The second and final day of fishing in Leg 1 of the Bahamas Wahoo Challenge has come to a close and all the fish have been weighed at the Big Game Club. Airborne came on strong during day two with four …
Four New IGFA Records Set in Bimini
22 Nov 20103:06 PM
Bimini continues to live up to it’s reputation a the “Sport Fishing Capital of the World”. The IGFA recently announced FOUR new world records were landed in Bimini waters – all caught by the same husband/wife team during a 2-day fishing trip with Capt. Bouncer Smith! Angler Roberta Arostegui set three new women’s records – a 3 lb., 8 oz Black Grouper on 20#, a 2 lb., 12 oz Lane Snapper and a 3 lb., 8 oz Lane Snapper – and husband Martin Arostegui set a new 8# Tippet World Record for Amaco Jack! These are not the first records the Arosteguis have caught. In fact, they have caught a number of other records in Bimini. Just goes to show – good thing happen when you go where the fish are!
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![](mailto:?subject=Four New IGFA Records Set in Bimini&body=<a href="http://www.captbouncer.com/"><img class="aligncenter size-medium wp-image-287" title="Capt. Bouncer Smith on a recent charter to Bimini" src="https://guyharveyoutpostblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/11/bouncers_dusky_evinrude.jpg?w=300" alt="" width="300" height="158" /></a>
<a title="Bimini web site" href="http://www.bahamas.com/out-islands/bimini" target="_blank">Bimini</a> continues to live up to it's reputation a the "Sport Fishing Capital of the World". The <a title="IGFA web site" href="http://www.igfa.org/" target="_blank">IGFA</a> recently announced FOUR new <a title="IGFA World Records Database" href="http://www.igfa.org/Records/Default.aspx" target="_blank">world records</a> were landed in Bimini waters - all caught by the same husband/wife team during a 2-day fishing trip with <a title="Web site for Capt. Bouncer Smith " href="http://www.captbouncer.com/" target="_blank">Capt. Bouncer Smith</a>! Angler Roberta Arostegui set three new women's records - a 3 lb., 8 oz Black Grouper on 20#, a 2 lb., 12 oz Lane Snapper and a 3 lb., 8 oz Lane Snapper - and husband Martin Arostegui set a new 8# Tippet World Record for Amaco Jack! These are not the first records the Arosteguis have caught. In fact, they have caught a number of other records in Bimini. Just goes to show - good thing happen when you go where the fish are! https://guyharveyoutpostblog.com/four-new-igfa-records-set-in-bimini/){kind=link}
![](mailto:?subject=Bahamas Wahoo Challenge – Day 2&body=The second and final day of fishing in Leg 1 of the <a title="BWC web site" href="http://www.bahamaswahoochallenge.com/" target="_blank">Bahamas Wahoo Challenge</a> has come to a close and all the fish have been weighed at the <a title="BBGC web site" href="http://www.biggameclubbimini.com" target="_blank">Big Game Club</a>. Airborne came on strong during day two with four fish totalling 115.3 Pounds, and Shine On came in with four fish totalling 99.65 pounds. None of the remaining competitors weighed a qualifying fish on day two.
<a href="https://guyharveyoutpostblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/11/shine20on202521.jpg"><img class="aligncenter size-medium wp-image-275" title="Shine On - Winner of Leg 1 of the Bahamas Wahoo Challenge" src="https://guyharveyoutpostblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/11/shine20on202521.jpg?w=300" alt="" width="300" height="225" /></a>
Using the four best fish of the two days, Shine On came in with 116.15 pounds and Airborne in with 115.30 pounds, followed by Hit That with 42.2. The difference between 1st and second places was LESS THAN ONE POUND! https://guyharveyoutpostblog.com/bahamas-wahoo-challenge-day-2/){kind=link}
 is the newest member of <a href="http://www.guyharveyoutpost.com/">Guy Harvey Outpost Resorts & Lodges' </a>Expedition Collection. The Ms B Haven, mother-ship & fleet are based in Panama City, Panama and available for charter in both the Caribbean and Pacific. “Panama is an adventure travel paradise and a destination without equal for world class sportfishing and island hopping," commented Guy Harvey Outpost President, Mark Ellert announcing the new partnership. “Instead of settling for a single location, this Outpost offers the best of all worlds - a fleet of rooms that can move around this amazing country. Whether it’s offshore big-game fishing in the Pacific, backcountry fishing along the Caribbean coast, exploring the Canal Zone, or discovering the remote and beautiful Pearl and San Blas Islands, there’s literally something of interest for everyone and PYFC Outpost can take you there.”
