KAILUA-KONA — With a three-way tie heading into the final day of the 57th annual Hawaiian International Billfish Tournament, there was no question Friday would create some dramatic moments on the water. It created some dramatic moments at the scale as well.
Malibu Marlin Club, Old South Marlin Club – International and Ahipara Game Fishing Club entered the final day tied at 900 points each. But it would be Malibu who exited the tournament holding the Governor’s Trophy.
Malibu, a team from the United States, fishing aboard Northern Lights, set the tone for the day early by tagging and releasing a 150-pound Pacific blue marlin just 35 minutes after the start fishing call.
“We got hooked up before 9 a.m. The marlin hit on the long corner but came off and knocked down the short corner. It did not stick and dropped back to the short rigger, which was my rod, but as I was transferring to the chair it came off,” Malibu angler Buzz Colton said. “One guy told me to put the rod in the chair and the other was telling me to put it in the rod holder, so I didn’t know what to do. I’m standing there, caught with my pants down, with the rod in my hand when the fish hit again. It was a frisky fish and I fought it for 15 to 18 minute before we made the tag.”
The quick tag gave Malibu a 300 point lead on the field. Ahipara and Old South attempted to get a bite as the stop fishing time approached at 4 p.m. but they were unable to do so.
However, Malibu could not yet claim victory after Team Fantasia — a group from Japan fishing on the boat Bite Me 6 — hooked up just before time ran out. A large billfish could have easily swung a team with no points to victory depending on the weight.
The crowd in attendance at Kailua Pier waited patiently as Team Fantasia continued to fight their marlin. About two and a half hours after the stop fishing call, Bite Me 6 finally came into view around 6:30 p.m.
The marlin, which was only the second one weighed in the tournament, officially tipped the scale at 301.1 pounds but was then re-weighed and announced as 302.8 pounds. While neither number would knock Malibu off the top of the leaderboard, the difference in weight was a major factor on the rest of the standings.
Redcliffe Peninsula Game Fishing Club had weighed the first marlin of the tournament on Monday with a weight of 302 pounds. With bonus points awarded to the top billfish of the tournament, a lot was on the line.
After much debate, the first weight of 301.1 was settled on, which allowed Redcliffe Peninsula, out of Australia, to leap ahead of Old South and Ahipara to claim second place with 902.6 after the team tagged and released a fish on Friday aboard Foxy Lady.
Despite not getting the top billfish honors, Team Fantasia’s crew was happy with their catch. When the marlin first took the bait, young angler Kinako Ikeda jumped on the other end of the line. Her first reaction was, “Oh my god, oh my god, oh my god.” But she knew she had to reel it in.
“I had to do it, I must do it. There is no giving up,” Kinako said. “My father loves marlin fishing and I went when I was a baby. Marlin fishing is my life.”
Old South placed third and Ahipara finished fourth. Each team totaled 900 points. Malibu took the win with 1,200 points.
“To catch a fish here in Kona is everyone’s dream,” Colton said. “To win the HIBT is such an honor and we are all very excited.”
The catch by Team Fantasia catapulted the Japanese International Billfish Tournament champions up the standings. They finished sixth with 801.4 points.
Captain Okie Rice, of the boat Northern Lights I, earned the coveted Henry Chee Award after teams aboard his boat totaled a fleet best 1,300 points.
Next year, the 58th Annual Hawaiian International Billfish Tournament is scheduled from Sept. 9-17.
“For 57 years this great community has given gracious hospitality and aloha to the teams who travel from all around the world to come to Kona to fish. From all of us at HIBT we send a sincere thank you to everyone who helped make it happen. As the anglers travel home, each has a fishing tale that will long be remembered,” said HIBT founder Peter Fithian. “To the talented and hardworking captains and crews of Kona’s fishing fleet who work with us to showcase Kona’s fishing, thank you for being an integral part of the success of this tournament.”
