Out of a field of 15 boats and nearly 100 anglers in the 27th Annual Treasure Cay Billfish Tournament (TCBT), June 13-18 at Treasure Cay Hotel Resort & Marina, Abaco Bahamas, one woman leapt to the top on the first day and held the lead until the end. Lisa Flack, on Kilowett, Lighthouse Point, FL released a blue and a white marlin on the first of four days of fishing. The same day, Bet-A-Buc, St. Augustine, FL boated a 582 lb. blue marlin and Sea Baby, Merritt Island, FL released a blue marlin.
Kilowett and Sea Baby ran neck-to-neck on Tuesday, when both were the only boats to release one blue marlin each. Sea Baby took second place with their two blue marlin releases, with angler Jason Solano taking Second Place Angler and John Swanson, both from Merritt Island, FL taking third. With unseasonably slow fishing conditions and flat calm seas for all four days of fishing, the only other boat releasing a total of two blue marlin was last year’s winner, Team Galati, Anna Maria, FL, for Third Place Team and Third Place Release Team and Angler. Fourteen-year-old Chris Galati, Jr. got in the action on Friday with a blue marlin release to clinch the Top Junior Angler award.
Energized by the victory, Lisa Flack commented, “Team Galati had me worried on the last day when they got into the fish. My heart pounded every time the radio would go off, to the point where I just couldn’t listen to it any more. We were only one white marlin ahead.”
When ‘lines out’ was called on the final day, Flack said she couldn’t believe they finally won their favorite tournament, after competing for so many years. Flack exclaimed, “To beat these world-class boats at our favorite place to go (Treasure Cay) is just unreal!” There were more trophies than dinner plates on their awards banquet table, for First Place Team, Top Angler, Top Release Team, Top Release Angler, Top Captain, Top Mate and Top Lady Angler.
In the Fun Fish division, So Fine, St. Augustine, FL took First Place Dolphin with a 23.4 lb. fish. Midnight Blue, Miami, FL won Top Wahoo with a fish weighing 33.5 lbs.
TCBT Fights back to save the Abaco Reefs with Ravage the Savage Lay Day Lionfish Tournament
The conservation-minded “Ravage the Savage” Lionfish Tournament was introduced as a new TCBT lay day activity on Wednesday, June 16. The purpose was to reduce numbers of the over-populated species, known for their ability to devastate reefs. The tournament kicked off with a fascinating presentation about lionfish behaviors by Ranaldo Smith of Dolphin Encounters, Paradise Island (Nassau) Bahamas.
A total of 74 lionfish were caught by a field of 20 competitors. Doug Covin of Rum Bum, Miami, FL roared into first place with 42 lionfish, winning $250 cash and a $150 certificate from LMR Tackle. In second was Jesse Secord of Pandemonium, Abaco, Bahamas, with 13 fish, for $150 and a $100 certificate from Divers Direct. Adam Sampson, Miami, FL took third with three fish, winning $100 and a $100 LMR Tackle certificate. Glen Hopta of the Rum Bum finished fourth, for a Guy Harvey print from The Billfish Foundation and tournament goodies. Tied for fifth place with two fish each were Bly Hofstetter (age 10), Craig Borowski, Jeremy Jones and Zac Pulitzer. The participation of Pulitzer heirs Mac and Zac Pulitzer was filmed as part of a documentary.
Ravage the Savage was sponsored by the Bahamas Ministry of Tourism. The lionfish were cooked and served by the chefs of the Spinnaker Restaurant.
A highlight of TCBT’s social events was a fabulous dock party, with 24 feet of food specialties cooked by the anglers on the lay day. The day off culminated with an entertaining junkanoo, performed by the children of the Treasure Cay Primary School, a beneficiary of the TCBT.
An event sanctioned bythe World Billfish Series and a qualifier for the IGFA Offshore World Championship, the TCBT modified release tournament offered four days of fishing, parties, dinners and fun competitions. Anglers were generous with their donations to the Treasure Cay Primary School.
Sponsors included Chevron Bahamas Limited, Continental Connection/Gulfstream International Airlines (official airline of the tournament), LMR Tackle, Gilbey’s, Kalik and Treasure Cay Hotel Resort & Marina.
Treasure Cay Hotel Resort & Marina offers 78 harborside hotel rooms, including one, two or three bedroom suites, a 150-slip marina, 3 1/2 mile powdery white sand beach, 18-hole golf course, four tennis courts, swimming pool, Spinnaker Restaurant, Tipsy Seagull Bar,Coco Beach Bar, reception center and a beach gazebo available for sea-side weddings and other functions. The Treasure Houses on the beach, formerly only for long-term rentals, are offered for stays as short as three days.
For information and reservations, contact US representative, Treasure Cay Services Inc., 2301 S. Federal Hwy., Ft. Lauderdale, FL, 33316-3949, phone 1-800-327-1584 or 954-525-7711, email: [email protected]: Sabine Kirchner
