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SFA mahi madness starts today
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Posted on Mar 10 2006
By the time today’s Saipan Tribune hits newsstands throughout the CNMI, the Saipan Fisherman’s Association will be up to its gills with the 2nd Annual Mahi Mahi Tournament.
Fisherman from throughout the region hit the waters with propellers buzzing bright and early at 6am on a mission to reel as many of the fish as they can in 11 hours, and a sizable crowd is expected to gather at the Smiling Cove Marina scales around 4pm when the boats begin to return with their day’s find.
A slew of cash and prizes is up for grabs as the SFA has teamed up with Pacifica Insurance, Marianas Visitors Authority, and the Division of Fish and Wildlife to offer participants a chance to bring home a piece of the $5,000 available along with a number prizes from the local business community.
The cash prizes will include $1,500 for the Biggest Fish, with $1,000 for second place, and $500 for third. The boat that yields the heaviest total weight stands to net $1,000, while the boat that reels in the greatest number of mahi mahi will sail away with $1,000.
Last year Ignacio A. Guerrero and Roland Banaga were up to their gills in mahi mahi as the duo combined to win all three of the categories in the inaugural event.
Guerrero and Banaga made their way to the courtesy dock at Smiling Cove Marina with a monster mahi mahi that tipped the scales at 23.0 lbs to edge skipper Benny Iriarte and anglers Lt. Gov. Diego T. Benavente, Gene Weaver, Ronald Benavente, Jeff Warfield, Joe Taijeron of Team Victoria and their 22.5 lbs, but they weren’t the only ones with big fish stories.
Lino Tenorio Jr. and Bernard Rogeyo of the Madda Flyer were just ounces away from landing the big catch, but their 22.1-pounder was good enough for third place.
The trolling team beat out a total of 44 entrants as Guerrero and Banaga also reeled in the top prize for Total Weight with 186.5 lbs of mahi, as well as in Total Pieces with 12.
