18-year-old wins Grand Strand Saltwater Anglers Flounder Tournament
A student at Carolina Forest High School went fishing with his dad and a family friend last Saturday in Murrells Inlet and went home with $1500 for his efforts. Joe Scheu, a senior at the school, was fishing in the 15th annual Grand Strand Saltwater Anglers Flounder Tournament when he caught the 21 1/2-inch fish, which weighed 4.45 pounds.
This tournament had its most anglers in the history of the event, and Scheu and his dad were paired up with native Murrells Inlet angler Albert Stutts, to whom Scheu’s dad gave all the credit.
“He knows all the holes. He put us on the spot,” said Hank Scheu.
After seeing one of his favorite holes being held by another angler, Stutts fished elsewhere for a few hours, then went to check again at midday. By then, his spot was open, so he set up shop there, and instructed his guests to cast mud minnows on 1/2-ounce jigheads, and to retrieve them slowly.
The younger Scheu made a cast between two oyster beds, worked the bait back slowly, then felt his line go slack. Even though he began reeling more quickly, his line got even more slack. It stayed that way until the fish had made its way next to the boat, then it realized it was hooked.
“By the time we got it to the boat, it started to fight. We saw it at the surface and saw how big it was. My dad scooped it up with the net, and as soon as I pulled it up, my dad knew right away that was going to win,” he said.
This was the 18-year-old’s first tournament, and he was understandably happy with the win.
“It’s my first tournament, and I won it. I couldn’t believe it. Nobody could believe it. I’m really excited about it. It was a good experience, and it was fun,” he said.
This was one of 15 flounder caught on the day by the team, and one of 87 flounder that were weighed in for the entire tournament.