<a href="https://guyharveyoutpostblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/01/98-tri-deck-motor-yacht.jpg"><img class="wp-image-2526 size-large" src="https://guyharveyoutpostblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/01/98-tri-deck-motor-yacht.jpg?w=550" alt="Ms B Haven" width="550" height="367" /></a>Ms B Haven, fish in luxury by day and lounge in your private fishing lodge by night.
Fishing from a mother-ship allows you the freedom to fish legendary places like Pinas Bay and Hanibal Bank or explore the idyllic San Blas archipelago. The PYFC Outpost fleet includes a 98’ tri-deck motor yacht, two sportfishing boats – a 66’ Buddy Davis and 37’ Strike – and a flats skiff. The mother-ship carries a complement of water-toys, jet skis and a complete dive center.
<a href="https://guyharveyoutpostblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/01/cherin-iii-2-low-res.png"><img class="wp-image-2524 size-large" src="https://guyharveyoutpostblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/01/cherin-iii-2-low-res.png?w=550" alt="Cherin III at anchor in Panama." width="550" height="263" /></a>Cherin III at anchor in Panama.
Owned by a Florida based fishing enthusiast, the <a href="http://www.guyharveyoutpost.com/destinations/beyond/panama-yacht-and-fishing-charter.html">Panama Yacht & Fishing Charters Outpost </a>is operated by South Africa native Hennie Marais, considered one of Panamas’ most respected sportfishing outfitters and lodge operators. “We have assembled a group of captains and crew to rival any tournament caliber sportfishing team you’ll find stateside”, notes Marais. “The Buddy Davis and Strike are equipped with all the best big-game tackle, and the mother-ship is our luxury lodge that is never far out of range when it’s time for lines-out.”
Panama native and seasoned sportfishing Captain Yasser “Jacko” Torres runs the Buddy Davis. Adds Marais, “experience and communication in the cockpit are essential to consistently catching big fish and having fun and PYFC Outpost has that covered. Jacko and his crew have all the requisite tournament credentials and are fluent in English, French and Russian, as well as Spanish, so anglers from all over the world will certainly enjoy their time with us.”
In commenting on the newest Expedition Collection property, Outpost co-founder and <a href="http://www.igfa.org/">IGFA</a> trustee Bill Shedd compared the new PYFC Outpost to long-range fishing operations common to southern California, where his company <a href="http://www.aftco.com/">AFTCO</a> is based. “While I’ve enjoyed many long range fishing trips, and you can always move around to find fish, they seldom have the space, amenities and comfort to bring along the family or business associates. Our new PYFC Outpost eliminates that problem, without question. Fish or fun, dive or sun. You decide, but its top-of-class”.
The PYFC Outpost fleet accommodates up to twelve guests and is available for three and six day charters, with customized float plans based on cruising or fishing preferences. For charter information, contact Guy Harvey Outpost toll free at 1.800. 513.5257 or visit <a href="http://www.guyharveyoutpost.com/">www.GuyHarveyOutpost.com</a>.
