For more than half a century, anglers from all over the world have been congregating in Kailua-Kona for the prestigious Hawaiian International Billfish Tournament.
For more than half a century, anglers from all over the world have been congregating in Kailua-Kona for the prestigious Hawaiian International Billfish Tournament.
This year, an international field of 31 teams has assembled for the 56th edition of “The Grandfather of All Big Game Fishing Tournaments.” Australia, China, Japan, Kenya, New Zealand, Papua New Guinea, South Africa, Vanuatu and the United States will be represented on the water.
“It’s a nice spread of teams,” Tournament founder Peter Fithian said. “We have some real good anglers here.”
Fishing starts Monday and runs through Friday. Each day the teams will head out at 7:30 a.m. and return to the pier for weigh-ins at 4:30 p.m. Daily roundups will be available throughout the day at the pier at 10 a.m., noon and 3 p.m.
The tournament prides itself on following strict International Game Fish Association rules for world record big game fishing.
Billfish points will be awarded on the basis of a point per pound for legally caught catches weighing more than 300 pounds of the following species: Pacific blue marlin, black marlin, striped marlin and broadbill swordfish.
There are also points available for ahi catches of more than 100 pounds, as well as tag and released fish. Points vary depending on what pound-test line it was caught on.
The tournament is unique in that anglers are not fishing for prize money. Instead, the fishermen and women are hoping to sink their hooks into one of the HIBT’s prestigious trophies.
China Sea Wolf Club captured the team crown last year, scoring big with a 664.8-pound Pacific blue marlin on the fourth day of fishing. The team finished with 1,986 points, edging second place Friends of Kenya.
The most sought after honors for the fleet of committed captains are the Henry Chee and Richard Boone Awards.
The Henry Chee Award goes to the charter boat captain having the greatest number of Billfish points scored on his boat during the HIBT. Last year, Northern Lights skipper Kevin Nakamura took home the honor.
The Richard Boone Award, named after the actor from the television series “Have Gun Will Travel,” goes to the top scoring skipper based on a rating and ranking given by the team the boat hosts on each of the five days fishing. Topshape captain Al Gustavson is the two-time defending Boone award winner.
Trophies aside, every angler is hoping to reel in a grander. A 1,000-pound fish doesn’t necessarily win the tournament, but it surely puts the team the lucky angler belongs to in the drivers seat.
Not to mention, they go home with a story not soon to be forgotten.
It’s a feat that has only happened once at the HIBT, but three granders have already been caught in Kona water this year, including one within the last month. Another was also caught on the Hilo side, giving the teams reason to be excited.
“There are 1,000 pound fish caught in these waters. It’s one of the few places in the world you can say that,” Fithian said. “It hasn’t happened recently in this tournament, but we hope so this year.”