Southeastern King Mackerel Club - King Mackerel Fishing in Southeastern North Carolina

February 2012 Honorary Member of Month PHILLIP FLOWERS

admin — Wed, 01 Feb 2012 05:29:43 +0000

We want to congratulate Phillip Flowers for honorary member of the month of February 2012. He is retired from the US Army and lives at Carolina Beach. An old school fisherman that knows the ropes as far as fishing is concerned. And like many kingfisherman knows a variety of tricks to find bait or fish for other fish to pass the time away waiting for the big one. In the last couple of years Phillip has placed in several of our tournaments and others as well, so LOOK OUT for Phillip and his LUCKY horseshoe. Wish we could find it to give everyone an equal chance. He is currently primarily fishing on Carolina Beach Pier and is the CO-Pier rep for SEKMC. An all around good person to get to know and fish wish. CONGRATULATIONS

January 2012 Honorary Member of the month-DENZEL and ARNELL LEWIS

admin — Tue, 03 Jan 2012 22:33:44 +0000

We are honoring this month a pair of brothers from Rocky Point who fish on Johnny Mercer’s Pier in Wrightsville Beach, NC. These two fine young men are new to the sport of king mackerel fishing from the pier but they are a FINE ADDITION. While they have yet to land a king mackerel they have however landed many chopper blues and barracudas and hooked a few jacks. But they keep trying and they WILL get their fish sooner than later and hopefully 2012 will bring them the prize. Both carryon the tradition of helping their fellow kingers with bait catching, working another person’s fish going out when first hooked as well as coming back in. Congratulations to both of you as SEKMC January Honorary Members of the month.

HAPPY NEW YEAR

admin — Fri, 16 Dec 2011 00:27:14 +0000

From all of us at SEKMC, Max Weavil, Timothy Barrier and Gina Burch Huthmacher, we want to wish each of you a very safe and joyous holidays. HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!

GREG “COWBOY” EVANS Member of the month December 2011

admin — Wed, 30 Nov 2011 00:50:05 +0000

Greg “Cowboy” Evans comes to us from Fayetteville, NC and currently resides in Wilmington.
He is fairly new to “PIER”kinging in that he has done it less than 5 years but has grow to love it and has put a few things under his belt that NO OTHER person has done before: WON WITH A FISH SEKMC Fall Challenge in 2011 on Kure Pier and Landed the ONLY king EVER on Kure Pier in a king tournament. He credits his
friends for helping him in learning the sport, his AVET reel,and most of all that horse-shoe he carries around in his back pocket. His primary pier that he calls home is Carolina Beach Pier but as luck would have it and Hurricane Irene did some damage to his base pier so it limited the number of slots available so he volunteer to fish Kure Beach Pier. SO LUCK or FATE landed in a slot, 13, to get the winning fish.

Community Service Announcement-DIABETES AWARENESS

admin — Tue, 08 Nov 2011 01:36:42 +0000

November is Diabetes Awareness Month. It isn’t pink or sexy, it’s not trendy, and it doesn’t involve boobs, football players, or cute t- shirts. It’s 3am blood sugar checks, needles, low blood sugars, and the smell of insulin on your hands after changing a pump site or filling a syringe. That’s a diabetic’s LIFE.

Diabetes is a life-long condition that occurs when the body cannot metabolize sugars properly, leading to high blood sugar levels.

In diabetic patients, there is either not enough insulin made or a resistance to the insulin where the body does not respond to it, or a combination. Insulin, which is a hormone made in the pancreas, controls the rate where sugar is sent to other organs and body cells for use as fuel.

There are three common types of diabetes:

Type 1

The body does not manufacture enough insulin
Daily injections needed
Speculated Cause-virus, genetics, autoimmune problem

Type 2

Pancreas cannot keep up with insulin demand
Cause may be obesity and lack of exercise

Gestational

Develops during pregnancy
May transition to Type 2 during the later years of life

The Team

As your diabetes is diagnosed, treated and managed, there may be several specialists you are referred to for care. The most common doctors that treat diabetes include:

Endocrinologist. Doctor who monitors conditions that affect your glands and hormones along with how these hormones affect your body systems.

Ophthalmologist. Doctor who specializes in the health of the eyes. It is important that a diabetic patient see this doctor annually to detect conditions such as retinopathy – small blood vessel changes that lead to blindness � and edema, the swelling of the retina which can lead to blurred vision.

