This past weekend, sportfishing yachts, center consoles, and even superyachts travelled to Old Bahama Bay for what is now the largest fishing tournament ever held at the West End resort, the 2021 OBB Wahoo Charity Cup. Not only did 45 boats register in the tournament, but Old Bahama Bay sold out their rooms for the first time in 10 years!
After adhering to Bahamian customs law in which all travelers had to test negative for Covid-19, participants were greeted with Harry’s famous conch salad, fresh banana bread, goombay smashes, and the hospitable smiles of local residents.
Having been postponed since November of 2020 due to inclement weather, the tournament was a welcome weekend of festivities and fishing in a community missed and loved by so many. Thursday night was the captain’s meeting where teams picked up buckets which included t-shirts, various gifts, Livewire tackle lures, a 7” Sord Tools filet knife, and a bottle of Flybridge Vodka – a collaboration between King Spirits and Carey Chen – which was private labelled with the tournament logo. Teams enjoyed hors d’oeuvres, the “Mango One Man Band” at the pool, and plenty of Flybridge Vodka to go around while rules were clarified.
Of the 45 boats registered, 37 competed, and Day 1 of fishing began Friday morning at 6:30 am. Temperature was a breezy 73 degrees, winds ranged from 6 to 12kts creating for a choppy day, and fishing seemed slow for everyone, but half of the boats brought in a wahoo with EL JEFE bringing in the day 1 daily and heaviest wahoo of the tournament at 76.3 pounds. Lady Angler, Kimberly Fenn on EASY PEASY also weighed in her 27.8 pound wahoo on the first day.
Day 2 of the tournament warmed up a few degrees, but winds were still 6-12kts, and afternoon rainstorms made for a tough ride back to the dock.
REMAIN CALM ended up winning the first place trophy and a Marsh Tacky Carbon 6’ gaff with a total 3-fish aggregate or 114.8 pounds, as well as 1st place daily for day 2 with a 69.1 pound wahoo.
TAI-O earned second place overall with a total aggregate of 88.6 lbs, and team CORKS CREW finished third with a total weight of 80.3 lbs. Biggest “Fun Fish” went to THE PROVIDER with a 37 lb dolphin. All winning teams received a trophy by Snidely Wood Studio and a lure package from Mahi Maniacs along with their winnings check.
During the awards ceremony, silent auction items included a framed Dustin Johnson signed Masters flag, a Mike Tyson signed boxing glove donated by Palm Beach Autographs, a D-Dey Response Group Safety Kit, and various other fishing-related items. Carey Chen was also present to live auction three original paintings, and the “Marlynn Match Challenge”, a tradition started by a 10-year young lady “Marlynn” to donate to the Leukaemia & Lymphoma NI, was done live as well. Teams enjoyed a spectacular full-course grouper dinner and libations to close out the celebration.
Big thank you to Andy Flack from Canvas Designers for all of your hard work organizing and as MC, and thank you to everyone who attended and donated! 100% of all cash donations, 20% of boat entry fees, and all proceeds from the raffle and silent auction items go straight to Leukaemia & Lymphoma NI. Digital marketing was managed by Rising Tide Marketing.