MFF Alongi Competition - Notice of intent to participate

[benri]

Congrats to those who caught and congrats to the winner. for us it was like fishing in a well but we enjoyed it all the way - nice experience. i wonder where the alungi are!

[Gazzetta]

Team Georgia 1 is back from a wonderful experience !!!   
First of all I would like to say a big thanks to all those involved especially the Organisers Skip and The Gaffer, all those who were involved in the briefings and safety check ups, all who were waiting for us at the Jetties for the weigh in and also all the competitors and respective crew for their sportsmanship. 

Was really amazing the way we met and the precision the time was, enjoyed the way we started all together with no boats rushing out gas down for the first mile or two.
We managed to get an early strike of a 10.80Kg Alunga which in the end was the only one onboard.   
Towards 7.15, entering a shole of small fish hunted down by the usual seabird the 2 side rods went mad !!!!  Almost 300m and 400m of line went out in approx 4 - 5 secs which made us assume BFT were hooked !!!   
Tried to reel in bit by bit but one of them managed to get free so we had to take care of the other one !!   
After about an hour if not more, we manged to exhaust the fish which came up to surface and as we taught it was a BFT !! 
Took it out by its tail, photo session and back to its land !!!!!
Pity the season was closed cause we really cried out seeing it going back after all the sweat to bring it to the surface.   
Finally we just had to say that for us it was really a wonderful day, pith there weren't too much catches but that's Fishing.   
Can't wait for the next one !!!   

Chris 

[ForTuna]

Well done to all of you guys who managed to finish the competition and had fun !!! I had to leave the fishing grounds as 1 of my crew felt sick.... I WAS HOME BY 9AM

[skip]

Well done to all, in the end we were 17 boats which is a fantastic number. I can't comment about the other checkin points but up north at Marfa things went very smoothly and every skipper was very professional. The quay was big enough for us all to come in and after checking and a friendly chat we all left at 4.30am.

Next time around I think a 5am departure would make more sense from a safety perspective, there are so many unlit long line marker buoys I nearly ran straight over one at 4.50am executing a last minute Williamson maneuver to get my prop out the way....thanks to the boat handling course for that one!!

By 5.05 there was enough light to get 50m visibility which makes more sense to get out to the fishing grounds.....yes one could do 8 knots and hope you see a float in time....well food for thought as they say.

It was gutting to hear everyone reporting no catches.....but then fantastic to hear that people starting to land one here and there and the BFT experience from Georgia 1 was quite amazing.

My six rod spread may as well have been a 1 rod - 1 lure as there was nothing around, whilst Diver8 (Adrian Galea) had one handline and still won the competition in his 14ft Rigid Inflatable on a hand line!!! 13.25kgs is one serious Alunga!

Coming in second was Team Georgia 1 who I think had the best day out of all of us.....

3rd Clayton and his team who landed one in the region of 8kgs (just waiting for the numbers)

And in the 11th hour DJS proved that his Alungi hunting skills were still strong when he landed a fish late in the day......

Moonwalker also managed to land a 6.53kgs Alunga placing him in 5th and I'm sure a nice big smile on his face.

Next year Diver8 won't need his hand line, because of the rod he wins for biggest fish, in addition to the Raymarine VHF, fuel voucher, lifejackets and jerry cans plus his trophies he's going to be seriously geared up!!

Get your boats ready early next year guys..and your calendars booked..competition will be 1st weekend of JUNE 2010......we'll be monitoring catches and weather and adjust as needed.

A Big Big Thank you to the guys checking the boats early in the morning (Gaffer & Co in Sliema), Ramio (who woke up early to come down even though he wasn't going out) and Shanook, and my crew up at Marfa.

Without our judges we couldn't have made this happen.....Silvio and Emic along with Ramio who went down AGAIN for us to help out manned the B'bugia station till 1pm as I believe DJS was the last boat in just before 1pm........Reuben and Mike.D took care of the ONLY boat up north to land a fish and stayed around till after 1pm to make sure everyone had come in okay.... And finally our competition director co-ordinated the stations but was not needed to make any over ruling decision because you guys were all well behaved  

I want to say that Team Georgia 1 were true sportsmen respecting the current legal position on BFT even after the fight of their lives and releasing the fish.....truly outstanding stuff guys, you should be proud. Your equipment held up, your technique to land the fish was spot on, and next year perhaps that 'bad boy' you released will pay you a visit at 100kgs+ !!!

For everyone else I think we took solice in the fact that it wasn't just individuals who weren't catching it was almost the whole fleet, whether you were south of Filfla, abeam or up north, 1st, 2nd or 3rd ridge the fish simply weren't around in any kind of numbers. We call it a 'fun day' but we all know that returning back to base empty handed or without even 1 strike is a bit of a downer....but as both my crew and some on the radio said.....'That's fishing!!'

