Hawaiian International Billfish Tournament set for July 25-29, 2011
The highly anticipated 52nd Annual Hawaiian International Billfish Tournament (HIBT) gets underway July 25-29, 2011 in Kona, Hawaii. Built on prestige, trophies and strict International Game Fish Association (IGFA) rules for world records, anglers and teams from around the world will once again gather to fish the world-famous waters off the Kona Coast.
Excitement is building as more than twenty teams have already registered for this year’s tournament. The 2011 HIBT team roster is filling as five teams from California, four teams returning from New Zealand and Australia, three teams from Japan and teams from Florida, Hawaii, North Carolina and for the first time in recent HIBT fishing, team Xtreme Anglers from Singapore make their appearance at the 52nd HIBT.
As in previous tournaments, HIBT event headquarters, retail and tournament control will be at King Kamehameha’s Kona Beach. The public is invited to come to the Kailua pier and watch the boats line up across Historic Kailua Bay as fishing starts each day sharply at 7 a.m. At 4pm, boats return to Kailua pier with their team and catch.
The 2010 HIBT Governor’s Trophy and first place went to Kona Game Fishing Club-Kusatsu. The tournament showcased 110 anglers fishing aboard Kona’s finest sportfishing fleet. Fifty-four billfish including thirty-eight Pacific blue marlin were released among the teams, with eight Pacific blue marlin brought to the scales. But the story of the 2010 tournament went to HIBT team #8 Out Of The Blue from Waianae, Oahu. Fishing the last day of this five-day tournament, aboard the Miss Mojo, captained by Tio Kearney, angler Ted Morikawa boated a whopping 779-pound Pacific blue marlin, earning his team second place in this year’s HIBT. As the largest fish of the day and the tournament, Out Of The Blue finished with 1479 points on the scoreboard.
About Hawaiian International Billfish Tournament
The Hawaiian International Billfish Tournament is underwritten by the generosity of the County of Hawaii and sponsored in part by Oceanic Time Warner Cable, KWXX Radio and numerous corporate and community donors.
For more information on the Hawaiian International Billfish Tournament, including team listings, IGFA world-record rules and a daily video recap of tournament standings, log onto www.hibtfishing.com.
Greenlaw to Tell Stories in Bethel
Noted captain and author Linda Greenlaw will hold a storytelling session from 4 to 5:30 p.m. on Friday, Feb. 18, at Gould Academy’s McLaughlin Trustees Auditorium. Details here
Greenlaw will be featured at the next Down Home Maine program put on by the Western Mountains Senior College. She’ll will hold a storytelling session from 4 to 5:30 p.m. on Friday, Feb. 18
Exempt Alabama Anglers Still on the Hook
Fishermen who are not required to buy an annual Alabama saltwater license are being asked to voluntarily submit information to the new National Saltwater Angler Registry.
NOAA recently announced that the fee for registering for what amounts to a federal saltwater fishing license is $15. Alabama and Mississippi anglers are exempt from buying the federal license as long as each state can show it is complying with efforts to register everyone who fishes in saltwater off their coasts. Read more. . .
Now THAT’S What We Call A Trout!
National Geographic once referred to the taimen as the Mongolian Terror Trout. No wonder why, we suppose.
Angler Maxim Sazonov, of Moscowskaya, Russia caught and released this potential 130-pound line class record taimen while fishing the Shevly River, Russia, with guide Skorkhodov Maxim. Sazonoz was using a Blue Fox Salmon Bait, and needed 28 minutes to land this 77-pound 2-ounce beast. The current IGFA record is 24 pounds 4 ounces.
Mongolian legend tells of a giant taimen trapped in river ice. Starving herders were able to survive the winter by hacking off pieces of its flesh. In the spring the ice melted and the giant taimen swam away.
Peacock Bass Record?
