For the second consecutive year, Team Troppo, fishing aboard Pure Indulgence, has won the SIGFA Samoa International Tournament. This year’s winning team consisted of five anglers – Aaron, Chris, Mitch, Brett, and Stu from Wollongong, NSW – fishing for Australia with Captain Hoppo and deckies Tautua and Ausie. 

Pure Indulgence overtook Fu’a II on the final day to take the honors when they released their third tagged marlin.

Over 100 anglers fishing from 28 boats competed, representing four countries. The fleet included 17 boats fishing for Samoa, five for New Zealand, five for American Samoa, and one for Australia. The five Kiwi boats were all shipped up for a nominal fee by NPDL Shipping & Logistics, the major tournament sponsor. 

The fishing throughout the tournament was good, with 35 billfish tagged and released and three weighed, including a new Samoa Ladies Record blue marlin weighing in at 245.9kg. This impressive catch was landed by Sally Asafo on the last day of the tournament, which was also her birthday! 

Sally Asafo landed the Samoa Ladies Record blue marlin (245.9kg) during the tournament. 

Yellowfin tuna to 50kg and solid wahoo to 20kg accounted for the bulk of the weighed catch. Like last year’s tournament, it came down to the wire on the last day, with Pure Indulgence jumping Fu’a II to take the honors when they released their third tagged marlin. 

Yellowfin tuna to 50kg and solid wahoo to 20kg accounted for the bulk of the weighed catch.

Team Troppo’s victory earns them a well-deserved qualification to represent either Australia or Samoa at the Offshore World Championships in Costa Rica next year – we’ll be cheering them on all the way!

A huge thank you to all the teams who joined us this year and brought the heat to the waters of Samoa. It was an exciting and enjoyable tournament!

Final results:

1st – Pure Indulgence

2nd – Fu’a II

3rd – Sealord

4th – De Rottie 2

5th – Double Hooked

- NZ Fishing News