Team Troppo Wins Budweiser "Buds & Suds" Tournament

Last week Team Troppo (Hoppo, Randy, Jay, Jacob, Darcy, Tautua & Aussie) jumped aboard Pure Indulgence and along with seven other boats from SIGFA Samoa, steamed to Pago Pago the capital of American Samoa to compete in the annual Budweiser "Buds & Suds" game fishing tournament run under the auspices of the PPGFA. Over twenty boats and their teams of experienced anglers competed over 3 days of competitive game fishing. The trip over was terrific. Both PI and Bellas Pride departed at 4am to take advantage of the early mornings calm conditions. The remainder of the Samoa fleet departed at 6am. Around 9am the easterly trades came up and to ensure a smooth ride Bellas Pride came in close off the stern of PI and sat in our wakes sweet spot, enjoying their ride for a few hours until we came close enough to our destination to start fishing. We headed strait to a local seamount just inside the border and quickly nailed a few small dogtooth tuna. Perfect as a gift for our friends upon arrival. Then, all the Samoa boats rendezvoused at 2pm outside Pago harbour and progressed to the marina to be cleared by immigration, customs etc. This was followed by the opening ceremony and team briefing. By the end, we were all knackered and with our planed kickoff on Day 1 being 3am we headed to bed at Sadie's By The Sea, where Chez, Norie and Tasi were waiting for us. The PPGFA had organized a car for us to use throughout the tourney, so it was a quick drive to the hotel, just a mile from the boat.

Day 1.. Our plan was to head strait to the 3000m line and start fishing at 5.30am. With the tide change on the high at 5.45am, the timing should be perfect. It was. Daylight appears and only a few minutes after setting the lures BANG, the JB XL Dingo running on the long corner is inhaled by a hefty blue marlin. As the fish dances through the spread, Darcy jumps in the fighting chair and he is strapped in. After getting set to fight the fish BING, the top shot is severed and the fish dances off into the wild blue yonder wearing some expensive JB jewelry. Shit, was it a wahoo chasing bubbles or a nick in the line? Who knows? I go with the wahoo theory and we proceed to troll on down the line. About 8am, bird’s appear and the JB Dingo running on the long rigger is hit by a nice mahi mahi. Randy makes light work of the beautiful fish. We continue trolling west along the line. Then, right on 11.30am and one hour before the change of tide on the low, the Pakula Phantom, wearing a Brad J skirt is inhaled by a juvenile blue marlin. Jacob was quick in the chair and after a short but feisty fight his fish was lead to the boat by Tautua, gaffed by Aussie and in the boat.

OK.. Just so you all know now. The Bud’s and Sud’s tournament is a friendly tournament for people, but a kill tournament for all fish, with one point being awarded for each pound of fish flesh. There is no Tag & Release option. Yep, something all Team Troppo members grappled with prior to entering the tournament. But after releasing hundreds of billfish over the last twenty years and all fish caught in this tournament being donated to the old people’s home and the homeless of Pago, we figured we could make an exception this time.

After a few quick pics of Jacob and his marlin we continued west along the 3000m line. Around 2pm we see a heap of white terns. As we troll the edge of the flock WHACK, a mighty bull mahi mahi nails the JB Dingo running in its perpetual position on the long rigger. Darcy’s up again, this time on stand up gear and after an exciting fight, including a number of ariel displays by the mahi, the fish is gaffed and on the deck.

We are a long way from Pago Pago, so once we get the pics of Darcy and his magnificent mahi it is time to power up and head back for the weigh in.

It was a good one for us and after Day 1 we are a few points ahead and in 1st place.

