Although our family's endeavors as the Liquid Fire Fishing Team officially began in 2005, it all really started with the family moving to the Crystal Coast of North Carolina in 2002 and fishing on local piers such as the Bogue Inlet Fishing Pier and a few that have since been torn down or destroyed by hurricanes. Our entire family spent endless hours fishing for anything we could pull over the side; and then one day dared to buy a "King Fishing Pass" and ventured out onto what seemed as the VIP Standing Room Only section at the very end of the pier. Many hours were spent fighting sharks and tarpon, while waiting for the elusive king mackerel to choose our bait, among others cast off the end of the pier, just swimming in place with the changing currents. We learned so much, but thirsted for more.

One day Mark, sons, Josh and Crockett, and brother-in-law Chris, were invited by a co-worker to go fishing out on his 23' Sea Pro center console. That was all it took. The experience was freeing - the ability to move about on the water and not be restricted by the boundaries of a fixed wooden pier.

So, it only made sense when invited by Ben Beasley and son Brandon, to enter a Southern Kingfish Association (SKA) king mackerel tournament, to jump on board Ben's High Speed Wobble. We qualified for the SKA National Championship and made our first trek to Biloxi, MS, in 2004. It was an exhilarating experience, to say the least. With foul weather, including fog (and extra gas cans on board), we managed to weigh a fish in during the two-day event.

Mark, with plenty of motivation from the family, decided the next step was to dive in and buy our own boat, a 1999 red and white hull 25' Contender. As the family was brainstorming ideas for a boat name, Mark's mom came up with a ringer, Liquid Fire. Mark's dad had served our family many meals of pork BBQ, which included his one-and-only Liquid Fire sprinkle sauce. With the red hull, the name just fit like a glove. We have proudly carried this name on all of our boats since 2005.

Although we have graduated in boat size over the years to a Sea Vee 390Z powered by quad Mercury Verado 400s, we have very fond memories of our early days, which will never fade.

We continue to learn with each season and realize the sea and the life within it is ever changing; and we can never completely take in all there is to know about it. We can only be thankful of the opportunities we have to spend time on the water as a family.

We hope you will enjoy our tournament adventures and follow along with us.