Kona, Hawaii (Friday, August 14, 2015) – Team Likeke Club hit the leaderboard in second place on Day Two, grabbed the top spot on Day Three and didn’t let go. “Tears were streaming down my face as we pulled into Kailua Pier today,” said Rich Wilson, this year’s HIBT champion. “I was the youngest HIBT angler back in the ’60s. We moved away, but I never lost my passion for HIBT fishing. Hawaiian fishermen have the deepest passion for fishing.”
Wilson continued, “I was told I wouldn’t make another Christmas and I knew I had to come back. And we did and gave her one last hurrah!”
Australia’s Sunshine Coast Game Fishing Club took second place followed by Japan’s Kona Game Fishing Club – Kusatsu. Illusions, captained by Tim Hicks with crew members Chris Kam and Jordan Kilkenny, was the top boat scoring the highest number of points over the five days of tournament fishing.
“This was a memorable year at the 56th Annual Hawaiian International Billfish Tournament,” said HIBT Founder Peter Fithian. “All 31 teams and every charter boat in the fleet put points on the board. I’d say that is pretty close to perfect.”
2015 HIBT Day Five Results
| LEADERBOARD | POINTS (inc bonus) |
|---|---|
| Team Likeke Club | 2,296 |
| Sunshine Coast Game Fish Club | 2,289 |
| Kona Game Fishing Club – Kusatsu | 2,114 |
| Mermaids Anglers Club – Team Kalaoa | 2,100 |
| Nanhai Lang Tao Club | 1,700 |
| New Britain Game Fishing Club | 1,700 |
| TOP BOATS | POINTS (inc bonus) |
| Illusions | 2,445 |
| Northern Lights II | 2,000 |
| Ihu Nui | 1,764 |
| Hooked Up | 1,658 |
| Kona Blue | 1,550 |
| Topshape 1450 |
Erin Andrew Whattam
Aloha,
Past reporter Maui Hi. Fishing News…
Do you have fish stats on 1983 & 1998 … & past other El Nino Years?
1983 for some a fantastic Catching year… the second year of an El Nino… ?
Mahalo,
Erin
Jim Rizzuto
I don’t have them but they should be in the archives of Hawaii Fishing News.