If lure brands make a difference, then every fishing day is an
informal lure-maker’s challenge. It’s one simple challenge to see if
your lure will even catch a fish and a more exciting challenge to see
if it will catch more than the ones made by other craftsmen.
Why not make the informal daily challenges formal? That was Captain
Jody Bright’s idea when he remade his annual September Challenge
Tournament into a battle between lure-makers as well as fishing teams.
The three-day event took place over the weekend and produced
astonishing results along with intense competition. Nineteen boats
entered the team competition, 8 lure-makers accepted the challenge,
and 45 marlin cooperated during the first two days alone.
As Day Three began Sunday morning, Polu Kai Lures was in a fierce
battle with Black Bart Lures for most points, and Koya lures had accounted for the biggest fish.
Craig Chambers caught the big one, 652.6-pounds, on Ihu Nui II with Capt. Tony Clark. Ihu Nui II was wandering out in the deep over a bottom 2500 fathoms down when the fish hit a Koya 614 lure. Craig got
it to the boat in about an hour.
Made here in Kona by Eric Koyanagi, Koya lures have been a big winner
throughout the year. Three of Kona’s five granders in 2015 were taken
on Koya’s big Tube lure or large Poi Dog lure.
Team El Jobean amassed many of their points with a four-marlin day on Saturday. Team captain Larry Peardon was casting around for a big-name sponsor, reached outside Hawaii, and snagged the Black Bart brand.
Black Bart lures originated here in Kona with prototypes made by Capt. Bart Miller and his hired hands.