With six blues and one white marlin releases, the experienced team aboard Sea Striker held on to win the 2022 Sea Horse Anglers Club Billfish Tournament in Bermuda. Based in Morehead City, North Carolina, the 61-foot Jarrett Bay owned by Adrian Holler and crewed by Capt. Pete Zook and mate Morris McGahey scored 3,100 points, with angler Rom Whitaker doing most of the work in the cockpit to win the Top Angler award for the tournament. Sea Striker won the Day One release points jackpot and the overall release points jackpot for total winnings of $81,900. Sea Striker also qualifies to compete in the 2023 Costa Offshore World Championship.
Team Auspicious, an 80-foot Viking from West Palm Beach, Florida, led by owner Joseph Rahman, Capt. Edward “Cookie” Murray and mate Carl Copeland, scored 2,700 points from five blues and two white marlin releases to earn second-place team honors and the second-place overall release points jackpot, worth $37,620.
De-Bait-Able, a 75-foot F&S, also from West Palm Beach, Florida, with owner Mike Walsh, Capt. KJ Zeher and mate Peter Mocchelli scored 2,700 points from five blues and two white marlin releases to place third in the tournament. De-Bait-Able also picked up the Day Two release points jackpot and third-place overall release point jackpot, winning a total of $40,710.
Game Changer a 66-foot Spencer based in Somerset, Bermuda, led by owner Gilbert Lopes, Capt. Ricky Sousa Jr., mate Logan Ball and with angler Charlie Dutranoit, put a 610-pound blue on the scales on the first day of the competition. No other qualifying marlin were weighed, giving Game Changer the daily marlin jackpots and the largest marlin jackpot for a total of $111,600.
In the gamefish categories, Reel Quick angler Carroll Thomas landed an impressive 158.50-pound yellowfin while Sea Toy angler Paul Milde boated the largest wahoo of the tournament at 41.90 pounds.
Top Lady Angler honors went to Taylor Lambert fishing on Reel Tight for her three blue marlin releases. Top Junior Angler of the tournament was Nicholas Haseotes catching four blue marlin on Rainmaker.
The 34-team field caught 102 billfish including 79 blues and 23 whites. The Sea Horse Anglers Club Bermuda Billfish Tournament hosted the final registration and kickoff party at the Docksider Pub in Hamilton and culminated with the traditional Royal Bermuda Yacht Club cocktail reception and awards banquet dinner.
For more information, head to Bermuda Triple Crown. The event also recognizes and thanks its sponsors, including Bermuda Tourism.