For More Information:
For Fishing with Guy Harvey Outpost: <a href="http://www.ghofish.com/" target="_parent">www.ghofish.com</a>
For Guy Harvey Outpost & their great resorts: <a href="http://www.guyharveyoutpost.com/" target="_parent">http://www.guyharveyoutpost.com/</a>
For the Guy Harvey Outpost Blog <a href="http://www.guyharveyoutpostnews.com/" target="_parent">www.guyharveyoutpostnews.com</a>
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https://guyharveyoutpostblog.com/guy-harvey-outposts-ultimate-panama-big-game-fishing-trip/){kind=link}
![](mailto:?subject=I Am Woman; Watch Me Fish&body=<a href="https://guyharveyoutpostblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/11/samantha-slater-jon-earhart-trout.jpg"><img class="size-medium wp-image-2978 alignleft" src="https://guyharveyoutpostblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/11/samantha-slater-jon-earhart-trout.jpg?w=300" alt="Samantha-Slater-Jon-Earhart-trout" width="300" height="199" /></a>By Sue Cocking
scocking@guyharveyoutpost.com
Plenty of women would love to fish with their husbands and boyfriends, but feel intimidated because their partners don't take time to explain what's going on and then rebuke them for making minor mistakes.
Betty Bauman found herself in that position nearly 20 years ago, but decided to do something about it. In 1997, the Fort Lauderdale marketing executive created what she calls the "no yelling" school of fishing, and it has turned more than 8,000 women and girls into avid saltwater anglers.
"When they are done with us, they're more confident, going to a tackle shop and saying, 'I'd like to buy this lure to catch a mackerel,'" Bauman said. "If a lady can do a bit more and is part of the team, tying on her own hooks, she gets more respect."
The 2015 edition of "Ladies, Let's Go Fishing!" returns to Islamorada the weekend of Nov. 13-15, headquartered at the BPOE Elks Lodge. Participants will enjoy a welcoming social on the evening of the 13th, followed by a full day of instruction and hands-on demonstrations on the 14th, and an optional inshore or offshore fishing adventure on the 15th.
Women will learn from both male and female instructors how to tie fishing knots; de-hook or gaff a struggling fish; rig a bally hoo for trolling; cast-net a live well full of bait; back a trailer onto a boat ramp; and numerous other skills. They'll be challenged to put their newfound knowledge to work on the water the following day.
"We get a lot of people who have never fished before," Bauman said. "They need somebody to open the door and give them a helping hand."
New this year is the option for women to bring along a male guest or family member.
"Ladies, Let's Go Fishing!" has won several national awards for its outreach and instructional accomplishments. Sponsors include the Guy Harvey Ocean Foundation.
To sign up for the program, visit <a href="https://ladiesletsgofishing.com/">www.ladiesletsgofishing.com</a> or call 954-475-9068.
*******
Sue Cocking chronicles the Guy Harvey Outpost travel and adventure experience in regular blog posts on GuyHarveyOutpostNews.com/. For 21 years, Cocking covered the full spectrum of outdoors adventure opportunities in South Florida and beyond for the Miami Herald, including fishing, diving, hunting, paddling, camping, sailing, and powerboat racing. She is a certified scuba diver and holder of an IGFA women's world fly fishing record for a 29-pound permit. https://guyharveyoutpostblog.com/i-am-woman-watch-me-fish/){kind=link}
![](mailto:?subject=Guy Harvey Outpost’s Islander Resort Profiled in "Southern Boating" Magazine&body=<a href="https://guyharveyoutpostblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/09/islanderbeach.jpg"><img class="size-medium wp-image-2899 alignleft" src="https://guyharveyoutpostblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/09/islanderbeach.jpg?w=300" alt="IslanderBeach" width="300" height="242" /></a>The following article appears courtesy of Southern Boating magazine.
