LIVE UPDATES: THE MIDATLANTIC

Hurricane Erin remains unpredictable, but one thing is certain. Everyone is fishing Monday, August 18. Stay tuned for updates regarding our broadcast schedule, as we may have to move our broadcast dates to cover the championship day.

DAY 1: MONDAY, AUGUST 18
*All Times Eastern (ET)

3:00AM: Lights Out New England are first to push away from the dock, as reported by SFC Insider on-site. They also lead the 6 Angling Clubs out of the inlet for the start.

8:00AM: LINES IN

8:10AM: Lights Out were first out of the marina, and now they are first on the leaderboard. Rob Carmichael releases a white marlin for the early lead. 

8:12AM: New Jersey Sea Birds, second in the points standings are now second on the leaderboard. Jay Brower releases a white marlin.

8:21AM: New York Granders are on the board! Shelby Callison releases a white marlin.

8:30AM: This is looking like a roll call for the Angling Clubs, with each getting on the leaderboard with a fish to start the morning. Next in line is North Carolina Flare and angler Trey Baranyai with a white marlin.

8:40AM: East Coast Remix checking in. Jorge Corzo releasing their first white marlin of the MidAtlantic. For any chance at making the Zane Grey Championship Playoffs, they’ll have to win the event and get some help. 

8:46AM: LEAD CHANGE! New Jersey Sea Birds release their second white marlin, giving them the lead outright. Jay Brower the angler for both of their fish so far.

8:49AM: South Carolina Outcast checking in with their first white marlin! Spirits are high with this group after their club owner, NASCAR driver Austin Dillon won the Cook Out 400 at Richmond this weekend. Chris Ostrander with the release.

8:49AM: At the same time, North Carolina Flare makes a move for second place! Mark Dressler, Captain Brian Dressler’s father, is credited with the white marlin release. 

9:09AM: Here’s how the leaderboard looks after an hour of action:

New Jersey Sea Birds - 200 Points
North Carolina Flare - 200 Points
Lights Out New England - 100 Points
New York Granders - 100 Points
East Coast Remix - 100 Points
South Carolina Outcast - 100 Points
South Florida Sails - SCRATCH

9:11AM: Jackie Hayes gets her first fish of the tournament and the second for Lights Out New England. 

9:12AM: North Carolina Flare into the lead! Trey Baranyai gets his second white marlin release, but more importantly, his club’s third. 

9:21AM: South Carolina Outcast surge to second place with a double! The first is released by Trey Kemmerlin.

9:26AM: Steven Lackey releasing the second to release the double.

9:27AM: New York Granders are back again! Kelly Young releases her first white marlin of The MidAtlantic.

9:48AM: Flare find another! Mark Dressler's second white marlin brings their total to 400 points.

Here's how the leaderboard looks so far:
North Carolina Flare - 400 Points
South Carolina Outcast - 300 Points
New Jersey Sea Birds - 200 Points
Lights Out New England - 200 Points
New York Granders - 200 Points
East Coast Remix - 100 Points
South Florida Sails - SCRATCH

9:49AM: Back come South Carolina Outcast! This is their best run since the season opening Fort Lauderdale Billfish Open. This fish brings them back even on points with North Carolina Flare, but Flare still have the advantage on time.

9:55AM: New Jersey Sea Birds are back in action, with Kade Roach, a name you heard a ton at OBBC, releasing his first white marlin of the tournament.

10:10AM: Outcast are cooking. Chris Ostrander with another white marlin release.

10:17AM: Trailing but not by many fish, Lights Out New England snag another 100 points courtesy of a white marlin released by Rob West.

11:30AM: New Jersey Sea Birds are back at it! Randy Karl securing a white marlin release. 

12:09PM: Lunchtime double for North Carolina Flare! Mark Dressler and Trey Baranyai secure two more white marlin for the leaders. 

12:31PM: There goes Captain Stuart Lackey and South Carolina Outcast again! Griffin Moxley with another white marlin release. The weather offshore however is starting to deteriorate. 

12:40PM: And yet another for Griffin Boxley and South Carolina Outcast.

12:41PM: North Carolina Flare add another white marlin courtesy of Trey Baranyai.

12:53PM: The swells are getting bigger, yet the bite stays hot. New York Granders and Kodi Smith-Austin releases a white marlin for their third of the tournament.

1:08PM:  There goes North Carolina Flare again! Mark Dressler with the white marlin release.

2:13PM: Lights Out New England getting back into the groove courtesy of Rob West. Their first white marlin since the morning.

2:14PM: North Carolina Flare yet again and Mark Dressler, adding to their lead.

2:37PM: East Coast Remix find their second fish of the day. Jorge Corzo with his second. Remix is running with trim tabs locked in position due to a mechanical issue. 

