Cheri Levert wasn’t too keen
about the idea of getting up before sunrise. She and husband, Scott Bryan, own
the restaurant, 10 Tables, in Cruz Bay, St. John and often work late into the
night. But, in honor of Valentine’s Day and her husband’s passion
for fishing, Levert bounded onto the dock at 6:15
a.m., boarded Capt. Grizz’s 29-foot Rampage, Gone Ketchin,
and began fishing in what turned out to be a lucky day in the annual Quick
Pic Couple’s Tournament, hosted February 12, by the
Virgin Islands Game Fishing Club (VIGFC).
“We
went to the North Drop and were one of the few boats that did,”
Levert explained. “We caught our first kingfish soon
after poles went in the water at 7:30 a.m., and caught a fish about every 15
minutes after that. After a while, we hit a dry spell. But, we did hook up a
sailfish that danced on top of the seas before it got away. In all, we caught 2
blackfin tuna, 2 kingfish, 2
cero mackerels that didn’t count, and a few tunas.”
Bryan
adds, “We did see whales, several whales in fact.”
Back at
the scales at Honeymoon Bay, on Water Island, it was the couple’s team of
Levert and Bryan that scored the most poundage (44.7
pounds) and earned top prize.
In total,
21 couples on 9 boats caught 21 fish for a total of 171 pounds.
In other
awards, Vicky and Mark Perry on King’s Ransom earned second place (33.2 pounds), Marni
Walters and Robert Richards aboard Mixed
Bag scored third (30.9 pounds), Mary and Dave Donagay
on a Sea & Ski Rental boat finished 4th (26.8 pounds), Monica
Lester and David Berry on Rampage
ended 5th (15.2 pounds), Sara Hail and Adam Quandt
fishing from Conquest landed 6th(7.6
pounds), Zona and Harold Tapp
on Conquest scored 7th
(6.5 pounds), while Elly and Fred Stafford, also on Conquest, rounded out at 8th
(6.2 pounds).
The
VIGFC-hosted Offshore Marine Dolphin Derby will take place in April. Please
call the club at 340-775-9144 for date and more information.
