BRETT SCHELLHASE
The 34th Annual All Micronesia Fishing Tournament this past Saturday and Sunday certainly had its ups and downs with Saturday’s extreme weather resulting in only 12 of the 14 registered fishing boats to go out.
Team Lae Atoll (Lae Fly) caught marlin on both days, leading off with a 106 pound Pacific blue marlin on Saturday and a 156 pounder caught Sunday. This allowed them to be declared champions for the 34th with a total point score of 262 points winning $2,000.
The Lae Fly team, captained by Thomas Heine along with Hilton Kendall and Spenser Hiram, fished on the charter boat May captained by Gerald Zackios with Willma Jabuwe. The May charter boat came in third place in points on Saturday with 106 and second place on Sunday with 156.
However the team breaking two All Micronesia Fishing Tournament records was Team Ailinglaplap, captained by Ace Doulatram, that brought in a record tuna (taking the second place spot in all time records) at 128 pounds (worth $1,200) caught on the Indies boat captained by Martin Daly. On Sunday they brought in a 33 pound barracuda (worth $1,000) that takes fifth place in the records.
In total points the second place was taken by Team Kwajalein Atoll, Santo fishing on LiNoe with 179 points ($1,000), with third going to Ailinglaplap, Beran ($500) fishing on Indies with 161 points.
Only 12 qualifying fish were weighed in with the largest marlin at 179 lbs. (worth $1,500) caught by Kwaj. Santo, and the other two caught by Lae Fly at 156 and 106. Team New Zealand fishing on Nali brought in a 63 pound qualifying sailfish.
Five qualifying tuna were caught, the largest was Ailinglaplap’s 128, followed by two tuna caught by Team Arno fishing on Lotujo on Saturday at 88 and 66 pounds. Also bringing in two fish was Team Rota, CNMI fishing on Jambo with a 52 pound yellowfin and a 45 pound dogtooth. Smaller tuna were caught by Team Ambros #2 Samoa on Hangloose at 27 and 12 pounds. Team Helena fishing on Takboki brought in a 19 pound and a 12 pound dogtooth.
The only qualifying wahoo at 26 pounds ($1,000) was caught by Ambrose #2 Samoa fishing on LiManbwini.
Two qualifying barracuda were weighed in with a 33 pounder ($1,000) being caught by Ailinglaplap, Beran and the 18 pound caught by Team Ambros #1 Guam fishing on Chicylia.
On a sad note the Kiribati Sport Fishing Club was all set with uniforms, sponsors and high hopes that were shot down when the Nauru Airlines flight was cancelled.
With no qualifying mahi caught the money will return to the club.
The next MBC mini-tournament is on October 24, “Total Qualifying Pounds.”