Salty Bandits uses purple lure to top Wahoo in Marianas

Salty Bandits captain Masaki Kitami, second from right, and crew hand Austin Benavente, second from left, pose with student volunteers after getting their first place plaque and cash and in-kind prizes during the awards ceremony of the Tasi to Table Inc.’s 3rd Annual Wahoo in the Marianas last Saturday at the Smiling Cove Marina weighing station. (MARK RABAGO)

The Salty Bandits crew tasted sweet success after catching the weightiest wahoo in Tasi to Table Inc.’s 3rd Annual Wahoo in the Marianas last Saturday.

Captain Masaki Kitami and crew hand Austin Benavente, both 21 years old, reeled in a 48.2-lb wahoo to take the $2,000 top prize and bragging rights for a whole year.

Kitami said this is the first time they won the top prize in any fishing derby and they attributed their success to their lure, or more specifically the color of their lure.

“This is actually the first fishing derby that we ever won. The secret was color of the lure which was purple. We caught the winning wahoo on the backside of Tinian. Caught it around 6:30am in the morning. We picked up the lines then launched and came back home around 12 o’clock and prayed to be first all the way,” he said.

Apart from catching the winning wahoo, Kitami and Benavente said they’re just happy to return safely from their fishing trip.

“It was a big fish and it was rough and raining. We had good fun and that’s all what matters in fishing. We want to dedicate the win to Tasi to Table. This is for you guys, especially the volunteers and students,” said Kitami.

They also said their good friend who recently passed, Big John, was a big part of them taking up the sport of fishing.

Salty Bandits finished second in last year’s Saipan International Fishing Derby and actually placed the past four years they’ve compete. Kitami said it sure felt good to come in first place for a change.

“It was hard but we actually managed to fish the right specie today. So we got lucky today”.

Asked why they named their 17-foot Boston Whaler Montauk Salty Bandits, Kitami said it’s because they’re always in the water and they’re really bad—in a good way—when they go fishing.

Mada Flyer of skipper Lino Tenorio finished second with a 41.1-lb wahoo and also took the total weight prize for his boat’s aggregate catch of 96.8 lbs. In all, Tenorio and crew won $2,000 ($1,500 for finishing second and $500 for the total weight bounty).

Team Red aboard the CM-6428PU came in third after captain Jesse D. Taitano landed a 40.2-lb wahoo, while Keilani-Ko (CM-152PU) of Frank A. Reyes completed the Top 3 with a 31.7-lb catch. Team Red and Keilani-Ko earned $1,000 and in-kind prizes, respectively, for their effort.

The 3rd Annual Wahoo in the Marianas saw 37 boats launch from the Smiling Cove Marina and was sponsored by Mobil Oil Marianas and IT&E.

According to its website, Tasi to Table was established in July of 2020 and its goal is to pass along knowledge of fishing to future generations of people in the CNMI. It teach students various fishing techniques and the skills needed for each type of fishing method. From trolling pelagic species, to deep drop fishing, shoreline casting, to throwing nets (talaya), Tasi to Table and its affiliated members are well equipped to provide these learning opportunities to its students.