PAPA San and Chang finished first in their respective categories in the Saipan Fishermen’s Association 40th Annual Saipan International Fishing Derby. They received their trophies during the awards banquet at the Pacific Islands Club on Monday night.
Throughout the two-day tournament, Papa San Captain Jack Torres and his crew aimed for all five categories — billfish, yellow fin tuna, wahoo, mahimahi, and skipjack — but it was a 35.5-pound wahoo that brought them up to the board, clinching first place in the wahoo category, which was sponsored by Docomo Pacific.
On Saturday, Papa San sailed down south where they “picked up a really big yellow fin tuna whose head alone was roughly 15 pounds,” Torres said.
On Sunday, the crew wanted to go north, but Torres said he had to honor the late captain and very good friend, Paul Roberto, by heading south again.
They set out with four lures and were focused on marlins and yellow fin tunas, but it only took three minutes for Papa San to reel in the 35.5-pound wahoo.
“I give thanks to my captain and good friend [Paul Roberto] who’s watching from up above,” Torres said.
Throughout his 18 years of participation in the annual fishing derby, this was his crew’s very first time to place in any category. Torres dedicated their victory to his mother and Roberto.
As a member of the SFA, Torres also shared his thoughts about this year’s event. “People don’t realize how much work is put into this tournament. There’s so much work, but, at the end of the day, it’s that feeling of seeing everyone here celebrating our fishermen and showing the camaraderie of the people of the CNMI,” he said.
Saigon Girl
In second place in the wahoo category was Guam’s Saigon Girl, which caught a wahoo weighing 26.5 pounds. Coming in third was My Princess Jasmine with a catch weighing 24.9 pounds.
The yellow fin tuna category was a tough title to win, but in the end, Chang clinched first place with a catch weighing 52.9 pounds.
In second and third places were Carmelita II with a catch weighing 46.9 pounds, and Emmanuel with 45.6 pounds.
The winners of the other categories, along with an update of the standings in the billfish category, will be featured in Variety’s next editions.
The crewmembers of Papa San pose for a photo with their winning wahoo catch on day 2 of the SFA 40th Annual Saipan International Fishing Derby at the Smiling Cove Marina, Sunday.
The crewmembers of Papa San pose for a photo with the first-place trophy in the wahoo category during the awards ceremony of the SFA 40th Annual Saipan International Fishing Derby at the Pacific Islands Club on Monday night.
Chang crewmembers pose for a photo with the first-place trophy in the yellow fin tuna category during the awards ceremony of the SFA 40th Annual Saipan International Fishing Derby at the Pacific Islands Club on Monday night.
