Posted on July 31st, 2016
The 3rd Annual Big Fish Classic is in the books and it was a terrific event. Just as we expected, today was the busiest day of scales action as 61 boats fished the window from 7AM yesterday until 3PM today. There were fish waiting at the dock when scales opened at 4PM and the action didn’t stop until just before the scales closed at 8PM. Big thanks to Brian Roberts, Stephen Lewis and all of the crew and organizers of the Huk Big Fish Classic for putting on an awesome event.
The “Big Fish” of the tournament came in today and was weighed by Fish in OC charter Marli with Captain Mark Hoos and mate Mark Stephens. The crew of the Marli posted the only qualifying blue marlin of the tournament at 407 pounds. Marli won 1st Place Big Fish and including all of the added entry levels won over $105,000!! Congratulations to Marli and crew!
The crew of the Foolish Pleasures with Captain Dale Lisi of Wicked Tuna fame threw a nice 193 pound mako shark on the dock this evening good for 2nd Place Biggest Fish. After counting the added entry levels Foolish Pleasures will cash a check for over $20,000.
My buddy Tommy Hinkle and the crew of the Fish Whistle had a great day out in the deep for the BFC. The crew of the Fish Whistle missed the mark with a non qualifying blue marlin, but the bigeye tuna that weighed 190 pounds won them quite a bit of money. After adding entry levels to 3rd Place Biggest Fish the crew of Fish Whistle won over $73,000.
The crew of the Katherine Anne had some incredible white marlin fishing for the Big Fish Classic. Just today they released 12 white marlin and weighed the only qualifying white. Their 78.5 pound fish was worth over $68,000.
The Restless Lady won over $5,000 for their 3rd Place Talbot Street Stringer $700 finish.
Fish in OC charter Last Call with Captain Franky Pettolina won the winner take all dolphin category with a nice 28 pounder that was worth over $7,500.
Captain Frank bumped his good buddy and fellow Fish in OC charter C Boys with Captain Luke Blume. Captain Luke and crew caught a nice 23.5 pound fish that was on the board for a short time and lost a mako boat side that would have done some damage in the tournament.
The crew of the No Quarter with Captain Kyle Peete won the winner take all in the wahoo category with a 49 pound fish that was worth over $5,800.
The crew of the Burn’ N’ Bills won 1st and 2nd place in the heaviest yellowfin $500 category. Their two fish brought them more than $20,000.
Miss Annie won over $9,100 for their 166.5 pound bigeye tuna that took 2nd place heaviest tuna $1000.
The winners of the release division were the Katherine Anne who won $6,930 for their first place finish and the Fin Again who won $2,970 for their 2nd place finish.
Congratulations to all of the winners!
Outside of the tournament, Captain Jeff Coats of Pitboss Fishing had a great day on the Bad Influence. Captain Jeff put his crew on five mahi while chunking at the Twin Wrecks. Jeff’s daughter Mollie landed the largest fish that was 47″.
Nancy Kohl and her crew fished on Rhonda’s Osprey with Captain Joe Drosey and mate Sasha Lickle and had three nice yellowfin tuna and a gaffer mahi.
There have been some mahi showing up on the local party boats lately as well. Captain Don Hetherington on the Judith M out of Bahia Marina reported some good sea bass fishing today. Mates Steve and Kyle saw this nice mahi circling the boat and enticed a bite with a piece of squid.
The Angler out of Talbot Street had some good action today. Captain Chris Mizurak put anglers on sea bass, mahi and one big old flounder.
