Fish the tradition! Fishing, family and fun all wrapped into one is what you’ll find at the Northside Sportfishing Club’s Annual Bastille Day Kingfish Tournament. Set for Sunday July 13th at Hull Bay Hideaway.
This is your chance to catch the ‘big one’ and pocket $2000 in cash plus prizes. The Annual Bastille Day Kingfish Tournament offers more ways to win and more cash and prizes than any other Virgin Islands-based inshore fishing tournament.
Festivities also include live bands and a beach party. Plus, proceeds benefit charitable community organizations.
More than 200 anglers – men, women, boys and girls of all skill level – are expected to enter this largest inshore fishing tournament in the Virgin Islands. Thanks to the generosity of sponsors, entry fees are low – $40 for adults, $25 for juniors ages 8 to 17.
Photo: Mathew Laban, far left, wins the Largest Kingfish and Best Male prizes, while Tamika Turbe, second from right, wins Best Female award at the 2013 Anniversary Bastille Day Kingfish Tournament. Credit: Dean Barnes
Coors Light and Captain Morgan, distributed by Bellows International, are on board as Gold Sponsors. This year, Coors Light is celebrating 25 years cold. Refreshing Virgin Islanders for 25 years. These brands have donated over $100,000 in cash and product since signing aboard over two decades ago. Coors Light generously provides the official angler hats that have proven to be the symbol of an ace angler.
Long time Silver Sponsor, Offshore Marine, the Yamaha and Yanmar distributor in the Virgin Islands, will donate cash prizes for Best Boat, Best Captain, Third Largest Kingfish, Best Male Angler, Best Junior Male Angler and Best Female Junior Angler.
Silver Sponsor, TOPA Insurance Services Inc., provides the cash prizes for anglers catching the Largest Jack, Largest Barracuda, Largest Bonito and Largest Mackerel. What’s more, TOPA provides the much in demand angler tote bags.
Bronze Sponsor, NEMWIL – managed in the USVI by Red Hook Agencies, Inc. and providing homeowners and business insurance in the USVI for over 20 years – will donate the spectacular $2,000 cash prize for the Largest Kingfish prize. In addition, Red Hook Agencies, Inc., will sponsor a $500 prize for the Best Female Angler.
Budget Marine, the Caribbean’s Leading Chandlery, is a new Bronze Sponsor this year. Budget will sponsor the trophy and cash prize for the angler catching the Third Largest Kingfish, plus will also offer the prize of a Mariner’s Safety Kit valued at $500.
Once again there will be the ‘Catch in the Hat’ award for all registered junior anglers. All junior angler names will be placed in a hat. The first eight names drawn will receive $50 cash and the next one win $100 dollars, for a total award of $500. Juniors must be present for the drawing at 2 p.m. on Sunday July 13 at Hull Bay Hideaway in order to win.
All registered anglers will receive an official Bastille Day T-shirt thanks to the combined sponsorship support of Coors Light, Captain Morgan and Bellows International; Offshore Marine; and NEMWIL, as well a TOPA tote bag with goodies courtesy of Caribbean Gifts & Things.
Once again, local hotels and restaurateurs have contributed overnight stays and dinners for two, respectively, as additional prizes.
Last year, the Annual Bastille Day Kingfish Tournament attracted 211 anglers, including 39 junior anglers, aboard 55 boats. Matthew Laban, of St. Thomas, reeled in the Largest Kingfish, a 34.26-pounder aboard the Calypso 34, Emanuel.
Entry forms can be obtained from Neptune Fishing Supplies. A Captain’s Meeting and Registration will be held at 7:30 p.m. at Hull Bay Hideaway on Friday July 11th. Late Registration will also be held on Saturday July 12th at Hull Bay Hideaway from 12 Noon until 7 p.m. Fishing starts at 5:30 a.m. on Sunday July 13th, and ends at 12 Noon, sharp. From Noon until 2 p.m., while the weigh-master and judges go to work, all anglers can quench their thirst at either a Coors Light and Captain Morgan Rum punch or Snapple open bar, depending on age.
The festivities features a great line-up of bands including Cool Session Brass that will play from Noon until 5 p.m. on Sunday July 13. The Awards Ceremony starts at 8 p.m. at Hull Bay Hideaway.
First organized by the Northside Sportfishing Club in 1987, the tournament has become one of the highlights of French Heritage Week July 8th-14th festivities. The event benefits the Joseph Sibilly School, St. Thomas Rescue and My Brother’s Workshop, as well as provides college scholarships. To receive a scholarship application interested persons can download from the tournament’s Facebook page or Emailnssfcvi@gmail.comor call (340) 998-0854 to receive a copy.
For more tournament information, please call: (340) 998-0854. Follow us on Facebook!
