Only Reels Captain Aaron Benavente, right, and angler Jesse Ramon pose with their winning catch — a 211-pound billfish — on day 2 of the Saipan Fishermen’s Association’s 40th Annual Saipan International Fishing Derby held over the weekend at the Smiling Cove Marina.
AFTER a weekend of open water action during the Saipan Fishermen’s Association’s 40th Annual Saipan International Fishing Derby, Captain Aaron Benavente of the boat Only Reels took the grand prize for catching a billfish that weighed 211 pounds.
In an interview, the 40-year-old captain said they hauled in the winning catch at around 10:30 a.m. in the Marpi reef area on Sunday.
Along with the angler, his cousin Jesse Ramon, they were aiming for wahoos, but as they were leaving the area, they opted to use large lures, which ultimately resulted in catching a 211-pound billfish.
“When we brought it in, we were hoping to be a contender at least, but after finding out that we were sitting at first we were happy,” Benavente said. “All I want is the trophy.”
Aboard their 17-foot boat, Benavente and Ramon fought for around 30-40 minutes to reel in the catch. “It was rough out there but hey, we got it. Everything was worth it,” Benavente said.
On day 1, Saturday, they managed to bring in a few fish but returned to the shore 10 minutes late.
“I did not expect to win,” he said; “I wasn’t even thinking about catching a marlin,” which is a type of billfish.
Benavente said it was the second marlin he had caught since recently purchasing a boat for himself. Benavente used to be an MV Gloria crewmember.
He noted that he turned 40 in April and this year is also the fishing derby’s 40th anniversary.
90 boats
A total of 90 boats registered for this year’s event — including 20 from Guam along with crews from Rota, Tinian and the U.S. mainland.
Saipan Fishermen’s Association Chairman Curtis Dancoe said “the first day did not have a mahi on board but we’ve seen an exceptional number of juvenile marlins caught.”
“The second day,” he added, “was rough, winds were picking up, but everyone battled through.”
What’s interesting,” he said, “is that everyone’s catch looked bigger on the boat but that wasn’t the case at the weigh station.”
An awards banquet was held at the Pacific Islands Club on Monday evening.
