Good fortune struck early for Capt. Chris Berg and the crew aboard the Hukilau. A single fish caught at the 2007 Kikiaola Westside Boat Club Derby brought the crew back to the Kikiaola Small Boat Harbor mid-morning. Their 420-pound marlin
Good fortune struck early for Capt. Chris Berg and the crew aboard the Hukilau.
A single fish caught at the 2007 Kikiaola Westside Boat Club Derby brought the crew back to the Kikiaola Small Boat Harbor mid-morning.
Their 420-pound marlin topped that division and went on to earn the crew two other awards — Biggest Fish and fourth place in Total Weight.
According to Maxine Akita of the KWBC, Berg was not alone in earning multiple awards as there were “loads of fish, fun and friendly competition” at the annual fishing derby.
Although not part of the tournament, Vincent Olores’ Island Girl came back with a 57-pound barracuda to add to the excitement.
Two other skippers, John Ipac aboard the Malukai, and Peyton Siliado aboard the Kui Len, also reeled in three awards when the weighing was finalized.
Ipac topped the Total Weight division with 671 pounds of fish. The Malukai crew also snagged second place in the Marlin division on a fish that tipped the scales at 281.5 pounds, and rounded out their winnings with a third-place ribbon in the Ahi class with 281.5 pounds.
Siliado’s crew swept the top three berths of the Aku class with fish weighing in at 16, 15 and 14.6 pounds each.
Tony Lazaro, skippering the Kalena, and John Afos, captain of Pi‘ilani, tied for top honors in the Most Pieces division, each boat’s crew submitting 32 eligible fish.
Alan Bajo aboard Chunky, followed with 31 fish, and Jaime Wallace aboard the Night Prowler rounded out that class leaderboard with 30 fish. Wallace, en route to his Most Pieces award, also captured fourth place in the Aku class with a 10.6-pound fish.
Bajo also filled in the third berth for the Total Weight class with 494.8 pounds.
Meanwhile, the crew aboard Night Prowler captured the Smallest Fish prize for a 1.9-pound aku.
Jerrie Louis aboard Ku‘uipo Kai topped the Mahimahi division with a 16-pounder followed by Tiani Kajiwara coming in with a 15-pounder aboard Wahine Kepaloa II. Kajiwara filled in the third berth with a 13.5-pound mahi, and Nathan Kupihea aboard Anoilani rounded out that class with a 12-pounder.
Clyde Ajimura aboard Miss McKenzie, topped the Ono division with a 37-pound submission.
Chiyoko Maru, captained by Robert Higashi filled in the next two slots with fish weighing in at 34.5 and 23.5 pounds for second and third place, respectively.
Willie Abara of the Koloa Kai rounded out the leaderboard with a 21.5-pounder.
Bernie Agor from Max Out filled in third place in the Marlin category below Berg and Ipac. Fourth place in that division was split between three other winners.
Dave Parker aboard Seacat One topped the Ahi class with 159 pounds followed by the Honu Kai, skippered by Glenn Mossman, taking second and fourth places with submissions of 155.5 and 136 pounds, respectively.
According to Akita, the derby generated a total of 252 fish being caught for a total weight of 4,893.9 pounds. More than $16,000 in prizes and donations from community sponsors were distributed at the awards banquet following the tournament.
A total of 176 fishermen on 49 boats left both the Kikiaola and Port Allen small boat harbors for the tournament.
Akita said the KWBC Derby is held annually around the third week of July and is open to all boaters on Kaua‘i.
Entry fee is $100 plus membership dues ($25 for new members, $12.50 for existing members).
Application forms for the 13th Annual Derby should be available in May 2008.
