NAWILIWILI — Kaikea, Kamalu and Kamakana Potts were among the 21 announced winners from a field of more than 80 anglers who competed in the Nawiliwili Yacht Club’s 10th annual Keiki Fishing Contest, Sunday, at Nawiliwili Small Boat Harbor.
“We have nice weather, the fish are biting, the children are happy, and we have lots of volunteers,” said Bill Georgi, the event chair. “You can’t ask for anything better.”
The event made for a perfect Father’s Day outing as scores of fathers — including three generations of Potts fishermen — accompanied their children to the piers and shoreline of the harbor.
Kaikea Potts earned the Most Colorful Fish award, Kamalu Potts snagged the Second Most Colorful Fish award, and Kamakana Potts won the Mellow Perch award.
Perch and papio were the two common catches as the colorful fish kept crossing the weighmasters’ tapes, starting early when Calvin Corpuz, calling himself “Jr. Corpuz,” had the distinction of the First Fish Caught with a perch.
Blake Pacol was in the midst of the fish traffic that started early and did not subside until the final horn. He earned the Most Fish Caught award, his cache of submissions totaling seven fish with time still remaining. Pacol had a number of papio, sized right for pan frying for dinner.
That generated excitement among the anglers and their respective camps as Pacol was in the midst of shoulder-to-shoulder anglers along the boat launch ramp wharf, but it appeared that he was the only one catching, despite schools of nenu‘e peppering the water and attracting the larger predatory papio.
“It must be the aku belly,” said Edd Schepker, the measure-master along with Sheri Knapp.
Despite the buzz of many papio and perch, the excitement peaked late in the contest when Joshua Matsuyama came in with a barracuda that measured 26 inches, length plus girth, to earn not only the Biggest Fish award, but gasps from spectators fascinated by the toothy catch.
“A lot of the catches qualify for more than one category, but that’s why we have the Judges Committee,” Knapp said.
Matsuyama’s kaku could have qualified for Longest Fish, but that went to Cade Myers who walked among the audience, his fish laid out in his hands.
Bryan Yadao-Alisna earned the Next Biggest Fish award for his early papio entry, and Trestyn Valmosa won the Next Longest Fish award.
Jaden Kaneakua had the Fattest Fish, Claire O’Neill had the Next Fattest Fish, Conner Tavares had the Cutest Fish and Natalie Nishioka had the Ugliest Fish.
Ceanne Baliaris had the Most Unusual Fish and Tiani Wada had the Most Patient Fish. Kaliya Cummings had the Most Frisky Fish and Gavin Aceret had the fish with the Most Colorful Tail.
Austin Frisbe earned the Most Silver Fish award, Brendan Melendez had the Longest Eel and Keahi Alayvilla had the Prettiest Perch.
“This is absolutely great,” said Sharon Gibson, who regularly tallies finishes and handicaps for the NYC boats.
“We are absolutely thrilled with how many families turned out for this event. We are also so appreciative of all our sponsors and volunteers who come through with prizes so almost everyone can go home with something.”
A&B Properties, Matson Navigation, Lihu‘e Fishing Supply, First Hawaiian Bank, Koloa and Kapa‘a branches, the Hawai‘i Fishing News, Maka Imports, Holo Holo Charters, the Kaua‘i Lagoons Golf Club, Kentucky Fried Chicken, Burger King, Pizza Hut, Taco Bell, Sea Peterson and Sassy’s Shave Ice are this year’s benefactors.
The Nawiliwili Yacht Club invites the public to view its final race of the Junior Series this Thursday from the jetty wall at the Nawiliwili Harbor. There is no charge to view the competition that flies the first flags at 5 p.m.
Visit www.nawiliwiliyachtclub.org for more information.
