THE WRITE STUFF
By Karen Wall
There’s something special about pulling up to the scale and weighing a fish with money on the line. It’s even better when that fish puts a tidy sum in your wallet.
We celebrate tournament winners in each issue of the Big Game Fishing Journal because we know showing off your skills and grabbing that reward at the end is a memory to be preserved for years to come.
Most of the time, we’re showcasing the biggest winners, but let’s be honest: finishing in the money at any tournament is an achievement. Do it often enough and you can cover the expenses you rack up playing the games.
Finishing in the money often also becomes a sign of the adage about success happening when preparation and perspiration meet opportunity. To be sure, there’s a little bit of luck sprinkled in the mix, but there’s a tremendous amount of hard work.
That’s something our writers always emphasize when they are sharing their tips and tricks with readers. Preparation is critical to success.
With that in mind, we are taking a moment to celebrate some of the recent successes of our writers, to thank them for sharing their tips and tricks with you, our readers.
Michael Yocco, whose 2013 piece on bigeye tuna is shared again in this issue, finished in the money at Jimmy Johnson’s Quest for the Ring Atlantic City, the Huk Big Fish Classic, the Tri-State Canyon Shootout and at the White Marlin Open.
Yocco, who owns the MJ’s, and his team put the second-heaviest tuna on the board, a 193.5-pound bigeye, at the Quest for the Ring in Atlantic City in mid-July. Tyler Kuehl was on the rod for that fish, which put $87,682.50 in their pockets.
The following week the MJ’s went to Block Island off Rhode Island and put a 219.6-pound bigeye on the scales at the Tri-State Canyon Shootout. That fish, caught by Yocco’s longtime friend Dante Soriente, won them $34,960.
Yocco and the MJ’s closed out July at the Huk Big Fish Classic in Ocean City, Maryland. The team picked up $107,520 for a 288-pound bigeye that was the third-heaviest fish in the tournament. Part of the team’s payout came from winning the heaviest stringer category, with 1,077.6 pounds.
At the White Marlin Open, it was another six-figure finish as the team won $147,046 for the 193.5-pound bigeye caught by Soriente, which finished third in the standings based on time.
Yocco’s team isn’t the only one having a memorable summer.
Capt. Ricky Wheeler, who has written about white marlin and dredges and bigeye tuna, picked up $56,700 at the Quest for the Ring in Atlantic City for a 36-pound dolphin (never overlook the mighty mahi!). His boat, Euphoria, also won $12,150 at the Huk Big Fish Classic for a 110-pound yellowfin tuna. He fished in June at the School’s Out Tuna Tournament hosted by South Jersey Tournaments and finished third overall, winning $19,945.60 for a catch of yellowfin and bigeye tuna.
Austin Ensor of the Primary Search, who has written about swordfishing and maintenance, hosted a team of women in the Tuna & Tiaras tournament in Ocean City, Maryland, in early June, and they won $47,970. They took first place in the heaviest tuna and first-place tuna stringer. He also fished the Huk Big Fish Classic, where the Primary Search had the second-heaviest fish, a 305-pound bigeye and won $151,393.
Primary Search also finished third at the Ocean City Tuna Tournament, but it was unclear how much prize money the team won.
Steve Spagnuola, who has written travel pieces about fishing in various locales, fished his Irish Ei in the Quest for the Ring in Atlantic City and took second place in the small boat tuna category, winning, $19,670.50.
Edward Allegra, whose piece on renovating and upgrading a 1996 Henriques skiff appears in this issue, fished the Montauk Canyon Challenge and his father’s boat, Internal Fixation, captured the heaviest tuna honors with a 234-pound bigeye.
In addition, a tip of the cap to George Robinson III at South Jersey Yacht Sales, who has had the Polarizer on the tournament trail this summer as well. The team placed seventh in overall points at the Quest for the Ring in Atlantic City, and captured first place in the Cape May White Marlin Tournament with eight releases.
The Polarizer also finished eighth in release points at the White Marlin Open.
Congratulations guys, and wishing everyone a great fall fishing season.
(P.S. Send your tournament results to me at karenfishes66@gmail.com. Be sure to label the email Big Game Tournament Results.)
