Two of 11 different Brazilian fishing teams place at the 2017 Offshore World Championship.
2017 Offshore World Championship
Last April, Quepos, Costa Rica welcomed 255 world-class anglers comprising 50 teams to the 18th Annual Lucas Oil Offshore World Championship. International teams representing 29 different countries spent April 23-28 in the spectacular surroundings of Marina Pez Vela and Parador Resort & Spa, competing against one another for the global offshore fishing crown.
2017 Offshore World Championship
A Record for Blue Marlin: Day 1
On the first day of fishing, teams released more blue marlin than in all of last year’s tournament. Brazilian angler Vicente Arruda, of Team Torneio Marlin do Rio de Janeiro, said that “the sailfishing was not fantastic in 2017 compared to other years, but the blue marlin bite made up the difference.”
The initial fishing day produced 21 blue marlin and 37 sailfish. Other catches included a 31-pound dorado by United Arab Emirate angler Omar Derbas, of the Fujairah Offshore Fishing Tournament team.
In the past, championship anglers mainly targeted sailfish, worth 200 points per release, but were happy to hook the unexpected blue, black or striped marlin that earned them 500 points. For comparison, in 2016, anglers released 1,495 Pacific sailfish, while in 2017, the sailfish total was just 202 catches. Teams quickly realized that the winning points would come from marlin bites in 2017, not high numbers of sailfish.
“If you missed a sailfish bite, you really felt bad about it,” said top angler Brian Walley, of Team 2016 Los Cabos Billfish Tournament. “Sailfish were so hard to come by in 2017 that every single bite mattered.”
Many teams were underequipped with 30-pound sailfish gear instead of heavier marlin tackle.
“The moment I hooked my blue marlin on the first day, my teammates wanted me to think it was a sailfish, as they know I’m not keen on catching blue marlin,” said runner-up angler Luena Amaro, of Team Tavira Offshore Classic 2016-Marlin Cup. “In Angola, our blue marlin can be very big. I did freak out on the inside, remembering stories of long stand-up battles with 700-pound fish that lasted hours, but I knew I had to land my fish for the sake of those 500 points.”
Team Oregon Tuna Classic, from the United States, led the tournament after day 1 with their catch of two blue marlin and one sailfish, recording 1,200 points. Scoring the exact same number of points, Team 2016 OWC Champions, from Trinidad, also caught two blue marlin and a sailfish, but fell to second position based on time. Team Tobago International Game Fishing Tournament followed closely in third with 1,000 points from two blue marlin catches.
2017 Offshore World Championship
A Story of Big Billfish: Day 2
Day 2 was a tale of big billfish told in catches of 49 sailfish and eight blue marlin. For their efforts, the fleet doubled the overall fish count. Particularly notable was a two-hour marlin battle on light tackle won by Shane Spravzoff of Flagstaff, Arizona. Spravzoff scored Team Tropic Star Roosterfish Tournament 500 points with his catch.
The Mauritius Billfish Release Tournament team logged a successful day by catching three sailfish and one blue for 1,100 points. Close behind, Team Montego Bay International Marlin Tournament scored the same point total, just later in the day. Team Marlin Madness Game Fishing Tournament, from Tobago, caught four sailfish for 800 points to finish the day.
After two days of fishing, Team Torneio Marlin do Rio de Janeiro jumped to the overall lead with 1,600 points, helped by eight different sailfish releases across both days. Day 1’s overall leader Team Oregon Tuna Classic fell to second, landing just a single sailfish. Brazil’s Team Torneio de Peixes de Bico moved up to the third spot with 1,400 total points.
“Having good results at the OWC depends a lot on communication,” said Arruda. “There are some spectacular boats here that can make a difference. Listen to what the crew wants you to do. Talk to them as soon as you know you’re fishing with them.”
2017 Offshore World Championship
The Competition Intensifies: Day 3
On the third day, Team 2016 OWC Champions rose to the overall top spot with 2,300 points in total. Angler Richard De Vertevil landed two sailfish and a marlin (900 points) to propel the team to the lead. In second overall, Team Torneio Marlin do Rio de Janeiro totaled 2,200 points. Close behind was Team Torneio de Peixes de Bico with 2,100 points.
Team Fujairah Offshore Fishing Tournament won the day with five sailfish worth 1,000 points, plus the event’s first black marlin for 500 points. Their 1,500-point score was the best single-day performance by any team throughout the entire event. Other teams having luck included Teams Washington Tuna Classic, from the United States, and 2016 OWC Champions, both scoring 900 points. Team Washington Tuna Classic landed the only striped marlin among all teams.
One dorado stood out among the three brought back to the docks on day 3, a 47.3-pounder caught by Denis Seiveright, of Team Montego Bay International Tournament. His bruiser bull was the heaviest dorado catch of the entire tournament.
While the boats were fishing, 80 local students participated in a free workshop on sport fishing and sustainability, hosted by the Costa Rica Fisheries Federation, the Costa Rican Tourism Institute and Marina Pez Vela. This presentation informed students about the value of sport fishing and its effects on the economic, social, and environmental development of coastal communities.
