HANALEI — The marlin are still swimming out there. That was the only category out of a fleet of 35 boats that was not filled during the first Blackwater International Fishing Tournament, Saturday. People crowded the Hanalei Pier throughout the
HANALEI — The marlin are still swimming out there.
That was the only category out of a fleet of 35 boats that was not filled during the first Blackwater International Fishing Tournament, Saturday.
People crowded the Hanalei Pier throughout the day, straining to get glimpses of the catches that were weighed using a small boom set up to hoist fish out of their boat’s fishboxes.
With the abscense of marlin, the next heaviest fish was a 171.2-pound ahi weighed in by the Ladye M III captained by Troy Martain.
That submission was challenged by a 167.4-pound catch by the crew of Makoa iki with captain Paul Bryan. Third place honors went to Pepy Conley and the crew aboard Pulu Kai that weighed in a 118.6-pounder, the big fish extracting gasps of awe from the surge of spectators that crowded the pier throughout the day.
Cheers and jokes broke through the throng when Chauncey Pa and the crew aboard Kanalukea weighed in the winning Aku late in the day.
That first place was followed by a 28-pounder weighed in by the crew aboard Paniolo Kai, captained by Keala Kauanui. Third place honors went to the crew aboard Rascal skippered by Eddie Soltren that weighed in an 18-pound catch.
Roger Decamp and the crew aboard the Hooker II topped the Mahimahi class with an 18.6-pounder followed by Stan Morinaka and the crew of Staci Dee tipping the scale at 13.0 pounds.
Roy Machado and the crew aboard Heavenly Rose topped the Ono division followed by Steven Fountain and the crew from the Joy Lin Malia. Third place honors went to a 30.8-pound catch from the KB, skippered by Kelly Boro.
Chad Pacheco, the tournament chair, said the tournament, the first of what is planned to become an annual event, marked the kickoff of the year-long 175th anniversary celebration of the establishment of the Wai‘oli Hui‘ia Church, the historic church in Hanalei town.
Members of the church, including Chad’s mother, Haunani, whose grandfather once served as pastor of the church, were on hand throughout the day with a food booth serving a variety of goodies including smoothies as well as offering commemorative polo shirts, caps and vests. Special fishing tournament shirts were also available as a fund-raiser benefitting the church, which is currently having work done on its historic stained glass.
There are a variety of other projects that need to be done to prepare the church for its 175th anniversary and interested people can visit the church’s Web site for more information.
For more information, visit the Wai‘oli Hui‘ia Church’s Web site at www.hanaleichurch.org.
