Three is certainly a lucky number for Sir Charles Williams, who with fellow anglers and crew aboard his 54ft Bertram, Never Enough, competed in the Barbados Game Fishing Association’s International Tournament, held April 19 – 23. The *Bim-based team, which had three generations of the Williams family aboard, enjoyed a successful triple-header with a hook-up of a trio of different fish species. This trinity of achievement during three days of fishing added up to first place for Never Enough or the Champion Boat prize.
“We chose a spot approximately 16 miles northeast of the island where there was an underwater ‘mount’ coming up from 4000 feet to 1200 feet in some spots,” tells Never Enough angler, John Inniss, of the team’s game plan. “There seemed to be activity in the area with birds working, and we were raising some billfish strikes.”
On the tournament’s first day, Never Enough anglers released a blue marlin. Then, on the second day, a white marlin. However, Inniss says they did miss a considerable number of strikes from small billfish. This prompted him and fellow angler Robin Dash to use the event’s lay day to go out and purchase smaller tackle.
“The last day, we downsized our tackle to 200lb leaders and small hooks rigged with ballyhoos. This move paid dividends and we released two blue marlin, two white marlin and landed a 108lb yellowfin tuna. The highlight of the day’s fishing was a triple hook up, consisting of a blue, a white and a yellowfin all at the same time. With some ‘musical’ rods going on (where line made a singing sound as it quickly spooled), we managed to release the billfish and land the yellowfin. Personally, we have never had that happen before, three different species all at one time!”
This successful triple-header, just shy of a grand slam, gave Never Enough the win.
Luke Maynard, Never Enough angler, released three of the blue marlin to take home the award for the Angler with the Greatest Number of Releases. Maynard, who has just graduated from being a junior angler, released his first fish on the first day, and the other two marlin on the last day. He definitely had the good fortune of being next to the hot rod.
“We credit our success at having a strategy and sticking to it. Good team work and attention to detail,” says Never Enough’s owner/angler, Williams. “I must say I’m especially proud of our win and equally so with son Teddy and grandson Charlie aboard. Charlie landed a 22lb mahi-mahi and loves the sport.”
In total, 29 boats hailing from Barbados, Grenada, Martinique, Trinidad and the USA released 15 blue marlin, four white marlin and ten sailfish. Landed were 109 mahi-mahi, 12 wahoo and nine yellowfin tuna.
In other awards, Barbados’ Craig Atwell on Gryphon released the first billfish of the tournament, a sailfish. The heaviest sailfish landed was a 60-pounder by Paul Marshall, from Barbados, on Voo Doo. The boat, Two Thou, from Martinique earned three prizes: Best Foreign Boat; Heaviest Wahoo, a 42.4-pounder by Boris Blanchard; and Heaviest Yellowfin Tuna, a 143.9-pounder reeled in by Christophe Chegneaud. Barbados’ Tricia Lynch, on Remember Me Now won a duo of awards: Champion Female Angler and Heaviest Mahi-Mahi, for her 26.8lb catch. Connor Peirce, on Challenge II, picked up the Heaviest Dolphin Caught by a Junior, also named the Luke Bjerkamn Memorial Cup, with his 27.6-pounder. The Champion Junior Angler was Josh Croney on Sweet Peace, while fellow junior angler, Daniel Gibbs on P-Dawg from Barbados, received a special mention for his 113.9lb yellowfin tuna.
*Bim – Affectionate name for Barbados. For history, visit: barbadospocketguide.com/our-island-barbados/about-barbados/bim-or-bimshire.html