The Rio Negro, Brazil is famous for producing huge world record quality peacock bass, as angler Andrea Zaccherini of Cravinhos, Brazil found out on November 3, 2010. While casting topwater plugs in Santa Isabel, Rio Negro, Brazil, Zaccherini hooked in to this 29-pound 1-ounce potential new all-tackle speckled peacock. Zaccherini was fishing alone, and needed only 3.5 minutes to land this new potential All-Tackle monster. The current IGFA record is 28 pounds.
Handcrafted Boats from Bonadeo Boatworks
BUILT BY OWNERS FOR OWNERS, WHEN ONLY QUALITY COUNTS
Larry Bonadeo’s website says it best-
“Bonadeo Boatworks began 20 plus years ago when Larry Bonadeo started sport fishing on the great lakes. After many years of both tournament fishing in Michigan and sport fishing in Florida and the Bahamas, water sports and especially boat handling, travel, fishing and renovation became both a hobby and passion.
In 1998, Larry sold his construction company and was given the opportunity to help construct his 63’ sport fish as a laborer with the crew, at the same time earning his 100 ton captains license.
The next couple of years were spent fishing the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans and transiting the Panama Canal. All the while, the work he was able to perform on his own boat had him thinking of innovative ways in which to construct similar vessels utilizing today’s materials and engineering.
With the composite cross linked structural foams available today, a vessel can be built lighter, stronger and with positive buoyancy, even in the 60 foot class. These vessels can still be as custom and sea kindly as the wooden cored technology, with the positive attributes listed above and also the advantages of no rot or insect problems.
Larry Bonadeo
The weight savings of the cored hull also equate to fuel savings. Our boats are constructed with a cold molded vacuum bagged process, utilizing Epoxy Resins, Kevlar, Carbon Fiber, Biaxial Fiberglass and Composite Cores.
What better way to enjoy traveling and fishing than in your custom built, one of a kind yacht. You know that you and your family are safe, even in emergency situations because the vessel below you has positive buoyancy engineered into it.
Our primary business focus is Custom Sportfish Boat Construction. The boats that we construct consist of a composite designed hull and superstructure.
Our boats are constructed with a cold molded process utilizing epoxy resins, and composite cores.
We build each boat by hand one at a time starting, with conceptual ideas from the prospective owner, through finalization with the naval engineer/designer. From that point the construction process begins.
This is where the abilities of a captain and owner enhance the construction process with Larry working with his Family and employees, from a hands on basis.
This accounts for the quality of construction, innovative ideas and future accessibility of systems for ease of maintenance, now and ten years from now. When available, redundant systems are installed so that the traveling sport fisherman need not stop a trip to wait on parts.”
Visit the Bonadeo website today
Holy Blackfish Batman! That’s One Massive ‘Tog!
22.74 lb. Blackfish
Here is one from the very active message boards at the #1 saltwater fishing site on the net, www.NorEast.com.
“I just picked up the mount of the 22.74lb tog I caught on 12/31/2009. It took a while because I took it to the same taxidermist who did Sam’s MD state record mount and the 70lb cod that Kil has hanging in his shop. I wanted a skin mount because this is a very special fish and I like the looks of a skin mount for something like this better. ALSO, there wasn’t a fiberglass mount big enough! This fish was 34″ long and I believe the largest fiberglass mold is 31″. . He also gave me the jaws and teeth which is pretty cool.”
Check out the rest of the photos, including the mount, here.
Schmitt to Speak at NYSF Freeport Show Feb 19th
Captain Bob Schmitt, of Long Island, NY-based Sea Rogue Charters, will be a featured seminar speaker at the NY Sport Fishing show in Freeport, NY on Saturday February 19th at 5PM.
The topic – Freeport Wreck/Reef Fishing.
Bob says, “Come on down – let’s talk some fishing.”
This show has always been a hit with area anglers and features well over 50 exhibitors every year.
There is a big auction featuring everything from fishing vacations, charter trips, and tackle with proceeds benefiting the many programs run and supported by the NYSF.
