2007 Daily Standings
Primary Contact: Peter Fithian
Hawaiian International Billfish Tournament
Email: hibt@hawaii.rr.com
Secondary Contact: Laura Aquino
Current Events
Email: laura@current-events.com
HILTON GRAND VACATIONS FISHING CLUB OF JAPAN WINS HIBT
CHIP VANMOLS TOP SKIPPER
KONA, HAWAII—“Stop fishing, stop fishing, stop fishing,” rang out this afternoon and with those words the 48th running of the Hawaiian International Billfish Tournament came to a close.
“Mahalo to the entire Kona community for extending such warmth and aloha to the international fishing community this week,” said HIBT founder Peter Fithian. “The water was a bit cockeyed because we rarely see sail fish here in Kona, but it was certainly another great tournament.”
The final day of this five-day tournament was filled with fish strikes as captains, crews and highly competitive teams scrambled to catch valuable tournament points. Early morning got off to a slow start, but as the morning heated up, so did the fish.
Three Sail fish, a rare catch in Kona waters, were among today’s tag and release bounty. In all, the tournament’s five-day total catch included 36 billfish – 35 of which were tagged and released – and two Ahi. The largest fish of the tournament, a 689-pound Pacific blue marlin, was boated by angler Haruo Kaneko of the winning Hilton Grand Vacation Fishing Club of Japan team.
Kaneko grabbed another two strikes today fishing aboard Lady Dee with Captain Allan Ayano. He brought in the largest Ahi, giving him bragging rights with the largest fish in both billfish and tuna tournament categories.
“We had a good boat every day and our team is so appreciative of the captains and their crew. All were very knowledgeable and very friendly. They know how to catch fish!” Kaneko noted by speaking through his English-speaking teammate Koichi Tadokoro. “I am coming back to Kona to fish in next year’s HIBT – I promise.”
Kaneko caught all three fish, winning the prestigious tournament for his team. With his 139- pound Ahi caught today, Hilton Grand Vacations Fishing Club of Japan also won the Hawaii County Mayor’s Trophy for the highest number of tuna points scored in the tournament.
Top Captain
Chip VanMols, captain of the 38-foot Monkey Biz II, hooked the Hawaiian International Billfish Tournament’s coveted Henry Chee Award. The perpetual Henry Chee Award was established in 1965 to honor the charter boat captain upon whose vessel the most number of billfish points have been scored at HIBT. The award’s namesake, a pioneer marlin fisherman who set an unprecedented number of gamefish catch records, helped establish the Kona coast as a world-famous fishing destination. This is VanMols first Henry Chee Award.
VanMols has been fishing in Kona for more than 20 years and during that time has participated in several HIBT. This year, VanMols’ 17-year-old daughter Jada crewed for the first time with her dad. “Jada was my ace lure clearer and fish tagger. She worked alongside my full-time crewmember Matt Bell and the two of them were great. It was so special for me to fish an HIBT with my daughter.” said VanMols. “I had other great captains chasing my points all day today. The award was only a fish away from any one of us. But, I’m happy, this year, it’s me!”
TEAM STANDINGS
Place Team Points
1 Hilton Grand Vacations Fishing Club-Japan 1239
2 Team Lantana 1000
3 Pajaro Valley Game Fish Club #1 900
CAPTAIN STANDINGS
Place Captain Boat Points
1 Chip VanMols Monkey Biz II 1589
2 Peter Hooges Pamela 1250
3 Chuck Wigzell Hooked Up 1150
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Primary Contact: Peter Fithian
Hawaiian International Billfish Tournament
Email: hibt@hawaii.rr.com
Secondary Contact: Laura Aquino
Current Events
Email: laura@current-events.com
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE – THURSDAY, AUGUST 9
BATTLE FOR HIBT POINTS INTENSIFIES WITH JUST ONE MORE DAY OF TOURNAMENT FISHING
DAY FOUR SEES PLENTY OF ACTION – FIRST MARLIN BITES WITHIN MINUTES OF START
Kona, Hawaii – Twenty-three minutes into day four of the venerable Hawaiian International Billfish Tournament and Team Lantana, fishing aboard Monkey Biz II, called in their hook up to headquarters. Fifteen minutes later, veteran angler and team captain Lynn Moorhouse tagged the day’s first Pacific blue marlin with an estimated weight of 175 pounds. And the buzz continued. With the tide on the upswing, the early morning was weighted with hungry marlin.
Another four Pacific blue marlin were tagged over the next hour including two for team Waianae Boat Fishing Club-DH Squared fishing aboard Marlin Magic. Dan Holt was in the fighting chair at 8:35 and tagged an estimated 140- pound Pacific blue marlin in just over seven minutes. Then an hour later, he tagged his second Pacific blue marlin, estimated at 160 pounds. Both fish hooked the team valuable points.