2:50PM: Lights Out seems to be gaining some momentum this afternoon white battling a massive swell. Matteo Scena with the white marlin release. 

Here’s where we stand with 30 minutes prior to lines out for the day:

North Carolina Flare - 900 Points
South Carolina Outcast - 700 Points
Lights Out New England - 500 Points
New Jersey Sea Birds - 400 Points
New York Granders - 300 Points
East Coast Remix - 200 Points

2:58PM: East Coast Remix find another white marlin and release courtesy of angler Doug Mientkiewicz. 

3:02PM: We’re getting reports that New Jersey Sea Birds have found a blue marlin and have it hooked. If they can secure the release, they’ll jump high up the leaderboard to second place and be only 50 points behind the leaders in North Carolina Flare.

3:26PM: Granders again! Dusty Adinolfe releases her first white marlin of The MidAtlantic.

3:30PM: LINES OUT! 
Time everyone to come back for the night, but it’s going to be a rough go of it given the current conditions offshore. Last we checked, New Jersey Sea Birds continue to fight a blue marlin, so we will hold off on a score update until we know the outcome of that fight.

3:42PM: BLUE MARLIN RELEASED! New Jersey Sea Birds and angler Jay Bower cut into a significant portion of North Carolina Flare’s lead by securing the blue marlin release after an 40+ minute long fight. That’s 450 points to their total and means the leaderboard after day one of The MidAtlantic Looks like this:

North Carolina Flare - 900 Points
New Jersey Sea Birds - 850 Points
South Carolina Outcast - 700 Points
Lights Out New England - 500 Points
New York Granders - 400 Points
East Coast Remix - 300 Points
South Florida Sails - SCRATCH

 

DAY 2: WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 20

3:00AM: Here we go again! After a lay day for everybody Tuesday due to the enormous swells, we are back in action.

8:00AM: LINES IN.

8:10AM: WE HAVE A NEW LEADER! Well that didn’t take long…New Jersey Sea Birds have taken the lead from North Carolina Flare via a white Marlin release from Jay Brower. Their lead is 50 points, so they will need to catch more fish to keep their advantage safe. 

Meanwhile, the North Carolina Flare left later in the morning after checking the conditions, so they haven’t started fishing yet.

8:17AM: Here comes Lights Out! Ray Rosher released a white marlin, bringing them 100 points behind this place South Carolina Outcast. 

UPDATED LEADERBOARD
New Jersey Sea Birds - 950 Points
North Carolina Flare - 900 Points
South Carolina Outcast - 700 Points
Lights Out New England - 600 Points
New York Granders - 400 Points
East Coast Remix - 300 Points

8:42AM: New Jersey Sea Birds with a double! Randy Karl and Kade Roach converted another 200 points to extend their lead.

8:47AM: South Carolina Outcast land their first fish of day two! Griffin Moxley releases a white marlin to distance themselves a little more from Lights Out New England to protect third place. 

9:00AM: North Carolina Flare are fishing and released their first white marlin of the day! Trey Baranyai the angler. 

9:19AM: East Coast Remix and Jorge Corzo get their first fish of the day, looking to pass the New York Granders in fifth. The Granders are reportedly tracking a wolfpack of whites at the moment. We’ll see if it pays off soon.

9:04AM: Yet another white marlin for the Outcast!  Up to 900 points for The MidAtlantic.

9:16AM: Remix with another to take over fifth place! Sarah Cleare releases her first fish of the tournament, and it so happens to be their fifth fish of the tournament. Now they find themselves one white marlin behind Lights Out New England for fourth. 

As a reminder: Remix would need to win this tournament for any chance to make the Zane Grey Championship Playoffs. Lights Out would have to continue to tumble down the leaderboard for Remix to have a chance at advancing, including landing a 2 blue marlin in order to win the tiebreak advantage.

THE LEADERBOARD AFTER THAT FLURRY OF FISH:
New Jersey Sea Birds - 1,150 Points
North Carolina Flare - 1,000 Points
South Carolina Outcast - 900 Points
Lights Out New England - 600 Points
East Coast Remix - 500 Points
New York Granders - 400 Points

9:49AM: Remix with another! Doug Mientkiewicz releases their third white marlin of the day, and Remix are now even on points with Lights out New England, but are behind on time. They will need to keep catching to surpass them for fourth place.

10:01AM: Make that four in a row for Remix! Cap Hinckley releases a white marlin and East Coast Remix are now in sole possession of fourth place.

Turns out those two releases were part of a double up. Fast and furious out there for Captain JC Cleare and the South Florida crew.

10:12AM: Sea Birds are starting to pull away! Kade Roach released a blue marlin. That’s their second of the tournament and extends their lead over second place North Carolina Flare by 600 points.

