08-01-2007, 12:10 AM
The angler and crew aboard the Queen of Hearts in Bermuda had to wait until the early hours of July 5th to find out they had won the 23rd annual Fourth of July World Cup Blue Marlin Championship (World Cup). Standing in their way was the crew aboard the Hokulia I who had hooked a blue marlin late in the day in Kona, Hawaii. They battled their fish for almost two hours beyond the end of fishing, but in the end, they saw their fish was not big enough to beat the 728 lb blue marlin weighed in by Queen of Hearts. The Hokulia I tagged and released their fish.
The World Cup is a unique one day, winner take all tournament that allows anglers around the world to compete with one another to see who can catch the single biggest blue marlin on the Fourth of July. This year, a record 21 marlin fishing hot spots around the globe were represented by 143 teams. They included Ghana, Angola and the tiny island of Principe(Bom Bom Island Resort) on Africa's west coast, to Kona, Hawaii and French Polynesia in the Pacific. Each team fishes from 8:30 AM to 4:30 PM in their local time zones.
Queen of Hearts, with Captain Peter Olander, hooked the winning 728 lb fish on a Black Bart lure with angler Lovintz (Vince) Cann on the rod. Both angler and captain are from Bermuda.
Earlier in the day, the first fish to surpass the tournament's 500 lb minimum size limit was landed in Angola by angler Carlos Moran fishing aboard the Bitchalot with Captain Iain Nicolson. Their fish weighed 513 lb. and was also hooked on a Black Bart lure. The fish from Angola was first beaten by a 568 lb blue marlin caught by Marion Uter aboard the Grander with Captain John Stark in Bermuda. A 574 Lb blue marlin was caught by Warren Keinath in Kona, Hawaii.
The fish was caught aboard the 5 Star with Capt.Carlton Taniyama. In the end it was Queen of Hearts and their 728 lb blue marlin that prevailed over the international competition.
It was an action packed day with many hook-ups in the world's blue marlin fishing grounds. The action included an estimated 1,000 plus marlin hooked briefly on Captain Peter Bristow's Katherine B in Madeira by heavy tackle award winning angler Richard Richardson.
Lucien Van Puyenbroeck from Belgium reported hot action out of Bom Bom Resort on Principe Island. They raised 12 blue marlin, had 8 strikes, 4 hook-ups, lost 2 marlin, and released two blue marlin under 500 pounds.
World famous French angler, Jean Paul Richard released two blues estimate at 300 lb while fishing aboard his French Look IV in Moorea, French Polynesia. The winner take all purse totaled $343,200. The separate, optional Big Blue Challenge with 34 boats entered had no catches reported to World Cup headquarters in Ft. Lauderdale, Florida so prize money will be returned less tournament expenses.
The World Cup attracts some of the top heavy tackle anglers and captains in the world including anglers Pam Basco, Larry Beard, Allan Bir, Christopher Brand, (2006 World Cup winner) Jim Lambert, Tracy Melton, Randy Ringhaver, Dominic Siano, (1991 World Cup Winner) Scott Steele, Gary Tullius and Jose Valdes. Top captains include Momi Bean, Alan Card, Allan DeSilva, Jeff Fay, Clay Hensley, Ron Hamlin, Chip Van Mols, Kevin Nakamaro, Berno Niebuhr, Marlin Parker, Randy Parker and Chris Sheeder just to name a few of the who's who in the offshore fishing world.
More information can be obtained at www.bluemarlinworldcup.com or by contacting Tournament Director Mike Leech at Mike@bluemarlinworldcup.com
The World Cup is a unique one day, winner take all tournament that allows anglers around the world to compete with one another to see who can catch the single biggest blue marlin on the Fourth of July. This year, a record 21 marlin fishing hot spots around the globe were represented by 143 teams. They included Ghana, Angola and the tiny island of Principe(Bom Bom Island Resort) on Africa's west coast, to Kona, Hawaii and French Polynesia in the Pacific. Each team fishes from 8:30 AM to 4:30 PM in their local time zones.
Queen of Hearts, with Captain Peter Olander, hooked the winning 728 lb fish on a Black Bart lure with angler Lovintz (Vince) Cann on the rod. Both angler and captain are from Bermuda.
Earlier in the day, the first fish to surpass the tournament's 500 lb minimum size limit was landed in Angola by angler Carlos Moran fishing aboard the Bitchalot with Captain Iain Nicolson. Their fish weighed 513 lb. and was also hooked on a Black Bart lure. The fish from Angola was first beaten by a 568 lb blue marlin caught by Marion Uter aboard the Grander with Captain John Stark in Bermuda. A 574 Lb blue marlin was caught by Warren Keinath in Kona, Hawaii.
The fish was caught aboard the 5 Star with Capt.Carlton Taniyama. In the end it was Queen of Hearts and their 728 lb blue marlin that prevailed over the international competition.
It was an action packed day with many hook-ups in the world's blue marlin fishing grounds. The action included an estimated 1,000 plus marlin hooked briefly on Captain Peter Bristow's Katherine B in Madeira by heavy tackle award winning angler Richard Richardson.
Lucien Van Puyenbroeck from Belgium reported hot action out of Bom Bom Resort on Principe Island. They raised 12 blue marlin, had 8 strikes, 4 hook-ups, lost 2 marlin, and released two blue marlin under 500 pounds.
World famous French angler, Jean Paul Richard released two blues estimate at 300 lb while fishing aboard his French Look IV in Moorea, French Polynesia. The winner take all purse totaled $343,200. The separate, optional Big Blue Challenge with 34 boats entered had no catches reported to World Cup headquarters in Ft. Lauderdale, Florida so prize money will be returned less tournament expenses.
The World Cup attracts some of the top heavy tackle anglers and captains in the world including anglers Pam Basco, Larry Beard, Allan Bir, Christopher Brand, (2006 World Cup winner) Jim Lambert, Tracy Melton, Randy Ringhaver, Dominic Siano, (1991 World Cup Winner) Scott Steele, Gary Tullius and Jose Valdes. Top captains include Momi Bean, Alan Card, Allan DeSilva, Jeff Fay, Clay Hensley, Ron Hamlin, Chip Van Mols, Kevin Nakamaro, Berno Niebuhr, Marlin Parker, Randy Parker and Chris Sheeder just to name a few of the who's who in the offshore fishing world.
More information can be obtained at www.bluemarlinworldcup.com or by contacting Tournament Director Mike Leech at Mike@bluemarlinworldcup.com