HOLLEY TOP ANGLER, TRIPLE SECRET TOP BOAT AT 13TH ANNUAL OFFSHORE MARINE DOLPHIN DERBY
By Carol Bareuther, RD
Third time was a charm and it was three separate schools of fish that on Sunday April 27 earned Carl Holley and Triple Secret, top angler and top boat prizes respectively at the 13th Annual Offshore Marine Dolphin Derby, hosted by the US Virgin Islands Game Fishing Club.
Thirty-four boats and 143 anglers fished the one-day tournament out of St. Thomas.
Holley, a St. Croix-based sports fishing charter captain, won Top Angler and pocketed $1000 in cash with the catch of a 38-pound dolphin.
“We left Frederiksted at 7:30 a.m., headed north working our way towards St. Thomas,” says Holley. “Along the way, we saw birds and then we’d see the schools of fish. We caught 5 in the first school, 3 in the second and 6 in the third.”
It was the third and final school that proved the lucky charm – the biggest dolphin of the tournament.
“I saw him come up behind the boat and threw him a sprat. He went for it,” Holley explains.
Tournament rules allowed for live baiting.
Triple Secret’s mega catch of mahi-mahi resulted in additional prizes for the boat’s anglers and boat itself.
Angler Chad Sheraw caught the 3rd and 8th top weight dolphin, 34- and 30-pounders, respectively.
Triple Secret also landed the Top Boat prize, based on total number of fish caught, with 14 dolphin. The prize was $1000 cash.
In other awards, Jeff Crokin aboard Gone Ketchin caught the 2nd largest dolphin, a 35-pounder, with Edward Saunders on Irving’s Son 4th with a 33-pounder; David Pearsall on Mrs. Wave 5th with a 32-pounder; John Mills on Volcano 6th with a 32-pounder (tie between 5th and 6th broken by length of fish); Tim Albano on Seabee 7th with a 31-pounder; Trevor Walters on World Class 9th with a 30-pounder; and Paul Ledbetter on Seabee 10th with a 28-pounder.
The $25,000 grand prize for dolphin over 55 pounds went unclaimed.
“We caught a 66-pounder and 78-pounder on charter last week,” says Holley. “So I know the big ones are out there.”
In total, the tournament fleet caught 54 dolphin for a total weight of 1,197 pounds. Anglers and guests at the Awards Ceremony enjoyed a portion of the catch Monday night.
Tournament sponsors were Offshore Marine, Yamaha and Yanmar distributors; and Premier Wines and Spirits, distributors of Cruzan Rum, Miller Lite and Presidente Lite.
The 13th Annual Offshore Marine Dolphin Derby is the second of the Budget Rent-A-Car Small Boat Tournament series.
The next event hosted by the VIGFC will be the 45th Annual July Open Billfish Tournament, July 15-17, 2008. For information, visit:website
Holley, a St. Croix-based sports fishing charter captain, won Top Angler and pocketed $1000 in cash with the catch of a 38-pound dolphin.
