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Boats and hosts ready to go for SFA
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Posted on Sep 06 2005
Aside from a small craft advisory that forced the postponement of the highly anticipated 21st Annual Saipan International Fishing Tournament and a typhoon named Nabi, local anglers are all systems go for this weekend’s return to the high seas for big prizes.
The longest running local event and the ancy anglers will finally come together this Saturday, Sept. 10, and Sunday, Sept. 11, in the big blue as the Saipan Fisherman’s Association presides over the captains and their crews at the Smiling Cove marina in Lower Base.
While the schedule change prompted a few of the out of towners to seek a refund of their entry fees, most of the participants understood that there was nothing that the organizers could do but to hold off on the tournament when faced such hazardous conditions.
Half of the Guamanian skippers will not have to make the trip back to the CNMI by boat as they opted to dock their boats in Saipan for the fish-travaganza, and others yet will venture from the southernmost link in the Marianas chain to the home of the top angling tournament in the region.
The Guamanians who stuck around did so with good reason, as last year’s champion Nguyen Hoa and the crew of the Charlie Cat of Guam sailed away with the Governor’s Cup and $10,000 in prize money for the biggest catch of the tournament with a monster marlin that tipped the scales at 519.40 lbs. They also placed third in the bill fish category with another catch of 129.19 lbs, and bagged and the total weight category minus their biggest marlin at 370.77 lbs. By the time the awards ceremony was completed, Nguyen and company took home over $17,000.
Though they were pleased with their haul, Danny Agulto’s record 674.43 lbs marlin still stands from 1997, along with James Taitano’s record setting 106 lb. yellowfin is 15 years ago.
For more information about the Saipan Fisherman’s Association or the upcoming tournament, contact Frank Tudela or Ed Diaz at the Marianas Visitors Authority by calling 664-3200/01. Additional information on the side bet group refund can be obtained from Tony Scragg by calling 483-1112.
