Kwaj Tourney Winners
Team Jambo (aka PII) took out first place in the First Place Total Pounds in the 77th Kwajalein Day 2021 First Memorial Fishing Derby held on February 12 and 13. Larry Hernandez kindly shared the video with this site.
The winning team consisted of: Captain Kenneth Kramer, Chief Mate Joseph Bigler, Fishing Master Joseph ‘Jojo’ Kramer, Fish Charmer Larry Hernandez, Deck Hands Horgan Korok, Don Hess, Daniel Kramer, and Isaiah ‘Zeah’ Kramer, and Videographer/Producer: Jilo Yale Kramer.
The team gives special thanks to: Irooj Mike Kabua, Mayor Hirata Kabua, Senator David Paul, Chairman Anjo Kabua, and Reginald White. Thanks also go to the organizers, hosts and all of our Kwaj family. KOMMOL TATA!
Here’s the Marshall Islands Journal’s take on the comp. February 19, 2021 issue.
The $1,666/pound fish
Can you see the yellowfin tuna that Jilo Kramer is holding in the midst of other rather more substantial sized fish? It’s pretty much lost in there with all those serious looking bigger fish.
This photo was taken after the finish of last weekend’s two-day Kwajalein Day Fishing Tournament. Jilo’s yellowfin is being hailed as “the most expensive yellowfin in the world.” Here’s the story.
Between a big marlin and some smaller fish, Captain Kyle Aliven of Team Jacqueline on Scott Howe’s boat was leading the tournament in both biggest fish and total pounds categories from day one. His total was 592 pounds. The prize money at stake for the anglers was high: $10,000 for biggest fish and $5,000 for most total pounds.
On the final day Saturday at the last hour of weigh-in, Team Jambo finally weighed in its catch. “We almost didn’t but decided to give it a go and see if we placed anything,” said team member and Jilo’s dad Daniel Kramer. The team had two marlin, several tuna and wahoo plus a sailfish from the previous day.
They weighed each fish one by one and started tallying the numbers. By the last fish they were at 591 pounds — just one pound short of tying Kyle for the total pounds lead.
“Then we went ahead and weighed our very last fish,” said Daniel. “That yellowfin tuna Jilo is holding which qualifies weighed in at three pounds.” As a result of this tiny yellowfin, Team Jambo won the most total pounds title for the tourney, pocketing a hefty $5,000 prize.
“So at three pounds, the value of that fish comes out $1,666 a pound!” said Daniel. Higher priced even than the tuna on sale in the Tokyo fish auction on New Year’s.
See more stories from the Journal on the newspaper’s web site: www.marshallislandsjournal.com
