Rough seas leads to rescheduling of Wahoo Smackdown VI

[dropcap]W[/dropcap]ahoo off Bimini got a reprieve today, albeit only a short one, as the Bimini Big Game Club Resort & Marina announced due to inclement weather it has rescheduled the Wahoo Smackdown VI Tournament for March 12-14.

“Safety is paramount and it just wasn’t going to be a comfortable crossing of the Gulf Stream nor a good fishing experience with 30 to 40 mph winds Friday and Saturday,” said Tournament Director Captain Chase Camacho.

Camacho said five boats with captains and crew did cross over early in the week in anticipation of the tournament, and they will be feted with gifts and three days free dockage.

“We have 16 boats paid and entered and another seven committed for the new March dates,” said Camacho. “As Arnold said ‘I’ll be Back’, and so will we, probably with an even larger field as we will continue to accept entries over the next few weeks.”

For information regarding the Wahoo Smackdown VI tournament and to register online, please go to Bimini Big Game Club website or call (800) 867-4764 or email chaseuone@aol.com.

Returning to the tournament series for Wahoo Smackdown VI is the celebrated marine wildlife artist and accomplished angler Carey Chen, who has been named Grand Marshal. Chen has again been commissioned to “paint a trophy” that will be awarded to the top team for Smackdown VI. A Carey Chen original is typically valued at $15,000 or more.

Joining with Chen as “Official Tournament Photographer” is Pat Ford, an avid angler whose dramatic action shots can be found on the covers of sportfishing magazines around the world. Ford is a retired Trial Lawyer who has developed a second career in marine oriented photography and has published two books “The Best Fly Fishing Trips Money Can Buy: and “Fly Fishing Day Dreams”.

Wahoo Smackdown V, held this past November attracted a record 29 boats. Team “Cash Out” took heaviest fish honors with 47.6 pounds. Heaviest five fish over two days trophy went to team “Fishin A Loan”, and Heaviest Fish (First Day) winners were team “Snow Cone’s Revenge.”

A Boca Raton fisherman, coincidentally fishing the waters off Bimini at the same time as Smackdown V, landed a huge 122.7 wahoo, but did not qualify for an IGFA record because he used an electric reel.