Drop Off, Koror, Palau – After a COVID hiatus, the Palau Sport Fishing Association
(PSFA) Annual Derby has come back in full force! Over the weekend, fifty teams signed up in the hopes of winning the $25,000 grand prize! Despite the heat, overnight rains and engine failures, the fishers brought their A-Game.
Categories of this year’s derby included Billfish,Tuna, Wahoo/Barracuda/Spanish Mackerel, GT catch & release and the Jr. Anglers!
The two-day derby was a tight race to the finish on both days. The first billfish of the derby was brought in by Team YARS just beating the minimum to qualify with a 131.5lb Marlin. With the tone of the derby set, all fishing teams focused their efforts to catch the biggest fish in their categories.
Team YARS was able to keep its pole position to catch the billfish purse this year, while Team REEL TREAT brought in a respectable 2nd place. Team BELAGIC brought in an impressive first place Tuna at just over 100lbs, Team MISAKER as first in the Wahoo/Barracuda category, and Team AQUA MAGIC as first in GT Catch & Release.
Team AQUA MAGIC will take possession of the revolving tournament trophy donated by Ebiil Society and will need to defend their title in order to keep the trophy.
The winning teams are as follows:
Billfish Category:
1st Place $2500 – YARS 131.5lbs (Captain Ngiraibelas Tmetuchl)
2nd Place $2000 – REEL TREAT 124.5lbs (Captain Ringsang Rechirei)
Tuna Category:
1st Place $2000 – BELAGIC 101.5lbs (Captain Hadley Renguul)
2nd Place $1500 – MARE 100.5lbs (Captain Joe Reklai)
3rd Place $1000 – OMENGED 78.0lbs (Captain Clint Madracheluib)
Wahoo/Barracuda/Spanish Mackerel:
1st Place $1000 – MISAKER 20.0lbs (Captain Ngiratecheboet Eberdong)
2nd Place $750 – SMODII 20.0lbs (Captain Lyman Singeo)
GT Catch & Release:
1st Place $1000 – AQUA MAGIC 33 ¾” (Captain Yoshio Hiro)
2nd Place $700 – ELCHESEL 33 ¼” (Captain Ngelechel Etpison)
3rd Place $500 – 3-A’s 32” (Captain Borman Teltull)
Junior Anglers:
1st Place – Kataleah Edward 2.04lb Grouper
2nd Place – Kemangel Bintorio 2.02lb Rainbow Runner
3rd Place – Tem Gibbons 2.0lb Red Snapper
The board of the Palau Sports Fishing Association would like to extend their deepest
gratitude to the PLATINUM SPONSORS of the tournament: Bank of Hawaii, Palau Pacific Resort, Budweiser, IP&E, and NECO Yamaha and supporter Palau Shipping. The board would also like to thank the Koror State Government, Civic Action Team Palau, Marine Tiger Team Palau and Marine Law for their technical and safety support.
Lastly, the board extends its thanks to all the fishermen who participated in this year’s PSFA Annual Derby featuring the Etpison Cup, the volunteers, as well as everyone who came to jeer and cheer them on!
ABOUT the Palau Sports Fishing Association
For 30 years PSFA has been the official organization for sport fishing in the Republic of
Palau. Each year PSFA organizes the largest sport fishing event on Palau, The Annual Fishing Derby featuring the Etpison Cup, to promote game fishing, the growth in the sector through the Junior Angler program and community engagement through its network of offshore Fish Aggregating Devices.
In partnerships with FRIENDS of the Palau National Marine Sanctuary NGO and with corporations such as Palau Pacific Resort, IP&E, Budweiser, NECO Yamaha
and Bank of Hawaii along with the local community PSFA has been able to realize increasing numbers of participants in sport fishing competition and spectatorship. As the official organization for sport fishing in Palau, PSFA is associated with tradition, integrity and, most importantly, responsibility as stewards of Palau’s fishery. PSFA is also a member of the International Game Fishing Association.