Just before day’s end, Corky Reece, WPAC Anglers team captain, boated a 136-pound Ahi. It was the first Ahi of this year’s tournament and is given HIBT points in a separate division.
By the close of day four, HIBT anglers tagged and released 11 Pacific blue marlin, a Short nose spearfish, and boated and Ahi. Today’s catch nearly equaled the total number of fish caught through day three of this prestigious five-day tournament.
“Today, the scoreboard was certainly active. Fish were biting, giving our anglers action and even better, team points,” noted HIBT founder Peter Fithian.
For important fish conservation practices, HIBT awards points for tag and release catches, with no HIBT points given to any boated marlin under 300 pounds.
The five-day Hawaiian International Billfish Tournament continues through Friday, August 10, 2007. HIBT is underwritten by the County of Hawaii, Hawaii Tourism Authority and sponsored in part by Hawaiian Airlines, Oceanic Time Warner, KWXX Radio and numerous corporate and community donors.
Next year’s 49th Annual Hawaiian International Billfish Tournament is scheduled for July 28–August 1, 2008. Anglers and teams are invited to apply early as a full tournament is anticipated. Log onto http://www.hibtfishing.com/ for details.
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DAILY CATCH (Thursday) 10 Pacific blue marlin tagged & release 1 Short nose spearfish marlin tagged & release 1 Ahi
FOUR-DAY CUMULATIVE CATCH RECORD
21 Pacific blue marlin tagged & released 1 Pacific blue marlin boated 4 Short nose spearfish tagged & released 1 Ahi boated
TEAM STANDINGS
Place Team Points 1 Hilton Grand Vacations Fishing Club-Japan 1139 2 Pajaro Valley Game Fishing Club #1 900 3 Team Lantana 900 4 Waianae Boat Fishing Club - DH Squared 900
*note, in the event of point ties, place standings are determined by the time the fish is boated
CAPTAIN STANDINGS
Place Captain Boat Points 1 Chip VanMols Monkey Biz II 1489 2 Chuck Wigzell Hooked Up 1150 3 Peter Hoogs Pamela 850 4 Kerwin Masunaga Rod Bender 600
*note, in the event of point ties, place standings are determined by the time the fish is boated
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Primary Contact: Peter Fithian
Hawaiian International Billfish Tournament
Email: hibt@hawaii.rr.com
Secondary Contact: Laura Aquino
Current Events
Email: laura@current-events.com
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
PAJARO VALLEY HOLDS SLIM LEAD IN DAY THREE OF HAWAIIAN INTERNATIONAL BILLFISH TOURNAMENT
Kona, Hawaii – Day three of the prestigious Hawaiian International Billfish Tournament challenged Kona’s charter skippers as they worked the famed fishing grounds. Early in the day, Pajaro Valley Gamefish Club #1 fishing with veteran captain Peter Hoogs aboard Pamela put valuable points on the tournament scoreboard with two Pacific blue marlins. Experienced angler and team captain Rocky Franich tagged and released both fish with estimated weights of 150 and 200 pounds.
After the noon round-up, one of three daily team call-ins, anglers saw more action. Three teams immediately radioed in their hook-up, capturing the attention of Phil “Longnose” Parker, the veteran voice of the HIBT. Just one of these hook-ups was caught – a Short nose spearfish. The tag and release was estimated at 35 pounds and angler Kevin Reece of the Malindi Sea Fishing Club of Kenya put his team’s first points on the scoreboard.
Two more hook-ups were announced over airways before the close of day three. Angler Dan Holt of Waianae Boat Fishing Club–DH Squared tagged a Pacific blue marlin estimated at 140 pounds on 50-pound test line – an excellent debut for this local team. The day’s final catch went to Steve Bolick of Old South Marlin Club #2 who tagged another Pacific Blue Marlin estimated at 150 pounds on 50-pound test line.
At exactly 4 o’clock in the afternoon Phil “Longnose” Parker brought day three of championship big game fishing to a close at the Hawaiian International Billfish Tournament in Kona with his legendary “Billfishers, billfishers, billfishers, stop fishing,” broadcast with his signature booming voice over tournament airways.
According to HIBT founder Peter Fithian, “This year HIBT welcomed 95 anglers on teams from around the world in places as far away as Kenya, Japan and Papua New Guinea. The famous fishing waters of Kona continue to tempt our tournament anglers and although it was a quiet day, tomorrow is filled with the certainty of another day of great Kona fishing.”
The five-day Hawaiian International Billfish Tournament continues through Friday, August 10, 2007. HIBT is underwritten by the County of Hawaii, Hawaii Tourism Authority and sponsored in part by Hawaiian Airlines, Oceanic Time Warner, KWXX Radio and numerous corporate and community donors.
