The Abacos' Fishing Tournaments
A What's On Lifestyle Article

The Abacos' Fishing Tournament Season
Isobel Sherman

Abaco plays host to many exciting fishing tournaments throughout the year. Hundreds of anglers, their families, and their boats come to Abaco for the various big game fishing tournaments that are held.

The locations are Walker's Cay, the northernmost cay in the Abacos, Treasure Cay, and of course Marsh Harbour, at the Abaco Beach Resort and Boat Harbour Marina.

This year, two major tournaments were already held in Abaco. The third leg of the Bahamas Wahoo Championship was held January 6th-9th at Boat Harbour Marina, with eleven boats competing, and the fourth leg of the tournament was held January 20th-23rd at Treasure Cay Resort, with approximately fourteen entries. In this tournament the length of the Wahoo as well as its weight are judged. The tournament consists of four legs, with the first leg being held in Bimini. Every year the awards banquet is held in Coral Gables, coinciding with the Miami Boat Show.

April marked the start of the Billfish Tournament season. April 18-23rd, the South Abaco Championship, or the first leg of the Bahamas Billfish Championship, was held at Boat Harbour Marina. Fifty boats had pre-registered for this tournament, which is the first of four legs. The tournament is coordinated by Mr. Al Behrendt and attracts true billfish anglers. This year a bonus prize of $500,000 is offered to anyone who can bring in the marlin that tops the record, caught by Sam Jennings in 1979 (1060.5 pounds), in Bimini. The record for the largest marlin caught in Abaco was set by Rick Smith from Titusville, Florida in 1996 at the Bahamas Billfish Championship leg in Treasure Cay. He caught a 1030 pound marlin.

The bonus prize money is being donated by SCA Promotions of Dallas, Texas and persons who have registered by April 19th are the only persons eligible to win this prize.

The next leg of this Bahamas Billfish Championship is May 2nd-7th at Walker's Cay. The third leg is at Chub Cay in the Berry Islands from May 16th-21st. The fourth leg is the Boat Harbour Championship, June 6th-11th, at Abaco Beach Resort and Boat Harbour Marina, and has been sold out since April with 22 boats registered. The fifth and final leg will be held at Harbour Island, Eleuthera from June 20th-25th.

This is the 26th year of the Bahamas Billfish Championship Tournament and it just keeps growing every year, leaving Al Behrendt with the frustration of finding enough slips for the competitors.

From May 12th-16th Abaco Beach Resort closes its doors to the public for the prestigious 'Bertram Hatteras Invitational Shoot Out.' This year is 'Shoot Out' number 20 and is slated to be a very memorable one. Jim Schaefer of Bertram and Hutch Hutchengs of Hatteras, life long friends, are the original "brain-stormers" of this tournament, which began 20 years ago. The venue for the 'Shoot Out' then, and for the next 16 years, was Walker's Cay. Seventy boats compete in this tournament, 35 Hatteras yachts and 35 Bertram yachts. An invitation to compete is coveted by Bertram and Hatteras anglers. This is a tournament done in grand style with champagne served at the weigh in dock to the anglers and boats bringing in billfish to be weighed. Every detail of this tournament is first class. All of the rooms at the resort are booked as well as most of the rooms at Abaco Towns By The Sea and some other hotels in the area.

A helicopter is even brought in to take photographs out on the ocean where the boats are fishing. At night it is parked on the tennis courts of the resort. The reason the resort is closed to the public is because not only is this an exclusive tournament, but the resort is literally full to over capacity both at the marina and at the hotel.

On the final night there is a grand awards banquet with first class prizes like fine crystal trophies and one of a kind jewelry created by Abaco Gold in Marsh Harbour.

In the words of Jim Schaefer and Hutch Hutchengs the motto of this annual tournament is "GOOD FISHING, GOOD FRIENDS AND GOOD FUN."

The next tournament will be May 19th-22nd - the 18th Annual Green Turtle Club Invitational Tournament, at Green Turtle Cay.

Following that, May 24th-28th is the infamous Penny Turtle Billfish Ball which is not only a tournament but a ball as well. Penny Turtle encourages her anglers to have fun as well as enjoy good competition. It is a smaller, more intimate tournament with approximately 35 boats competing every year. It is held at Abaco Beach Resort and Boat Harbour Marina, where Penny is Director of Public Relations for the marina. A smiling, affable lady, she is famous for her gorgeous jewelry depicting turtles.

June 20th-25th is the 6th Annual Treasure Cay International Billfish Tournament, held at Treasure Cay Resort. Included in its activities is an Arts and Crafts Day, where local craftsmen are invited to display and sell their work in Treasure Cay.

During the summer months there are many small private tournaments that different companies hold for some of their employees. An example is City Meat Food Stores from Nassau, which holds a tournament at the Abaco Beach Resort and Boat Harbour each year.

This year, there will be a new tournament added to the summer schedule. Sea Spray Resort in Hope Town will be holding their First Annual Sea Spray Independence Fishing Tournament. It is too early to have more information on this new tournament added to the Abaco Fishing Tournament Calendar.

Wherever the tournaments are held the anglers who compete are a happy lot. The economy of Abaco is definitely helped greatly by all of these tournaments. In fact, extra help is hired to fill the demand. Also, businesses not directly related to the tournament, such as food stores, also profit. BEC and fuel companies make extra money at this time which is passed on in the local economy.

Abaco is known for many things but one thing for sure it is a favourite spot for some top sports fishermen from North America.