Podiatrist. Physician who specializes in the foot. It is important for a diabetic patient to be evaluated by the podiatrist to detect poor circulation.

Additional physicians that diagnose and treat diabetes include:

Pediatricians and pediatric endocrinologists
Internists
Gerontologists
Obstetricians

How to Prepare

When a patient is going for a blood test related to their diabetes, they cannot eat or drink for at least 8 hours prior.

There are several known medications and foods that can alter the results of blood sugar tests. Try to avoid consuming these drugs and foods while fasting in order to avoid a false reading.

Medications to avoid before a test

If you are taking a drug that affects your blood glucose level, it is prudent to notify your physician prior to the exam.

Medications that elevate blood sugar	Medications that lower blood sugar	Medications that mask blood sugar
Skin conditions – typically for dry, scaly itchy patches High blood pressure Mental illness and mood disorders Attention deficit and hyperactivity disorders Cancer HIV/Aids Fungus Congestive Heart Disease Cold and cough remedies Glaucoma Inflammation	Cold and Epilepsy Infections Hypertension Pain, Inflammation Vitamin supplements (especially with Aloe or Ginseng) Colds Heart conditions Malaria	Hypertension Glaucoma Heart failure

Warning: Do not discontinue medication without first consulting your healthcare provider.

In addition to prescribed medications, other foods and over the counter medications that you take at home can also affect your blood pressure. Prior to a blood test, avoid:

Alcohol
Caffeine
Carb-heavy foods
Over the counter cold medications
(Those with pseudo ephedrine and phenylephrine)

Questions to Ask

From your initial diagnosis throughout your treatment and care, you will have questions about your diabetes. Below is a list of helpful questions for you and your doctor to discuss so you can make informed decisions about your condition.

Questions About My Diagnosis

What is the difference between Type I and Type II Diabetes and which one do I have?
Are there other conditions associated or caused by diabetes?
What organs or body functions can be affected by diabetes?
What symptoms might I experience when my blood sugar is too high? Too low?

Questions About My Treatment

Are there other specialists that I should see for routine care for my diabetes? How often will I need to go?
Will I be able to control my diabetes with diet and exercise or will I need insulin injections?
What is my dose and how do I inject the medicine? Are there side effects?
Are injections paid by my insurance?
How do I store my medication? Does it need refrigeration or is room temperature permissible? How do I dispose of used needles?
If my blood sugar tests in the normal range, do I still need to take my medication?

Questions About My Lifestyle and Family

Is diabetes hereditary? How does this affect my children?
Can I get pregnant? Will I have infertility problems?
If I get pregnant, what risks will I face?
What type of diet will I need to be on?
Will my activity or daily routine be restricted? Can I participate in sports?
Can I travel by plane with my needles and syringes?

What to Expect

There are several tests and labs used to make a diabetes diagnosis and monitor your ongoing condition. Below are listed the most common tests and labs ordered, why you need them, and what they can tell you about your condition.

Name

What’s tested?

How does it work?

What is normal?

Blood test

Blood Glucose

Venous blood is removed from the arm and the sugar level is analyzed.

Normal is 70-100 milligrams/deciliter
> 125 mg/dL on two tests is considered diabetes

Blood test

Oral Glucose Tolerance Test

Blood is drawn to test the fasting sugar level.

Flavored drink is given with 75 gms of glucose (100 gms in pregnancy)

Blood is drawn 4X over 3 hrs

<140 mg/dl for 2nd hr

<200 between 0 and 2 hrs

Diabetes is diagnosed when more than two values are abnormal (on two different days)

Blood test

Random Blood Sugar

Venous blood is removed from the arm and the sugar level is analyzed

<140 mg/dl for 2nd hr

<200 between 0 and 2 hrs

Diabetes is diagnosed when more than two values are abnormal (on two different days)

Eye Exam

Retinal Evaluation

Pupils are dilated and the optic nerve, blood vessels and interior eye lining are assed using an ophthalmoscope.

There should be no edema (swelling) or narrowing of the nerve and vessels.

Blood Vessel Assessment (over external body/skin surface)

Vascular Ultrasound

Sonogram evaluates blood flow using high-frequency sound waves.

Normal would fail to show vessel narrowing or flow blockages due to clots.

