The wrap up

The power went out for 4 hours, the wind really picked up and this blogger had to take cover - sorry for the delay.

So lets end the Contender ABC Blog with a recap:

The 2cnd Annual Contender Avalon Billfish Classic was a smashing success. The event grew in one year from 9 teams to 24 teams with a healthy mix of both amateur teams and professional teams. The prize money grew as well with the tournament paying out over 113,000.00.

Day 1 started off hot for the amateurs with El Diablo hooking up first. The quick catch and release locked up El Diablo to sweep the amateur daily jackpot for day one and ultimately take home first place in the amateur division. In the pro division Chiqelin, with Captain "Beak" hooked up three times throughout the day allowing the team to sweep the daily jackpot prize money and vault them into first place.

Day 1 also held some excitement from Snake Dancer, an Contender/Yamaha team from the East Coast. Using a familiar set of fishing techniques from the East Coast, Snake Dancer used kites and balloons to land hook up. Snake Dancer closed out the tournament with a second place finish overall.

Day 2 was filled with harsh winds, rough waters and fewer bits. A couple of teams did make a last ditch run at the title. Gambler, West Coast Contender both entered the afternoon hot catching 3 and 2 marlin respectively. But the Beak on Chiqelin, held both teams off catching one marlin and ensuring his first place finish. That written, Gambler secured the day two jackpot propelling them into 3rd place.

Day 2 for the amateurs was not as strong. The rough waters and winds made it a tough day on the water for all the No Fear teams.

For a complete wrap up of prize money, teams and finishes please go to www.catalinaclassic.com

For some great pictures and video of this event please go to www.sportfisherman.com

If you enjoyed this blog please come back and follow the Riviera Zane Grey here with day to day commentary (hoping that the power does not go out again). Just go to: http://zanegrey2007.blogspot.com/

Thanks for your time and hope you enjoyed the blog.

Day 2 at the Contender ABC- Sunshine, RockStars and Kites

Day 2 - Contender ABC





Day 2 started off early for me, 5 am to be exact but there is a reason for the early wake up call. A bit of back script - on Sunday before coming over to the island I loaded a suite case with RockStars, the energy drink of Team Bad Company. This morning at 5:30am, like a scene right out of Miami Vice, I walked my suite case down to the docs and unloaded all the RockStars on to the Bad Company 55. The crew and the boss where happy knowing that after downing a couple RockStars a day on the water would just fly by.

It is almost 7am and time for the shotgun start.

Side note: For some great pictures of the tournament and more insights please go visit www.sportfisherman.com we are on the front page - CA Billfish Series. There are a plethora of amazing photos from the water.

The big shocker: Kites, yes I wrote it, kites! The East Coast guys have come to the West and they are flying kites and getting bites. It was supposed to be a funny side note watching some guys run kites for marlin but it has turned into fishing strategy that many West Coast anglers are taking notice of. After one day Snake Dancer, an East Coast Contender Team, hooked three marlin on kites. With the wind already picking up it looks to be another great day for kites and potentially another great day on the water for the East Coast Contender Teams.





C Bandit started off the morning right hooking up a striper at 8:45am. I wonder how those kites are flying?

I will be back at 12 with more news, new and improved from Avalon!

DAY 1 - Contender Avalon Billfish Classic

Day 1 of the Contender Avalon Billfish Classic started early, 5:15 to be exact. The first hour was spent setting up the doc, the radio and trying to find a hot cup of Joe. Our java savior, John Gabel, came to the doc in his 30ft BlackWatch Pescador, loaded up with hot java and donuts - a true am savior.


The 7am shotgun start went off without a hitch as all the yachts took off into the deep ocean blue of the Pacific. The first hook up came two hours later at 9am by a team in the No Fear division - El Diablo.



Shortly after one pro team got hot, Chiquelin, hooking 3 and verifying the release of two. Other early action included Bite Me, Quality Time (hooked up at the time of writing this blog), Snake Dancer, and Excessive.





Two lucky teams also took home plush prizes from our generous sponsors:

At 10am Reel Nice and Easy took home a year subscription to PCS, a 7 strand marlin lure, one pound spool of Berkley line and a Berkley Fluoro Carbon Leder.

At High Noon, Quality Time won a 250.00 dollar gift cerficate to the Avalon Fuel Dock courtesy of Contender Boats.



Part 2 of Day 1 (High Noon to 4)

The wind has picked up, the sun is beeming down and the marlin are bitting on Bite Me, the first hit of the afternoon. Just one short hour later, the East Coast boys - Snake Dancer hooked up again. Shortly after Snake Dancer got bit the West Coast came in strong with Bad Company getting a strike. The pros are starting to heat up in the afternoon sun. From 12 to 1:30 3 fish hooked up in Juliet 5 with Hotel 6 following up as the other hot spot to find marlin in the open blue of the Pacific.

The 2 to 3 time slot had things going slow on the water. Hook ups have been few and far between and with an hour of fishing to go it looks like the icon, Beak and his crew on Chiquelin may take day one in the pros with Snake Dancer waltzing up to a close second. In the No Fear division, El Diablo is leading the way on day one with Quality Time close behind and Bite Me nipping at their heals.

At the 3 o clock hour Chiquelin hooks up another, but will they bring it in to keep the lead in time and catches. Contender 1, from the East Coast hooked up in J 5 and with this wind. This East Coast Tournament Teams is loving the wind, "a great day to fly a kite." Keeping up with Chiquelin, Snake Dancer hooks up striking back with some East Coast skills.

After 4 when the teams come in it is up to Grant Hunner, Tournament Director, to verify all the catches and releases on video. One fatal mistep and a team may loose a crucial catch and release dropping them off the leader board.

A special thanks to all of our sponsors and anglers.

Come back tomorrow for Day 2. Covering more catch and release action, a leader update and continued action from the front lines at Catalina.

For more information on future tournaments go to www.catalinaclassics.com