October President’s Message and Tournament Results

Hello Mission Bay Marlin Club Members,

Fall is upon is and with it comes some of the best fishing of the year. The offshore fishing has warm water, multi-species fishing, less pressure and generally calm seas. Inshore fishing can be good as well of the beginning of Lobster hoop netting. All in all its a great time to spend a day with family and friends on the water.

The 46th annual Mission Bay MARLIN Tournament was held last weekend and was a fantastic event for this Covid 2020 Season. We had 18 club boats and 58 anglers enter this year and a great turnout for our Captain’s meeting which was held outside our clubhouse next to Dana Landing Market and Fuel dock. The Early Bird Raffle was won by Jerry Martin. This was a Trinidad 30 (donated by Jerry Lively) and a custom caster (donated by Doug Kern of Fisherman’s Landing Tackle). Thank you both.

The tournament action began early Saturday morning with the boat High Count reporting in to Tournament Control with a hookup for angler Steve Milligan. Minutes later Captain Bob Nelson called in that they had boated the fish. The fish weighed 158 lbs,  A nice fish. Shortly after that Team Bucket List called in their hookup with John Brudvik as the angler. They released their fish after a short fight. Good Job! The boat Profishent called in a double hookup after that only to have both fish come off. Heartbreaking! Tournament Control was manned by Kyle Stamper, who did a great job keeping us all engaged with the hourly on the water raffles. On Sunday, MBMC Weigh-Master Billy Vitale drew between the two anglers that caught fish and Steve Milligan took home the $1000 First Place Gift Card to Dana Landing and John Brudvik was awarded 2nd place and a $700 gift card. Third place $500 Gift card was decided by a drawing from all the anglers who fished, with Bill Wilkinson as the lucky winner. There were no Tuna weighed in and the Side Jackpot money will be returned to each angler. This event was a success because of Bill Vitale, Shane Hurt, Jarred Gilbert.   Thank You!   I would also like to thank these club members for their support and donations Bob Nelson, Jeff and Linda Winters, Ken Yasuda, John Brudvik, Jeff Meeker, Paul and Gloria Himmelberger, Jerry Lively, Doug Kern, and Bob and Donna Hargraves.

Fish of the Month Winner for September is Steve Milligan with his tournament winning 158lb Striped Marlin. Congratulations again.

Marlin News. The Marlin season was started off by Team Chiqelin as Shane Hurt released a fish from a group of eight tailers they found on the Avalon Bank. They qualified for the First Release Flag and the first fish released on 50lb. Next Jeff Meeker caught the First Taken Fish of the season aboard Jeff Zachery’s Fire Escape. Next up Ken Yasuda on the Encounter had found the fish and caught 3 in a week’s time. Two of the fish were first ever marlin caught by new members Shannon Carpenter and Nick Kane. These fish were very special for each of them in honor of their past Father and Mother respectively. Ken also released another caught by  member Sean Burke as angler. Then Team Chiqelin  released a fish caught by non-member angler Steve Dillingham.  Next was Steve Milligan  who landed his  tournament winning 158lb fish on 80lb to take the First Marlin on 80lb title. Last but not least Team Bucket List released a fish on 50lb line with John Brudvik as angler. The Top Boat has Team Encounter with 3 fish, Team Chiqelin with 2, and Bucket list, Fire Escape, High Count with 1 each.

New Members. We welcome Waynne Yasuda, Lane and Dylan Snider, Thomas Goetz, Shannon Carpenter, Sean Burke, Lisa M Kitagawa and Lisa TS Kitagawa to our club. We hope to see and meet you all whenever the Covid Restrictions allow us to gather again. New Member Lisa TS Kitagawa has a pending IGFA Jr Girls World Record for a 135.7lb Bluefin Tuna caught aboard The Impulse. She and her mom have joined the club in part because we have the local IGFA weigh station in Mission Bay. They will be pursuing records all across the world. I hope to be reporting some of their adventures in the future.

As this season is winding down The Board of Directors will be looking for some new board members who are willing to give a couple hours to help run and grow the club. grow. Please email any of the board members if you are interested.  

Tight Lines ,

Shawn