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HomeNewsLocal sportsBryan Wins 31st Bastille Day Kingfish Tournament With 43.45 Pound Catch

Bryan Wins 31st Bastille Day Kingfish Tournament With 43.45 Pound Catch

Matthew Bryan and his 43.35-pound Largest Kingfish in the 2019 Bastille Day Kingfish Tournament. (Credit: Dean Barnes)

Less than an hour was left before the noon weigh-in at the 31st Bastille Day Kingfish Tournament, held July 14 out of Hull Bay Hideaway, on St. Thomas. Matthew Bryan, fishing with family and friends aboard the 36-foot Feel Good I, a vessel his father hand-built in the 1960s and that Bryan restored a few years ago, had nothing to bring to the scales.

Earlier, just after the 5:30 a.m. lines-in start to the tournament, Bryan headed west where the seas proved rough. Throughout the morning, he and his fellow fishermen only caught a few barracuda. Each of these fish were too small to count and thus released. It wasn’t until Bryan navigated the Feel Good to the north towards Hull Bay that his line tugged with a force that told him he had hooked a big fish. Minutes later, he had caught a 43.45-pound kingfish. Now, not only did he have something to bring to the scales, but a whopper was the Largest Kingfish winner as well.

“I’ve fished this tournament for many years, and have been on boats where other people won, but I’ve never won anything myself,” said Bryan, who added that the secret to his success was to “just keep trying.”

Bryan was one of 168 anglers, including 30 junior anglers, on 554 boats who fished in this Northside Sportfishing Club-hosted tournament, which National Geographic magazine earlier this week named as one of the world’s ‘9 Bastille Day bashes that celebrates French Culture!’

Bryan’s Largest Kingfish earned him $3,000 in cash, plus many other prizes.

The Second Largest Kingfish prize went to Kevin Blaney, aboard Stako, who caught a 31.10-pounder.

Ruth Gomez, fishing aboard About Time, reeled in a 23.70-pounder to win Third Largest Kingfish, while it was Christopher Bachan who caught the Fourth Largest Kingfish, a 22.60-pounder, aboard Chum Bucket.

The catch of six kingfish (62.85-pounds) earned Julian ‘Larry’ Aubain, aboard About Time, the Best Captain award.

Meanwhile, catching nine fish (46.75-pounds) total of the tournament’s eligible species, won Mark Stiehler, driving Double Header, the Best Boat award.

Enzo Newhard, on Hush Puppy, caught seven fish weighing 64.20-pounds to earn Best Male Angler; the Best Female prize went to Ruth Gomez, who caught a total of seven or 65.80-pounds of fish, aboard About Time.

The Best Junior Male Angler award went to Kyle Odlum, who caught two fish weighing a total 35.75-pounds from Let-Her-Go.

Alyssa Pearsall earned Best Junior Female with her catch of two fish weighing a total of 13.15-pounds aboard Salt & Pepper.

Although the tournament is focused around kingfish, other species earned anglers cash and prizes. Tamika Turbe fishing aboard Emmanuel caught the Largest Barracuda, at 26.25-pounds. Ben Micholowski, fishing from Side Thing, won Largest Bonito, with his 4.90-pounder. Finally, Ruth Gomez caught the Largest Mackerel, a 6.15-pounder, aboard About Time.

In total, over $13,000 was awarded in cash, prizes and trophies this year.

Adult and junior anglers who didn’t earn a prize still had a chance to win in the ‘Lucky-Unlucky’ and the ‘Catch in the Hat’ drawings.

Judges Daryl Bryan and Kevin Laplace Sr. officially weighed in the catches.

Bastille Day Kingfish Tournament

After weigh-in, the fun continued onshore at Hull Bay Hideaway. Cool Session Brass entertained throughout the afternoon. Later, crowds gathered inside Hull Bay Hideaway for the Awards Ceremony at 8 p.m., where the Dem Fellaz & Friends band entertained.

“I like to say that the Virgin Islands has the most diverse 100,000 people in the world and French heritage is a rich part of that,” said Governor Albert Bryan, who attended the weigh-in and festivities. “It’s important to promote all of our festivals in the Virgin Islands. These events are something that locals look forward to, and we need to look more broadly at promoting these as part of our tourism product and what makes our destination special.”

The 31st Bastille Day Kingfish Tournament is sponsored by Coors Light and Captain Morgan, distributed by Bellows International; Offshore Marine, the YAMAHA distributor in the Virgin Islands; NEMWIL; Red Hook Agencies, Inc.; TOPA Insurance Services Inc.; Budget Marine, the Caribbean’s Leading Chandlery; Caribbean Gifts & Things; Scoops & Brew Gelato and Coffee Bar; Frank’s Electric; Amalie Car Rental; and Hull Bay Hideaway.

First organized by the Northside Sportfishing Club in 1987, the tournament has become one of the highlights of French heritage celebrations on St. Thomas. The event benefits the Joseph Sibilly School, St. Thomas Rescue, Civil Air Patrol and Nana Baby Children’s Home, as well as provides college scholarships. Over the past nearly three decades, the nonprofit Northside Sportfishing Club by way of its annual Bastille Day Kingfish Tournament has donated over $206,000 to community organizations.

For information, email nssfcvi@gmail.com or call 998-0854. Follow Northside Sportfishing Club on Facebook.

2019 RESULTS: 55 Boats, 168 Anglers (includes 30 Junior Anglers)
87 Fish Caught, 843.05-pounds; 35 Kingfish Caught, 398.45-pounds

PLACEMENT: ANGLER …… LBS ….. BOAT
Largest Kingfish: Matthew Bryan 43.45 Feel Good I
2nd Largest Kingfish: Kevin Blaney 31.10 Stako
3rd Largest Kingfish: Ruth Gomez 23.70 About Time
4th Largest Kingfish: Christopher Bachan 22.60 Chum Bucket
Best Boat: Mark Stiehler 9 fish Double Header
Best Captain: Julian ‘Larry’ Aubain 6 kingfish About Time
Best Female: Ruth Gomez 65.80 About Time
Best Male: Enzo Newhard 64.20 Hush Puppy
Best Junior Male: Kyle Odlum 35.75 Let-Her-Go
Best Junior Female Alyssa Pearsall 13.15 Salt & Pepper
Largest Barracuda: Tamika Turbe 26.25 Emmanuel
Largest Bonito: Ben Micholowski 4.90 Side Thing
Largest Mackerel: Ruth Gomez 6.15 About Time

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