First came the bad luck — sunglasses overboard, raincoat gone, and the GPS lost. That last mishap meant relying on the battery life of three cell phones to navigate the Calypso 40, Gypsy King, along the edge of the Virgin Islands South Drop for the day. Then came the good fortune. One wahoo hit, then another.
The third, a hefty 44.4-pounder, proved the charm that earned Gypsy King angler, St. Thomas’ Walt Basnight, the Top Angler title in Sunday’s Virgin Islands Game Fishing Club’s Wahoo Windup, held out of IGY’s American Yacht Harbor Marina. Basnight’s catch was just over 30 pounds shy of winning the $25,000 prize for the tournament angler who caught the largest wahoo over 75 pounds.
“We had a good morning, catching four wahoo in rapid fire by 9 a.m., all while high-speed trolling,” says Basnight. “When I hooked up the third one, I could tell it was a good-sized fish. It pulled a lot more drag.”
Meanwhile, St. Thomas’ KJ Terry, angling off Double Header II, caught the Second Largest wahoo at 37.8 pounds, while St. Thomas’ Matthew Laban, on Double Header I, brought the Third Largest wahoo to the scales, weighing in at 37.6 pounds.
The Best Boat prize, determined by the most wahoo by count, went to Miss Lucy, a 39’ Sea-Vee, with 10 wahoo weighing a total of 190.8 pounds.
“I had my good luck charm with me today,” says Miss Lucy Captain Chris Berry, about having his 12-year-old daughter, Addalynn, on board. “She caught her first four wahoo today, which for me was pretty special in itself.”
Fifteen boats from St. Thomas and St. Croix collectively reeled in 46 wahoo, weighing a total of 838.1 pounds.
Trophies and cash prizes were awarded to the winners.
“Despite the forecast, the quantity of boats and the quantity of fish caught brought out great camaraderie and sportsmanship in all participants,” says Kelvin Bailey, Jr., president of the Virgin Islands Game Fishing Club’s Board of Directors.
The Virgin Islands Game Fishing Club appreciates the support of DPNR’s Fish & Wildlife staff for conducting the official weigh-in, sponsorship support from IGY’s American Yacht Harbor Marina and Neptune Fishing Supplies, and the Club’s much-appreciated volunteers.
For more information about the Club and its events, call (340) 775-9144, Email: usvigfc@gmail.com, or Visit: www.vigfc.com
