Goin’ In Deep Won the Atlantic Division
Done Deal Takes Top Honors in the Gulf“
Congratulations are in order for this year’s winners of the King of the Hill, an innovative new season-long promotion that was introduced this year to rave reviews from tournament participants throughout the Southeast.
First, over to the Gulf of Mexico where it would be Jon Gonsoulin and Capt. Jason Buck taking top honors for their 587.3-pound blue marlin, caught during the Mississippi Gulf Coast Billfish Classic by Jon’s daughter, 18-year old Katie Gonsoulin, aboard the Done Deal. Of the teams registered for the King of the Hill for the Gulf Coast tournament swing, that one would stand as the largest on the board. The Done Deal is a brand-new 70-foot Viking Convertible.
Meanwhile, over on the East Coast the King of the Hill is the Goin’ In Deep team, who topped the prestigious White Marlin Open with a blue marlin weighing 551 pounds. The big blue was landed by Larry Hesse Jr. Coincidentally, the Goin’ In Deep is also a Viking 70. Congratulations to both teams—you are the Kings of the Hill for 2015!
The King of the Hill concept is a simple one: teams participating in tournaments on the East and Gulf Coasts have a season-long opportunity to win an additional jackpot that’s covered by one low entry fee. “Teams register for $1,500 and that covers them for the entire tournament season. Whoever lands the largest blue marlin in a sanctioned tournament wins the jackpot,” says organizer Robert “Fly” Navarro. “There are two separate regions for the East Coast and the Gulf of Mexico so the two regions are not competing directly with each other, and the payouts will be based on the number of entries in each region.” It’s an innovative way to add some fun and excitement to a busy season of tournament fishing, and one that was welcomed by the participating teams. “We had some great competition this year in both regions,” Navarro reported, “and we look forward to expanding that next year as even more boats sign up to have a shot at being King of the Hill.”