“If it swims, I’ve caught it! How’s that for a one liner?” he chuckles. His white mustache is Tom Selleck-esque, and the sparkle in his blue eyes intimates wisdom, adventure… and a bit of trouble. Sitting in his office at the Bud N’ Mary’s Marina in Islamorada, Florida—the walls covered with pictures of himself, friends, family, celebrities, and the fish he’s caught—Richard Stanczyk captivates me with countless tales of the sea in his 50-plus years as an angler, captain, guide, and owner of the marina. Stanczyk is a bit of a celebrity himself. He’s often credited for reinventing swordfishing and once caught seven of these gladiators in a single day.
I’ve come to visit to talk about Guy Harvey Outpost Resorts & Lodges (GHO) and their expeditions—organized trips for adventure-oriented travelers. The expeditions are a new product for the brand, created “given the time poverty prevalent in everyone’s life,” says Mark Ellert, president of GHO. There’s “Mako Mexico” to follow and tag a shark off Isla Mujeres; “Panama Trifecta Safari” for a chance to tailor your experience on three fishing machines; and “Fish Daze Islamorada,” a three-day adventure with Stanczyk to battle swordfish and tarpon. (More expeditions are available and some are in the making in Central America and the Galapagos Islands.) “I’ve had the pleasure of taking Guy Harvey fishing,” Stanczyk says. “We had a stellar day. We ended up catching four of these giant swordfish.”
Guy Harvey—marine biologist, artist, diver, and conservationist—has come to embody the ocean lifestyle. Ellert saw the opportunity to create a lodging brand that would resonate with families and the salt life, and the Guy Harvey Outpost was born. Current destinations include The Bahamas; Isla Mujeres, Mexico; Dominica and Little Cayman Island in the Caribbean; and Isabela in the Galapagos—a project on the easternmost side of the island is also underway. In the U.S., GHO locations are only in Florida so far. The first was the TradeWinds Beach Resort in St. Petersburg Beach on the Gulf of Mexico. A new spot is set to open in this fall in St. Augustine on the Atlantic Ocean. A freshwater resort with RV campground and marina on Lake Okeechobee is also planned for 2017. Then there’s the Islander Resort in Islamorada—it joined the GHO brand in 2014—with unique access to the bay and the ocean.
The Islander Resort offers two locations: on MM 82 (Oceanside) and MM 81 (Bayside). With 114 guestrooms that spread across 25 acres, the Oceanside exudes the island resort feel that one expects in the Florida Keys. Past the reception area, pristine white sand paves the way—with scattered palm trees from which hammocks hang—to rooms with a screened front porch and full kitchen. Chirping birds and conservation quotations from famous characters accompany you while the salty sea tang lures you closer to the beach. The typical Jimmy buffet melodies hint of the two pools’ proximity and Guy’s Beachside Bar & Grill—Fish Daze participants get to dine with Stanczyk right here, a “truly memorable opportunity to hear Richard some incredible fishing tales,” says Ellert. (I second that.) the restaurant will cook your catch of the day—Harvey’s words on the menu remind you of ocean preservation just like in the rooms.
The Islander Watersports (IW) by the pier has water toys galore—all the GHOs do. There, Donna Warwas and her friend, Joni Taylor, are looking for fun while their husbands are out fishing on a Bud N’ Mary’s charter boat. “What do you have for women like us in their fifties?” Warwas, a petite brunette asks Jaime sanders, a tan and toned IW attendant. They settle for kayaking from the bayside (“it’s calmer,” says sanders) and a snorkeling trip to Cheeca Rocks Reef, a shallow site less than five miles away. Wave runners, sailboats, aqua cycles, and three 18 to 29-foot powerboats are also available. Sanders says she sends boaters to the sandbar right off Whale Harbor bridge on mm 83. “It’s ankle deep, the kids can snorkel and the dogs can play,” she adds. “There’s also the Alligator [Reef] Lighthouse. It’s only six feet deep and it’s St. Thomas [U.S.V.I.]-beautiful.” She advises using Whale Harbor rather than Tea Table Channel bridge on mm 79.1 to go from the bay to the ocean because the latter is lower. Rent a mooring ball on the Oceanside for boats up to 30 feet, or dock on the bayside complete with 14 slips (for boats up to 24 feet), fish cleaning stations and shore power—guests must stay at one of the 25 bayside townhomes to use a slip. There’s no onsite ramp but plenty nearby, and trailers may be stored on the Oceanside property by the Florida Keys Conference Center.