External Exam (body/skin surface)

Doppler evaluation of blood flow

Treatments

While there is no cure for diabetes, a combination of diet, exercise and medication is effective in controlling blood sugar and preventing or delaying symptoms and diabetic related illness.

Medications for diabetics typically fall into two categories: oral hypoglycemics taken by mouth and insulin, which is injected into the body.

Oral Hypoglycemics:

Types of Insulin

Your insulin prescription will be determined by a number of factors.

Type of diabetes
How often you can check blood sugar
How often you give injections
Your age
Your body’s response
Your lifestyle (diet, daily activities, exercise)

Type

When to Administer

What it Does

How long it works

Basal

Once or twice per day.

May be given in conjunction with oral medication or bolus insulin.

Controls glucose level through the night and between meals.

Intermediate-acting

starts in 1-3 hrs
works for 12-16 hrs
NPH

Long-acting

starts in 1 hr
works for 20-26 hrs
glargine, detemir

Bolus (meal-time)

Given prior to meals.

Usually in conjunction with basal insulin.

Regulates the spike of blood sugar levels after eating.

Short-Acting

regular insulin
starts in 30-60 minutes
works for 5-8 hrs

Rapid-acting

starts in 15 minutes
works for 3-5 hrs
lispro,aspart,glulisine

Pre-mixed

Given twice each day.

Administered prior to breakfast and dinner.

Regulates blood glucose between and after meals.

Combination of intermediate-acting with bolus insulin types

starts in 15-60 minutes
works 10-16 hrs
with or without oral hypoglycemic drugs

Insulin Devices

Several device types are now available to inject insulin rather than using the standard needle and syringe.

Type	Insulin Pens	Insulin Pump	Injection Port	Insulin Jet Injector
What is it?	Shaped like a pen with a refilled and/or replaceable cartridge.	Size of a cell phone or deck of playing cards, the insulin pump is worn on a belt or in pocket.	Gives a steady trickle amount of insulin through the day	A tube is inserted beneath the skin for insulin injections. Sends fine spray into skin at high pressure.
Advantages	Easy to use and disposable. Some patients claim they are less painful than standard needles.	Predictable insulin levels and actions (long and intermediate-acting insulin are not used with the pump)	Decreases the number of skin punctures.	Insulin is injected fast. With insulin needles, the syringe stays in the skin for 6 seconds to prevent insulin leaking back through the injection site.

Evaluates blood flow through a blood vessel including flow to vital organs.

Normal would be consistent, continuous flow with no blockage.

Spot- November Fish of the month

admin — Thu, 03 Nov 2011 18:39:35 +0000

Spot (Leiostomus xanthurus) belongs to the family of fishes called Sciaenidae. Spot plays a key role in the trophic dynamics of the Chesapeake Bay, as a predator of benthic invertebrates and as a prey species for striped bass, bluefish, weakfish, shark and flounder. Like croaker, spot are opportunistic bottom feeders that consume polychaetes, crustaceans and mollusks, as well as plant and animal detritus. Although both spot and croaker have similar diet and habitat, they are able to coexist without directly competing with one another.

Mature spot are easy to recognize by their physical characteristics: they have a relatively deep, short, compressed body; a short head with a small, mouth; and a large, black shoulder spot. Other distinguishing characteristics include an absence of teeth from the lower jaw, a long pectoral fin extending beyond the tip of the pelvic fin, and a strongly notched but continuous dorsal fin.

Spot swim in coastal and estuarine waters from the Gulf of Maine to the Bay of Campeche, Mexico. The area of greatest abundance occurs from the Chesapeake Bay to South Carolina. They have been collected from the mainstem and all tributaries of the Chesapeake Bay and have one of the most extensive distributions of any marine-estuarine fish species in the Bay. They are tolerant of a wide range of temperatures and have been collected in waters from 34-98 degrees.

Michael Bonser-November 2011 Honorary Member of the Month

admin — Thu, 03 Nov 2011 18:30:46 +0000

Michael Bonser is our November Honorary member of the month. Michael is one of the fine kingers from Johnny Mercer’s Pier. He is definitely old school by welcoming strangers to the end of the pier as well as helping out the youth in learning the tricks of the trade in kinging. He currently resides in Wilmington, NC and his gracious wife Sara gives us the chance to fish with him. A man with a sense of humor on the end who is welling to help out anyone he can, whether it is a bait, an anchor or just information on the pier.
To quote one of the younger kingers, Arnell Lewis: ” i do know he is a cool guy to fish with and respectful fisher on JMP”
To quote Doug Dann also of Mercer’s: “I know he is a great dad to his daughter Madison and a good husband to his wife Sara…The best way i can describe him is..he may be the nicest PERSON i know..he will do anything for his friends and if you are lucky enough to be his friend its for life..