10:25AM: Sea Birds with a white marlin double! Jay Brower and Kade Roach extend their lead to 800 points, or the equivalent of eight white marlin per our scoring system.

10:36AM: Outcast released another white marlin courtesy of Steven Lackey. They’re even with North Carolina Flare on points now. Another fish will leapfrog Outcast to second place. 

10:40AM: North Carolina Flare land another white marlin thanks to Mark Dressler. To catch Captain Blaine Birch and the Sea Birds, they will need to find a couple blue marlin.

10:42AM: Granders land their fist fish of day two! Dusty Adinolfe releases a white marlin to bring them within 100 points of Lights Out New England.

11:15AM: Lights Out New England had been quiet, but they hit back with a big response: A Blue Marlin released by Ross Nasin! That fish moves Lights Out from fifth to third place, ahead of South Carolina Outcast by 50 points. 

LEADERBOARD AFTER THAT BIG POINTS SWING:
New Jersey Sea Birds - 1,800 Points
North Carolina Flare - 1,100 Points
Lights Out New England - 1,050 Points
South Carolina Outcast - 1,000 Points
East Coast Remix - 700 Points
New York Granders - 500 Points

12:25PM: Flare are back in action for the lunchtime bite! Trey Baranyai released a white marlin. 

12:34PM: But to counter that fish, New Jersey Sea Birds find another white marlin. Randy Karl credited with the release for The Flock and maintain their 700 point lead. .

CURRENT LEADERBOARD
New Jersey Sea Birds - 1,900 Points
North Carolina Flare - 1,200 Points
Lights Out New England - 1,050 Points
South Carolina Outcast - 1,000 Points
East Coast Remix - 700 Points
New York Granders - 500 Points

1:20PM: New York Granders release another white marlin courtesy of Kelly Young. They’re 100 points behind fifth place East Coast Remix.

1:46PM: Remix finds another white marlin after a hot start this morning. Doug Mientkiewicz credited with the release. It’s their first 10:00AM.

3:06PM: Lights Out release a white marlin courtesy of Rob West, and are now 50 points behind North Carolina Flare in second place. 

3:21PM: Granders release another white marlin! Kelly Young releases her second of the day just before lines out.

3:30PM: LINES OUT

3:38PM: ANOTHER BLUE AT THE BUZZER! Instead of New Jersey Sea Birds getting the late 450 Points, it’s their archrival Lights Out New England and Rob Carmichael releasing the fish and sliding into second place, overtaking North Carolina Flare. 

With one more day of fishing left, 300 points (or three white marlin) separate first and second place. With both squads releasing blue marlin today, there’s a battle coming for top honors in the division, along with bragging rights with their owners’ side bet.

LEADERBOARD FROM DAY 2:
New Jersey Sea Birds - 1,900 Points
Lights Out New England - 1,600 Points
North Carolina Flare - 1,200 Points
South Carolina Outcast - 1,000 Points
East Coast Remix - 800 Points
New York Granders - 700 Points

CHAMPIONSHIP SATURDAY, AUGUST 23

2:45AM: It all comes down to today. Playoff berths, prize money, “the bet,” we find answers to all of those questions by the end of this afternoon. 

Looks like the rivalry between the Sea Birds and Lights Out has been turned up another notch. Stickers are all over Lights Out’s 62’ Viking, including on their rods and reels. A Sea Birds flag left at the helm station. 

8:00AM: LINE IN. Go time.

8:16AM: Insurance fish for the Sea Birds to start Championship Saturday! Kade Roach releases a white marlin.

8:20AM: East Coast Remix off to an early start as well! Sarah Melia released a white marlin to get them to 900 points.

8:46AM: New York Granders on the board this morning! Kodi Smith-Austin released a white marlin.

9:02AM: Double white marlin for Outcast! Trent Bonifay and Trey Kemmerlin release them at 9:02 & 9:03 for a quick 200 points.

9:18AM: LIGHTS OUT TRIPLE! Rob West, Jackie Hayes and Matteo Scena team up for the releases at 9:18, 9:20 and 9:32. Lights Out are now 100 points behind New Jersey Sea Birds at the top of the leaderboard.

That insurance fish from New Jersey looks pretty clutch right now, but there is a lot of time left to fish.

Crazy enough, that was a potential quad, but Lights Out missed the last fish.

9:34AM: BLUE MARLIN FOR OUTCAST! Griffin Moxley releases the blue for 450 points and South Carolina Outcast jump North Carolina Flare for third place.

10:00AM: Sounds like the North Carolina Flare missed a large white marlin just now.

10:00AM: But East Coast Remix released a white marlin! Chandler Miles credited with the release.

