24 boats compete for prize money in Hatteras Village Offshore Open

Twenty-four boats competed for $86,400 in prize money in the 19th annual Hatteras Village Offshore Open last week.

The tournament is the first event in the Governor’s Cup billfishing series.

“There were fewer boats than we would have liked,” said Dennis Robinson, president of the Hatteras Village Civic Association, the tournament’s sponsor.

Robinson attributed the lower turnout of boats to a combination of the problems with shoaling in Hatteras Inlet and the weather forecast.

Going into the tournament, the forecast was for high winds and rough seas, at least for the beginning of the four days of fishing, which ran from Wednesday, May 15, through Saturday, May 18. 

As it turned out, the winds were not as heavy as forecast.  Twenty-two boats fished on Wednesday, only two on Thursday when the seas were big, and 24 fished Friday and Saturday.

The competitors caught a total of eight blue marlin, two white marlin, and two sailfish over the four days.

All of the marlin were released this year.  None was brought to the dock for weigh-in.

First place in the billfish division and $39,886.25 in prize money went to Stream Weaver for one blue marlin and two white marlin releases.  Cat Baby took the second place in the division — $9,651.75 – with one blue marlin and one sailfish.  And Sea Toy won third place and $6,334.50, also with one blue marlin and one sailfish.

The tie between the second and third place boats was broken by the time the fish were caught.

A percentage of the entry fees in the tournament benefits various Hatteras nonprofit organizations.

COMPLETE RESULTS
                                                  
1st Place Billfish Levels 1 and 2 and Level 4 as well as Wednesday’s Daily Billfish:   
Stream Weaver. Captain Mike King and Owner Rusty Carter with 800 points for one blue marlin and two white marlin.  ($39,886.25)

2nd Place Billfish Levels 1 and 2: Cat Baby. Captain John Henry and owner Randy Hoft with 600 points for one blue marlin and one sailfish. ($9,651.75)

3rd Place Billfish Levels 1 and 2:   Sea Toy. Captain Bull Tolson and team headed up by David Biggs of Wake Forest, N.C., with 600 points for one blue marlin and one sailfish. ($6,434.50)

1st Place Tuna (only tuna) for the tournament and Thursday Daily Tuna:    
Coverage. Captain Hunter Blount and owner Jim Holmes. Angler: John Durham Morgan. Weight: 33.4 pounds.  ($4,285.42)

1st  Place Dolphin for the tournament and Saturday Daily Dolphin:
Release. Captain Rom Whitaker and angler Charles Gross. Weight: 54.4 pounds.  ($3,038.75)

2nd Place Dolphin for the tournament and Friday Daily Dolphin: Tuna Duck. Captain Dan Rooks and angler Rick Coleman.  Weight: 48.7 pounds.   
($3,584.17)

1st Place Wahoo for the tournament and Wednesday Daily Wahoo: Tuna Duck. Captain Dan Rooks and angler John Simpson. Weight: 41.8 pounds.  ($3,038.75)

2nd Place Wahoo for the tournament: Whatever. Captain/Owner  Freddie James and angler James Holmes. Weight: 17.6 pounds. ($1,246.67)

Friday Daily Billfish Release:   Big Tahuna. Captain Ken Koci and owner Buddy Foster with one blue marlin release.  ($3,400)

Saturday’s Daily Billfish Release: Sea Striker. Captain/owner Adrian Holler with one blue marlin. ($3,400)

Wednesday’s Daily Dolphin Winner: Swordfish. Captain Jim Ashley and owner Brant Wise. Angler: Dan Hayes. Weight: 48.0 pounds. ($1168.75)

Thursday’s Daily Dolphin Winner: Good Times. Captain Andy Piland and angler David Heeter. Weight 36.7 pounds.