Overview:
Forty-one teams competed in the 2026 Wahoo Classic, which introduced new fishing categories and a youth tournament. Meet the adult champions and the young anglers who landed the top catches in the inaugural Janglers Tournament.
New Janglers Tournament gives young anglers a chance to develop fishing skills and compete alongside the annual Wahoo Classic
KOROR, Palau (Nov. 9, 2026) – The Palau Sports Fishing Association (PSFA) hosted its 2026 Wahoo Classic Derby on Nov. 7 at Drop-Off Bar & Grill, drawing 41 teams for a day of competitive sportfishing.
This year’s derby introduced three separate catch categories for the first time: wahoo, barracuda and Spanish mackerel, giving anglers more opportunities to compete and earn top honors for their catches.
The event also featured a new youth competition, the Janglers Tournament, introduced by PSFA in partnership with OneReef Worldwide to encourage young anglers to develop their fishing skills and passion for the sport.
Wahoo Classic winners
In the wahoo category, Team LK, captained by Ngotel Uehara, claimed first place with a 21.5-pound wahoo. The team was the only one to make the leaderboard in the category.
In the barracuda category, Team Table Top took first place with a 34.5-pound catch. The team was led by captain Terebkul Tellei.
Team I-Green, captained by Jonathan Eberdong, finished second with a 20-pound barracuda.
The Spanish mackerel category had three teams on the leaderboard.
Team Ramm, captained by Rodney Wong, took first place with a 34.1-pound Spanish mackerel. Team Erker, led by captain Richard Eberdong, placed second with a 29-pound catch, while Team Azkals, captained by Tkakl Mekereos, finished third with a 21.5-pound fish.
Janglers Tournament introduces youth competition
The new Janglers Tournament provided a separate competition for young anglers, with two age divisions: 9-13 and 14-19. Participants competed in bottom fishing and jigging, gaining hands-on experience and an opportunity to develop their fishing abilities.
The tournament was designed to nurture the next generation of Palau sportfishing enthusiasts. It also provides a pathway for young people who have aged out of the Junior Anglers age requirement to remain involved in the fishing community, continue developing their skills and pursue their interest in the sport.
In the 9-13 age category, Jathan Dolmers took first place with a total catch weight of 3.77 pounds.
Bubeu Yoshida placed second with 2.93 pounds, followed by Joseph Azuma in third place with 2.75 pounds.
In the 14-19 age category, Charlie Gibbons claimed first place with a total catch weight of 13.51 pounds. His catch included a 5.71-pound temekai (grouper).
Leshay Dimch Kuroda finished second with a total catch weight of 13.41 pounds. The catch included a 2.47-pound remora (tabi) and a 2.08-pound scad mackerel (betereturch).
Dengmesall AJ Haruo took third place with a total catch weight of 12.61 pounds, including a 5.47-pound long-nosed emperor (melangmud).
PSFA thanked all participating teams, sponsors and supporters, including OneReef Worldwide, for helping make the derby and the new youth tournament possible.
The association invited anglers and fishing teams to return next year for the PSFA Annual Derby and the 20th Etpison Cup, scheduled for May 2027.