NAWILIWILI — Kaisen Barretto may have caught the most fish on Sunday, but Kairee Barretto’s 22-inch kaku, or barracuda, grabbed the spotlight during the Nawiliwili Yacht Club Father’s Day Keiki fishing tournament held outside of the Kaua‘i Sailing Association building at Nawiliwili Small Boat Harbor.
“You can see the teeth,” a keiki spectator squealed as fisher Kairee pulled in the fighting fish. “Watch out. Does it bite? It looks mean.”
More than 50 young fishers — more than anticipated — cast their lines vying for one of the prizes housed in the tent cave provided by the Nawiliwili Yacht Club (NYC), and many generous community sponsors.
The need for prize categories taxed the minds of the NYC racing fleet, which exchanged their traditional helm positions for seats on the creative table.
Bonnie and Doug Tiffany of Bonjolea II, who won the last Invitational Series on a tie-breaker, manned the barbecue grill churning out a good supply of hot dogs (if Sharon Gibson were here, they’d be called “Yacht Dawgs”) and Dick Olsen, the skipper aboard Speedy, relied on his computer to track the field of 50 fishers.
Jim Saylor of Fast Company exchanged his safety helmet for the once-a-year appearance of the yellow fish head wear to announce the catches that crossed the weighmaster’s table, and Chris Jordan of OZone picked up a camera for the club’s newsletter.
“Zen — he’s 2 years old — didn’t even know the fish was on his line,” said Lance Okasaki, the keiki fisher’s father. “He was kind of pulling on the line, and whoa!” Zen brought in an aholehole that looked to be a keeper instead of the catch-and-release format.
Scoutmaster Roxanne Thompson brought the Girls and Cubs of Troop 148 for a taste of family fun experience at the tournament, where some young fishers got a lesson on Invasive Species while watching a large number of toau crossing the weighing station.
The fishing tournament was made possible by NYC members Rhan Honjo, Jan Martinez, Hu and Stevy Mast, John and Charlotte Ross, Jim Saylor, Fred Styer, Liz Tanner, Doug and Bonnie Tiffany, Orly Patisserie, the Lihu‘e Fishing Supply, Aloha ‘Aina Juice Cafe, Ko Bakery and Coffee, Kawai Kokoro, Aloha Craft Cafe Kaua‘i, DejaVu Surf Hawai‘i, Menehune Water Co., Ace Hardware, Royal Sonesta Kaua‘i Resort, NAPA Auto Parts, DJ’s Box Lunch and Crow’s Nest.
Main Category Results
Most Fish Caught (by hook): Kaisen Barretto
Most Fish Caught (by crook): Cain Galler
Biggest Fish (length + girth): Kairee Barretto
Next Biggest Fish (length + girth): Kade Gandeza
Longest Fish: Teylie England
Next Longest Fish: Vernon Javinar
Fattest Fish (girth only): Colson Okinaka
Next Fattest Fish (girth only): Lehiwa Moribe
First Fish Caught: Slater McMullen
Prettiest Fish: Aila Okasaki
Biggest Crab: Teylie England
