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Team Mon Chari, fishing aboard a Louisiana-based 68-foot American Custom Yacht, led by owner Damon Chouest with Capt. Matt Coppoletta and teammates Dustin Pinckney, Davon Laurent and Jorge Moore, has been fishing the North Drop for many years. Their experience and teamwork produced amazing results in the inaugural Scrub Island Invitational Billfish Series, hosted by Scrub Island Resort and Marina in the heart of the stunningly beautiful British Virgin Islands. Mon Chari won both legs to take the overall series championship, scoring 9,000 points from 22 billfish releases, including 17 blue marlin, three sailfish, one white marlin and one spearfish over the six days of fishing. Mon Chari earned $90,150 for their accomplishments; angler Damon Chouest won top angler awards and received the Bodo Muche stainless steel series trophy, King Sailfish Mount trophies, Yeti coolers, Costa sunglasses, Carey Chen artwork, Papa’s Pilar rum and an invitation to the 2023 Costa Offshore World Championship.
Team El Cazador, fishing aboard an 85-foot Ricky Scarborough out of Texas and led by owner Bobby Ricks with Capt. Paul Alderman and mate Scott Behrhorst, made the trip to the British Virgin Islands to fish the Scrub Island Invitational series. Fishing the North Drop for the very first time, El Cazador released nine blue marlin, scoring 4,500 points during the series, placing second in Leg I, third in Leg II and third in the series.
Team Lunatico, on a 63-foot Titan Custom Yacht from Florida with boat owner Lance Converse, Capt. Cory Gillespie and mate Slade Crumpton scored 4,500 points from nine blue marlin releases, placing second in Leg II and second in the series.
Other teams taking home cash and trophies included Uno Mas, who placed third in Leg I with angler Maria Smith earning top lady angler honors, and Indigo from the BVI winning a daily release jackpot in Leg I.
Although Tropical Storm Earl hindered participation numbers, the tournament participants enjoyed the hospitality of the Scrub Island Resort and Marina, open bar dinner parties and gifts from the sponsors including Lewis Marine, Costa Sunglasses, Yeti, King Sailfish Mounts, Papa’s Pilar, Big-T Lures and Marlin. The dates for next year’s Scrub Island Invitational Billfish Series are August 27 – 31 Leg I and Aug 31 – September 4, 2023 Leg II. For more information on the series and to request an invitation, visit www.scrubislandinvitational.com or email tournament director Dan Jacobs at [email protected].