The bayside has more of a private property feel. Colorful two-story townhouses are lined up leading to the docks, the small saltwater pool and beach area. Standing aboard his flats boat, Daniel Brotzky, a husky red-haired man in his early 30s with an infectious laugh, is getting ready for another relaxing outing to the sandbar. It’s his fi rst time at the Islander and he’s beyond ecstatic, most likely due to his recent engagement (wedding scheduled for January 9th). “You’ve got everything you need—you’ve got your home feel with the townhome, the bay, the ocean… the markers are all right there,” Brotsky says. “It’s a beautiful dock with easy access and [the slip rental] is dirt cheap!”
Back at Bud N’ Mary’s, Stanczyk ponders the Islander. “I have a lot of respect for the owner David [Curry]. They’ve maintained what I call the ‘character’ of the Florida Keys, and when you go to the Islander… you find their own feeling of the Keys.” https://guyharveyoutpostblog.com/guy-harvey-outposts-islander-resort-profiled-in-southern-boating-magazine/){kind=link}
![](mailto:?subject=Fishing for Hearts: Fun and Worthy Cause&body=After Keith Overton's infant daughter underwent a successful heart transplant, he mentioned to her cardiologist how difficult it must be waiting for a new heart for young patients in such desperate need.
But the doctor surprised Overton by telling him that isn't the hardest part.
"He said, 'Giving a heart to a kid whose family doesn't have the wherewithal to keep up the treatment,' " Overton recalled. "In many cases, one parent has to stop working to go to the hospital for follow-up care."
The conversation stuck with Overton, president of Guy Harvey Outpost St. Pete Beach. Grateful his family had the means to care for daughter MacKenzie, he wanted to give back by helping other families who aren't so lucky.
So in 2009, he founded the Guy Harvey Fishing for Hearts Tournament-- a catch, photo, measure, and release contest that raises funds for Athletes for Hearts -- the Overtons' charity to assist parents of kids with heart conditions and boost medical research on heart disease. The ninth annual tournament, to be held Sept. 21-22, also benefits the Ronald McDonald House, a home-away-from-home for families of pediatric patients in the Tampa Bay area.
<a href="https://guyharveyoutpostblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/09/52456_116234575103709_4152512_o.jpg"><img class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-4905" src="https://guyharveyoutpostblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/09/52456_116234575103709_4152512_o.jpg" alt="" width="892" height="596" /></a>
The 2016 tournament hosted a record 44 boats and raised $155,000 for its two charities. This year, Overton is expecting upwards of 50. The target species are redfish, snook and sea trout, with prizes awarded for greatest total length of individual and aggregate fish.
Captain Mike Anderson, host of the popular Reel Animals television show, will handpick the best inshore guides in the Tampa Bay area and assign them to each angling team. The event includes a kick-off gala at the RumFish Grill on Sept. 21 with dinner, drinks and a silent auction and a day of inshore fishing followed by an awards presentation Sept. 22.
As for Fishing for Hearts' inspiration? MacKenzie Overton is an athletic, 22-year-old student studying hospitality at St. Petersburg College who works part time at a local winery and at the Outpost's water sports concession. Her heart is just fine.
For tournament registration and information, go to the tournament's <a href="https://rmhctampabay.org/fishing-for-hearts/">web site</a>, or call 813.258.6430, ext. 2.
https://guyharveyoutpostblog.com/fishing-for-hearts-fun-and-worthy-cause/){kind=link}
![](mailto:?subject=Bow to the Silver King!&body=Any day now, long lines of large silver gamefish with glittering scales can be seen making their way along Miami Beach from Haulover Inlet to Government Cut, and throughout Florida Bay and the Atlantic side of the Florida Keys. It's Tarpon Time--that bewitching season when local anglers and those from all over flock to South Florida in hopes of engaging in glorious battle with one of the hardest-fighting and most enigmatic fish in the world.
