Nibbler reclaims Mike Cup in Mafuti Derby

Nibbler nibbled its way back to the top with the biggest catch—a 3.9-lb mafuti—and the total weight (Mike’s Cup) category with 8.7 lbs in the 5th Annual Mafuti Derby organized by ISLA or The I Sanhalom Laguna Anglers Association.

The slightly overcast weather over the waters of the Smiling Cove Marina lagoon held up long enough for fishermen and women to soak up some sun and salt from 6am to 3pm last Saturday.

After the nine-hour reeling, hauling, and waiting, Nibbler captain Edward Diaz, with the biggest catch of the derby, claimed the top spot again after he was dethroned in last year’s derby. 

With this derby’s win, Nibbler has won four of five derbies. 

Second place by just 1 lb went to WTF Where’s the Fish captained by Frank Pangelinan with a 3.8-mafuti; third place went to Atalig 3 J’s captained by Joseph Atalaig with a 3.55-lb catch; fourth place was Ina-ka captained by Edward C. Sablan with a 3.2-lb mafuti; and fifth place was Team Sunrisers captained by Ray Santos with a 2.7-lb mafuti.

For the side bet of $720, the boat Golden Green, captained by Frederic Guintu won with a 3.75-lb catch.

Prior to last year’s derby, Diaz and crew were three-time derby champions. Joining Diaz in this derby again was his son, Edward II, and his father-in-law, Mike Fleming.

When asked how Diaz felt about winning again this time around, he said “I’m pretty happy. This is the sport. This is for the kids too, that’s why I always bring my son too to train him so that he can take over, but I’ve been doing this for years.”

As for the catch, he said that “it was a fight… I put my reel on a rod holder and I was trying to help my son. It pulled again and when I went there, I lured it up and that was it—I got it.”

Diaz said the weather conditions were a factor with his catch. “ The weather was really calm this morning and it was west-wind but the conditions of where we were at were really good. In the morning we caught two big ones at about 7 o’clock but it slowed down,” he said.

He then thanked the sponsors and members of the ISLA “for coming out and putting up a really great event for the community and the people of the CNMI. We hope that we can attract more kids to train them and show them how to fish mafuti because that’s one of the delicacies of locals.”