The 7th annual LBARA Club Challenge was held Saturday in Oak Island.  A fund-raising competition that
saw seven fishing clubs from across the state go head to head for club bragging rights and individual honors.

COSFC the defending Flounder Division Champion successfully defended their 2003 Championship and
added the King Mackerel Division title to their resume’.
 

Captain Andy Fisher of Charlotte lead the Flounder charge with a 5.25 lb flounder.  With the five largest
fish of each category counting towards the overall win.  Captain Fisher’s teammates raised the five fish
total to the winning 17.50 lb. 
 

Finishing second in the flounder competition was the SALT Fishing Club led by Todd Jenkins,
Monroe Brady and Rhett Harrington (11.88)  
 

Tim Corn and crew of Chad Nifong and Scott Hass, the lone OIFC flounder entry with 10.38 lb lead
OIFC to a third place finish.) 
 

Captain Rob Ferris of Charlotte led his club to the King Mackerel Championship with a 29.28 lb King
Mackerel. Rob’s teammates provided plenty of support landing a five fish total of 90.90 lb. 

 

Boyce Broadwell along with Bill and Barbara Sears led OIFC to a second place finish with a total of 77.84 lb.
 

The “Club Challenge” was the final OIFC king mackerel tournament of the year for the Ladies, so with her 12.78 lb fish she wins the club entry into the Long Bay Lady Angler King Mackerel Tournament.
 

Third place went to the Winston Salem Saltwater Fishing Club. (76.90 lb)
 

The highlight of the event was the recognition of LBARA President and founder Dale McDowell for his
twenty years of dedicated service to the program.  To honor Mr. McDowell, Mr. James Francesconi of the
North Carolina Division of Marine Fisheries presented him with a decree naming Artificial Reef AR-445
located in the Atlantic Ocean off Oak Island, NC now and forever “The Dale McDowell Reef”.
 

The event raised over $7000.00 for the association, which promises to “throw it in the ocean”.