Four different teams recorded a blue marlin release, but Team Douglas won based on time.
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Anglers Olivier Nouy, Christian Bonnardel, Frédéric Bonnardel, Grégory Monroux, Nicolas Clamour and William Nouy of fishing team Douglas took home the marlin release win with their day-one catch.
Wave heights averaging 8 to 10 feet, winds blowing at 20 knots, inexhaustible amounts of sargassum, and periodic rainstorms were the uncharacteristic conditions that plagued the 52nd Antigua and Barbuda Sport Fishing Tournament held May 18-20, 2018.
Usually one of largest fishing events in the Caribbean, drawing teams from such countries as St. Martin, Guadeloupe, St. Bart, Martinique, Barbados, St. Kitts, England and the United States, many local teams backed out when the weather and water conditions went sour earlier in the week.
“We can’t control the weather and wave heights,” said Robert Hall, Antigua and Barbuda Sport Fishing Tournament Coordinator. “But we were still able to put on an exceptional tournament that anglers have come to love.”
Chairman Phillip Shoul echoed similar sentiments, explaining the sport-fishing tournament is more than just a competition, but an opportunity for the Antigua (An-tee-ga) and Barbuda (Bar-byoo-da) communities to highlight their country. The tournament goes all out with rousing entertainment each night, delicious food options, dedicated sponsors, and pertinent vendors, attracting both fishing and non-fishing crowds. It’s no surprise celebrities like Eric Clapton escape to Antigua, with the enticing mix of people, attitudes, mountains, nature, beaches, and fishing.
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Each night, the tournament welcomed both fishing and non-fishing participants to the dockside parties.
About the Tournaments
The annual weekend of events is actually two tournaments: the Mikie Pigott Memorial Classic billfish tournament and Antigua and Barbuda Sport Fishing Tournament.
The Mikie Pigott Memorial Classic, held on May 18, used to be called the Marlin Classic but was renamed after a beloved Antigua captain passed away unexpectedly in 2015.
“Mikie was a great captain and we enjoyed fishing with him aboard his boat Vitamin B,” said tournament angler Glenn Irish, who was friends with Pigott. “He left behind a wife and two kids. My wife and I like to provide a special gift for the winner of the Memorial Classic to remember Mikie.”
The larger Sport Fishing tournament, held May 19-20, offered cash and prizes for billfish and game fish, along with trophies for the top junior angler, top lady angler, and top overall angler. A $100,000 prize was up for grabs for any angler that topped the blue marlin island record of 771.25 pounds.
Every night, fishing teams returned to historic Nelson’s Dockyard. Tarpon, snook and jack crevalle cruised the docks waiting for fish scraps from fillet tables. Spectators amassed at the weigh station as teams brought their catches to the scales. Game fish such as dolphin (mahi mahi), wahoo, king mackerel, and yellowfin tuna caught during the tournament were sold to the general public after being weighed. Then, the dockside socials start with live music on stage, fresh local seafood gumbo and conch soup, plenty of local beer and rum, and an atmosphere that can only be described as carefree and fun.
“Even though our entrants’ goals are to win the tournaments, I personally know a couple teams that have told me they don’t care if they catch a fish,” says Shoul. “They come for the parties.”
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Anglers brought their catches to the stage and weigh scale. After, the fish were filleted and sold to the general public.
The Results
The team on Double Run ‘N’ Coke won the Mike Pigott Memorial Classic with a single sailfish release, topping five other boats. The snotty conditions made it extremely tough to troll lures and ballyhoo without getting presentations mangled by sargassum. Other species such as wahoo, kingfish and dolphin were caught during the Memorial Classic, but were not eligible for points —the Classic is strictly a billfish tournament.
The party continued the following two days with the 52nd Annual Antigua and Barbuda Sport Fishing Tournament. A total of 21 boats and 121 anglers entered the tournament, with boats ranging in size from 25-foot center consoles to large sport fishers. (For a better idea of what normal participation usually looks like, 2017 saw 47 boats and 239 anglers.) Different divisions allowed teams to register and target game fish such as kingfish, wahoo, tuna and dolphin; to register and target billfish such as sailfish, blue marlin and white marlin; or to register and compete in multiple divisions. The chance at $100,000 for the island blue-marlin record made the billfish division popular, plus the winner of the billfish division becomes an automatic qualifier for the Offshore World Championship in Costa Rica on April 28-May 3, 2019.
The first day of fishing started with a traditional Bimini start from Nelson’s Dockyard at 6:00 a.m. By the end of the first day, teams Douglas and Appolon each had a marlin release to take the early lead. In order to take the lead on day two, a team needed to release at least two blue marlin or weigh a marlin over 450 pounds.
Day two brought more fish to the scales than day one, but no blue marlin were weighed. Teams Chok Dee II and Double Rum 'N' Coke both released blue marlin on day two of the tournament, but it wasn’t enough to overtake the day one leader.
Team Appolon were first-place runners-up in the marlin release division.
The Winners
In the end, anglers Olivier Nouy, Christian Bonnardel, Frédéric Bonnardel, Grégory Monroux, Nicolas Clamour and William Nouy of fishing team Douglas took home the marlin release win with their day-one catch. Team Douglas is now qualified for the 2019 Offshore World Championship. Team Appolon were first-place runners-up in the release marlin division. Team Salt Shaker A took home first place in the Team Sport Division with 253.20 points. Angler Freddie Hadeed won the first-place kingfish prize with his 30.7-pounder; Winston Brooker won the first-place dolphin with his 31.5-pounder; and Benjamin Petrelluzzi won the first-place wahoo with his 36.3-pounder.
The Sport Fishing tournament ended Sunday night with an electric feel. First, the DJ started the party with dance music. Then it was time for the awards ceremony, featuring trophies and artwork by marine artist Carey Chen. Chen also painted an original artwork for the tournament. During the awards presentation, the tournament recognized five different individuals entering the tournament’s hall of fame. Following the awards, a live band played 80s rock and reggae to a raucous crowd grooving to the music.
Chairman Phillip Shoul and tournament coordinator Robert Hall couldn’t control the fishing, but they provided another year of fun for the participants and community.
“We have a slang word here ‘sup’ (soup) that means to be so obsessed as to border on an addiction,” says Hall. “The anglers that participate in our tournament year after year are 'sup,' and that’s a good thing.”
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Benjamin Petrelluzzi won the first-place wahoo with his 36.3-pounder.
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Angler Freddie Hadeed won the first-place kingfish prize with his 30.7-pounder.
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Winston Brooker won the first-place dolphin prize with his 31.5-pounder.
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Team Salt Shaker A took home first place in the Team Sport Division with 253.20 points.
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Angler Shannon Mendes, aboard Barefoot, caught this 30.1-pound dolphin.
The Boats of Antigua and Barbuda
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Local charter boat Mystic Amara III was chartered for the tournament by anglers Glenn and Jane Irish.
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Local charter boat Overdraft hosted Youtuber Darcizzle for the first two days of the tournament.
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Mick Liney, of England, competed in his 21st Antigua and Barbuda Sport Fishing Tournament aboard the famed Double Rum 'N' Coke.
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Boats of all different sizes competed in the tournament.
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Right outside of English Harbour, the swells picked up and boats experienced bumpy conditions all three days of fishing.
Around the Docks
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At night, some anglers fished the lights for snook and tarpon.
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Back at the docks, boats stacked next to each other in front of historic Nelson's Dockyard.
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Crowds watched a final fish get weighed as the sun set. Behind, the Copper and Lumber Store Hotel.
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Crowds watched a final fish get weighed as the sun set. Behind, the Copper and Lumber Store Hotel.
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