The Ho’ole’a
Fishing tournament, riding on the wave of 1999’s record attendance, is underway and
collecting entries. No less than a dozen
anglers have called and indicated they are sending in their check in order to receive
first priority on mooring at the clubs and also to receive their FREE t-shirts and tickets
to the awards banquet.
The Ho’ole’a tournament
committee acknowledges the support of CSX Lines (formerly Sealand), Caterpillar, Jim Beam,
Dekuyper, and Budweiser as major sponsors for 2000. Several
others, including Murphy’s Bar and Grill in Honolulu, have pledged cash and
merchandise in support of the event as well.
Many great features give the Hoolea its
unique identity, and some of the highlights are as follows:
- $375.00 entry fee with at least a 100% return of the main entry jackpot.
- FREE t-shirts and banquet tickets for those entering by August 5.
- Online entry with a credit card is available at www.sportfishhawaii.com. Additional rules and information can also be
obtained here.
- Entry blanks are available at most fishing stores in Hawaii.
- The Ho’ole’a is part of the Maui Jim Hawaii Marlin Series, a statewide
series of tournaments that will end up at a made-for-TV super-bowl-like fish-off at South
Point for the series’ top five anglers. Points
are earned by participation in tournaments all around the state (6 in Kona, plus the Ho’ole’a and Lahaina Jackpot in
Maui), and additional points are earned by catching qualifying fish and/or placing in the
tournament. Ho’ole’a stands to add
several teams simply by virtue of anglers emerging from the Kona events in a race for the
lead, and since all it takes is one big fish to change the whole picture in this fishery,
literally everyone who enters has a chance to fish in South Point.
- As of June 27, angler Rick Chapanot of Honolulu is leading the Marlin series with
1,642 points after a second place finish in the Kona Classic and a first in the Big Island
Invitational. In second place is Charles
Helschel with 887.5 points. In third is Jim
Wood with 400.5 points, fourth place belongs to Jeff Smith with 360.0 points, and fifth is
Andy Kolbe with 215 points. Since points are
earned with poundage, participation and winnings, the state championship is up for
grabs!
- Ho’ole’a is a qualifying event for the 2001 Rolex/IGFA International
Tournament of Champions, and the winning team will receive an invite to the second annual
ITOC in Kona next March.
- Ho’ole’a again sponsored Ahi Fever (Waianae, Oahu - June 10 and 11,
2000), the state’s largest tournament, with a record 260 boats. Once again, the largest qualifying Ahi will
receive a pre-paid entry as team #2 into next year’s Ahi Fever.
- Ho’ole’a will give a free entry into the 2001 Hana Pa’a (Haleiwa,
Oahu - June 21, 22, and 23, 2000) for the team recording the highest total qualifying
poundage including releases, and in return, the 2000 Hana Pa’a gave away as prizes a
free entry into this year’s Ho’ole’a and the 2001 Senoritas (ladies jackpot
tournament).
- In addition to the 100% or more jackpot, Ho’ole’a will once again run
optional entry categories which will offer the potential for significant winnings over and
above the main entry. The beauty of the
optional categories is it forces all kinds of different strategy and lets everyone from
the small trailer boat to the larger sportfishers to play at whatever level they feel
comfortable with.
- There will also be TV coverage at this year’s Ho’ole’a. The Hawaii Marlin Series crew will be on Oahu
gathering footage for the series which will be broadcast on ESPN2’s X-treme Sports
later on.
- Ho’ole’a is also working with other television producers to obtain
coverage both locally and nationally. Additional
information will be announced at a later date.
- Even with all these affiliations, like last year there will be no line class or
leader restrictions for the Ho’ole’a itself. The tournament is defined as loose rules
(not jungle, not IGFA, but in between), and anglers may use live bait so long as it is
caught after the start fishing gun. For
points to be earned in the Maui Jim Hawaii Marlin Series, qualifying fish must conform to
additional series rules.
The schedule will be much the same format
as in previous years, with the skipper’s meeting at 7:00 pm at Waikiki Yacht Club on
the 1st of September, fishing Saturday and Sunday the 2nd and 3rd,
awards banquet on Monday the 4th at the Hawaii Yacht Club located in the ocean
heart of Waikiki.
For more information, please contact
tournament co-chairs:
Mike House or Rick Abille
(808) 396-2607 or (808) 845-4104
sportfish@hawaii.rr.com or ratyphoon@aol.com
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