2017 Offshore World Championship
Fighting for the Championship: Final Day
Anglers and fans saw a fitting ending to the OWC, the world’s premier saltwater fishing tournament. With a number of hot teams bunched at the top, anglers couldn’t strike out with zero fish catches and expect to win.
Day 4’s top performance went to Team 23rd Cabo Frio Marlin Invitational, from Brazil, scoring a sailfish and two blue marlin for 1,200 points. Team Northeast Florida Marlin Association 44th Annual Bluewater Tournament recorded 1,100 points from one marlin and three sailfish releases. Three teams scored 900 points, and two 800 points, making the final vote tallies excitedly close.
In the end, Team Torneio de Peixes de Bico’s four sailfish catches on the final day thrust them to the top position for good. After years of coming close to a win, including a second-place finish in 2016, victory was especially sweet for anglers Evandro Soares, Ricardo Pedrosa, Joao Paulo Da Costa, Eduardo Castro and Antonio Villarejo. As champions, the team received coveted OWC champion rings by VanMark Jewelry and the opportunity to apply for the Offshore World Championship for many years to come.
Another of the 11 Brazilian teams competing in the tournament, Team Torneio Marlin do Rio de Janeiro, followed in second place. Anglers Luis Carlos Bulhoes, Lucas Fonseca, Alberto Quintaes, Vicente Arruda and Vicente Luis Arruda each received a gold VanMark pendant and a one-year extension to compete in the 2018 championship.
The 2016 OWC Champion team — Richard De Vert, Manuel Merino, Alan Fitzwilliam and Jerome McQuilkin — kept last year’s momentum with a solid third-place finish. This accomplishment by a defending champion team earned them an invitation to the 2018 tournament and silver VanMark pendants.
The top angler award went to Brian Walley, of the 2016 Los Cabos Billfish Tournament team. Walley released three blue marlin for 1,500 points. Lady angler Luena Amaro, of the Team Tavira Offshore Classic 2016-Marlin Cup, took runner-up angler with two blue marlin and two sailfish catches.
“On the last day of the tournament, we hooked a marlin that wanted both the left ‘rigger and the stinger baits,” said Walley. “The marlin [veered] off the ‘rigger bait, leaving me to hook and fight the fish. It really helped to have experience fighting marlin, understanding how the fish will react based on the feel of the fight.
“I loved having the title of top angler for the past year, but my crew never let me live that one down. When I screwed something up during a fish fight, they joked, ‘The top angler in the world would never do something like that!’”
The world-class charter boat crews of Costa Rica helped make the Offshore World Championship a success in late April. Capt. Johnny Cerpas Vanegas, and his crew on Macushla, earned the top prize in their category for assisting with the release of 13 billfish for 2,700 points.
“Fishing outside your country always gives you the opportunity to learn new things and different techniques that you may find useful as an angler,” said Amaro. “Be kind and polite to the mates and captain of the boats you fish. Have fun and enjoy every moment of it. The OWC is an amazing experience, not only for the fishing, but for its atmosphere and the opportunity to meet people from all over the world with different experiences.”
2017 Offshore World Championship
Top Prizes
The first-place team of anglers from Brazil qualified by winning the Torneio de Peixes de Bico. The team caught 12 sailfish and one marlin for a grand total of 2,900 points to win the 18th Annual Offshore World Championship. The anglers included Evandro Soares, Ricardo Pedrosa, Joao Paulo Da Costa, Eduardo Castro and Antonio Villarejo. Anchoring the winning team, member Evandro Soares picked up the sixth-place angler award, releasing six sailfish for 1,200 points.
For its accomplishment, the team received championship rings by VanMark Jewelry, Soundview Millworks custom cutting boards, Guy Harvey limited-edition prints and towels, Costa sunglasses, AFTCO championship apparel, Yeti cooler and Ramblers, Garmin GPSMAP and inReach Explorers, Penn reels and Flor de Caña rum.
The second-place team from Brazil, which qualified for the OWC by winning the Torneio Marlin do Rio de Janeiro, scored a total of 2,400 points from 12 sailfish releases. Teammates included Vicente Arruda, Vicente Luis Arruda, Lucas Fonseca, Alberto Quintaes and Luis Carlos Bulhoes. For the team’s accomplishments, prizes included VanMark Jewelry custom pendants, Soundview Millworks custom cutting boards, Guy Harvey limited-edition prints and towels, Yeti cooler, Costa sunglasses, Garmin GPSMAP handheld units, Accurate reels and Flor de Caña rum. The second-place team was eligible to apply to compete in the 2018 Championship.
The third-place team, from Trinidad and Tobago, which qualified for the OWC by winning the 2016 Offshore World Championship, scored a total of 2,300 points from three blue marlin and four sailfish releases. Anglers included Jerome McQuilkin, Richard De Vert, Alan Fitzwilliam and Manuel Merino. The team’s prizes included VanMark Jewelry custom pendants, Soundview Millworks custom cutting boards, Yeti cooler, Guy Harvey limited-edition prints and towels, Garmin Vivosmarts and Flor de Caña rum. The third-place team was eligible to apply to compete in the 2018 Championship.