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Originally launched in 1983, the Pirate’s Cove Billfish Tournament has evolved into a week-long event consisting of three distinct tournaments that attract top tournament teams and raise serious money for impactful causes.
Tournament Week at the famed Pirate’s Cove Marina in Manteo, North Carolina, kicked off on August 10 with registration for the 35th annual Alice Kelly Memorial Ladies Only Tournament (AKL). Touted as one of the largest ladies-only billfish tournaments in the world, the AKL is a one-day tournament established in honor of Alice Kelly, a passionate angler and Outer Banks volunteer who lost her battle with cancer. The AKL serves as a major fundraiser for the Inter-Faith Community Outreach program, which supports individuals and families dealing with cancer treatment on the Outer Banks.
This year’s AKL fielded 155 teams with more than 900 lady competitors releasing 16 blue marlin, 70 sailfish and two white marlin. Fender Bender, a 62-foot Spencer captained by Colin Oxnard, took home first place and $49,450 by releasing three blue marlin thanks to anglers Emma Lowenstein, Becky Snider and Mary Beth Evans. Due South took second place by time with four sailfish releases, followed by Sally Girl, also with four sailfish releases. The biggest cash prize of the tournament went to Taylor Thomas on Epic, who caught a 26.2-pound dolphin, earning $59,500 for their first-place finish in that category. Julia Allen aboard Bobojo landed a 47.4-pound wahoo and Savanah Whitfield’s on Salvation caught a 54.3-pound tuna, securing first place in their respective categories.
Building on the momentum from the AKL, the festivities rolled over into the week’s main event, the 41st annual Pirate’s Cove Billfish Tournament, which fielded a fleet of 84 boats competing for a total purse of $1.26 million. Per tournament rules, teams are permitted to fish any three of the designated four tournament days.
On Day One, 77 boats left the marina, collectively releasing 13 blue marlin, 26 sailfish and six white marlin. Viking 82, captained by Sean Dooley, released two blue marlin and two sailfish to take the daily with 700 points. Pelican and Annie O followed, each releasing one blue marlin and one sailfish for 350 points.
Fishing and participation slowed on Day Two with 59 boats leaving Oregon Inlet and collectively releasing 41 billfish, compared to 86 on Day One. Sniper, a 56-foot Paul Mann captained by Chris Raiford, was the top boat on Day Two, releasing one blue marlin and one sailfish for 350 points. Viking 82 maintained its overall lead with 800 points after releasing one sailfish, followed by Re-Leased with 700 points and Pelican with 650 points.
A total of 66 boats fished on Day Three and collectively released 39 billfish. Sweet Spot, a 62-foot Spencer captained by Chris Kubik, was the top boat on Day Three releasing three blue marlin for a total of 750 points. At the end of Day Three, Pelican, a 56-foot Paul Mann captained by Arch Bracher, jumped to first place overall with 1,000 total points after three white marlin releases on the day. Sweet Spot moved to second place overall with 850 points thanks to their banner day, while Viking 82 followed closely in third place with 800 points. Although Pelican held a 150-point lead heading into the final day, the team was “fished out” after Day Three and had to lay at the dock on the final day of fishing, while both Sweet Spot and Viking 82 were still eligible to fish.
Day Four presented the toughest fishing of the tournament, with 49 boats collectively releasing three blue marlin, four sailfish and 16 white marlin. Rigged Up, a 54-foot Omie Tillet captained by Charles Haywood, took the daily with three billfish releases, and Sweet Spot released a white marlin, inching within 50 points of the lead. However, when the dust settled on the final day, Pelican’s gamble to fish earlier in the week and lay on the final day paid off as they held on to win Top Boat and $275,893 with seven billfish releases and 1,000 points.
Sweet Spot finished in second place with a total of 950 points, earning $225,380, while Viking 82 secured third place position on time with 800 points, winning $152,920. In the angler divisions, Holly McAlhany on Sweet Spot won Top Lady Angler with 700 points, Joe Segrave aboard Re-Leased won the Top Overall Angler with 500 points, and Wyatt Bailey on Pelican won Top Junior Angler with 350 points.
Read Next: Meet Heather Maxwell, Tournament Director for the Pirates Cove Billfish Tournament.
Wrapping up Tournament Week at Pirate’s Cove was the 7th annual Sheep Dog Veterans Tournament. This one-day tournament was launched in 2017 to honor and support military veterans. This year the tournament hosted 12 US Marines from Camp Lejeune who filled their coolers with dolphin aboard Country Girl captained by Charles Foreman.
“Tournament Week is a huge effort by so many people,” said Heather Maxwell, Tournament Director. “The best thing to me is we are a non-profit company and in everything we do we keep an eye on how it affects our charities. I wish the fishing had been better but I couldn’t have asked for a better field of boats and crews.”