Next year’s 49th Annual Hawaiian International Billfish Tournament is scheduled for July 28–August 1, 2008. Anglers and teams are invited to apply early as a full tournament is anticipated. Log onto http://www.hibtfishing.com/ for details.
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4 Pacific blue marlin tagged & release
1 Short nose spearfish marlin tagged & release
TEAM STANDINGS
Place Team Points
1 Pajaro Valley Game Fish Club #1 900
2 Hilton Grand Vacations Fishing Club-Japan 889
3 Team Lantana 600
4 Protea South Africa 300
*note, in the event of point ties, place standings are determined by the time the fish is boated
CAPTAIN STANDINGS
Place Captain Boat Points
1 Chip VanMols Monkey Biz II 1189
2 Chuck Wigzell Hooked Up 1150
3 Kerwin Masunaga Rod Bender 600
4 Peter Hoogs Pamela 600
*note, in the event of point ties, place standings are determined by the time the fish is boated
###
Primary Contact: Peter Fithian
Hawaiian International Billfish Tournament
Email: hibt@hawaii.rr.com
Secondary Contact: Laura Aquino
Current Events
Email: laura@current-events.com
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
HAWAIIAN INTERNATIONAL BILLFISH TOURNMENT DAY TWO HOOKS BIG FISH
689-POUND PACIFIC BLUE MARLIN BOATED – THIRD LARGEST IN TOURNAMENT HISTORY ON 80-POUND TEST LINE
Kailua-Kona, Hawaii – At 8:20 Tuesday morning on day two of the Hawaiian International Billfish Tournament (HIBT), the reel went off and the fish jumped a few times. Then, she went quiet and the grueling work began. Monkey Biz II Captain Chip VanMols and crewmembers, Matt Bell and daughter Jada VanMols, prepared for the big fish fight they knew was coming. Tokyo angler Haruo Kaneko of Hilton Grand Vacations Fishing Club fought gallantly for three and one half hours before boating the 689-pound Pacific blue marlin and placing his team solidly in first place.
“This fish took a long time to catch. In Japan we have marlin too, but here in Kona, they have big marlin,” remarked Kaneko.
This Pacific blue marlin ranks as the third largest caught on 80-pound test line in the tournament’s 47 years. The two larger fish were caught in 1976 when Hawaii Big Game Fishing Club boated a 745-pound Pacific blue marlin, and in 1973, Haura Club Tahiti reeled in a whopping 916 pounder.
Day two tournament action saw a total of five fish caught and three fish lost. Of the five fish caught, four were tagged and subsequently released back to the sea.
Florida’s Team Lantana caught two Pacific blue marlin aboard the Hooked Up captained by Chuck Wigzell. Angler Mark Prendergast tagged a Pacific blue marlin estimated at 120 pounds on 50-pound test line and five minutes later fellow team mate Tim Hart tagged another 150-pound Pacific blue marlin on 50 lb test line. The double catch netted Team Lantana a second place standing after day two of the five-day tournament.
Day two of HIBT also saw the Kona Game Fishing Club tag a Pacific blue marlin with an estimated weight of 110 pounds on 50-pound test line, and Alli Brother’s angler Ed Forbes tag his Pacific blue marlin estimated at 250 pounds also on 50-pound test line.
Protea South Africa holds its third place standing with Monday’s results.
“Point strategy is beginning and all the teams understand its importance. The teams are working the expertise of our fine Kona captains and their crews, maximizing the opportunity to put points on the scoreboard,” noted HIBT founder Peter Fithian. “Boating a large fish like today keeps the HIBT scoreboard in motion.”
The five-day Hawaiian International Billfish Tournament continues through Friday, August 10, 2007. HIBT is underwritten by the County of Hawaii, Hawaii Tourism Authority and sponsored in part by Hawaiian Airlines, Oceanic Time Warner, KWXX Radio and numerous corporate and community donors.
Next year’s 49th Annual Hawaiian International Billfish Tournament is scheduled for July 28–August 1, 2008. Anglers and teams are invited to apply early as a full tournament is anticipated. Log onto http://www.hibtfishing.com/ for details.
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DAY TWO –TUESDAY
DAILY CATCH (Tuesday)
1 Pacific blue marlin boated
4 Pacific blue marlin tagged & released
TEAM STANDINGS
Place Team Points
1 Hilton Grand Vacations Fishing Club-Japan 889
2 Team Lantana 300
3 Protea South Africa 300
4 Pajaro Valley Game Fish Club #1 300
*note, in the event of point ties, place standings are determined by the time the fish is boated
CAPTAIN STANDINGS
Place Captain Boat Points
1 Chip VanMols Monkey Biz II 1189
2 Chuck Wigzell Hooked Up 850
3 Kerwin Masunaga Rod Bender 300
4 Jeff Fay Humdinger 300
*note, in the event of point ties, place standings are determined by the time the fish is boated
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Primary Contact: Peter Fithian
Hawaiian International Billfish Tournament
Email: hibt@hawaii.rr.com
Secondary Contact: Laura Aquino
Current Events
Email: laura@current-events.com
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
START FISHING, START FISHING, START FISHING
HAWAIIAN INTERNATIONAL BILLFISH TOURNAMENT READS LIKE A WHO’S WHO !
