St. Thomas, U.S. Virgin Islands. Little did St. Thomas’ Gilbert Laban know that he’d be on the winner’s podium by nightfall when he cast off the docks before sunrise to compete in the 34th Bastille Day Kingfish Tournament. “We left Sapphire Marina, headed south, and started trolling,” says Laban, who was angling aboard the 38’ Calypso, Double Header 6, with Capt. Tyler Maltby at the helm. “It was between 6:30 and 7 a.m. that I caught the big one. It took about 10 minutes. We had a couple more bites after that, but nothing bigger.” Back on shore at the Noon weigh-in at Hull Bay, Laban’s whopper kingfish weighed in at 26.9 pounds, earning the St. Thomas angler the 2024 Largest Kingfish prize of $2000 cash, plus many other prizes.
Photo: Gilbert Laban catches the Largest Kingfish. Credit: Sarah Cooper.
Laban was one of 177 anglers, including 37 junior anglers, on 40 boats who fished in this Northside Sportfishing Club-hosted tournament, which National Geographic magazine in 2019 named as one of the world’s ‘9 Bastille Day bashes that celebrates French Culture!’ The tournament is part of the U.S. Virgin Islands French Heritage Week.
The Second Largest Kingfish prize went to Naya Turbe, aboard Let Her Go, who caught a 24.90-pounder.
AJ LaPlace, fishing on the Mama Tried, reeled in a 22.55-pounder to win the Third Largest Kingfish, while Breanna Newkirk caught theFourth Largest Kingfish, a 21.10-pounder, aboard Suraia.
The catch of 5 kingfish earned Tyler Maltby the Best Captain award aboard Double Header 6.
Meanwhile, catching 8 fish total of the tournament’s eligible species, Double Header 6 won the Best Boat award.
Laban on Double Header 6 earned Best Male Angler with his 26.90-pound catch, while the Best Female prize went to Chelsea Aubain, who caught a total of 23.85-pounds of fish aboard Nonsense.
The Best Junior Male Angler award went to AJ LaPlace, who caught 22.55-pounds of fish off Mama Tried.
Stella Butler earned Best Junior Female with her catch weighing 2.30-pounds aboard Early Bird.
Although the tournament is focused on kingfish, other species earned anglers cash and prizes. Reanna Stiehler, fishing from Wicked Intention, won the largest Mackerel with her 6.35-pound catch. Finally, fishing from Early Bird, Jake Raffa won Largest Bonito with his 4.25-pounder.
Thousands of dollars were awarded in cash, prizes, and trophies this year.
Judges Daryl Bryan and Bobby Laplace officially weighed in the catches.
After weigh-in, the fun continued onshore at The Shack and The Hideaway at Hull Bay, with live music by DJ Jason Greaux, Oleik – The Music Man, RVP Band, and Obsession Band, joined by Freedom Band of St. Barth’s. Crowds gathered at 7 p.m. for the Awards Ceremony.
First organized by the Northside Sportfishing Club in 1988, the tournament has become one of the highlights of French Heritage celebrations on St. Thomas. The event benefits the Joseph Sibilly School, St. Thomas Rescue, Nana Baby Children’s Home, and the St. Thomas Fisherman’s Association and provides college scholarships. Over the past three-plus decades, the nonprofit Northside Sportfishing Club’s annual Bastille Day Kingfish Tournament has donated over $230,000 to community organizations and scholarships.
The 34th annual Bastille Day Kingfish Tournament is sponsored by Offshore Marine, the YAMAHA distributor in the Virgin Islands; TOPA Masters Insurance/Guardian Insurance; Budget Marine, the Caribbean’s Leading Chandlery; The Hideaway at Hull Bay & The Shack; Scoops & Brew Gelato and Coffee Bar; Frank’s Electric; Cyclone Fencing; Amalie Car Rental; Caribbean Gifts & Things; Kings Plumbing; St. Thomas Cargo; and the Fish Bar.
The Northside Sport Fishing Club would like to thank neighborhood businesses, including Nomad’s Bar & Grille, Fish Bar, and Sib’s on the Mountain, for changing their operating hours or providing use of their property to assist with the event.
2024 RESULTS
40 Boats
177 Anglers (includes 37 Jr. Anglers)
59 Fish Caught, 351.00-pounds
27 Kingfish Caught, 258.00-pounds
PLACEMENT ANGLER LBS BOAT
Largest Kingfish Gilbert Laban 26.90 Double Header 6
2nd Largest Kingfish Naya Turbe 24.90 Let Her Go
3rd Largest Kingfish AJ LaPlace 22.55 Mama Tried
4th Largest Kingfish Breanna Newkirk 21.10 Suraia
Best Captain Tyler Maltby 5 kingfish Double Header 6
Best Boat Double Header 6 8 fish Double Header 6
Best Male Gilbert Laban 26.90 Double Header 6
Best Female Chelsea Aubain 23.85 Nonsense
Best Junior Male AJ LaPlace 22.55 Mama Tried
Best Junior Female Stella Butler 2.30 Early Bird
Largest Mackerel Reanna Stiehler 6.35 Wicked Intention
Largest Bonito Jake Raffa 4.25 Early Bird
CONGRATULATIONS FROM OUR SPONSORS
Offshore Marine, the YAMAHA distributor in the Virgin Islands
TOPA Masters Insurance/Guardian Insurance
Budget Marine, the Caribbean’s Leading Chandlery
The Hideaway at Hull Bay & The Shack
Scoops & Brew Gelato and Coffee Bar
Frank’s Electric
Cyclone Fencing
Amalie Car Rental
Caribbean Gifts & Things
Kings Plumbing
St. Thomas Cargo
The Fish Bar