Home All Listings Wave Paver top boat, Davis top angler at 52nd July Open Billfish Tournament
7 years ago

Wave Paver top boat, Davis top angler at 52nd July Open Billfish Tournament

July 31, 2015

**ST. THOMAS -** Making the most of every bite proved the key to success for the team aboard Wave Paver.

Port Canaveral, Fla.-based Jr. Davis, angler and owner of the 61-foot Garlington, and his team released seven blue marlin in three days of fishing to earn top boat in the 52nd July Open Billfish Tournament, hosted by the Virgin Islands Game Fishing Club (VIGFC), this week.

“We hooked every bite and caught everything we hooked,” said Davis, whose team’s successful year so far includes a win at the inaugural Production Boats vs. Custom Boats Shootout in May and the four-leg Bahamas Billfish Championship that concluded in June.

The Wave Paver’s road to its name on the prized perpetual trophy started 20 minutes before lines out on the tournament’s first day.

“We headed to the North Drop because that’s where we heard the fish were biting. But, we didn’t get our first fish released there until late afternoon,” Davis said.

Meanwhile, it was 13-year-old Zac Murck, from Davie, Fla., fishing aboard his family’s 58-foot Merritt, Never Say Never, who released the first blue marlin of the tournament. Mistress, an 82-foot Viking with a California- and Florida-based team aboard, led at the end of day one with two blue marlin releases.

On day two, the Wave Paver team really turned on their fish catching prowess. Angling off Anegada, Jerry Owens released one blue marlin and Davis another two to launch Waver Paver into the lead. Casca Dura, followed fast on Wave Paver’s heels. The team on the Brazilian-based 80-foot Merritt, finished the day in second place with three blue marlin releases.

The third and last day, Wave Paver shot out to the productive waters off Anegada once again.

“We knew we needed to catch a couple to keep our lead,” Davis said.

True to wish, Davis released a blue marlin mid-morning, another around noon and yet a third in the mid-afternoon. Thus, seven definitely proved to be Wave Paver’s lucky number.

Davis released six of Wave Paver’s blues to earn the prestigious ‘Give Him Line’ award for Top Angler.

Mistress released one fish late on day three for four total and a second place in boat standings, followed by Casca Dura in third with three releases total.

The nine-boat tournament fleet, with 63 anglers, collectively released a total of 20 blue marlin and one white marlin.

This year’s JOBT honors Sue Boland and the many years of service and support she has provided to the VIGFC, the tournament and the tournament’s chief beneficiary, The Boys & Girls Club of the Virgin Islands.

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**Photo by DEAN BARNES** The winning Wave Paver team, left to right, Garett Van Orman, Andy Fish, Jerry Owens, Virgin Islands Game Fishing Club President Kelvin Bailey, Jr, Finn Sinclair; front, Jr. Davis, Capt. Russell Sinclair and Brian Boyle.

Listing ID: 17408

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