The Bluewater Classic fishing tournament packed the Oak Bluffs harbor over the weekend with sportfishing fishing vessels hailing from up and down the Eastern seaboard.
The seventh annual Oak Bluffs Bluewater Classic fishing tournament packed the Oak Bluffs harbor over the weekend as sportfishing fishing vessels hailing from up and down the Eastern seaboard hauled in the largest catch the tournament has seen to date.
Elizabeth Rose out of Point Judith, R.I.
Elizabeth Rose out of Point Judith, R.I.
The 62-foot sportfishing yacht Lights Out took first place overall with a 116-pound swordfish, two white marlins and a 235-pound bigeye tuna. With the win, Lights Out of Pocasset and Capt. Rob Carmichael took home 70 per cent of the $38,000 purse and earned an invitation to fish in the Offshore World Championship in Costa Rica this December.
It was a big weekend for offshore deep-sea fishing. Marlin, roundscale spearfish, swordfish, yellow and bluefin tuna, bigeye tuna, albacore tuna, mahi-mahi (dolphin) and wahoo all crossed the scales over a two-day weekend that saw favorable weather, with temperatures in the low 80s and light winds.
A total of 41 boats registered; 37 went out on Friday and Saturday.
“All species got caught,” tournament organizer Damon Sacco said, although he said some — including 15 white marlin, one blue marlin and two bluefin tuna — were caught and released.
The tournament took over for the Monster Shark Tournament, a long-running tournament that eventually grew controversial and ended in 2014. Most of the fishing takes place in the Northeast Canyons about 130 miles offshore, Mr. Sacco said.
Gotta Do out of Woods Hole landed the largest fish of the day: a 288-pound bigeye tuna.
Gotta Do out of Woods Hole landed the largest fish of the day: a 288-pound bigeye tuna.
“There’s more yellowfin, bigeye and bluefin tuna around here than there has been in 50 years,” he said. Most of the catch is sold on the Vineyard and the Cape, save what the captains keep for their crew and themselves, Mr. Sacco said.
The tournament historically raises money for the Island Autism Group of Martha’s Vineyard and the Massachusetts General Hospital colon cancer research fund. Additionally this year, some proceeds from the tournament, which totaled $8,000, were donated to the Island Food Pantry.
Mr. Sacco said in seven years, the tournament has raised more than $100,000 for charity.
With the favorable weather on Friday and Saturday to fish, weigh in Saturday night lasted until nearly 11 p.m.
For onlookers and fishermen who had to wait, there was entertainment. An Elvis Presley impersonator turned the bulkhead along New York avenue into a stage, dancing to the King’s classics in the humid night air.
Tournament is in its seventh year.
Tournament is in its seventh year.
Biggest fish caught were as follows:
• Albacore Tuna, 57 pounds, Speculator, Palm Beach, Fla.
• Bigeye Tuna, 288 pounds, ’Gotta Do, Woods Hole.
• Mahi-Mahi (dolphin), two at 22 pounds each, Keep Dreaming, Lighthouse Point, Fla., and Loose Cannon, Hyannis.
• Swordfish, 116 pounds, Lights Out, Pocasset.
• Wahoo, 53 pounds, Criteria, New Castle, N.H.
• Yellowfin, 91 pounds, Miss Wilder, Osterville.
Comments
Way to go.....love this.
Lorraine EdgartownWay to go.....love this. Great for fisherpeople, great for the island, great for good works....what is not to like? Ain't nothing like fishing....I recall when I gut hooked a 500 lb blue....exciting....
OB has gone herd.
Mike Cunningham EdgartownOB has gone herd.
And who allowed an event that
Paul Oak BluffsAnd who allowed an event that "Packed" the harbor. You will be responsible for the increase in CoVID cases and any deaths. Oak Bluffs harbor and downtown is NOT safe. Hope you all understand how this is just pure crazy.
The Harbor was packed with
KeithThe Harbor was packed with boats. People were sufficiently distanced on the boats, and we required testing to board our vessel.
But wait, masks? Other signs
island girl IslandBut wait, masks? Other signs of responsible behavior? They may be having fun but I drove through OB last night from Edgartown on the way to Vineyard Haven and there were masses of people out and about and often in, yes, substantial groups, and I didn't see a mask anywhere. We've got a problem with responsible behavior. Of course it is difficult to expect all of us to exhibit such behavior when the people who should be our role models are such lousy examples. Have fun but PLEASE do it with respect and care, Your life (and mine) could depend upon it!
I think I speak for everyone
Dustin Wilson OBI think I speak for everyone when I say this is legitimately lame
Who allowed this? Can we
Islander Not OB thank goodnessWho allowed this? Can we plop them on one of those Goliath boats and ship them to Florida? With a restraining order here. We didn’t go through months of sacrifice as an Island so Oak Bluffs could make a few bucks at the marine gas pump and harbor “master” office. That town has become an outright threat. I will ask again. Who knew and who said okay? Oak Bluffs has far too proud a history. Unskilled cynical opportunists should NOT be in charge of something so precious. But they are pouncing now in the confusion of Covid. The true cash flows would make for incredible reading I bet. Meanwhile, what a lucky pandemic, totally took the focus off lawsuit after lawsuit, none successfully defended, all settled, and an FBI investigation to boot. What has happened to OB in the past couple years? Seems like we are back in the ‘80s, or 2000’s.
In Edgartown last night- 99%
George Grice Woods HoleIn Edgartown last night- 99% mask usage present!
Hello everyone
Damon Sacco PocassetHello everyone
I am the tournament organizer. I just wanted to clarify a few things that are worth mentioning. For starters, more than half of the vessels fishing in the event did NOT stay in Oak Bluffs Harbor this year. We took Covid-19 very seriously, re-arranging the entire event to try and ensure the safest environment possible. Vessels were allowed to leave from any port. We added a mainland registration tent which 22 boats used to check in. We expedited an online captains meeting to eliminate any sort of crowd gathering on registration day. We processed 90 percent of registrations online. We asked that each vessel use one person to pick up their registration packet. The only actual "set up" we had on island in Oak Bluffs was a 10 by 10 Tee-shirt tent which was manned by 2 of our staff members who wore masks when around people. The only other "set up" was at the weigh station( 2 days)...which we had roped off with cation tape. Noone was actually allowed inside the roughly 100 foot perimeter. Usually people are allowed in to take pictures ect. This was enforced by a police detail for both days of the weigh in.
I understand people's concern on masks and crowds. I have been to Oak Bluffs 3 times already this summer and it is true that not everyone is following correct protocol. I have seen it all over Cape Cod. But I just need to clarify that the tournament was not the culprit here. The 18 boats who stayed in OB might have had 100 people combined...maybe at most. In other years, we average 40 boats in the harbor, and we open the weigh in to the public. That was not the case this year. Some of the vessels who did have slips in OB went home early and forfeited their dockage because of the Covid-19 atmosphere and closures ect.
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