Sweet Candy Captain George Moses Sr., center, holds their award as he and anglers George Moses Jr. third left, and Tom Tucker, second left, pose for a photo with Saipan Fishermen’s Association Vice President Scott Schular, third right back row, Secretary Mara Schular, second right, front row, treasurer Martin Duenas, second right back row, Solicitation Chairman Curtis Dancoe, right, and SFA members. Diego T. Benavente, left, and Joe Deleon Guerrero, right front row, during the 21st Annual Fishing Derby awards ceremony on Saturday at Smiling Cove Marina.
Photo by Emmanuel T. Erediano
Sweet Candy angler Tom Tucker holds their winning 16.5-pound mahi-mahi, while boat captain George Moses Sr. displays a wahoo after returning to Smiling Cove Marina.
Contributed photo
SWEET Candy bagged the biggest mahi mahi to win the Saipan Fishermen’s Association’s 21st Annual Fishing Derby at Smiling Cove Marina on Saturday.
Sweet Candy Captain George Moses Sr. and anglers Tom Tucker and George Moses Jr. caught a 16.5- pound mahi mahi in the waters off Goat Island to win $2,500 cash.
Last year’s winner was a 26.4 pounder hooked by Captain Keith Torres and his Ten Seven team.
“I just thank the Lord,” Moses said on Saturday. “There are a lot of good fishermen. It just happened that today was my lucky day. It was hard. We just need to grind and grind like any other fisherman would do. They know what it takes to catch a fish, but we are lucky to get it,” he added.
With their home-built boat, Team Marcelino Tresenio landed the second-biggest catch of the day — a 15.9-pound mahi mahi — to claim $1,500. Team Leana Vae caught a mahi mahi of the same weight but returned two minutes later, earning $1,000.
Backed by the Marianas Visitors Authority, this year’s mahi mahi derby saw 33 teams head out under clear skies, all eyeing the bigger stage in July: the 41st Saipan International Fishing Tournament.
Saipan Fishermen’s Association member Diego T. Benavente said Saturday’s event was “kind of our little derby before the bigger one in July.”
He said the event was blessed with good weather, which may have been why many of the competitors didn’t catch mahi mahi.
“That’s why many fishermen would day, ‘I like it a little rougher’ because that’s when they catch fish,” he added. Nevertheless, “It’s a great day — it’s actually a great day.”
SFA Solicitation Chairman, Curtin Dancoe agreed. “We had a great day, as 33 boats came out. It was a beautiful day, very optimal weather conditions,” he said.
He thanked all the fishermen who came out to be part of the event, as SFA and Saipan anglers gear up for the 41st Saipan International Fishing Tournament, which will be held three months from now.
