TUNA CLASSIC HISTORY

In April 1991 Swartkops ski boat club were to host a Hanna bottom fishing competition. Phil Kolby was the man in control of this. He had a reputation of always being the furthest out and the last to come home in his then "little" boat, a 21 foot Butt cat. Phil and some other anglers were venturing out deep and succeeding to catch some Yellow fin Tuna. Phil was also a member of PEDSAC and one evening we were having a few drinks together and he proposed that instead of going bottom fishing we "Hunt the Yellow fin".

Archie De Jaeger was on the PEDSAC committee and suggested that we host this first comp at PEDSAC. We all put in R100-00, from which we bought two sheep for a spit and the rest of the money was to go to three prizes for the top three fish. Seventeen boats with about 80 anglers entered. The comp was to be fished on a Saturday in May and if blown out on the Sunday. Well both days were blown out so we ate the two sheep and all put in another R20-00 to hold the comp the following weekend. This time we fished and the Tuna were there.

The comp was such a success that it was decided to hold one again the next year. This was done on the same format for three years, growing in numbers every year. The PEDSAC committee then decided that as entries were coming from all over the country the competition needed to be run on a more professional bases. Sponsors were approached and the event was lengthened to run now for four days. Tents were erected, as the clubhouse could not handle the huge crowds. Continental tyres were the main sponsors and the name was changed to the "Conti Tuna Classic".

Although there were nice prizes the main sponsorship was the fuel. Every boat got free fuel for the event. This name lasted until Conti withdrew their sponsorship in about 1999 and Algoa Toyota became the main sponsors. The name then became the "Algoa Tuna Classic". A vehicle became the main prize and the free fuel came to an end. When lots of other sponsors like SA breweries also got involved the name changed to the "Algoa Bay Tuna Classic", which it still is today. Channel plus and the PEDSAC committee came together in 2002 and you have records of the event from then.

TUNA CLASSIC RESULTS

RESULTS FOR THE STANDARD BANK ALGOA BAY TUNA CLASSIC 2005

FISH OF THE TOURNAMENT

1. Tielman Nieuwoudt - 65.1kg on THE GHOST
2. Eugene van Niekerk - 60.4kg on CHEETAH
3. John Henrick - 59.9kg on ZINGARA
4. John Dickson (jnr) - 56.8kg on BRONWYN
5. Sean Riley - 54.5kg on REEL MAGIC
6. Mike Milton - 54.1kg on SENSATIONAL 4
7. Wayne Stanley - 51.50kg on ZINGARA
8. Dean Horne - 51.4kg on STAMPEDE
9. Brian Gerber - 49.2kg on BRAVEHEART
10. Derek Kaplan - 47.5kg on COPACABANA
11. Marcel de Lauwere - 47.5kg on COPACABANA

PRESTIGIOUS BOAT

1. ZINGARA - 277.3kg
2. SHEMOANS - 230.7kg
3. BIG FOOT - 222.1kg
4. COPACABANA - 215.3kg
5. REEL MAGIC - 203.3kg
6. MALACHITE - 200.9kg
7. AGULHAS - 192.7kg
8. SEA BEAR - 184.5kg
9. GREAT WHITE - 178.3kg
10. INSTIGATOR - 170kg

TUNALAND GAME FISHING CHALLENGE

Heaviest Boat:

• 1. SEA HAWK - 25.6kg
• 2. TWIGS - 23.3kg
• 3. ROOI KAT II - 21.1kg
• 4. BLACK CAT - 10.7kg
• 5. QUEST - 9.8kg
• 6. KING FISHER - 9.4kg
• 7. ALBACORE - 8.5kg

Heaviest Yellowtail:

3.8kg - Clinton Brass on TWIGS

Heaviest Sada Sada:

4.9kg - Selwyn Black on QUEST

TOP FEMALE ANGLER: 45kg - Tanya Lotter on BIG FOOT (14th overall)

TOP JUNIOR ANGLER: 27.6kg - Dawid van der Westhuizen on REEL MAGIC

DAILY PRIZES

Tuesday 17 May: