A great turnout from anglers and the public saw hefty tuna weighed at the scales.
Team BGFC MASS won the Tuna Fever Rogoznica 2019. The crew consisted of Captain Sasha Apostolovsky, Andrej Brodnik, Mladen Cer, Roman Ursic and Baštijan Leben.
More than 200 competitors, fans of big game fishing from Croatia and the world, and 10,000 domestic and foreign tourists on the Rogoznica waterfront experienced the Tuna Fever Rogoznica 2019 Big Game Fishing Competition, held from July 31 to August 4, 2019.
The organizer of the competition was the Big Game Fishing Croatia Club in Split, Croatia. Boris Županović, president of the Big Game Fishing Croatia Club in Split, prepped for months and took care of every detail with the tournament team.
"We were pleased that for the fifth time, we brought together top professionals and fans of big game fishing to the Heart of Dalmatia. We welcomed experienced fishermen from Croatia, as well as foreign crews, and we were especially pleased with the growing interest of the youngest anglers in the Little Game Fishing Program," said Županovic. "This year, we had as many as 35 children. This is the best way to nurture successors into this attractive sport."
The Tuna Fever 2019 tournament is proof that Croatia stands side by side with popular world destinations in big game fishing. Competitors must follow all local and international fishing laws, taking care to protect the local fishing resources. Prescribed lengths and weights were met for fish weigh-ins, as well as daily quotas for bluefin tuna, which were closely monitored by experienced judges.
The public saw hefty tuna weighed at the scales along the Rogoznica waterfront.
The fishermen aboard the BGFC MASS won the heaviest catch division, dominating the tuna category. On the second day, they weighed 59.4 kg (130 pound) tuna, and on the third day of the competition they caught (102.7 pound) 46.6 kg fish. In addition to Captain Sasha Apostolovsky, the crew consisted of Andrej Brodnik, Mladen Cer, Roman Ursic and Baštijan Leben.
"We were overjoyed with the victory, but also with the excellent organization of the tournament," said Capt. Apostolovsky. "We were there for 6 days before the competition, we were pre-fishing and spent time with friends. We really enjoyed ourselves. I can immediately say we'll be back for Tuna Fever Regoznica 2020."
Team BGFC MASS won the invitation to the Offshore World Championship in Costa Rica.
Among other prizes, the top team was awarded HRK 25,000 ($ 3,782.88) and won the invitation to the Offshore World Championship in Costa Rica. The second-place prize went to the Taboo Team crew, with Captain Valentin Vujasin, Ivan Klisović, Mladen Ercegović and Zoran Spasić. The crew of Pakoštane captains caught the heaviest tuna in the competition, weighing a 62.8 kg (138 pounds) on the first day of the competition. The crew of Tajna Veza won the third-place prize with a catch of 54.6 kg (120 pounds). The boat owned by Gordan Pintar was also home to the youngest participant of the competition, Lea Ostoić.
This year, 35 children competed in the Little Game Fishing Program. Junior angler 12-year-old Lucija Medic took the victory, her peer Antonio Mijalić finished second, and 11-year-old Marija Blajić was third overall.
The 2019 Tuna Fever event in Rogoznica was also special because of the recently renovated waterfront. The Rogoznica waterfront doubled as a musical concert, with acts by Ivan Zak, Ivana Orlić and Maja Šuput. Many competitors and guests were impressed with the area, sharing photos on social networks, helping to promote the Rogoznica fishing event. Tuna Fever Rogoznica 2019 also attracted numerous news crews, national and local TV and radio companies, local celebrities and athletes, as well as daily newspapers and professional magazines.
