Checking the scoreboard after Wednesday's updates. (Hawaii 24/7 photo by Karin Stanton)
MEDIA RELEASE
Day three goes to the HIBT anglers. Four Pacific blue marlin were brought to the Kailua Pier to be weighed on this third day of the Hawaiian International Billfish Tournament.
Billfish weighed in at 371-pounds, 590-pounds, 592-pounds and largest in tournament so far 697-pound Pacific blue marlin brought in by Kona Game Fishing Club-Kusatsu. In all, 14 teams added points to the scoreboard Wednesday, the mid-point of this five-day fishing legacy.
By 11:30 am, Malibu Marlin Club was on their way to Kailua Pier with a Pacific blue marlin to weigh. Pier crew and weighmaster quickly readied the scales and anxiously awaited the arrival of Fire Hatt, captained by Chuck Wilson.
With an excited crowd waiting, the boat backed up to the pier and delivered a 590 pound marlin. Malibu Marlin Club captain and angler Steve Spina boated this beauty in 2 hours, 26 minutes, fishing on 80-lb test line.
“I need a beer after that fight. No, really our crew and everyone here is so great,” Spina said. “This is my largest catch here at HIBT and I have been coming for almost 30 years. She fought a good fight but I’m ready to go back out there and fish.”
“We brought our strategy with us but we also depend on luck,” said Sam Spinello, Malibu Marlin Club team mate. “You could say the lure Steve used to catch this marlin is our strategy. It’s the same one I used last year which caught the biggest fish of the 50th anniversary of the HIBT. But I’m not going to tell which lure it is.”
The largest Pacific blue marlin of the tournament so far was caught by angler Hiroyuki Murakami of the Kona Game Fishing Club-Kusatsu. Fishing aboard Last Chance, captained by Matt LoSasso, angler Murakami, boated a 697-pound Pacific blue marlin in two hours, 56 minutes. This catch put them firmly in first place, at least overnight.
Bay of Islands Swordfish Club from New Zealand boated a 592-pound Pacific and tagged a short nose spear fish. Fishing aboard Malolo, captained by Guy Terwilliger, veteran angler Robert Aukett Aukett fishing with 50-pound test line brought in the 592-pounder in an astonishing 11 minutes.
With teammate Rex Pyne tagging an estimated 35-pound short nose spear fish, Bay of Islands Swordfish Club netted enough team points to put them into fourth place.
HIBT’s fourth boated Pacific blue marlin went to Olympian Dream Fishing Club. Team captain Yasuhiko Kagabu caught the 371-pound marlin fishing aboard Sundowner, captained by Randy Llanes. Using 80-pound test line, Kagabu boated his fish in 38 minutes.
“I’m happy that HIBT is showing people around the world what fishing in Kona has to offer. The big fish are here for those who want them but we are really capturing very few, HIBT encourages tag and release,” said Peter Fithian, tournament founder. “We have supported and been a part of pelagic research almost since the tournament began. This week electronic tags have been deployed on Pacific blue marlin and perhaps by the end of the week we’ll get a signal from one of them and begin tracking their movements. HIBT believes we should be doing science, not just taking fish but learning something from them.”
At the end of day three, 25 of 31 teams have already scored points at the 2010 HIBT with another two days of fishing still to go.
The Hawaiian International Billfish Tournament is underwritten by the generosity of the County of Hawaii and sponsored in part by KWXX Radio and numerous corporate and community donors.
DAILY CATCH (Day 3 – Wednesday)
6 Pacific blue marlin tagged & released
4 Pacific blue marlin weighed
1 Striped marlin tagged & released
5 Short nose spearfish tagged & released
HIBT WEEK TOTAL
25 Pacific blue marlin tagged & released
7 Pacific blue marlin weighed
2 Striped marlin tagged & released
8 Short nose spearfish tagged & released
1 Ahi boated
TEAM STANDINGS
Place Team Points
1 Kona Game Fishing Club-Kusatsu, Japan 1529
2 Hilton Grand Vacations Fishing Club, Japan 1008
3 Olympian Dream Fishing Club, Japan 998
4 Bay of Islands Swordfish Club #1, New Zealand 989
CAPTAIN STANDINGS
Place Captain Boat Points
1 Guy Terwilliger Malolo 1289
2 Boyd DeCoito Foxy Lady 1200
3 Matt LoSasso Last Chance 1129
4 Kevin Hibbard JR’s Hooker 927
*Note: in the event of point ties, place standings are determined by the time the fish is boated.
— Find out more:
www.hibtfishing.com
Wednesday's biggest catch - a 697 lb. marlin - arrives at Kailua Pier. (Photo courtesy of HIBT)
Hiroyuiki Murakami, of Kona Game Fishing Club-Kusatsu, hauled in this 697 lb. Pacific Blue Marlin on Wednesday. (Photo courtesy of HIBT)
Sally Kurz with her Laguna Niguel Billfish Club No. 1 and Miss Billfish 2010 Sonja Ascino. (Hawaii 24/7 photo by Karin Stanton)
Wednesday's runner up. (Hawaii 24/7 photo by Karin Stanton)
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