LIHU‘E — Nicholas Taniguchi brought in the big boy ulua to the Kmart Shoreline Fishing Tournament which attracted an overflow crowd at the Sunday weigh-in.
More than 375 entries were received by the Kmart officials by the Friday deadline, including more than 100 entries from keiki between 4 through 17 years old.
“This is tremendous,” said Jarrett Chytka, the Kmart store manager. “This is such an ideal family event with children and their parents participating and we are so thrilled with this kind of support the community shows to this type of event. This might be the largest turnout we’ve had for the tournament.”
The weekend was ideal for fishing as anglers were rewarded with big fish starting with the Taniguchi ulua. Fish in the Saltwater, 5 Pounds and Over surpassed the five pound mark, the top two fish coming in at 25 pounds while the Saltwater, 5 pounds and Under category had the top four leaders teasing the five-pound cutoff at over four pounds.
Taniguchi’s ulua topped the leaderboard at 86 pounds followed by Clayton Alameida submitting a 58-pounder for second place and Michael Remigio getting third place with a 49.5 pound ulua.
But Remigio did not stop there, collecting a fifth place in the Papio division with a fish that stopped the scales at 8.59 pounds.
Competition in the Papio class was tight with the difference between first and third place being just .27 pound.
Philip Rivera topped the Papio class on a 9.43 pound submission followed by Jacob Emproso (9.37) and Manuel Emproso (9.16).
Big fish also highlighted the Saltwater, 5 Pounds and Over class as a Julian Fernandez barracuda stopped the scale at 25.5 pounds, just eight ounces ahead of a 25-pound kahala submitted by Troy Hamura. Another barracuda, submitted by Joey Vilton, rounded out the leaderboard at 14.77 pounds.
Fernandez also was a multi-winner, capturing third place in the Longest Eel competition with a submission that weighed in at 11.58 pounds.
Christopher Valmoja topped that class with an eel at weighed in at 13.86 pounds followed by Alika Rosa weighing in an 11.9-pound specimen.
A nenue submitted by Jerry Albarado topped the Saltwater, 5 Pounds and Under class, the nenue stopping the scales at 4.34 pounds, just .02 pound ahead of a mu submitted by Kelsey Yamamoto that weighed in at 4.32. Clayton Ancheta captured third at 4.3 pounds, a testiment to the tight competition at the Sunday weigh-in where .04 pound separated the first and third place winners.
Lance Ragudo topped the Oio class with a 6.03-pound beauty followed by Michael Bonachita at 5.74 pounds and Michael Iwai at 5.57 pounds.
Another nenue, this one weighing in at 7.14 pounds earned Jhayliyah Kaneakua-Yoshimoto top honors in the Keiki 4-8 Years class.
Nichayla Taniguchi’s papio weighing in at 1.94 pounds and Kaimani Villon’s Toau weighing in at 1.81 pounds rounded out the leaders of that class.
Austin Oliveira’s perch that weighed in at 4.4 pounds topped the Keiki 9-12 Years class followed by an eel submitted by Kekoa Bonachita that weighed in at 3.61 pounds and an oio that weighed in at 3.41 pounds earned Keani Caberto third place.
Dalven Oyamot’s 4-pound papio topped the Keiki 13-17 Years class followed by Christian Gayagas coming in with a nenue that weighed 3.18 pounds.
Another oio, this one by Gavin Moriwaki, weighed in at 2.82 pounds for third place, just .19 pound ahead of a Table Boss that earned Rudy Agoot fourth place.
The top six listings of each category is posted at the Kmart store.
Saltwater, Over 5 pounds
Julian Fernandez-Barracuda 25.5
Troy Hamura-Kahala 25
Joey Vilton-Barracuda 14.77
Richard Uemura-Kahala 12.53
Kevin Pongasi-Barracuda 9.85
Justin Moriwake-Palani 6.123
Saltwater, Under 5 pounds
Jerry Albarado-Nenue 4.34
Kelsey Yamamoto-Mu 4.32
Clayton Ancheta 4.3
Cory Ibe-Moana 4.18
Christopher Valmoja-Nohu 4.15
Kainoa Kaneakua-Mu 3.8
Papio
Philip Rivera 9.43
Jacob Emproso 9.37
Manuel Emproso 9.16
Edgar Vicoy 8.95
Michael Remigio 8.59
Aaron Tranilla 8.37
Ulua
Nicholas Taniguchi 86
Clayton Alameida 58
Michael Remigio 49.5
Eddie Tacub 45
Travis Valmoja 44
Lokene Bargamento 41
Oio
Lance Ragudo 6.03
Michael Bonachita 5.74
Michael Iwai 5.57
Largest Eel
Christopher Valmoja 13.86
Alika Rosa 11.9
Julian Fernandez 11.58
Keiki 4-8 Years
Jhayliyah Kaneakua-Yoshimoto-
Nenue 7.14
Nickayla Taniguchi-Papio 1.94
Kaimani Villon-Toau 1.81
Jamie Horner-Papio 1.74
Samuel Kaneholani-Oio 1.58
Kaulana Watson-Oio 1.29
Keiki 9-12 Years
Austin Oliveira-Perch 4.4
Kekoa Bonachita-Eel 3.61
Keani Caberto-Oio 3.41
Brandon Remigio-Papio 2.56
Rameh Wong-Palani 1.82
Yoji Nakao-Nenue 1.81
Keiki 13-17 Years
Dalven Oyamot-Papio 4.0
Christian Gayagas-Nenue 3.18
Gavin Moriwaki-Oio 2.82
Rudy Agoot-Table Boss 2.63
Noah Morales-Toau 1.73
Nathan Morales-Toau 1.12
