The second Overseas Fishing Rodeo, honoring Garifuna Settlement Day, was held on Sunday, November 24th, at Overseas Bar and Grill in the Boca del Rio Area. 18 teams participated in the day-long competition, where the best anglers vied for the grand prize. This year, the coveted trophy was awarded to Team Reel Nauti, who also caught the heaviest Wahoo, weighing 29.8 pounds. Team Reel Nauti brought in a total of four Wahoo, which contributed to their victory in the tournament.
The annual event was scheduled for Tuesday, November 19th, a public and bank holiday celebrating Garifuna Settlement Day. However, it was postponed due to Tropical Storm Sara’s impact, which brought heavy rainfall and caused flooding throughout the country, including Ambergris Caye.
The fishing tournament used a point system, and all boats had to arrive at the weighing station by 4PM. The fish species included in the tournament were Wahoo, King Fish, Mahi Mahi, Tuna, Mackerel, Jack Fish, and Barracuda. Notably, Bill Fish was excluded from the list. On the day of the competition, the teams set out to sea and quickly began reporting their catches. The fishing boats primarily reported catching Wahoo and Tuna by the time of the weigh-in. After the weigh-in, the points were tallied, and the winners were announced after a brief period.
The first cash prize was awarded to the youngest angler of the tournament, 15-year-old Eric Henkis from Team Fishizzle, who caught a 5-pound tuna. Nestor Rivero received a cash prize for being the first team to report to the weighing station. Finally, the Female Angler Award was presented to Mary Leeman of Team in the Spread.
Team Navy secured third place in this year’s competition with a 22-pound Wahoo. Last year, Team Navy had placed first in the tournament. Team in the Spread was in second place, which caught a 22.7-pound Wahoo. They also won second place in the Calcutta portion of the tournament. The tournament champions, Team Reel Nauti, were then called to the front. They emerged victorious with a total of four Wahoo, including one that weighed 29.8 pounds. Additionally, Team Reel Nauti took first place in the Calcutta division, earning $2,520.
Organizers thanked all participating teams and sponsors who made the fishing tournament possible. They congratulated the winners and encouraged everyone to look forward to the third fishing rodeo in 2025.
