Â
Karin Stanton/Hawaii247.com Contributing Editor
The rods and reels are ready and you can bet the anglers are, too. Monday morning, nearly 50 teams will kick off the 50th anniversary of the top fishing tournament in the 50th state, which is also marking its 50th anniversary this year.
Forty-one teams from nine countries around the world are in the hunt for big fish and bragging rights at the 50th Hawaiian International Billfish Tournament.
The five-day tourney starts at 7 a.m. Monday, July 20, with daily fish weigh-ins at 4 p.m. at Kailua Pier.
Fishing conditions look like they might favor the fishermen, with southern swells building all week and an early low tide.
The field includes anglers from Hawaii, California, Florida, North Carolina, Australia, Bermuda, Japan, New Zealand, Tahiti, Kenya, South Africa and the British Isles.
Lester Legacy
Among the anglers this year are Rocky Franich, of the Pajaro Valley Game Fish Club, and Dan Lester, of the Monterey Bay Anglers.
Franich is fishing in his 47th HIBT, while Lester is at the Kona tournament for just the second time.
What is remarkable about these two men is that their fathers – Marty Franich and Ed Lester – fished with and against each other for years in the 1960s.
“They were great friends for many years,” Lester said. “I have old nostalgia photographs of them arriving in Kona, all dressed up in their suits and ties. It sure has changed.”
Lester said he’s pleased to finally understand what his father experienced.
“I used to run him to the airport to come here,” he said. “And it used to make me cry because I couldn’t go with him.”
The Lester legacy doesn’t stop there. Among Lester’s five children are Mark, who captained the team last year, and Sean, this year’s captain.
Additionally, a grandson, Jackson Armstrong, 16, will be a guest aboard the boat this week, bringing that to four generations of fishermen at HIBT.
“We’re introducing him this year and we’ll see where it goes,” Sean said.
An early introduction to fishing runs in the family. Dan said he and his father enjoyed fishing together, and his own sons soon took to the sport.
“Sean got most of his genes,” Dan said. “He’s the fisherman in the family, that’s for sure.”
Sean, a former professional sea captain, said just being at the Kona tournament is a tribute to his grandfather.Â
“I was really bit early on fishing. I looked up to my grandfather as this monolith of the most ideal man, so I wanted to do everything like him,” Sean said.Â
“He used to leave for Kona with a normal skin tone and come home all tan and with these great stories,” Sean said. “I couldn’t wait for him get home to tell us all about it. And I always wondered what color the hat would be this year, what would the patch look like.”
The third-generation Lester said it was a thrill just to be in the anglers’ briefing meeting Sunday.
“There were a couple of butterflies when I woke up this morning,” he said. “This is a room full of All-Stars. There’s a great respect for this tournament, it’s very prestigious. And it definitely has an emotional connection for me, all the way back to my childhood.”
They’re Back
* California’s Laguna Niguel Billfish Club No. 2 claimed the crown last year after Robert Dudley, a 64-year-old accountant, snagged a 973-pound Pacific blue marlin on the second day of the tournament and a 693-pounder two days later.
Dudley’s fish were the second and 11th largest caught in the history of the tournament.
Dudley is back to captain his team again this year.
* Alii Brothers Marlin Hui, with anglers from California and Hawaii, is captained by Buzz Colton.
Colton’s father fished in the first tournament and Colton, whose middle name is Alii, grew up assuming the main oceanfront Alii Drive was named for him.
“Fishing got in my blood through my dad and it never left. I have so many great memories from this tournament,” Colton said.Â
One of his teammates is his brother Gary, a Catholic priest from Lahaina, Maui.
* Bay of Islands Swordfish Club of New Zealand is back this year. It was one of the two non-U.S. teams to compete in the first tournament – which allowed it to be a real, actual, true, for-sure international event.
* Blue Water Anglers Club of Bermuda is back for the first time since 2005. The club celebrated its own 50th anniversary last year.
* Sportfishing Club of the British Isles made its last appearance in 1979, but is returning to celebrate the milestone year.
* John Johnston, fishing with Game Fishing Club of South Australia, is the only man to have landed 1,000-pound specimens of marlin, tuna and shark.
“I think that just proves the point that you’ve been fishing for a long time,” he said.
Johnston also may be one of the few to leave something very important behind in Kona. During a previous tournament, he accidently got caught up in lines while trying to bag a marlin. The marlin won the day, managing to take the tip of Johnston’s thumb.
The angler holds no animosity, though. “It’s OK, I think it grew back.”
The Tournament
Kona’s fishing reputation was built 50 years ago when Peter S. Fithian founded the Hawaiian International Billfish Tournament (HIBT). Since then, HIBT has earned its iconic status in big-game fishing tournaments and is known as the grandfather of all big game fishing tournaments.Â
This invitational tournament is built upon honor, prestige and strict adherence to International Game Fish Association rules for world records.
There is no prize money and most of the catches are tagged and released.
The 2010 tournament is slated for July 31-Aug. 8.
The Hawaiian International Billfish Association founded a 501(c)3 scientific corporation to support research into the life cycle of the marlin. More than 65 scientific papers have been written by scientists with credit to the Pacific Ocean Research Foundation.