UPDATED LEADERBOARD
New Jersey Sea Birds - 2,000 Points
Lights Out New England - 1,900 Points
South Carolina Outcast - 1,650 Points
North Carolina Flare - 1,000 Points
East Coast Remix - 1,000 Points
New York Granders - 800 Points

10:10AM: North Carolina Flare released a double! Erol Varinca & Trey Baranyai at 10:12AM with the additional 200 points. 

10:22AM: LIGHTS OUT DOUBLE FOR THE LEAD! Matteo Scena and Jackie Hayes release the two fish for a 100 point lead over the New Jersey Sea Birds.

LEADERBOARD AS OF 10:37AM
Lights Out New England - 2,100 Points
New Jersey Sea Birds - 2,000 Points
South Carolina Outcast - 1,650 Points
North Carolina Flare - 1,400 Points
East Coast Remix - 1,000 Points
New York Granders - 800 Points

10:40AM: REMIX Double! Kenny Hernandez & Sarah Melia release white marlin for an additional 200 points.

10:49AM: Sea Birds come back even on points! Jay Brower released a white marlin. Though tied at 2,100 points, Lights Out have the tiebreaker advantage on time. New Jersey needs to catch the next fish ahead of Lights Out to overtake.

12:15PM: Remix with another white marlin released by Kenny Hernandez. 300 points now behind fourth place North Carolina Flare.

12:22PM: Lights Out are now out to a 150 point lead with another white marlin release by Kyle Paparelli.

12:28PM: Remix and Kenny Hernandez once again with a white marlin.

12:31PM: Running up the score! Lights Out New England with another white marlin at the hands of the living legend Ray Rosher. Make that a 250 point lead. 

12:42PM: Lights Out with another double! Matteo Scena with a white marlin, followed up quickly by Jackie Hayes (12:44).

12:42PM: At the same time, Jorge Corzo and East Coast Remix release another white marlin.

12:52PM: Jay Brower with another white marlin for the New Jersey Sea Birds as they look to get back into this fight.

12:56PM: Outcast with another double! Griffin Moxley and Steven Lackey release another pair of white marlin. 

1:25PM: Flare with another white marlin. Dexter Montague credited with this release, getting the North Carolina flare back to within 150 points of South Carolina Outcast.

UPDATED LEADERBOARD
Lights Out New England - 3,300 Points
New Jersey Sea Birds - 2,950 Points
South Carolina Outcast - 1,950 Point
North Carolina Flare - 1,800 Points
East Coast Remix - 1,500 Points
New York Granders - 900 Points

2:07PM: Outcast with another white marlin courtesy of Steven Lackey, helping protect their third place position on the leaderboard. 

2:08PM: Remix continuing to fight. Kenny Hernandez released a white marlin to have our first fish in over 40 minutes.

2:17PM: Lights Out are back to a blue marlin’s worth of points ahead of the New Jersey Sea Birds. Jackie Hayes released a white marlin.

2:58PM: East Coast Remix and Chandler Miles release another white marlin. They’re 100 points behind North Carolina Flare now for fourth place. If the tournament ended now, Remix would still finish the season in third place.

UPDATED LEADERBOARD AS OF 3:28PM
Lights Out New England - 3,400 Points
New Jersey Sea Birds - 2,950 Points
South Carolina Outcast - 2,050 Points
North Carolina Flare - 1,800 Points
East Coast Remix - 1,700 Points
New York Granders - 900 Points

3:25PM: Kenny hernandez and Remix are hooked up on a fish, but we don't know the species. A blue marlin would launch them to third place.

3:30PM: LINES OUT! For everyone except Kenny Hernandez and Remix fighting a fish of a yat to be announced species. In the meantime, congratulations to Lights Out New England Angling Club, winners of SFC’s MidAtlantic and Atlantic Division Champions! 

Looks like Lights Out will be having Pork Roll for dinner…

3:33PM: Kenny Hernandez’s fish was a white marlin. That’s good enough to pull even with North Carolina Flare, but not enough to take fourth place. The tiebreak goes Captain Brian Dressler’s way due to them getting to that point total first. 

UNOFFICIAL RESULTS
Lights Out New England - 3,400 Points
New Jersey Sea Birds - 2,950 Points
South Carolina Outcast - 2,050 Points
North Carolina Flare - 1,800 Points
East Coast Remix - 1,800 Points
New York Granders - 900 Points

UNOFFICIAL ATLANTIC DIVISION FINAL STANDINGS
[C] Lights Out New England - 18,900 Points
[P] New Jersey Sea Birds - 18,100 Points
East Coast Remix - 16,300 Points
South Carolina Outcast - 15,900 Points
North Carolina Flare - 14,600 Points
New York Granders - 13,600 Points

[C] = Division Champion
[P] = Earned Playoff Berth