[ramio]

Big thanks to all those who participated. It was fun although not a lot of fish was cought. The entusiasm wasn't lacking at least in B'Buga. I'm sure it was the same in both the other places.
We had an early reunion of boats at about 3am near the jetty. After an inspection and verification of the contact details, boats set out to meeting point around 4am. I was following the start from my boat on the moorings. Managed to get a couple of hours sleep on the boat, but gave up about 6.30. Had to go for a cup of tea as I stupidly kiked my flask. The morning was filled with constant updates on the situation via sms's and phone calls.
Silvio and Emic turned up at about 10.15 and we set up the "gabbana". It resembled that more than actually a weighing station. We had lots of fun there with silvio looking like a king on a trone sitting in a confy arm chair in front of a table with hobz and beers going around. Busu showed up as well, with whoever was passing by thinking that Busu was director general.
One by one all the boats started comming in and by 1pm we were done.

I would like to thank the organisers especially Skip, The Gaffer, and Fin. for the profesionality that the competition was organised in not leaving out all those who gave a hand in one way or the other. Although I can understand that at times things looked hoplessly against us (especially the weather) they managed to persist and the result was another safe and succesfull organised competition.
Another big thanks goes to the spossors of the magnificent prises.

[shanook]

The sea was nice, there was a cool breeze which made it a perfect day for fishing, pity that the fish didnt realise that they would have been immortalised and their pictures shown internationally.
Well done to all the boats leaving from B'Bugia a very jovial disciplined lot. We all waited for the sliema guys and on the GO we all left at trolling speed and opened up so as not to disturb others by the wake.
We heard the North guys as soon as we got to the fishing grounds.
well done (although its heart breaking) to Goergia 1 for releasing the BFT. U were lucky as sometimes the fish exhaust itself and dies by the boat (what do u do release a dead tuna???whatever for isnt that a complete waste).
Coming back to jetty we were greeted by the Forum's most amusing, witty, hilarious people in the likes of Baghira, Emic, Busumark and Ramio apart from others who waited with them on the jetty.
Thanks to all who made the day a wonderful one although fish were not caught in abundance at least the prizes were distributed so WELL DONE to those who won (My fingers want to type but my mind is trying to hold them back, oh well here goes)
The gaffer (and all the rest for that matter) has been intimidated by the smallest boat in the competition....................
Emic i can still taste the beer thanks mate i needed that.........
The competition reflected the professionalism of the organisation
Alungi look out next year we will come in bigger numbers ( I heard the gaffer is rigging an extra few rods.....:)P)

[MartinB]

Had a really good day out & even though we didn't get a fish i don't get out on a boat too often so it was still good fun..many,many thanks to Shanook  Sorry for my crappy driving mate 
We started out with a few "technical" diffculties (radio!) but it seems alot of people had the same problem at 1st!..However later on it was good to hear a few boats were catching a few fish as it gave us a bit of a morale boost! Shame we didn't hook up..but thats fishing!
Also many thanks for the beer and hobz biz-zejt to the weighing in guys! MUCH appreciated!

[kurtfalcon]

Proset lil kullhadd nies specjalment il judges u l organizers. Well done guys.

[Destination Sea]

well done guys . The best thing is that you had fun

[mulett75]

Soory I could not be present to hive a helping hand. Prosit to all those who participated and more to the organizers

[camkev]

Well done to all members and organizers.It was a better choice to make it today ...I think the alungi arent here any more.I still didnt go for them...was hoping to go next week but with these catches i dont really know.

[Moonwalker]

Well done guys it was a success although not much fish. We had the strike at around 9am. Not much to smile about after a day trolling but finishing 5th is still a good place for me
The sea got a little rough on our way in around 12:30pm and we had some taste of the salt water but thats part of fishing too

[SteveGB]

Gut well done for the competition!! Was very well organised and eveyone was a good sport! We started our journey back to Xemxija from Filfla at 9 and trolled all the way in to Gnejna! At least we had a nice view of the cliffs on our way back! Pity no catches which was a bit of a downer.....but that whats fishing is all about! If you always catch it wont be fun catching anymore!  Prosit to the winners!

[DJS]

Just like to say a big thanks to Skip, all the organisers and competition judges who took much time and effort to ensure today's event was both enjoyable and successful. It was an enormous undertaking for them to make all the arrangements for the competition and everything seems to have worked according to plan ... except for the lack of fish of course - which today was in the hands of the fishing gods. But that's fishing for you... when fishing conditions seem perfect sometimes the fish go on strike! Special thanks goes to The Gaffer and Jonathan who expertly fronted the small group of boats coming from Msida managing to steer us well clear of the myriad of unmarked fishfarm buoys and floating ropes in complete darkness en route. I hope there will be another similar event next year.

[Jonathan]

Well done and thanks to whoever was involved in the organisation of this event. This was surely the best organised competition that I've ever participated in. Re the alungi not being there, as Skip said... That's fishing. It would be interesting to discuss what happened to the fish and why? Where did they go? Did they move on and if so why (wind? / currents? / too much or too little baitfish?) & towards which waters (Southwards? Northwards?) And Will they be back this season? I never recall a season where albacore disappeared in July. Usually the first 2 weeks of July are the hottest 2 weeks and they disappear end of July. Unless they're moving back, their stay this stay would have been one of the shortest ever (I think they were only present in numbers for 2-3weeks). Any thoughts someone?