View Sea Horse Anglers Photo Gallery
 |
|
1st Place Fa-la-me |
|
View 2008 Sea Horse Anglers Photo Gallery |
|
|
|
2nd Place Overproof |
3rd Place Queen of Heart |
Top Angler Award |
The Sea Horse Anglers Club Billfish Tournament, July 16-20: Tying last year's 32 boat teams, this year's 32-boat fleet vied for a record of $202,000 in cash and prizes at this year's 35th Annual Sea Horse Anglers Club Billfish Tournament. First-time visiting boat Fa-La-Me started slowly with a white marlin release on Day One for owner Frank Rodriguez. Team De Mako with Capt. Allen De Silva fared better, winning the $17,333 daily release jackpot with a blue and white release. Team Tease Em led after Day One with two blue releases but was not entered in the daily. Overproof and Reel Lax also had a good day, catching a blue and white. On Day Two, Fa-La-Me chipped away at the leaderboards, scoring a blue marlin release, while team Treasure Isle's Allan De Silva took the $17,333 daily release jackpot with two blue releases, moving the team into contention. Overproof stayed consistent, releasing a blue, as did Reel Lax. Team J.A.C.S. and El Cazador got back in the game, each releasing a blue and white. The passing of Hurricane Bertha right before the tournament took its toll on the bite, as no fish were boated on Day One or Day Two, so all the blue marlin jackpot dough rolled to Day Three. The third and final day was all about three boats. Fa-La-Me, with Capt. Rob Moore and angler/owner Frank Rodriguez; Overproof, with Capt. Peter Rans and angler Henry Chartiers; and Queen of Hearts, with Capt. Peter Olander and angler Glenn Astwood. Team Fa-La-Me had everything stick, releasing two blues and a white to take the $17,333 daily release jackpot and $22,400 in first-place-team awards. Overproof scored three white marlin releases to end up in second place, winning $9,600 for the team. Queen of Hearts, one of the most consistent boats in the history of the BTC, boated the only fish in the tournament at 572 pounds, earning them all the on-the-dock money worth $110,400. Tease Em's angler Raymond Bean took Top Angler Honors with three blue releases and won $3,200. Spencer 66 O'Hana had a good showing, winning the largest game-fish prize with angler Austin Burr's 45-pound wahoo and $3,200. Team Fa-La-Me, final-day heroics in the Sea Horse, zoomed into first place, winning $39,733, an invitation to the IGFA Offshore World Championship and second place in the 2008 Bermuda Triple Crown Billfish Championship series.
