The Virgin Islands Game Fishing Club will host a low key, COVID-safe version of its annual Wahoo Windup Tournament on Sunday, Nov. 22, with weigh-in at the St. Thomas Yacht Club. Fishing is in U.S. Virgin Islands waters only; there’s discounted early registration, no rules other than the time of lines in and out, a Captain’s meeting by ZOOM, no pre- or post-party, and socially-distanced weigh-in and dock-side prize-giving.
Yet, catch the largest wahoo over 75-pounds and win $10,000! It’s not impossible.
Three anglers in tournament history have reeled in a whopper wahoo. In 2003, Mike Kuszewski, fishing aboard Capt. Jim Estraca’s St. Thomas-based charter boat Black Pearl, landed a 94.1-pound wahoo. Then, in 2012, Clive Mahabir, aboard St. John-based charter boat Mixed Bag, with Capt. Rob Richards at the helm, caught a 91.3-pounder. Five years later in 2017, Adrianne Baird Butler, boated a 76.3-pound wahoo from aboard Capt. Colin Butler’s St. Thomas-based charter boat Silver Fox.
No whopper, no worries. Prizes will be awarded to anglers catching the three largest wahoo by weight and to the Top Boat, determined by the total weight of wahoo caught.
“Everyone could use some stress-relief right now, and what better way than to grab your bubble of family or friends and spend a day out on the water fishing. You can keep your catch. All we’ll do is weigh it. We’ll let the winners know later that day. The more people who enter, the more prizes,” said Kelvin Bailey Jr., president of the Virgin Islands Game Fishing Club’s Board of Directors.
Register online at www.vigfc.com. Early bird registration is $200 per boat until Nov. 17 and goes up to $350 from Nov. 18-21. The entry fee includes four rods. Extra rods are $50 each, no limit on extra rods.
On Nov. 22, lines-in is at 6:30 a.m. All boats must be in at the St. Thomas Yacht Club by 4 p.m. for their fish to qualify.
The Virgin Islands Game Fishing Club appreciates the contributions of the West Indies Company, IGY’s American Yacht Harbor and Cardow Jewelers.
For more information, call 775-9144, email: usvigfc@gmail.com or visit: www.vigfc.com.