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The 1st annual Casa de Campo Blue Marlin Classic held from 22nd to 24th of March, was a great success with 73 blue marlins released during the two day competition, proving once again that the blessed waters of Dominican Republic, especially between Punta Cana and La Romana are world-class when it comes to billfishery.
The fleet of 16 boats sailing out of the Marina Casa de Campo caught an average of 4.56 blue marlins per boat, releasing 39 on day one and 34 on day two totaling the almost unbelievable sum of 73 blue marlin releases in just two days.
Taking first place in the Casa de Campo Blue Marlin Classic with 4,920 points was Floridian Frank Rodriguez’s 70’ Viking”Fa-La-Me” with Captain Rob Moore. A runaway victory, releasing six blues on day one and repeating with another six on day two to complete an even dozen in just two days. “We were very fortunate that we were able to capitalize on most of our bites” said a smiling Captain Moore.
Bill Ingram’s “Reel Passion” from North Carolina kept pace with six blue marlin on day one, but the same luck did not continue for them on day two thus finishing the tournament in second place with a total of 3,280 points.
Meanwhile a battle for third place ensued in the closing hours of day two between “Click Through”, “Bandolera”, “Ambush”, “Shoe” and “Jaruco” with “Click Through” pulling ahead by releasing their seventh blue marlin of the tournament in the final minutes and taking third place as a result.
In the individual angler standings it was Bill Ingram aboard “Reel Passion” who shined by releasing six out of the eight blues registered by his team and earning him the Mustad Silver Hook Top Angler Trophy. He was followed by Coral Gables, Florida angler Stephanie Choate aboard “Ambush” who outshone her dad, the well known Tim Choate, by releasing six blues. Stephanie not only took Second Place as overall angler, but was also recognized as the tournament’s Top Lady Angler, while Third Place High Point Angler belonged to Taylor Beckford fishing aboard “Fa-La-Me” with a total of four blues.
Dates are set for 2015 when the Casa de Campo International Blue Marlin Classic will move to a three fishing days format with a lay day. The event will be held from March 17th to the 22nd with excellent activities already in the works including a skeet shoot competition and a golf scramble on the lay day.Casa de Campo Blue Marlin Classic – Winners
1st place: Frank Rodriguez – Fa-La-Me 2nd place: Bill Ingram – Reel Passion 3rd place: Click Through
The following collection of photos were taken at the prize-giving ceremony of Casa de Campo Blue Marlin Classic:
The Casa de Campo Blue Marlin Classic may be over, but the legendary fishing season in the Marina Casa de Campo continues… With the waters between the Marina Casa de Campo and Punta Cana literally teeming with blue marlin, it’s clear that the 2014 fishing season is well on it’s way to living up to the 2013 season, pronounced as “one of the finest Blue Marlin seasons the world have ever seen”, by the Billfish Report.
Fishing season here in the Dominican Republic and more specifically the Marina Casa de Campo is between February and May, so if you’re a keen angler, now is the time to get out on the water.