It’s a good show with lots of vendors & fishing merchandise, so get out of the house, shake off the winter doldrums and join Capt. Bob Schmitt in getting ready for the 2011 season.
Keeping Saltwater Bait Fish Alive
Nothing beats water flow when it comes to keeping bait frisky
Use a bait tank and pump to keep bait alive. Aerators simply will not do the job effectively. Aerators supply only a limited amount of O2 to the water. They cannot maintain the level of O2 saturation in the water that you can achieve by pumping in raw seawater. They do not remove harmful ammonium or foam from the water. Water temperature can rise thus reducing its O2 level further and the increased water temperature can cook your bait. When used for long periods nitrogen will also build up in the water, causing build up in the blood of the fish. Who needs these problems? Fresh water in, old water out, is much easier and better for your bait.
As for installing your tank, it is not a difficult procedure and well worth the effort. On small boats, a bait tank is best mounted on the centerline of the boat, or your boat will list when you fill it with water. Alternatively, you may compensate by positioning the tank opposite opposing ballast – dual batteries, for instance. Keep in mind that one gallon of sea water weighs a tad more than 8.5 pounds. It’s a good idea to mock up a dummy bait tank out of cardboard and install it with duct tape to see if the bait tank is going to be good fit. This will help you decide if you want a round, or oval. Disregard rectangular or square tanks.
Bait tanks are either rotational molded or made from fiberglass with a gelcoat surface. The fiberglass bait tanks allow you to conceal all or most of the plumbing and mounting hardware
under a false bottom, but the roto molded versions are less expensive, lighter, easier to clean and maintain and generally more effective. After choosing a bait tank, position it where you plan to mount it, then consider the easiest way to get water into and out of the tank. Next, you’ll need water intake and overflow plumbing installed. Start with the intake side because this is more critical than the overflow. You may be able to use an existing seacock with T-fitting. However, consider if it’s going to reduce the cooling water going to the engine. If you don’t have an available through-hull fitting, you’ll need to install one. Bronze is the best material and the most expensive, but you won’t have any problems with a good, quality fitting. Be sure to install a seacock for safety and since the intake will be below the waterline, use double stainless steel hose clamps. Use the recommended pump size to provide sufficient water pressure. Wire the pump into your electrical system. Use a spare switch on the dashboard to control the pump. You’ll need an overflow line above the waterline to eliminate potential leaks. Install a screen over the outlet to protect against clogging from fish scales and debris. With plastic molded tanks such as Aquaworld™ or Kodiak™, you’ll probably have L-brackets that are visible on the outside. Through bolting will secure the tank better. Fiberglass tanks will have the brackets concealed on the inside under the false bottom. Before permanently mounting the bait tank, you can grind the bottom of the tanks so it fits snugly to your deck. Seat both fiberglass and plastic tanks on a ring of silicone sealant. Once everything is assembled, put your boat in the water to test the bait tank. It should fill quickly and the overflow should maintain the water at a steady level. Check for leaks, and then head for the bait shop to load up!
Incredible Graphics from Casta Designs
This is undoubtedly the most consistently outstanding work we have seen.
Casta Design’s style of corporate professional graphic artwork stands apart from the non-competition, which is why they are the nation’s preferred provider of professional eye-catching designs and graphic advertising solutions.
From Casta Designs website: Don’t let your logo be unseen! We research your niche market and convert your input and ideas into effective graphic advertising. Since its founding, Casta Design Graphics and Apparel has been developing successful advertising strategies in the areas of corporate identity, corporate design, quality silk screen printing, brochure design, and print production. It is our mission to consistently develop innovative brands and help you execute them with cost-effective media campaigns.
If you are running a charter business, commercial fishing boat, marina, outfitting service, etc. you need to contact the pros at Casta Designs today.
Visit www.CastaDesign.com or call (619) 884-4764
