2000 No Alibi Fishing Tournament Report

The outrageously flat conditions that existed for most of February and early March succumbed to some stronger winds over the weekend of March 18 and 19.  This change in weather meant people had to decide between mowing the lawn and going fishing.  Of course, this was a tough verdict for many, because sometimes when the seas are flat the fish don’t bite and when they do bite, the boat is a-rockin’.  Ah decisions, decisions.

Nonetheless, twenty-three boats entered the No Alibi/Spring Fishing tournament, hosted by Waikiki Yacht Club.  Seventeen powerboats and six sailboats vied for the prizes, and once again, there was a strong turnout of non-member boats.  And speaking of tough decisions, one such situation came up again with the new rules calling for released Marlin to count, as Steve Mann had to make the choice between collecting tournament points and setting a dead fish free.

noalabi2000akele.jpg (201358 bytes)
Akele with a nice display of Mahi
Saturdays are always optional weigh in days on the two-day club events, so only a few boats came to the scales.  At the end of day one, we’d heard some great stories.  One report indicated Cormorant shook off a good sized Marlin after a short fight, and tournament control also heard about 20/20 that had landed a Mahimahi but somehow managed to lose control of it in the cockpit, resulting in an involuntary catch and release.  When the sun dropped on the first day, three boats had weighed fish and the leader was Chieme with a 28.5 pound Mahimahi.

noalabi2000prince.jpg (305496 bytes)
Winners of the Power Division: Team Prince of Tides


Sunday’s winds were even stronger than Saturday’s, so the downwind trip everyone took to Ko’Olina was upstaged by the beat back home.   Some boats returned early, and some stayed out until the final gun.  First to weigh on Sunday in the power division was Lyle Holden’s Wicked Wahine, who got on the board with a 22 pound Mahimahi.  Shortly afterward, Al Bento (of Alele II, but running the Kahuna Kai for Dudley Worthy) tied up and unloaded a feast of Mahimahi topping out at 25 pounds.

At about 3:00, Joe Ahina’s Prince of Tides came to the docks.  Joe likes to make sure he takes advantage of the “no limit on number of crew” rule and tournament control watched in amazement as one angler after another stepped off the boat.  After everyone got ashore, the fish were unloaded.  A 14 pound Mahimahi, followed by a 24 pound Mahimahi were weighed, then we looked at the tuna.  71 pounds of Bigeye Tuna later, Prince of Tides claimed the lead.
Bruce Matson’s Cormorant came home with a couple of nice greenbacks as well, and their best was tallied in at 35 pounds, which ultimately was good enough for second place.  Finally, all eyes watched as Bob Goodman’s Akele strolled in right at the 5:00 deadline to see if he had any fish to unseat Ahina, Matson and Shoda.   Though he had 5 Mahimahi aboard and had a great tournament, Goodman and angler Pete Shelton couldn’t quite make the leader board with their top Mahi at 23.5 pounds.

noalabi2000ealu.jpg (376049 bytes)
The winner of the Saiboat Division: Team Ealu II

Shifting to the sail division, only two boats managed to catch and actually hang on to their fish (reference: 20/20).  Ealu II, skippered by Pavel Kubac managed a couple of nice Mahimahi, their best at 27.5 pounds, which was good enough for first place and the $150.00 prize.

In second place was Steve Mann’s Bustin’ Loose with a 26.5 pound Mahimahi.  However, it was Mann’s Striped Marlin that made the headlines for the club.  The rules now call for released fish to count toward season’s points, and as you may recall, last tournament was won by Sea Verse who had released a small Striped Marlin.  This tournament saw the flip side of the benefits of releasing fish when points are on the line.  Mann hooked his Striped Marlin in the eye unknowingly, and during the course of the fight, he and his crew had every intent of releasing the fish to collect the points. 

However, as the fish came up to the boat, the crew noticed it was hooked in the eye; it was bleeding, and looked to be in terrible shape.  Feeling the fish would die if it was released, Mann made a decision to keep the fish for consumption rather than take the points.  He later surmised it in a couple short sentences: “the whole idea of releasing fish is to let them live.  Taking a cheap hundred points by tossing a nearly dead fish back over the side is no way to win a tournament.   I’ll take this one home and eat it.”  His decision cost him the tournament win and an additional

hundred points from his season’s points totals, but in every way, Mann’s decision was ethical, Corinthian, and evidence of a true sporting ethic. 

Ah yes, decisions, decisions.
 
Final Results (with season’s points earned in parenthesis):

23 boats, 17 power and 6 sail.  Three boats were not a member of either club.
Winners - Power Division

1.                     Prince of Tides, Joe Ahina, 71 pound Bigeye Tuna (109 points)

2.                     Cormorant, Bruce Matson, 35 pound Mahimahi (56.5 points)

3.                     Chieme, Steve Shoda, 28.5 pound Mahimahi (54.5 points)

Winners - Sail Division

1.                     Ealu II, Pavel Kubac, 27.5 pound Mahimahi (46.5 points)

2.                     Bustin’ Loose, Steve Mann, 26.5 pound Mahimahi (90 points)

The next tournament is the Senorita's Jackpot Fishing Tournament on April 8th and 9th.  Click here for more information.


Back to State Schedule