Kailua-Kona, Hawaii – The 48th annual Hawaiian International Billfish Tournament (HIBT) starting line is weighted with heavy hitters – a roster of experienced anglers and boat captains all vying to win fishing’s most prestigious tournament.
Chee is a surname that commands attention in the world of sport fishing. Back in the 1930s, Henry Chee and Charles Finlayson started a marlin revolution off the Kona Coast by initiating fishing charters. Today, sons Henry “Butch” Chee, Jr. and Joe Chee made their debut as HIBT anglers. Butch Chee (Kona Iki Trollers) called in the day’s first strike, but it was just a teaser and no points were scored. This team, with their knowledge of Kona waters, will be ones to watch.
Returning champion Malibu Marlin Club is back to defend their 2006 victory. Also back is veteran Malindi Sea Fishing Club of Kenya, the three-generation family fishing sensation. This year marks 35 HIBT appearances for granddad, 15 for dad and the first for son and nephew. Never underestimate this family, they won in 2002 and took second in 2005.
Of course, no HIBT would be complete without the spirited teams from North Carolina. Three Old South Marlin Club teams are competing this year.
Luremakers Joe Yee and Rocky Franich of Pajaro Valley Gamefish Club will certainly give Kona’s billfish something to bite on.
HIBT’s competitive fleet of boats and captains are ready to win. Of note are several HIBT veterans including Marlin Parker, son of legendary Kona charter captain and recent Kona International Game Fishing Association’s Hall of Fame inductee, George Parker, Kona’s Unger father/son duo, long-time Kona captain Peter Hoogs, Jeff Fay, last year’s Henry Chee winner and the always tough-to-beat captain Dennis Cintas.
By the end of day one, three Pacific blue marlin and two Short nose spearfish were tagged and released. Team Protea South Africa, fishing aboard Rod Bender tagged a Pacific blue marlin, Whangaroa Game Fishing Club of New Zealand tagged a Pacific blue marlin aboard Hooked Up, and Pajaro Valley Gamefish Club #1 rounded out Monday’s Pacific blue marlin tag and release catch. Australia’s Perth Game Fishing Club fishing aboard Kona Seafari and Hawaii’s own Hilo Yacht Club each tagged a Short nose spearfish.
“We had a bit of a cold current out there today which could account for the relativity quiet day,” stated HIBT founder Peter Fithian. “But after 47 tournaments, what I can say is this - the famous waters off the Kona Coast offer up an unmatched fishing experience. Tomorrow will be another great day for fishing.”
The five-day Hawaiian International Billfish Tournament continues through Friday, August 10, 2007. HIBT is underwritten by the County of Hawaii, Hawaii Tourism Authority and sponsored in part by Hawaiian Airlines, Oceanic Time Warner, KWXX Radio and numerous corporate and community donors.
Next year’s 49th Annual Hawaiian International Billfish Tournament is scheduled for July 28–August 1, 2008. Anglers and teams are invited to apply early as a full tournament is anticipated. Log onto http://www.hibtfishing.com/ for details.
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2007 H.I.B.T.
(Teams as of August 2, 2007)
Team
Number Team Name State/Country
1 Malibu Marlin Club Hawaii/California
2 Laguna Niguel Billfish Club California
3 Pajaro Valley Gamefish Club #1 California
4 Olympian Dream Fishing Club Japan
5 Hilo Yacht Club Hawaii
6 Team Lantana Florida
7 Pajaro Valley Gamefish Club #2 California
8 Port Moresby Game Fishing Club Papua New Guinea
9 Sanriku Granders Japan
10 South African Deep Sea
Angling Association South Africa
11 Whangaroa Game Fish Club New Zealand
12 Malindi Sea Fishing Club
of Kenya Kenya/California
13 Kona Iki Trollers Hawaii
14 WPAC Anglers USA California
15 Old South Marlin Club #2 North Carolina
16 Alii Brothers Marlin Hui Hawaii/California
17 Old South Marlin Club #3 North Carolina
18 Kona Game Fishing Club-Miyake Hawaii/Japan
19 Hilton .Grand Vacations
Fishing Club–Japan Japan
20 Time Warner All Stars Hawaii
21 Perth Game Fishing Club Australia
22 Blue Water Anglers
(withdrew) Bermuda
23 Waianae B
24 Waianae Boat Fishing Club
- DH Squared Hawaii
