanza Calcutta.
LIVING WATER/MAKIN’ TIME TOPS THE FLEET AT THE 27TH ANNUAL MERCURY/SEAVEE POMPANO BEACH SALTWATER SHOWDOWN AND CLAIMS THE 2025 SHOWDOWN CROWN
To say Living Water/Makin’ Time has been on a heater this season would be an understatement; captain Alex Burgess, owners Mark Miller and Steve Fishman, and the crew of Capt. Ryan Goldman, Michael, and Chris Fishman, Mike Benson, and Chris Zislin have been Leading The Way on their 39’ SeaVee all series. The Mercury-Powered team started the season off strong with a 2nd place finish in the Saltwater Shootout with a 225.8 lb fish bag while taking down the long-standing $86,760 Pick Three Jackpot. They didn’t stop there, rolling full steam ahead into the 30th Anniversary of the Saltwater Slam, hanging 177 lbs of Tuna and Kingfish on the scales for a first place finish, pushing them to the top of the Showdown Crown standings with 60 points on the board.
Holding a commanding lead of 11 points on the series leaderboard leading into Leg 3, the crew could have dialed it back if they wanted to, but that’s just not how they roll. They went full throttle, heading to the scales and delivered a bag of four Kings and a Wahoo for a total of 135.5 lbs of meat to secure their second 1st place victory of the series, the Showdown Crown Championship, and a laundry list of top honors on the divisional and calcutta leaderboards for a big time payout of $33,751.
Congratulations, Living Water/Makin’ Time, on earning the well-deserved title of 2025 Mercury/SeaVee Pompano Beach Saltwater Showdown Champions and proudly flying the flag for Mercury and SeaVee as Showdown Crown Series Champions for the third time!!
NOTABLE ACCOLADES
Top Male Angler
Tom Barba – Wayt N Sea – 63.2 pts
Top Female Angler
Sheri Beswick – Spiced Rum IV – 58.7 pts
Top Junior Angler
Hunter Deka – Doing It All/Hardway – 42.1 pts
Top Family
Wummer/Beswick Family – Spiced Rum IV – 100 pts
Species Division – Heaviest Kingfish
Reel Battery – 42.5 pts – $1,000
Species Division – Heaviest Tuna
Macdaddy – 20.8 pts – $1,000
Species Division – Heaviest Wahoo
Living Water/Makin’ Time – 40.8 pts – $1,000
Species Division – Heaviest Dolphin
Wayt N Sea – 10.9 pts – $1,000
Small Boat Division
1st place – On the Reel – 93.2 pts – $2,500
2nd place – Marko H2O – 81.9 pts – $1,250
3rd place – Bobbers Under – 69.5 pts – $500
Mid-Range Division
1st place – Overkill – 120 pts – $2,500
2nd place – Sea Otter/No Fly Zone – 92.9 pts – $1,250
3rd place – Speculation – 67.6 pts – $500
Semi-Pro
1st place – Heavy Hitters – 96.8 pts – $2,000
2nd place – Wayt N Sea – 91.2 pts – $1,500
3rd place – Marko H2O – 81.9 pts – $750
4th place – Sails & Tales – 41.1 pts – $500
5th place – Triple Threat/SW Sportfishing – 16.6 pts – $250
HIGHEST EARNING TEAMS
Wayt N Sea – $36,235
Living Water/Makin’ Time – $33,751
Heavy Hitters – $10,046
PBSC STANDINGS THROUGH LEG 3
Showdown Crown
1st place – Living Water/Makin Time – 91 pts
2nd place – Macdaddy – 78 pts
3rd place – Caught Slippin – 65 pts
4th place – Plane Bills – 62 pts
5th place – Slob City – 58 pts
6th place – Bobbers Under – 56 pts
7th place – Reel Monkey – 54 pts
Series Top Semi-Pro
1st place – Heavy Hitters – 326.1 pts
2nd place – Marko H2O – 273.1 pts
3rd place – Wayt N Sea – 202.2 pts
4th place – Runnin Outta Time – 185 pts
5th place – Sails & Tails – 159.5 pts
Series Top Small Boat
1st place – Bobbers Under – 386.7 pts
2nd place – Marko H2O – 241.9 pts
3rd place – Rebel – 206.5 pts
4th place – Runnin Outta Time – 185 pts
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.
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Chris Caravello
Phone: 954-725-4010
Email: Chris@bluewatermovements.com
