by Tom Twyford, President – West Palm Beach Fishing Club
The weather could not have been nicer during this year’s Silver Sailfish Derby, the world’s oldest sailfish tournament. Unfortunately, it was too nice for the 40 boat fleet entered in the West Palm Beach Fishing Club’s (WPBFC) 80th running of the venerable event held January 5th and 6th out of Sailfish Marina in Palm Beach Shores. Calm seas and light westerly winds tempered the sailfish bite. A total of 153 sailfish were caught and released during the tournament. “We always hope for a strong sailfish bite, and we have certainly posted a lot more fish in past Derby’s. But there is a silver lining when the bite is slow, virtually everybody is still in it,” commented WPBFC Chairman Pete Schulz who also serves as Derby radioman.
Summerlike weather that saw temperatures in Palm Beach County climb into the mid-80’s preceded this year’s tournament. It is a weather pattern that has occurred the past few years. While chamber of commerce conditions were welcomed by visiting snowbirds, seasoned sailfish seekers felt differently. There was optimism among Derby anglers when a mild cold front moved through South Florida the evening of the Derby Captains Party. But the cooler temperatures and northwest winds were short lived.
In anticipation of light winds, quite a few helium balloons, used to keep fishing kites aloft in light winds, could be seen floating in the cockpits of Derby boats as crews prepped for the first day of fishing. Angler Tamara Slayton of Brooksville, Florida aboard Team Reel Candy led by Captain Marvin Steiding posted the Derby’s first fish. Last year’s Derby champs Team Liquid/Scales quickly followed with a release along with a dozen other boats, including a double header posted by the Sandra T with Captain Frank Branch at the helm. As the day progressed the light northwest wind dissipated and temperatures began to rise slowing the bite. Team Surprise led by Captain J.P. Wolf and Team Southern Run led by Captain Skip Dana were steadily picking away at fish and inching their way up the scoreboard. They both would finish the day with 6 releases overall, with Southern Run winning the Top Daily Boat Award on time. Team ProPayroll finished the day in third place with 5 releases. Surprise angler Wes Clemente of Lighthouse Point would end up earning the Top Daily Angler Award with 3 releases. The best of the sailfish bite was taking place between Juno Beach and Stuart Inlet. The heavy weight fish on the first day was a 23.9 pound blackfin tuna landed by angler Mike Simko of North Palm Beach aboard his boat Kite Keeper. A total of 74 sails, of which 11 were tagged, were released the first day.
The majority of the fleet headed north on the final day of fishing. Again, calm seas greeted Derby anglers. It was evident to all that any team could quickly rearrange the leader board with a double or triple-header. It was still anybody’s tournament to win. Several Derby boats were all making big moves on the second day ascending the leaderboard, among them, 2010 Derby champs Double Take with Captain Mike Laufle at the helm, Goin’ Raptor led by Captain Will Sabayrac, Tai O led by Captain Joe Garberoglio and Team Rehab led by Captain Nathan Shepard. Like the previous day, the fishing slowed as temperatures climbed. At 11:21 am Team Double Take radioed in their ninth release positioning them at the top of the leader board. During the remainder of the tournament they would be sitting on pins and needles hoping they would get another fish, and hoping no one else would. The intensity ratcheted up a notch when Goin’ Raptor radioed in their ninth sailfish release at 1:20 pm. “That was the longest four hours I’ve experienced in a tournament” said Double Take captain Mike Laufle. Their luck would hold. Team Double Take finished the day with 6 sailfish releases on time, claiming the Top Daily Boat Award. Double Take angler Craig Lindner earned the Top Daily Angler Award with 4 releases on the second day. A total of 79 sails, of which 7 were tagged, were released by the fleet on the final day of fishing. Fish number 153, the last fish of the Derby, was released by John Duval of Lantana aboard the ProPayroll.
The Ocean Reef based team Double Take with Capt. Mike Laufle at the helm with anglers Craig Lindner, Mike Causley, Dominic Lacombe, Sr. and Dominic Lacombe, Jr. demonstrated they had what it takes to hold off their competitors and claim the Derby crown with 9 releases. Joining them in the Derby winner’s circle was Second Place Boat Overall Goin’ Raptor with 9 sailfish releases on time. Third Place Boat Overall was ProPayroll led by Captain Jamie Ralph with anglers John Duval, Bill Bryan and Tom Garguito with 8 releases. The Fourth Place Boat Overall was Surprise with anglers Wes Clemente and Austin Coint posting 7 releases on time. The Top individual angler was Craig Lindner of Cincinnati, Ohio fishing aboard the Double Take. Lindner, who edged out his cousin Carl on time, released 5 sailfish to win the coveted Mrs. Henry Rea Trophy, one of competitive billfishing’s most prestigious awards. Second Place Angler Overall was Carl Lindner of Cincinnati, Ohio aboard the Seraphim. Third Place Angler Overall was Goin’ Raptor team member Charles Crispin of Jupiter with 4 releases on time. Fourth Place Angler Overall was Mike Simko of North Palm Beach fishing on Kite Keeper with 4 releases on time. Rehab angler Melanie Holliday of Boca Raton claimed the Top Lady Angler Trophy with 4 sailfish releases. She earned her stripes during the event battling one sailfish, estimated to be 100 pounds, for over an hour and half. “She did a great job fighting that fish. A lot of people would have given up, but she really hung in there. We are all very proud of her,” said Captain Nathan Shephard. The award is presented in memory of the late Rosemarie Hampp who was an accomplished Derby angler in the 1950’s. Fourteen-year-old Luke Lulfs of Boynton Beach released 3 sailfish aboard the Reel Easy led by Captain Chip Sheehan to win the Junior Angler Award. Dan O’Donnell of Chagrin Falls, Ohio fishing aboard the Razzmatazz landed a 32.6 pound cobia on the Derby’s second day to win the Grand Champion Weight Fish Trophy. Capt. Will Sabayrac, whose team members included his father, Bill, brother Paul, Connor Barry and Charles Crispin, guided the Goin’ Raptor to the Top Small Boat Trophy for the second year in a row. Capt. Quinton Dieterle and team Get Lit took home the Top Tag Team Trophy by tagging 5 sailfish with Billfish Foundation tags.
The 2018 Silver Sailfish Derby is set for January 10th through 13th. With any luck the temperatures will be cooler and the wind with be out of the north!