Day 2 .. Early start. 4am saw us heading towards the legendary South Bank, a good 40mls from Pago harbor. We want to catch the high tide at 7am as we troll the ridge leading to the bank. We cross the 3000m line at dawn and continue on passing west of the WW2 Amo Dump, a 5000 metre hole in the sea floor. The original volcanic Caldera. Right on 7am, Whack, Bang, Didily Doo, a blue marlin takes off with the Zacattak “Thunderstruck” running in the short shotgun position, smack bang in the middle of the spread. Yee Ha! Jay takes the 37kg stadup outfit and lays into the fish while the boys clear the spread. After a ten minute fight the fish is in the boat and we take the pics. Well done mate. We set the gear and head on down the ridge along the 2000m line on the NE corner of the bank where I spot a few birds hanging around a drifting purseiners FAD. Halleluiah! There could be any number of fish hanging around this floating object, especially mahi, wahoo and YFT. As we approach, the Dingo is hit and a small, underweight yft “jellybean” soon hits the deck as another hits the Phantom, same, same, but no mahi or wahoo. Around we go again and this time a mahi hits the Dingo. It jumps a few times before being led to the boat. Bugger, all fish are under weight and not worth a point. We leave the FAD and head off to the SE corner of the bank. As we approach the sea floor rises quickly from 1000m to 60m and we see a couple of birds. As we pass under them the marlin Magic “Baby Rucus” running on the short rigger is hit by a solid fish. The fish took off like a rocket and being only 60m deep we all figured it to be a wahoo. Jay was on the fish and taking some solid weight. As the fish went deep, we realized it was not a wahoo, but more likely a tuna. A doggie, a YFT? Within seconds Jay was again on the standup gear and showing no mercy. A few minutes later a nice, school sized yellowfin is led to the gaff by Tautua and quickly hits the deck. At last, some points. A quick pic and off we go again, this time running divers right up the bank. Not a touch. We leave the northern tip and put the off shore lures back in the water. It was a long, lean trip back to Pago, but we were all happy with our catch. A bit of action on that drifting FAD, a mighty marlin and a nice yellowfin tuna to present at the weigh station.

Day 3 kicks off and we are still in first place. Like the first day, we have decided to troll the 3000 line, dissecting the marlin marks I have put on the GPS over the last couple of days. We get there and there are no birds, but there is micro bait showing on the sounder at 20m. I stick to the plan and then right on the top of the tide a few birds appear out of nowhere. I chase them and turn across the front. As I do, WACK, the Pakula Phantom on the shotgun is hit and then BANG, the Dingo on the long rigger gets hit. Seconds later, Jacob is in the chair, Darcy is on standup and we realize it’s a double hookup on sailfish. After a few hectic minutes both fish are in the boat and we set up to take the pics. Where to now? The plan was to continue west along the dropoff. But there was not much sign and I kept thinking about the yellow we got the previous day off the corner of the SE Bank. It is a long way and it’s not like me to deviate from a plan, but I turned the boat south and off we go. A few birds on the way, but only over skippies and we were lucky a big one grabbed the Dingo and was a weighable fish for Jacob. As we rounded the SE corner from the west, I pointed the boat towards yesterday YFT mark. Shit, no birds. We pressed on and no sooner had we passed the mark BANG, there was a massive strike on the Big Dingo running on the long corner. Whoa! This was a good fish. Randy was quick in the chair and soon fighting the big fish. Gotta be a whopper yellow. With his experience and superb technique, Randy soon turned the fish towards the boat and after a short 30min fight the fish was gaffed and hauled into the boat. What a RIPPER. Well done Randy. Everyone is very happy, there’s a few points in that one. Yee Ha! A quick pic and off we go again, this time up the eastern side of the bank. Very quiet. Then as we run north over the 2000m line the Dingo on the long rigger is hit again. It’s another juvenile blue marlin. Oh yeah, this could be the winning fish. Darcy is quickly on the rod and fighting the fish. It’s another young, feisty little fella. Darcy knows it’s value and shows great patience, letting the fish tire before getting the leader into Tautua’s safe hands. With great relief the fish is quickly gaffed by Aussie and in the boat. A quick pic and Yee Ha, we could be in for a win. There was still time for another fish, so we headed for a faraway sea mount in the hope of a big Dog Tooth Tuna. We got there and found him. But, being the monster we wanted he straightened the 10/0 hook as he headed back into the reef. WTF, that’s fishing. As we headed back to Pago and the weigh station we were all wondering, do we have the points to win?

WE DID and the next night TEAM TROPPO graciously accepted our prizes for FIRST PLACE

With all the Samoa Boats fishing hard over the three days TEAM SAMOA was also the WINNING COUNTRY

A Big THANKYOU goes out to the PPGFA and the tournament sponsor BUD LIGHT for their awesome hospitality.

Many thanks goes to our wives, Chez, Norie and Tasi for your patience and unwavering support and congratulations to TEAM SAMOA, well done, as always YOUR COMADRE IS SECOND TO NONE!