penn-jersey saltwater anglers - 2006 Offshore Bragging Rights Tournament Results

	Tournaments

2006 Offshore Bragging Rights Tournament

Rules . . . Weigh In Form

Final Standings

Congraulations to our winners! Nick Veneziale (L) ran away with the shark category; Ron Kovler (left side of center photo with PJSA President Randy Alkins on the right) had a blowout win in the marlin category, and Al Gillen (R), who pulled it together once more to take home a trophy. If these images look like a repeat of prior years' resuts, well, they sort of are. Each of this years' winners have held one or more of the trophies in the past - With Nick holding the marlin trophy two years ago, while Ron and Al each have hed the marlin or tuna trophy once or more in prior years.

Tuna Division:

First Place: Capt. Al Gillen

116 pound yellowfin
57 1/2 pound yellowfin
57 pound yellowfin
Total stringer weight: 230.5 pounds
A truly large yellowfin was decked by Al Gillen's crew on August 23. The fish, which weighed in at 116 pounds, was caught on a light standup rod with a Penn 15LD reel, and 40 pound test line! Kurt Henjes was the rod, while Al Gillen, Russ Walton and Keith Clarke manned the cockpit, ran the boat and kept Kurt well watered.

A good overnight trip on Al Gillen's boat saw his crew - Bob Ahrendt, Dave Locandro and Norm Beetham - going 7 for 8 on yellowfin to 57 pounds.

Second Place: Capt. Ron Kovler

72 pound bluefin
42 3/4 pound yellowfin
37 3/4 pound yellowfin
Total stringer weight: 152.5 pounds

Ron's 72 pound bluefin tuna.

Third Place: Open

open
open
open
Total stringer weight: 0 pounds

Honorable Mention: Capt. Ron Kovler
Although these fish were not weighed in and therefore do not account for an official entry, the catch deserves honorable mention status just the same. During an ultra-early trip aboard Ron Kovler's "Next Case," Ron, Kurt Henjes and Joe from Offshore Custom Tackle proved that tuna season is here! In this picture, Kurt hefts one of about 20 tuna caught (most of which were released) on a Memorial Day trip to the Wilmington they caught, while Joe manhandles another fish.

What a great sight - tuna fishing at it's best!

Another must-release bluefin was taken by Al Gillen (pictured), Kurt Henjes and Ken Bennett on July 8 while fishing about 23 NM offshore of Barnegat.

The highlight of the July 8 trip - a surprise 18 pound mahi mahi taken by Ken Bennett (L), but not until after it had made about 10 spectacular jumps, flips and other acrobatics.

Ken Bennett took his two oldest sons out for a day of inshore fishing on July 16, and they bagged three nice mahi, which was the thrill of a lifetime for the kids! Now Ken has no choice but to bring them out offshore again, since they now have it down and taught Ken a thing or two about dropping back baits to entice the mahi to bite!

Dave Locandro shows how to out-fox a school of mahi while fishing near Hudson Canyon on August 19.

Kurt Henjes and his brother Fred fished aboard Ray Hombach's 34' Yellowfin center console, along with Ray's friend Alex on August 19. They nabbed two longfin, a half dozen mahi, and released a white marlin, while raising tow others.

Shark Division:

First Place: Nick Veneziale, 300 points

Mako Release, July 16 (150 points)
Mako Release, July 16 (150 points)

Susanne Mulligan gets a little help staying in the boat from Lee Veneziale, while Greg Mulligan and Nick Veneziale take the pictures for their first of two makos taken on July 16 aboard Nick's "Libero."
[Picture 2 to come] A small mako released by Nick and Lee Veneziale, fishing with Susanne and Greg Mulligan on July 16.

Second Place: Al Gillen, 10 points

Blue Shark Release, August 5 (10 points)

Dave Locandro fished this brawny blue shark up from the Hudson Canon on Aug 5 during an overnighter when he was supposed to be catching tuna, or hopefully, a swordfish.

Third Place: Open

Honorable Mention: Greg Mulligan

Greg Mulligan did not enter the 2006 OBR Tournament... with a two-day total of 37 brown sharks released, 2 blue sharks released, and the one small mako shown here released, he could have been in first place with 540 points!

Marlin and Swordfish Division:

First Place: Ron Kovler

White marlin release, Aug 6 (100 points)
Blue marlin release Aug 6 (400 points)
Total release points: 500
It's ironic that Kurt Henjes was helping Ron Kovler release this white marlin, which helped displace Kurt's boat out of first place as Ron's Next Case has a banner day of fishing.

Kurt Henjes celebrates beating his first blue marlin aboard Ron's Next Case.

And a clean release as they start to revive the tired fish.

Second Place (tie): Kurt Henjes

White marlin release, July 15 (100 points)

Total release points: 100

Wow, some great marlin shots - talk about a fish being hot at boatside! Nice job Kurt! Even better, Kurt's crew had a shot at a blue marlin shortly after the white, but couldn't hold it back from a fierce first run.
You send us the picture, we'll post it!

Second Place (tie): Al Gillen

White marlin release, August 23 (100 points)
Total release points: 100
Would you believe that EVERY marlin entered in the 2005 OBR tournament had one thing in common: Kurt "Marlin Magnet" Henjes was involved in the catch and release! Here, Kurt releases yet another marlin, this one on Al Gillen's boat, that was taken while fishing on August 23. Kurt is so good, this one found the boat even though Kurt was snoozing at the time of the strike!