Big Game Classic winner
The morning of the third and final day of the 2011 Bermuda Big Game Classic was fished in pleasant NE winds of 12-16 knots and scattered puffy white clouds overhead. Team Sea’duce began the action with a white marlin release at 8:13. Team Que Mas then improved their score with a blue release at 8:23. Then both Uno Mas and the tournament leader Click Through hooked up within one minute of each other. Owner and angler Brooks Smith successfully released a white at 8:59__ followed by a blue marlin release at 9:06 for owner angler Keith English on Click Through. Both catches turned out to be crucial to each team’s success. The additional 500-points for Click Through now gave them a 600-point lead and lifted them to 1,900 points. Other catches before the afternoon included white releases for Weez in the Keys, Mako, Blank Check and Cookie Monster with blue marlin releases happening for Overproof, Challenger, Paradise One, Callie Girl and Seraphim. The bite slowed in the afternoon but two teams including Georgie Girl and Uno Mas had game changing blue marlin bites in the 1:00 hour. Team Uno Mas released their blue at 1:09 with Georgie Girl releasing at 1:14. The release times ultimately made the difference between second and third place. Team Callie Girl and Challenger released whites at 1:09 and 1:29 to make a charge but couldn’t find that one blue they needed to sneak into the top three. The final bite of the day came for Sea Toy hooking up with less than one minute to lines out. The blue marlin release for angler Mike Sandusky wasn’t enough to get them in the money but the additional 500-points elevated Sea Toy into the lead in the Bermuda Triple Crown Series heading into the final event.
Some excitement was generated when team Shakedown hooked up to a nice one at 2:28 with Nick New in the chair. It looked close to 500-pounds so with little downside and a possible six figure payoff they decided to take the chance and the marlin was boated at 3:14 pm. The measurements indicated a borderline fish with a 110-inch short length and a 60-inch girth. Unfortunately, the blue marlin tipped the scales shy at 480-pounds. This meant that the 517-pound blue marlin taken by Reel Estate on day two won the Largest Blue Marlin Jackpot worth $108,300 and all three Daily Blue Marlin Jackpots worth $81,700, an aggregate of $190,000. On only one other occasion in the 11 year history of the Classic has the biggest blue been under 600 lbs, and that was 594 lbs. So this is by far the smallest winner of this category. But for the first time participants Captain Scottie Feltman and owner angler Bob Harrell it was a huge fish as their decision to take the 115-inch blue ended up to be a great one. Sometimes all it takes is one good fish to break out the broom stick and sweep the Marlin Jackpots.
Ultimately, the 1,900 points scored by Click Through was enough to win the 2011 Bermuda Big Game Classic. This is an awesome team that has made their presence known in a short time. Last year, their first in Bermuda, they won the Triple Crown series. In fact, they were the first team to win the Triple Crown Series without winning the Classic. They placed 3rd in both the 2010 Blast and Sea Horse and fifth in the Classic. So, it’s rather fitting that they have now won the Classic. Click Through claimed $180,450 of cash awards, which included First Place overall worth $42,300, the Day One Billfish Release Jackpot worth $28,500, the Most Overall Billfish Release Points Jackpot worth $102,600, and the most release points award worth $7,050. Winner of the Classic also receive a beautiful step box from Release Marine and engraved money clips from Vanmark Jewelry. HUGE CONGRATULATIONS to Capt. Matthew Mauldwin, owner/angler Keith English and the superb team on Click Through!
The Day Three Billfish Release Jackpot worth $28,500 was won by Uno Mas with a blue marlin and white marlin release. They also won the Gamefish award worth $7,050 with a 64 lb yellowfin tuna on the final day. This effort gave them a total of 1 blue marlin release and 5 white marlin releases over the three days earning them 1500-points, enough to win Second Place overall worth an additional $21,150 giving team Uno Mas a total cash award of $56,700.
Third Place overall went to Georgie Girl with 1500-points from thee blue marlin releases earning them $14,100. This was the first year in Bermuda for owner angler George Ballou but his Captain Bryce Garvey has been in the winners circle many times here in Bermuda. Team Georgie Girl also won the Marlin Magazine Manufacturers Cup Division earning the win for Merritt Boat & Engine Works and an additional $6,000 for total winnings of $20,100.
The awards party started with the traditional cocktail reception at the beautiful Bacardi International headquarters. Then the participants were treated to an awards banquet dinner in the historic Fairmont Hamilton Princes Ballroom. The prize giving kicked off with the always popular door & raffle prizes and tournament video presentation. The party continued well into the night with a live band on the harbor view terrace. A great time was had by all!
The Final Bermuda Big Game Classic tournament standings are as follows:
Top Junior Angler-Marcus Dias on Triple Play
Top Lady Angler-Elaine Jones on Mama Who
Top Angler- Keith English on Click Through
1) Click Through – 3 blue marlin releases; 2 white releases – 1,900
points and cash winnings of $180,450
2) Uno Mas – 1 blue marlin release; 5 white releases – 1,500 points and
cash winnings of $56,700
3) Georgie Girl – 3 blue marlin releases – 1,500 points and cash
winnings of $14,100
4) Sea Toy – 3 blue marlin releases – 1,500
5) Mattanza – 2 blue marlin releases; 1 white release; 1 spearfish
release - 1,300 points and cash winnings of $28,500
6) Callie Girl – 2 blue marlin releases; 1 white release – 1,200
7) Challenger – 2 blue marlin releases; 1 white release
8) Weez in the Keys – 1 blue marlin release; 3 white releases – 1,100
9) Mega Bucks – 2 blue marlin releases – 1,000
10) Que Mas – 2 blue marlin releases
11) Overproof – 2 blue marlin releases
12) Pink Impression – 1 blue marlin release; 1 white release – 700
13) Paradise One – 1 blue marlin release; 1 white release
14) Seraphim – 1 blue marlin release; 1 white release
15) Rameseas – 1 blue marlin release; 1 white release
16) Reel Estate – 1 blue marlin 517 lbs and cash winnings of $190,000
17) Fish On – 1 blue marlin release – 500
18) El Cazador – 1 blue marlin release
19) Triple Play – 1 blue marlin release
20) Reel Lax – 1 blue marlin release
21) Margin Call – 1 blue marlin release
22) Blue Chip – 1 blue marlin release
23) Boomer – 1 blue marlin release
24) Queen of Hearts – 1 blue marlin release
25) Waste Knot – 1 blue marlin release
26) Reel Addiction – 1 blue marlin release
27) Mama Who – 2 white releases – 400
28) Kerry D – 2 white releases
29) Mako – 2 white releases
30) Sea’duce – 2 white releases
31) Bree – 1 white release – 200
32) Foreign Exchange – 1 white release
33) Treasure Isle – 1 white release
34) Attitude – 1 white release
35) Unreel – 1 white release
36) Blank Check – 1 white release
37) Cookie Monster – 1 white release
