Mercury-Powered Teams Knot for Nothin and On The Reel Win Big in the 28th Annual Mercury/SeaVee Pompano Beach Saltwater Shootout
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
MAY 2026
THE 28TH ANNUAL MERCURY/SEAVEE POMPANO BEACH SALTWATER SHOOTOUT SETS THE TONE FOR ANOTHER EPIC SUMMER OF FISHING AND COMMUNITY
The 28th Annual Mercury/SeaVee Pompano Beach Saltwater Shootout officially kicked off on May 14th as teams rolled into the Emma Lou Olson Civic Center in Pompano Beach to get ready for another epic summer of fishing. The energy was at an all-time high with friends, family, sponsors, and crews gathered under one roof to do what the fishing community does best: Party, tell lies, and get fired up for a great weekend of fishing!
Teams were treated to an electric atmosphere fueled by music from DJ Select and the fan-favorite Over/Under Game, benefiting our longstanding charitable partner, Mission Fishin’. Crews enjoyed premium cocktails from Islamorada Brewery & Distillery and Josh Wines, served by the Hooters Girls of South Florida, while Bonefish Mac’s delivered a dinner spread that fueled anglers for the weekend ahead.
Series sponsors and partners, including featured series artist Eddie Forbes Art, APH Marine Construction, and Poseidon Marine, joined the party to support the action and connect with the community, along with Mission Fishin’ at the heart of the charitable efforts.
Saturday’s weigh-in festivities took place at The Cove Waterfront Restaurant & Tiki Bar, where the crowd came in droves to enjoy dockside cocktails at The Cove’s Tiki Bar, win OR lose on the infamous ‘Risk or Reward’ spin wheel, and root on their friends and family as the teams and fish hit the scales. The party carried on through Sunday, where top competitors were celebrated, and Sky Limit Catering served up a homemade Italian spread, straight out of your Nonna’s cookbook. The weekend culminated in a spirited awards ceremony, honoring standout teams with cash, accolades, and prizes from Bass Pro Shops.
THE SHOOTOUT RECAP
From the BIG FISH or BIG BAG Divisions, and the brand new GROM SQUAD Division, to our Small Boat, Mid-Range, Semi-Pro and Family Divisions, the Pompano Beach Saltwater Circuit is the only summer tournament series in South Florida that has a little bit of something for everyone, and with thousands in cash and prizes on the line, teams brought their A-game and smiles to the scales this weekend.
BIG FISH DIVISION TOP TEAMS
In 5th place, the father-son crew aboard Heavy Hitters, led by Captain Nick Perrone, made the most of their day with four kingfish tipping the scales at a combined 77.5 pounds. Nick and Chris Perrone not only earned Top Family honors and a pair of Connley Rods, but their standout 32.2-pound kingfish also padded the fishing fund with an extra $500 payday. Right behind them in 4th place, Mercury-powered team Finnster, captained by Corey McBride, rolled up to the scales with a strong mixed bag aboard their 25’ center console, highlighted by a 32.6-pound kingfish alongside three more kings and a tuna for a total of 109.7 pounds. Their effort landed the crew in the money for 3rd place in the Small Boat Division, adding another $1,000 to the day’s haul.
Making serious noise in 2nd place, the Reel Battery crew, led by Captain Jason Miller, showed up to the scales with the kind of fish that gets everybody crowding in for a closer look. Angler Chris Miller’s 43.8-pound kingfish earned him the first E-Sea Rider King of the Meat crown of the day and quickly became the fish to beat. That heavyweight king secured 2nd place in the BIG FISH Division while also cashing checks across the board, including 1st place in the Kingfish Heaviest Species category and wins in the Big Three, Holy Mackerel, and Big Dawg calcuttas. By the time the dust settled, the crew was headed home with a $13,953 payday and a story worth telling all summer.
Sitting at the top of the BIG FISH leaderboard in both 1st and 3rd place, Mercury-powered team On the Reel, led by Captain Mike Lambrechts, put on a show aboard their 26’ center console. The small boat crew rolled into weigh-in with a stacked bag totaling 141.6 pounds, locking up the top spots in the Small Boat Division and the Small Boat Bonanza calcutta. Their lineup featured a 33.4-pound kingfish that claimed 3rd place in both the BIG FISH and Kingfish Heaviest Species divisions, plus the Holy Mackerel calcutta, along with a 20.7-pound dolphin good for 3rd in the Dolphin Heaviest Species division. But the fish that really turned heads came from angler Dan Earle, whose 48.6-pound wahoo shook the leaderboard and knocked Reel Battery’s Chris Miller off the throne as the reigning E-Sea Rider King of the Meat. That fish locked up 1st place in both the BIG FISH and Wahoo Heaviest Species divisions, added the Bluewater Challenge calcutta to the pile, and helped send the crew home with a king-sized $15,316 payday.
