Islas Marianas wins total weight category

Islas Marianas captain Alex Sablan, left, poses with crew mates and some of the fish they caught en route to winning the total weight category of the 38th Annual Saipan International Fishing Tournament. (CONTRIBUTED PHOTO)

Islas Marianas proved that the whole is greater than the sum of its parts after winning the total weight category in last Saturday’s 38th Annual Saipan International Fishing Tournament.

Captain Alex Sablan and crewmen Ivan Quichocho, John “Pan” Guerrero, Gilbert Borja, and John Aldan caught fish with a combined weight of 37.5 lbs to win the $3,000 prize money.

As per Saipan Fishermen’s Association rules, boats that already won in major categories don’t qualify for the total weight category hence Rose 1’s winning 131.1-lb winning marlin and Robalo’s record-setting 125.5-lb yellowfin were scratched from the total weight race.

Sablan said they were pretty fortunate to win the total weight considering that fish weren’t really biting during the one-day fishing tournament last Saturday.

“We’re obviously quite shocked it won the total catch weight but other than Ivan’s monster yellowfin all other fish were relatively small in comparison to previous derbies,” he told Saipan Tribune.

The Tan Holdings executive said Islas Marianas went straight to traditionally rich fishing grounds soon after steaming from the Smiling Cove Marina early Saturday morning.

“I had been hearing that fishing within shoreline waters had not been successful for several boats that went out earlier in the week and so I was dead set on heading out to Esmeralda Banks. We got as far out west as you could get onto structure within the banks and it paid off because we were chasing a boil all within one square mile of the area for most of the morning and all our lures hit and caught at least one fish,” he said.

Sablan said he’s simply overjoyed winning the total weight category alongside his close friends.

“I’m stoked that Islas Marianas won and sweeter that the win was with my brothers—John Pan and Ivan. Appreciate my niao John Pan and John Aldan for getting the fishing machine built and ready in time for the derby!”

Next up for Sablan and the crew of Islas Marianas is next month’s fishing tournament in neighboring Guam where majority of the $3,000 winnings will be spent.

“The spoils will go to getting our team ready for the Greg Perez Memorial Derby from Aug. 20 to 21 in Guam and if we’re lucky there then we can party hard,” he said with the party part uttered in jest.

Saipan Tribune earlier reported that the crew of Rose 1 won the grand prize and Governor’s Cup after reeling in the heaviest fish of the tournament—a 131.1-lb marlin. It pocketed $3,000 courtesy of MarPac and Budweiser plus another $6,000 on the side bet.

Another boat that hit the jackpot in the abbreviated derby is the crew of Robalo after it landed a record-breaking 125.5-lb yellowfin. By topping the previous record of 106 lbs, the crew of the boat skippered by Ivan Ilmov also took home a cool $2,500 courtesy of the Tan Siu Lin Foundation. Islas Marianas placed second in the category with a catch of 24.4 lbs, while Defiance rounded out the Top 3 with a 16.5-pounder.

In the wahoo category, MV Tivana ruled the roost with a 22.9-lb fish, followed by St. Christopher and Maya with catches of 15.3 lbs and 13.8 lbs, respectively.

San Juan narrowly beat out Marilyn and Islas Marianas in the skipjack category after reeling in an 18-pounder compared to the former’s 17.4 lbs and the latter’s 17.1 lbs. Lastly, 10-7 #2 was No. 1 in the mahi category after netting a 3.6-pounder. It was the lone mahi caught in the derby.