Before noon on Wednesday, August 1, 2024, ECO Central was extremely busy with a steady stream of call-ins reporting hookups for blue marlin, striped marlin, yellowfin tuna, dorado, and boated and lost fish. By noon, the Weigh Station Team, led by Trish Bisbee, was ready and waiting for the successful teams to arrive.
At 2:40 p.m., the "ROCK N REEL" arrived at the slip with a qualifying yellowfin tuna weighing 169 pounds caught by a local veteran angler, Arturo Chacon. Grinning, Chacon sheepishly admitted he had caught other tuna that were larger.
The "Don Julio Team" was the next to arrive with a "qualifier" weighing in at 142 pounds caught by angler Mark Bernier, another local angler with lots of experience.
Juan Estrada on "Team Crudo" brought the first dorado of the day to the scale. It, too, was a qualifier that weighed in at 44.3 pounds – a good start in that category for the day.
The second qualifier of the day belonged to the "Geri Lynn" by the boat's namesake, angler Geri Lynn Christman. Her fish weighed 37 pounds.
The next Team was "Reel Nauti," with a yellowfin tuna that tipped the scale at 96 pounds by angler Clint Arthur.
"Strictly Business," with Angler Garcia, arrived with a yellowfin tuna that was a qualifier weighing 147 pounds.
Team Said brought in a yellowfin tuna caught by Jenrry Vera Burgos, a keeper weighing 141 pounds. Then came the Quitena with the "MONSTER" caught by Bill Shedd, founder of Aftco Clothing, that dazzled the spectators as it arrived in a large Skip Loader! After verifying the zeros on the scale, Bill was joined by the crowd as he gazed at the enormous blue marlin hoisted on the scale. When the critter was still, and the needle had settled, Theresa Bisbee bellowed, FOUR HUNDRED and SEVENTY-ONE POUNDS!!!
The huge spectator crowd roared their approval of the day's largest and most valuable catch.
Heaviest Blue Marlin: Bill Shedd - Quitena 500/1k//2k/3k/5k-$366,536.13
Heaviest Tuna: 169 Pounds. Rock N Reel Overall+ Day One $42,515.00
Heaviest Dorado: 44.3 pounds. Team Crudo -Juan Estrada Overall + Day One $42,515.00
Release Day: 175 pts.-Retriever-2 blue marlin,/2 striped marlin/1 sailfish $68,000.00