BIG BAG DIVISION TOP TEAMS
In 5th place, Overkill, led by Captain Bryce McMillan, put together a solid mixed bag aboard their 29’ SeaVee, weighing in four kingfish and three tuna for a total of 152 pounds. Their haul earned the crew 2nd place in both the Mid Range Division and Mid Range Bonanza Calcutta, but it was a chunky 32.7-pound tuna, so fat even Dan Marino probably couldn’t have fired it into the end zone. That fish helped Overkill cash in with 1st place in the Tuna Heaviest Species division and 3rd place in The Big Three calcutta, bringing their total payday to $3,343. Right behind them in 4th place, Mercury-powered Blue Moon, captained by Bryce Statham, put together a heavy mixed bag of four kingfish, four tuna, and a dolphin weighing 165.3 pounds aboard their 29’ SeaVee. Their effort secured 1st place in the Mid Range Division and Mid Range Bonanza calcutta, earning the crew a $2,632 payday.
In 3rd place, Caught Slippin’, led by Captain Kyle Peterson, rolled into the weigh-in with a strong 166.6-pound bag featuring four kingfish, four tuna, and a dolphin. Cody Durham himself put in work on the rods, accounting for an impressive 95.6 pounds of the haul to earn Top Male Angler honors. The crew also locked up 3rd place in the Bluewater Bonanza calcutta, finishing the day with a $2,170 payday. Just ahead of them in 2nd place, the young and hungry crew aboard Chasin Tail, led by Captain Daniel Maduro, showed they came ready to compete, stacking up an impressive 193.3-pound bag made up of four kingfish, four tuna, and two dolphin. Their big bag earned the team 1st place in the Semi-Pro Division, 2nd place in the Tuna Heaviest Species division, and runner-up finishes in the Bluewater Bonanza, Semi-Pro Bonanza, and Ante Up calcuttas, sending the crew home with an $8,805 payday and plenty of tail chasin funds to last all summer.
Sitting atop the BIG BAG leaderboard, Mercury-powered Knot for Nothin, led by Captain Robert Clawges, proved once again they know exactly how to get it done when the pressure’s on. Fishing aboard their 34’ SeaVee, the defending champs stacked up a tournament-best 194.9-pound bag made up of four dolphin, four kingfish, and two tuna to go back-to-back as Mercury/SeaVee Pompano Beach Saltwater Shootout Champions. Their dominant performance also delivered a clean sweep of the Bluewater Bonanza, Ante Up, Fish & Chips, and Charity calcuttas, sending the crew home with a hefty $17,205 payday and enough bragging rights to carry all the way to the next stop on the Circuit.
NOTABLE ACCOLADES
Top Male Angler
Cody Durham – Caught Slippin’ – 95.6 pts
Top Female Angler
Savannah Brown – Sea Otter/No Fly Zone – 31.7 pts
Top Junior Angler
Averi Norden – In-2-Bait – 93.1 pts
Top Pee-Wee Angler
Lyla Norden – In-2-Bait – 36.1 pts
Top Family
The Perrone Family – Heavy Hitters – 77.5 pts
Species Division – Heaviest Kingfish
Reel Battery – 43.8 lbs – $300
Species Division – Heaviest Tuna
Overkill – 32.7 lbs – $300
Species Division – Heaviest Wahoo
On the Reel – 48.6 lbs – $550
Species Division – Heaviest Dolphin
Cool Runnings – 26.2 lbs – $300
Small Boat Division
1st place – On the Reel – 141.6 lbs – $1,000
2nd place – Runnin Outta Time – 140.5 lbs – $500
3rd place – Finnster– 109.7 lbs – $250
Mid-Range Division
1st place – Blue Moon – 165.3 lbs – $1,000
2nd place – Overkill– 152.0 lbs – $500
3rd place – Speculation – 95.5 lbs – $250
Semi-Pro
1st place – Chasin Tail – 193.3 pts – $2,000
2nd place – Runnin Outta Time – 140.5 pts – $1,000
3rd place – Cache Money – 95.4 pts – $500
4th place – Phat Boy Sushi – 92.4 pts – $250
5th place – Steel Got It – 90.8 pts – $150
HIGHEST EARNING TEAMS
Knot for Nothin – $17,205
On the Reel – $15,316
Reel Battery – $13,953
Slob City – $11,792
Chasin Tail – $8,805
GEAR UP FOR 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 28, 2026. 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