Quote from JD Elliott, Pier Rep from Mercer’s Pier: “He uses a tld 25. He would help anyone out who needs it very passionate about fishing. He loves watching others catch a fish, he will hand his rod off to someone else that has never caught a king before. He enjoys taking his daughter fishing with him

What a testimonial from a young kinger and another older kinger both have high regards of Michael and so does SEKMC.. Congratulations Michael..

Winner 2011 SEKMC Year Long Tournament-Max Weavil

admin — Mon, 24 Oct 2011 02:28:24 +0000

Winner of this year’s SEKMC Year Long Tournament is Max Weavil with a 26 lb 9 oz King Mackerel caught on Carolina Beach Pier on May 10, 2011. Congratulations.

Honorary Member of the Month of October-Jacob Thompson

admin — Tue, 11 Oct 2011 02:25:48 +0000

Jacob Thompson, a 15 year-old native of Fairfax, Virginia, started fishing on Johnnie Mercer’s pier when he was only eight years old. For the first three years during our annual family vacation, he was content with bottom fishing for flounder and of course, the occasional baby shark. All of that changed on Saturday, October 6, 2007, when Jacob wandered out to the “T” to take a peek at a King Mackerel that had been landed by one of Mercer’s seasoned fishermen, Joe Cenamme. Jacob had been giving Joe bluefish for bait that he caught on his plugging rod. Joe struck up a conversation with Jacob about the whole king fishing process, which amazed Jacob. When Joe had to leave early for work, he gave Jacob the king he just landed and told Jacob to meet him on the pier by 7:00 a.m. on Sunday morning……he was going to teach Jacob how to king fish!
Joe and several other king fisherman told Jacob the basic equipment that he would need for Sunday’s king fishing adventure. Needless to say, Jacob didn’t get much sleep on Saturday night and arrived at the pier anxious to set up his rods. The rest of the tools Jacob needed to set up his rig were provided by many of the fisherman on the pier. Someone pitched in an anchor; the next person gave him a pop-off; and, most importantly, someone offered him a nice size blue fish for bait.
Once the rods were securely set up and the bait was in the water, the waiting began. Well, imagine everyone’s surprise when Jacob’s reel took off after only three hours! Nobody was more surprised than Jacob himself. At the age of 11, he was fighting his first king. It was amazing to watch virtual strangers coach and guide Jacob through the delicate process of not only fighting but actually landing a King Mackerel. Jacob listened to every instruction they gave him and eventually landed a 6 pounder. By today’s standards it wasn’t a big fish, but on that day, it was Moby Dick to not only Jacob but to the fellows that helped him catch it!
Since that day, the family annual vacation to Wrightsville Beach has turned in to the annual summer vacation PLUS several more trips throughout the year to king fish and meet up with fishing friends or as we now call them, our “WB Family.” King fishing has become a huge part of Jacob’s life and has rewarded him with many friends and memories that will last a life time. His love for this sport led him to membership in the Southeastern King Mackerel Club. And as of this year, he is the club’s Junior Representative for Johnnie Mercer’s pier. Most recently, he was lucky enough to win second place in the Carolina Fall Challenge!

CAROLINA FALL CHALLENGE 2011

admin — Mon, 03 Oct 2011 03:39:25 +0000

Congratulations to Carolina Fall Challenge. The WINNERS ARE: Greg Evans with his winning fish won 1st place with a 17.5 king mackerel $1110.00 also won the bounty for the first legal king $100 also winning the calcutta multispecies $333 for total winnings $1543. Second Place was a drawing and was won by Jacob Thompson $655 and Third Place was won by Katie Barrier $445.

Winners with the Pier Trophy awarded to Kure Beach Pier

Katie Barrier, Greg Evans and Jacob Thompson

GREG EVANS 1st place with winning King

Jacob Thompson 2nd Place Draw

Katie Barrier 3rd Place Draw

article for State Port Pilot Newspaper on Tournament