From now through about the end of June, wherever coastal water temperatures hit that magical 75-degree mark, schools of tarpon will aggregate in the annual marine version of the singles bar, looking to hook up, and then later head off to deeper water to spawn. If tide and weather conditions are favorable, they might just hook up with you too-- tempted by your offerings of live shrimp, crabs or mullet, or maybe a realistic fly pattern or swimming plug. But catching and releasing a tarpon is NEVER a given.
"Remember-- tarpon are a mystery," said veteran light-tackle guide Captain Joe Gonzalez of Miami, who fishes customers in his 18-foot Hells Bay skiff, "Funny Bone".
According to Gonzalez, March through May is prime time for pursuing tarpon in Biscayne Bay. In early winter, he said, the fish key on shrimp migrating through passes and channels on the outgoing tide at night.
In March, he said, "they're already moving inside the bay-- in the inlets, basins, channels, and around the bridges. If the weather gets nasty, they move offshore and go south, then you get another push of fish."
<a href="https://guyharveyoutpostblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/02/tarpon1.jpg"><img class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-4598" src="https://guyharveyoutpostblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/02/tarpon1.jpg" alt="tarpon1" width="2100" height="1358" /></a>
Daytime fishing gets better, and as the waters warm and flush swarms of swimming crabs, it's time to use those silver-dollar-sized crustaceans for bait.
Gonzalez likes to fly fish for tarpon on the ocean side of the Biscayne Bay barrier islands all the way south to Key Largo.
"They're rolling and you can sight-fish for them in the basins and areas where they stage," he said.
There is nothing quite like sight-fishing for tarpon-- especially with a fly rod, since it's always a challenge to entice a wild animal to eat a man-made creation of fur and feathers.
You have to cast your bait very near the tarpon's mouth because it doesn't want to work very hard to catch a meal. Once the fish engulfs the offering, you must set the hook before it can spit it out-- a tricky business that goes wrong more than it goes right. When the tarpon realizes it has a hook in its jaw, it almost always jumps out of the water, and you have to see it coming and perform the maneuver of 'bowing to the silver king'-- pointing the rod down and toward the fish. If all goes well and you are still connected, you'll probably be engaged in battle for quite some time--either until you bring the fish up to the gunwales to be released or it breaks your line. Good luck.
<a href="https://guyharveyoutpostblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/02/Tarpon1-1.jpg"><img class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-4599" src="https://guyharveyoutpostblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/02/Tarpon1-1.jpg" alt="Tarpon1 (1)" width="4320" height="3240" /></a>
Biscayne Bay doesn't harbor as many tarpon during the spring as the Keys, Gonzalez says, because the waters of the island chain are a convergence zone for tarpon migrating from both the Gulf and Atlantic. But you might find Biscayne Bay to be less crowded with anglers than the busy flats of the Keys, and the fish tend to hang out in the bay into July-- after they've gone AWOL in the Keys.
In the Keys, you'll find tarpon in the channels beneath the U.S. 1 bridges; on the flats and channels in the vast back country; along the edges of ocean side flats; and there's usually big school right in busy Key West Harbor. Baits include pilchards, mullet, crabs, and pinfish.
One phenomenon peculiar to the Keys is the palolo worm hatch which usually occurs on the full and new moons of May and June during a falling tide in late afternoon.
When these magenta-colored marine worms start popping to the surface, tarpon gobble them to the exclusion of everything else. One Key West guide describes the fish as acting like they're on LSD. Double-digit releases on fly patterns that imitate the worms are common. Even if you miss all your strikes, it's a marvel to observe.
