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| This article was published in the June 2004 issue of Rod and Line Fishing magazine. |
This year’s Rolex IGFA Labuan International tournament held
from 2nd to 8th May 2004, attracted 166 participants from
six countries, the best turnout since it was started several years ago. It is
also now part of the yearly colorful Labuan International Sea Challenge.
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| Team Wahoo with a 45kig Dogtooth Tuna. The team won 3rd placing in the tournament's team event. |
The fishing tournament consisted of two categories, i.e.,
the team and the individual events. Every team is allowed a maximum of six
members. And each member was entitled to put up one fish for the team event.
The winning team was decided by the heaviest total weight of all six fishes.
Team members were allowed to enter another fish each for the individual event.
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| Fully armoured Billion Chang engaged in a tough battle with a whooper. |
A cash prize of RM1000 would be awarded to the heaviest
Marlin/sailfish, dogtooth tuna, yellow fin tuna and giant trevally. The
heaviest shark, escolar, barracouta, wahoo and rosy job fish would be worth
RM500 each.
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| 100 foot long Tournament mother-boat, Sea Maiden 1, raising the shark on crane. |
To encourage conservation, there was a minimum weight for
the following fishes. The fishes and their minimum weights were as follow: 1).
Marlin-60kg. 2). Sailfish and spearfish-30kg. 3). Shark-70kg.
To help the anglers decide the weight of the fish caught, a
rough guide was supplied. Marlins and sharks would be 10kg per foot and 5kg per
foot for sails and spearfish. Anyone or boat found having fish that did not
comply with these minimum weights would be disqualified.
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| (A) | |
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| (B) | | | | |
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| (C) | |
(A, B and C are small specimens by Spratly's standard)
To further drive home the conservation message, a new
category was included this year. A challenge trophy and assorted prizes would
be given for the most number of billfish caught and released (evidence by
photographs). A very wise move I should say.
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| A wahoo caught with the popular Bonito. |
To inculcate a sense of caring for the environment, any boat
found disposing non-biodegradable rubbish into the sea would have all its
anglers disqualified from the tournament. Another feather in the cap of the organizers.
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| Another trevally, quite common on jigs. |
Overall the tournament was a success. Everything went on
smoothly with only minor hitches. Mr. and Mrs. Patrick Song were everywhere
taking care of and directing the participants and correspondents. All the other
members of the organizing team were actively contributing their parts to the
smooth running of the tournament.
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| Major Alias, with a good size dogtooth. |
Other than the Calliban having some slight drive shaft
problem and the boat 03 some engine hitches, there was no major problem
affecting the boats. Towards the end of the competition, the Crystal Coral went
to the aid of a sampan based angler.
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| Shallow reef at Mariveles. |
2004 can be said to have produced the best result in nine
years of competition. The large number of huge dogtooths caught stood
testimonial to that. The few 100kg plus marlins that got hooked near Dallas was
a phenomenon itself. Team Alu Alu lost four marlins in one day and got spooled
3 times in one night. Popping near Mariveles and Dallas produced many huge GTs
and bluefins too.
The winning team from last year, Team Ikan Bilis, will be
proudly flying the Jalur Gemilang at the Roles IGFA Tournament, Mexico,
representing Malaysia. Team Odyssey, this year’s winner, will also be invited
to the Cabo San Lucas 2005 Tournament.
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| Some of the participating boats. |
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| Lifting up this 45kg dogtooth is easy for this boatman. It took 3 other anglers to move the toothy beast. |
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| The dreaded jaws no more |
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| The catch on display. |
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| A marlin must exeed 60kg to qualify for this tournament. |
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| The much hated line cutting barrcouta. |
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| Anglers must fish within the competition zone in these sensitive water. | | |
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| Team TCE | | | | |
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