Now that’s a keeper!

Kure Beach is the focus of this week’s Cape Fear Pride, and incidentally a young fisherman there has a lot to be proud of.

Johnny Bailey reeled in a 32-and-a-half pound king mackerel Thursday morning.

The fifteen-year-old Bailey says he fishes at the Kure Beach Pier almost every day, and today he wasn’t expecting much.

That being said, he reeled in a keeper. With the catch, Bailey took over top spot in the four-month long competition at the pier.

For ten dollars, fishermen enter to pull in the heaviest fish of its kind. If Bailey’s king mackerel remains king of its class at 32-and-a-half pounds until the contest ends in November, Bailey wins $150.