Rota reels in fishing weekend tournament

Over 56 competitors from Saipan, Rota, and Guam descended upon the southernmost island in the Commonwealth as Marianas Visitors Authority has been working with the mayors of the CNMI to offer tournaments for those taking the high ground.

Anglers set out onto their cliffside at 5pm Friday, June 10 from the heights of As Matmos Point, Pona Point, and Malilok Point and continued through Sunday, June 12, and Severino Candia Jr. landed the biggest catch of them all to secure the $800 for first place in the Big Fish Category with the 43.5 inch “Great Barracuda.”

Rio Cayetano also had reason to celebrate as he reeled in the second greatest gill breather with a 29.5 incher dubbed “The Great Job Fish.” Cayetano received $600 for his bounty of the sea to narrowly edge out third-place finisher Mansueto Nava, who pocketed $400 when he hooked a 27-inch Reef Needle Fish.

Redentor De Villa caught the fish with the biggest impression on the scales, as he caught the heaviest combined catch of the day to take the Total Weight category with 44.88 lbs. of fish. De Villa bagged the cash prize of $500 for his efforts while Simeon Taisacan celebrated his $300 for taking second place with a combined catch weight of 41.58 lbs. followed by $200 winner John Atalig in third with a total catch weighed of 34.76 lbs.

Atalig wasn’t finished yet, as he caught an assortment of 21 fish to win the $500 prize for first place in the Most Variety category.

Taisacan and Mario Aspacio tied for second with 18 different species, but Taisacan won the tie breaker with an earlier finishing time to bag $300 for his second while Aspacio, took home $200 for third.

The Rota Municipal Council organized the event with support from the Rota Mayor’s Office and local businesses in keeping with the Marianas Visitors Authority’s 2005 sports tourism destination promotional efforts to lure more visitors through events such as this is beginning to generate quite a stir with inquiries from cliff fishing enthusiasts.

Following the weekend fish fest, the chairman of the 10th Municipal Council Alexander A. Apatang thanked all of the competitors for their weekend of fishing and to goive thanks for all of the support from the Marianas Visitors Authority, Department of Public Safety, Department of Land and Natural Resources, Fish and Wildlife, the 10th Rota Municipal Council, and the Rota Mayor’s Office at Guata Beach Pavilion, where the winners were awarded their laurels and everyone had their fill of fish.

For more information regarding the derby, contact the Rota Mayor’s Office by calling 532-9452, the 10th Rota Municipal Council at 532-4045, the MVA’s Rota office at 532-0327, or via email at: satalig@mymarianas.com.