Hawaiian International Billfish Tournament: www.hibtfishing.com
The Teams
1 Laguna Niguel Billfish Club – Gil Kraemer Memorial Team, #1, California
2 Waianae Boat Fishing Club DH2, Hawaii
3 South African Barbarians, South Africa
4 Malibu Marlin Club, California
5 Laguna Niguel Billfish Club #2, California
6 Team Lantana, Florida
7 Old South Marlin Club #2, North Carolina
8 Port Moresby Game Fishing Club, Papua New Guinea
9 Team Ko’Olina (Private), Hawaii
10 Fremantle Sailing Club, A Team, Australia
11 Fremantle Sailing Club, B Team, Australia
12 Aussie Invaders – Perth, Australia
13 Team Outer Limit, Florida & South Africa
14 Team Malaka, California
15 Perth Game Fishing Club, Australia WITHDRAWN
16 Alii Brothers Marlin Hui, California/Hawaii
17 Whangaroa Game Fishing Club, New Zealand
18 Pajaro Valley Gamefish Club #1, California
19 Pajaro Valley Gamefish Club #2, California
20 New Britain Game Fishing Club, Papua New Guinea
21 Shoalhaven Game Fishing Club #1, Australia
22 Madang Game Fishing Club, Papua New Guinea
23 Bay of Islands Swordfish Club, New Zealand
24 Kona Game Fishing Club – Bellhope, Japan
25 Kona Game Fishing Club – Miake, Japan
26 Monterey Bay Anglers, California
27 Game Fishing Club of South Australia, Australia
28 Team Salty, Japan – Winners of the 30th JIBT, sponsored by JGFA
29 Hilton Grand Vacations Fishing Club-Japan, Japan
30 Haura Club de Tahiti, Tahiti
31 Mermaid Anglers Club (JGFA), Japan
32 South Africa Protea Team, South Africa
33 Olympian Dream Fishing Club, Japan
34 Hilo Yacht Club, Hawaii
35 Sportishng Club of British Isles, British Isles
36 International Game Fish Association, California
37 Tica Game Fishing Club – Japan, Japan
38 Blue Water Anglers Club, Bermuda
39 Old South Marlin Club #3, North Carolina
40 Old South Marlin Club #4, North Carolina
41 Sydney Game Fishing Club, Australia
42 Malindi Sea Fishing Club of Kenya, California
Schedule of Events
Sunday, July 19
8–9:30 a.m. – Official TEAM Registration and
8–10 a.m. – Registration for guest activities at HIBT Headquarters (King Kamehameha’s Kona Beach Hotel)
8 a.m.–4 p.m. – HIBT Boutique at HQ
10 a.m.–noon – HIBT Team Briefing and Boat Draw in hotel ballroom
12:30–1 p.m. – Guest activities briefing in hotel ballroom
5:30-9 p.m. – Opening Ceremonies & Meet The Teams Party at Hulihee Palace (ticket & badge required)
Monday, July 20
6:45 a.m. – Hawaiian Blessing on VHF radio
7 a.m.–4 p.m. – Day 1 – HIBT Fishing
9 a.m.–6 p.m. – HIBT Boutique at HQ & Pier
10 a.m. – Guests–Ancient lei & haku making demonstration
Daily Round-ups at 10 a.m., noon, 3 p.m.
4 p.m. – Stop Fishing
4 p.m. – Weigh-ins at Kailua Pier
4–6 p.m. – “Shouting Room†at Kailua Pier (badge required)
Tuesday, July 21
7 a.m.–4 p.m. – Day 2 – HIBT Fishing
9 a.m.–6 p.m. – HIBT Boutique at HQ & Pier
8 a.m.-4 p.m. – Guests – Planned activity
Daily Round-ups at 10 a.m., noon, 3 p.m.
4 p.m. – Stop Fishing
4 p.m. – Weigh-ins at Kailua Pier
4–6 p.m. – “Shouting Room†at Kailua Pier (badge required)
6-8 Â p.m. – NMFS presents 50 years with HIBT, Great Marlin Race details & drawing for 2010 entry
Wednesday, July 22
7 a.m.–4 p.m. – Day 3 – HIBT Fishing
8 a.m.–6 p.m. – HIBT Boutique at HQ & Pier
Guests: Free day
Daily Round-ups at 10 a.m., noon, 3 p.m.
4 p.m. – Stop Fishing
4 p.m. – Weigh-ins at Kailua Pier
4–6 p.m. – “Shouting Room†at Kailua Pier (badge required)
Thursday, July 23
7 a.m.–4 p.m. – Day 4 – HIBT Fishing
8 a.m.-4 p.m. Guests: Trip to Kona Village Resort (reservations required)
9:00–6:00 HIBT Boutique @ HQ & Pier
Daily Round-ups at 10 a.m., noon, 3 p.m.
4 p.m. – Stop Fishing
4 p.m. – Weigh-ins at Kailua Pier
4–6 p.m. – “Shouting Room†at Kailua Pier (badge required)
6-8 p.m. – Fisherman’s Forum hosted by WESTPAC – “Marlin on the Menuâ€
Friday, July 24
7 a.m.–4 p.m. – Day 5 – HIBT Fishing
8  a.m.–4 p.m. – Guests: Spa Day & No Host lunch (reservations required)
9 a.m.–6 p.m. – HIBT Boutique on Pier only
Daily Round-ups at 10 a.m., noon, 3 p.m.
4 p.m. – Stop Fishing
4 p.m. – Weigh-ins at Kailua Pier
4–6 p.m. – “Shouting Room†at Kailua Pier (badge required)
6:30 p.m. – Southern Style BBQ Party presented by Old South Marlin Club – held at Kailua Pier (ticket and badge required)
Saturday, July 25
8 a.m. – Kendall Cup at Makalei Golf Course (reservations required)
8:30-9:30 a.m. – HIBT angler debriefing
Awards Dinner – Hilton Waikoloa Village – Monarchy Room
4 p.m. – Buses depart for Hilton Hotel
5 p.m. – Cocktail Reception & Crying Towel Awards
6:15 p.m. – Dinner Seating
7:30 p.m. – Awards Presentation
8:30 p.m. – Entertainment
Leave a Reply