Tournament Reports – Rob Tennille Masonboro Inlet Sportfishing Tournament
This year the Rob Tennille Masonboro Inlet Sportfishing Tournament, hosted out of Wrightsville Beach Marina, attracted 19 boats in search of the largest wahoo, tuna, and mahi, as well as the most billfish releases. The offshore event was originally organized in 1987 by local angler Rob Tennille, and the popular tournament now serves as a memorial to Tennille, bearing his name after he passed away in 2014.
The winner of the Mahi division was Decoy, a 48’ Whiticar captained by Parrish Warren, who landed a 58.2 lb. mahi on the last day of the two weeks of eligible fishing days.
Team Decoy proudly shows off the big mahi that took top honors in that division in the Rob Tennille Masonboro Inlet Sportfishing Tournament. The 58.2 lb. mahi, caught on the last day of the event, also brought the team the Overall Championship and perennial wrestling belt.
Parrish’s winning fish hit a Hawaiian Eye trolled a little north of the Same Ole in 150 fathoms. The fish came off of a scattered weed line, in the midst of a long day of shagging grass.
The largest wahoo came from Team Intracoastal Angler. Capt. Jackson David, on his first of two days of fishing, ran his 36’ Contender way up to the 400s. The crew landed seven wahoo over the course of the day, including the 52.8 lb. wahoo that took top honors. Their big fish hit an Ilander Sail Lure and ballyhoo combo trolled on the long rigger.
The top tuna over the two weeks of fishing was a 26.0 lb. blackfin landed by Quote Boat. Capt. Tom Ronner was trolling the 43’ Jarrett Bay at the 200s in 195’ of water, and owner Warren Williams landed the blackfin after it struck a ballyhoo skirted with a blue and white Sea Witch.
In the Billfish Division, it was Capt. Jeff Scott and the Let’s Ride, a 58’ Sculley, that took the win with three billfish releases—one blue marlin and two sails. Scott, and his Greenville Loop Seafood & Bell-Hart Marine team, landed the blue marlin on their first day of fishing at the 300 line, and then on their second day they found both sails at the Steeples. All of their billfish came on Blue Water Candy-skirted ballyhoo.
Finally, it was Chris Bailey on the BB that won the three-fish aggregate competition with a total weight of 85.2 lbs.
