St. John sportfishing charter boat Gone Ketchin’ continues to filet the local competition, this time taking a number of top honors at the annual Bastille Day Kingfish Tournament at Hull Bay on Sunday, July 15.
The crew aboard Gone Ketchin’, Scott Bryan, Jeff Crokin, Chris Tronquet and Marcia Griswold, led by Captain Howard Griswold — better known as Cpt. Grizz — reeled in 134 pounds of kingfish, barracuda, black fin tuna and horse eye jack, enough to win Best Captain, Best Boat and the Boat Pool.
Marcia Griswold did not sit back and let the men do all the work. She was named Best Female Angler, having caught a total of 62.39 pounds of fish including the largest tuna of the day, an almost nine pounder.
“I knew it was a good size, but you never know until you get to the weigh-in,” said Marcia Griswold, about the prize winning 8.8-pound tuna she hauled in.
Caribbean Cruisin’ Too
Her luck didn’t run out on land. Marcia Griswold’s name was called for the grand prize drawing of a Caribbean cruise from Royal Caribbean.
While excited, the Griswolds weren’t sure what to make of their upcoming cruise.
“I don’t know,” said Marcia Griswold. “It might be real difficult fishing off the back of their boat.”
Gone Ketchin’s Bastille Day showing was just the latest in a good run in the local competitive fishing scene. The St. John-based charter crew took Best Captain in the Father’s Day Tournament in Frenchtown, second place in the Boat Pool in the Dolphin Derby in April and first place in February’s Couple’s Tournament.
Up next for the Love City anglers is the November Wahoo Wind-up, where the crew will once again face off with the best local fishermen. After so much success, the competition is still a fun challenge, Marcia Griswold explained.
“I like all of the tournaments,” she said. “I like the challenge of catching the species that are eligible for each one. All of them are different, so it’s always exciting.”
The public can get in on some of that award-winning fishing, Gone Ketchin’ is available fo charters – Call 714-1175 or 998-2055.
