The Hawaii Big Game Fishing Club has started running their monthly, one-day fishing tournaments again. The first batch ran in spring, and then they paused production in summer as the “major” tournaments run back to back from June through September.
The HBGFC Club House Shootout returned in November, and the next one is slated for Dec. 18, 2021. The base entry fee is only $225.00 per team and boats of all sizes are encouraged to enter. A small portion of funds raised go toward the Club for programs, services and clubhouse repair.
These are local style “jungle rules” events, but only rod and reel catches are allowed. Green sticks and hand line catches are not allowed. No bombs or torpedoes either.
The format is a “Four Flag” event where ono, mahi, and ahi are scored, as well as marlin. 40% of the base purse goes to the single largest marlin and 20% of the base purse will be claimed by the single largest fish in each of the other three categories.
A few adjustments have been made to the rules since the spring run of tourneys, when the Club was tinkering with rules. If no marlin are weighed now, then the team with the most marlin releases will win. However – if no marlin are weighed or released – that purse will be split amongst the other categories with qualifying winners.
The same goes for the ahi, mahi and ono categories. The 20% for each species will be awarded to the team with the single largest fish of each species. However, if no one qualifies a fish in a category, unclaimed purse will be split evenly amongst the categories with winners.
Winners in the November HBGFC Shootout were one released marlin and one captured mahimahi. The winning marlin was brought to the side of “Kona Dream” by angler Mike Miskowic. Capt. David Borges was at the helm and Kaniela Guieb was on deck to manage the release process.
“Kona Dream” owner Dave Anderson had praise for the HBGFC Shootout tourneys.
“It was a fun tournament. I really like the format, it has something for everyone!”
Dave’s comments ring true by evidence of his team having fished every HBGFC Shootout in 2021.
The winning mahimahi was landed on “Hana Hou II” and it was a bull that weighed 27.5 pounds. Husband and wife Ernie and Paulette Clayton were the only ones on board their 23 foot Seaswirl Striper center console.
“I really encourage all small boat fishers like us to enter these Club Shootouts. They’re fun, relaxed and only one day, so everything about them is easy. My wife likes to drive the boat and be Captain, while I catch the fish. The Club is family oriented,” said Ernie.
As with all things COVID, the Hawaii Big Game Club went pretty quiet over the past year and a half. Now that the governor and County of Hawaii have relaxed outdoor gathering rules, The Club plans to ramp back up to “normal” soon with more family and fish oriented functions in the works. Outdoor gatherings of up to 100 people are now allowed without a permit, which is a big step up from the old rules of 10 or 25 people.
With things heading back into some sort of normalcy, The Club is about to launch a membership drive as well. Members can rent the Club House facility for their own functions as in the past, provided that they are relative to fisher people, fish or marine resources in some way, as per the Club’s non-profit status with the IRS. The Club hosts a number of fund raising events for other non-profits during “normal” times and is looking forward to a return of events by Hospice of Kona, Keiki Come First, HUGS of Hawaii and more.
Members also get other benefits such as early and reduced price tickets to fund raising concerts by the likes of legendary musicians such as Taj Majal and Jimmie Vaughan, who appeared in 2018 and 2019 respectively. Both of these shows were fundraisers for Wild Oceans, one of the oldest saltwater fish non-profit NGO’s in the country. Wild Oceans has recently launched a project to better understand billfish in Hawaii waters and staff have seats with the U.S. Delegation to the Western and Central Pacific Fisheries Commission, which ultimately manages the tuna and billfish that swim up and down the Kona Coast.
More than anything, The Club is looking forward to having members back down to the clubhouse to have fun. A year and eight months has gone by slowly, and everyone in Hawaii was happy to hear the governor relax gathering rules, and everyone could use a little more fun!
Founded in 1914 The Club has survived the Spanish Flu, the Great Depression, a fist full of wartimes, the Recession of 2008 and now COVID. One way or another, The Club plans to continue this tradition and encourages you to join.
To join the Hawaii Big Game Fishing Club or enter the December Club House Shootout log on to https://www.hbgfc.org
