669 Pound Blue Marlin Breaks Record at Spice Island Billfish Tourney
Barbados boat “Legacy” broke the long-standing marlin record in the 37th Spice Island Billfish Tournament (SIBT), held January 24-27 out of the Grenada Yacht Club. Angler Adrien Johnson spent well over an hour fighting the fish to the boat and the team spent almost as long again trying to get it inside the boat! This fish not only broke the record and won the EC$30,000 (US$11,000) prize, but also helped the team win the both first place boat and first place angler prizes. SIBT chairman, Richard McIntyre, commented at the prize giving that it was fitting that a Barbados boat beat the record as a Barbadian angler - the late Robert Ward, also caught the previous record blue marlin of 556 pounds.
Nineteen boats carrying 89 anglers from Barbados, Trinidad, Martinique and Grenada braved 25-knot winds and 10-foot plus seas to reach the Grenada Yacht Club, long time home of the competition. The dangerous seas turned back many more boats that had wished to enter.
After the traditional Bimini start, the first days fishing went forward in spite of conditions so bad that the tournament committee had considered canceling it. “Fishing was difficult if not down right scary in the large seas but still four billfish were released – three sailfish and a white marlin. Good sized dorado also featured heavily in most boats catches that day,” says committee member, Gary Clifford.
The second day’s competition saw slightly reduced seas and lighter winds, which improved the fishing. Trinidad boat “Talking Blues” fought a large marlin for several hours before finally losing it. Grenadian boat “Yes Aye” released two sails for her British anglers and was ahead of the pack until the Barbados boat “Legacy” radioed in that they had caught the marlin that later broke the record. Local small boat “Heatwave” had junior anglers onboard and sensibly stayed close to shore in the heavy seas – they were rewarded with no less than six wahoo.
The lay day was celebrated by a cook off competition on the beach at the Grenada Yacht Club. “The Barbadian seafood medley and fish chowder were voted tops although the Trinidad stewed pork was also excellent. The local oil down and pig souse was also popular. The bar was kept busy and everyone had a good time,” says Clifford.
The last days fishing saw a return to more typical January fishing conditions of three to five foot seas and bright sunshine. “Not only were conditions better, but the marlin bite was hot,” says Clifford. “Legacy” hooked up another big marlin (ultimately 407 pounds at the scales) early on and boated it. Local boats “Crazy Horse” and “Risky Business” were among several that hooked and either released and/or lost blue marlin. Martinique boat “Contendress” fought a marlin for two hours before boating it – it later weighed 373 pounds – not a massive fish but it scraped them into second place overtaking “Yes Aye” who released another sailfish. “Storm Hunter” from Barbados weighed in the only yellowfin tuna of the event at 162 pounds.
At the end of the competition, says Clifford, “a total of 7 blue marlin, 15 sailfish, 1 white marlin, 28 dorado and 1 yellowfin tuna had been caught. Hopefully the excellent marlin fishing will encourage more boats to make the trip for next year’s tournament.”
RESULTS
TOP BOATS
1. Legacy, Barbados
2. Contendress, Martinique
3. Yes Aye, Grenada
TOP ANGLERS
1. Adrien Johnson, Legacy
2. Eddy Baray, Contendress
3. Duane Skinner, Legacy
TOP RELEASE ANGLER
1. Badger Dearman, Yes Aye, 3 sailfish
TOP RELEASE BOAT
1. Yes Aye, Grenada, 4 releases
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