Tribune-Herald
Tribune-Herald
KAILUA-KONA — The Old South Marlin Club East Coast 1 captured top honors in the 54th Hawaii International Billfish Tournament with a come-from-behind victory Friday to cap the weeklong event.
Old South Marlin Club East Coast 1 claimed the prestigious HIBT Governor’s Trophy with 1,488 points. Having scored 600 points on the first day of fishing, the winning team — which was skunked over the next three days — was sitting on the bottom half of the scoreboard as the final morning of fishing got underway.
But angler CJ Dugan boated a 588-pound Pacific blue marlin in a fighting time of 54 minutes Friday and gained additional points for biggest fish of the day and largest fish of the weeklong event. These bookend points cinched the win for Old South.
In a tight race, second place went to Balboa Angling Club California with 1,200 points and third to Solitary Islands Game Fishing Club of Australia with 1,150 points.
“What a thrill ride this week has been. Several teams were lurking on the upper end of the HIBT leaderboard, yet it was too close to call until the very end of the final day,” said HIBT Founder Peter Fithian. “I think that’s what makes Kona and HIBT the best fishing venue in the world.”
Top captain
John Bagwell, captain of the 45-foot Silky, won the HIBT’s Henry Chee Award that honors the charter boat captain with the highest number of billfish points scored at HIBT.
HIBT notes: China’s three-time Olympic gold medal gymnast Chen Yibing competed at HIBT with the Hui Hai Hu Fishing Club. HIBT angler Chen Yibing tagged and released two Pacific blue marlin Friday, with estimated weights of 180 and 175 pounds, respectively, both on 50-pound test line.