Marlin slam fishing tournament-Team Marlin win with 132.35kg catch |26 January 2012

Organised by the Seychelles Sports Fishing Club (SSFC), the competition was sponsored by Highland International whose representative Stephen Blakemore gave out the R200,000 first prize to the winning team during a gathering at the Bravo Restaurant at the Eden Island on Sunday.

SSFC chairman Christophe Houareau, who presented the beautiful Bodo Muche sculptured trophy to the winning team, SSFC members and other sponsors attended the ceremony.

A total 25 boats registered for Saturday’s tournament and only four managed to bring ashore a marlin.

Captain Alain Khan was the tournament’s weigh master, while the results were verified by Faizal Suleman, the International Game Fishing Association (IGFA) representative for Seychelles.

A 132.35kg catch was enough to give the Marlin team – comprising captain Charles Marzocchi, Joe MacGaw, Alistair Maiden and Alan Brummer – first prize. They garnered 1,323.50 points to clinch the tournament’s star prize of R200,000 and a Bodo Muche sculptured trophy. It took skipper Marzocchi and his crew members around half an hour to completely bring their catch onboard. On behalf of his crew he said they were very happy to win and dedicated the success to good teamwork.

The Sea Fever team onboard the Sea Beast boat and under the leadership of skipper Christophe Larue and team captain Walter Larue, brought ashore the second biggest catch of the tournament. They hooked a 118.75kg marlin which earned them 1,187.50 points.

The third biggest catch of the tournament was by team Scorpion with skipper Edison Rath and team captain Rajesh Chetty. Their 110.30kg marlin gave them 1,103.00 points.

The other team to bring in a marlin was Island Star with skipper Antoine Hoareau and team captain Marc Houareau. They brought in a 66.85kg marlin for 668.50 points.

The competition was open to trolling only and teams needed to have a minimum two anglers. The boats left the Eden Island marina at 3am on Saturday and had to be at the Bravo Restaurant pontoon at the Eden Island at 5pm on the same day.

Fish was caught on rod and reeled only using live bait, dead bait or artificial lures. Electric reels and long-line winches were not allowed. Jigging was not permitted. Hand lines were allowed for running teasers behind the boats only.

SSFC chairman Christophe Houareau said the tournament was held under the rules of the IGFA which is the leading authority on angling pursuits and the keeper of the most current world record fishing catches by fish categories.
 
He described the turnout for Saturday’s tournament as excellent and invited all the teams to take part in the other fishing competitions on the club’s calendar for the year 2012.

R. D.