Weldor’s Ark Takes 12th Annual Virginia Beach Billfish Tournament

The 12th annual Virginia Beach Billfish Tournament which took place August 19-22 at Southside Marina again proved itself to be the party of the season. Seventy-five boats with 498 anglers vied for $418,500.

Final registration, the Captain’s Meeting and the Kick-Off Party witnessed a mass influx of bodies as sponsors and participants swarmed the tournament tent and hit the new Marlin Bar while the Chick’s Oyster Bar crew put the final touches on the evening’s repast. Tournament site host Cheryl McLeskey and the Virginia Beach Fishing Center urged everyone to the outside cocktail area for a dusk photo shoot via helicopter and the drones flown by AerialView Innovations.

The Live Charity Auction kicked off the festivities featuring a guitar signed by country music star Luke Bryan donated by Charles Barker Automotive, Steve Goione’s original artwork, a custom Golf Cart from Eastern Shore Custom Carts and a gorgeous Release Marine Trillion Series Fighting Chair. In addition to a direct contribution of funds from Charles Barker Automotive, the first night of the VBBT raised a rocking $41,700 off the bat to jump-start the tournament’s charitable efforts. The night rocked on to full speed with music by the Janitors until the last stragglers headed to their beds.

Day one fishing saw twenty boats leave the dock and the speed of the call-ins made it seem like a good call for the crews that stayed at the dock. Of the intrepid twenty, it was Capt. Harris Huddle on the 55 Jarrett Bay Builder’s Choice who pulled out the Daily with four releases on time over Capt. David Peck on the Skiligal with the same number. Capt. Larry Branham on the Compromise released three to place him in a solid 3rd before a load of boats each with two releases. In total 35 billfish were released for the day. Later the tent filled up once again for a taste of some down home barbecue from Malbon’s.

On Friday the bulk of the crews pulled out of Rudee in the dark heading for points both north and south inside the 100-mile boundary. Twelve boats took a lay day leaving 63 on the water to release a total of 104 billfish. Capt. Mike Taylor aboard John Robert’s Weldor’s Ark took the Daily and moved into 2nd place with six white marlin releases, but it was Home Run’s Capt. Grant Bentley who took over the lead adding four whites and one blue to their two whites from the first day for a total of 490 points. Capt. Hunter Blount on Jim Holme’s Coverage released four whites and a sail to jump into 3rd place with 350 points. Sally Girl with father and son team Chauncey and Jason Krahenbill also released five fish having laid to the dock on day one. Builder’s Choice and Skiligal managed to add one each on their final day of fishing for a total of five fish apiece. Rounding out the action, Sea Striker, Triple 7, Croupier and Obsession all jumped into the Top 10 on their first day out releasing four fish each giving them 280 points apiece. That night The Heather Edwards Band hit the stage while the crews loaded up on a delectable array prepared by Chick’s Oyster Bar including mammoth loads of king crab legs, shrimp and local favorite Pollard’s Fried Chicken.

Saturday morning 67 boats headed out leaving the leading Home Run crew to pace the docks of Fisherman’s Wharf Marina, glued to the Reel Time Apps mobile scoring on their phones and either blessing or cursing the northeast breeze depending on how one views the effect on the bite. Conditions offshore were completely fishable, albeit some rides were more comfortable than others. Capt. Ned Ashby aboard Sea Breeze got the job done and landed the Daily with four releases. Micabe, Just Right, Croupier and Reel Passion each released three fish. In an exciting “down to the wire” finish, Capt. Charles Haywood running David Biggs’ Triple 7 released two more for a total of 420 points winning out over Coverage and Sea Breeze on time and taking 5th Place. Sally Girl released their 6th fish early Saturday morning to take 4th Place on time. Home Run held in to 3rd place with seven fish and 490 points. Cheryl McLeskey’s Croupier with Capt. Will Austin jumped into 2nd place with Top Lady Angler Janice Drimer releasing six of the seven fish for their total of 490 points as well. Taking 1st Place and the Wayne McLeskey Memorial Top Boat category was John Robert’s Weldor’s Ark with Capt. Mike Taylor and mate Dustan Tilley taking Top Crew. John also took home the Top Angler award for the tournament releasing six whites. Twelve year old Blake Huling, son of Outer Limits owner Michael Huling, took the Top Junior Gamefish Angler weighing in the largest junior dolphin with Capt. Jim Rickman. Top Junior Billfish Angler went to 15-year-old Tommy Barton IV for the second time with a white marlin release aboard Trick Standing’s Git-R-Done. In the Gamefish Division, angler Shawn Welch fishing aboard Wildlife with Capt. Stuart Lackey took Top Dolphin with a 29 lb. dolphin; angler Jay Bremer aboard Micabe with Capt. Jay Weaver weighed in an 88.1 lb. yellowfin tuna for the Top Tuna award; and angler Mike Dillon aboard Bob Stanton’s Tippecanoe with Capt. Matt Bailey at the helm took Top Wahoo honors with a 70.5-pounder. The Joel Webb Memorial Top Mate Award was given to mate Matt Serafin aboard the Alexis.

Overall, 182 billfish were released: 17 blue marlin, 154 white marlin, 9 sailfish and 2 spearfish. Although blue marlin over 115-inches may be boated, only one marlin in the tournament’s 12 year history has been brought to the scales, a 122-inch, 582-pound blue caught by Dave Youens on Fortuna in 2004.

The 13th Annual Virginia Beach Billfish Tournament takes place August 24-27, 2016. Full results for the 2015 tournament can be found on www.vbbt.com.

Here some great photos from the event from photographer Dominic Jackson: