A big turnout of fishing teams is anticipated for this weekend’s 28th Annual Budweiser All Micronesia Fishing Tournament in Majuro.
Over 20 teams are confirmed to participate in the Friday-Saturday tournament, September 4-5.
“Because of the Covid-19 pandemic and the travel ban, we aren’t able to host any international anglers but we have foreign anglers working domestically that will fish for their respective countries,” said Ellen Paul, the president of the Marshalls Billfish Club that organizes the annual competition.
The teams include two MBC teams, Team Jabro from Ebeye, six teams from Kwajalein (Kwaj Killers #1, Kwaj Killers #2, San Juan #1, San Juan #2, Roi Rats, Team Ohana), and teams representing Pohnpei, Nauru, USA, Japan, Taiwan, Guam, Australia, New Zealand, Kiribati, Fiji, Papua New Guinea, and Majuro.
The two MBC teams are the winners from MBC’s 38th July tournament: Captain Randy Jack, winner of the Atjang Paul trophy, and Ronnie Reimers, the President’s Cup winner.
All teams will compete to accumulate points by catching qualifying fish in marlin, tuna, wahoo, barracuda, and mahimahi categories. At least $6,700 in prize money is up for grabs, with add ons such as $3,000 if the marlin record of 794 pounds caught by Pohnpei’s Alex Tretnof is broken, and $2,000 for the charter boat captains on the winning teams.
Miss All-Micronesia Oronia Kinono, hailing from Ebeye, will be on hand to welcome the teams on their return to the RRE Shoreline area in front of the MBC Clubhouse to weigh in their catches on both Friday and Saturday afternoons. Shotgun start is at 7am on Friday and Saturday.
The tourney concludes with the 28th Annual Budweiser All-Micronesia awards banquet at the Marshall Islands Resort poolside on Monday night.