Tarpon charter openings are filling up fast. To book a trip with any Outfitter <a href="http://guyharveyoutpost.com/expeditions/expedition-adventures/tarpon-tango/">Click Here</a> or call the Travel Desk at 800-513-5257. https://guyharveyoutpostblog.com/bow-to-the-silver-king/){kind=link}
![](mailto:?subject=2011 Billfish Invitational Wrap Up!&body=During this week’s Billfish Invitational tournament, Fred Garth, Editor-In-Chief of <a title="GHM web site" href="http://www.guyharveymagazine.com/" target="_blank">Guy Harvey Magazine</a>, will be filing a series of dispatches from tournament headquarters at the Bimini Big Game Club.
<a href="https://guyharveyoutpostblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/05/renaissancegettingaward11.jpg"><img class="size-full wp-image-756 " title="Team Renaissance Getting Award" src="https://guyharveyoutpostblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/05/renaissancegettingaward11.jpg" alt="" width="495" height="320" /></a>Team Renaissance accepts the Hemingway-Lerner Trophy as the overall team at the 2011 Billfish Invitational. Presenting the trophy is sculptor Kent Ullberg.
After three days of hard fishing by more than 50 anglers, the <a title="BBGC web site" href="http://www.biggameclubbimini.com" target="_blank">Bimini Big Game Club</a>'s <a title="Billfish Invitational web site" href="http://www.billfishinvitational.com" target="_blank">Billfish Invitational</a> wrapped up on Saturday with the Renaissance/Team Varsity Jacket team winning fish place on a blue marlin caught the first day. Each team saw at least one billfish in the baits and most teams jumped at least one blue marlin. Four of the fish were reported at over 500 pounds and a couple were estimated in the 300-400 pound class.
Angler Mark Benka’s hooked the top blue fish and Renaissance/Varsity Jacket team also won first fish and top angler and received the striking stainless-steel, <a title="About the Hemingway-Lerner Trophy" href="http://guyharveyoutpostnews.com/2011/04/29/hemingway-lerner-trophy-unveiled-for-guy-harveys-upcoming-billfish-invitational-in-bimini/" target="_blank">Hemmingway-Lerner Trophy</a>, crafted by world-famous wildlife sculptor <a title="Kent Ullberg's web site" href="http://www.kentullberg.net" target="_blank">Kent Ullberg</a>. In addition to recognizing the overall winning team, the Hemingway-Lerner Trophy represents the ideals of friendship, teamwork and the pursuit of sportfishing achievement.
Second place went to Team Mirage, with angler Darren Davis taking the top fish. Mirage called in a hook up each day and converted on the third day at 11:20am on a 200-plus pound blue marlin caught within sight of the marina. They released the fish within 10 minutes of the hook up. Mirage also had the potential winning sailfish for the tournament but was unable to convert. Rounding out their awards, Mirage also took the prize for last blue marlin and second place marlin.
In the fun fish division, Pete Woods’ Get Reel team brought in the largest dolphin at 30.6 pounds to take first place. Second place in fun fish and top lady angler awards went to Karen Wimmer on the vessel Conquest. The Billfish Invitational was their first tournament.
Third place in the fun fish and second place lady angler went to the El Viejo team with angler Caroline Ellert. The Hard Luck trophy went to Tedd Amberg of the Hillary Lynn team for his collision with a dolphin.
Some of the toughtest competition was in the most unusual catch category where Hells Bay Hoppers, who dove with a pod of pilot whales, missed taking a first place from Team Tagline, who was able to ride and “release” a whale shark in 2500 feet of water.
The closing ceremonies ended with another fabulous dinner and a sincere endorsement from <a title="Guy Harvey Inc. web site" href="http://www.guyharvey.com" target="_blank">Guy Harvey</a>, Bill Shedd, and Mark Ellert that next year’s tournament will be even better. https://guyharveyoutpostblog.com/2011-billfish-invitational-wrap-up/){kind=link}
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