The top three tunas at the end of the Casco Bay Bluefin Bonanza weighed more than 600 pounds each at the Spring Point Marina in South Portland.
Isaac Molt, captain of fishing vessel Redemption, brought in a 635-pound tuna on Monday, the first day of the tournament, that would not be unseated from the top spot.
The last fish caught Thursday night by Bobby Sterong, captain of fishing vessel Amy Lynn, placed second at 612.5 pounds. Third place belonged to Keith Jordan, captain of Bailey & Bella, with a 610-pound bluefin he and his crew caught on Wednesday.
The Bluefin Bonanza is a nonprofit organization that primarily raises money for academic scholarships for trades students at Maine’s seven community colleges. It also supports tuna studies at the University of Maine School of Marine Sciences and the Gulf of Maine Institute. This was its sixth year.
Jane and Bob Humphrey took over the tournament in 2019, immediately expanding its reach to help more students. The organization offered 14 scholarships after last year’s bonanza. The amount raised for this year was expected to be announced at Friday’s awards banquet.
This year’s tuna tournament attracted more than 60 fishing boats, and sponsors made the scholarships for students and prize money for participants possible, Humphrey said earlier this week. Batson River Brewery even developed a special beer for the occasion called Dock Talk.
A total of 31 fish were entered during the three days of fishing, which was about half of last year’s catch, according to Shawn Tibbetts, captain of Miss Megan II and weighmaster of the Bluefin Bonanza. This was a more normal year than 2023 was in terms of the number of fish caught, he said.
Walt Golet and his students with the University of Maine and Gulf of Maine Research Institute were huge contributors to the tournament and to the fishery, Tibbetts said. They took samples from each tuna brought in and are studying feeding and migratory habits, among other areas of the fishery.
As winner, Molt received $25,000. He also had the largest fish on July 29, which earned him another $1,000. Strong received $12,500 for second place and another $1,000 for the largest fish on Aug. 1. Jordan received $6,000 for third place and $1,000 for largest tuna on July 31. There was no fishing Tuesday, and the awards banquet, including a lobster bake and auction, were held Friday.
Other money awards went to Max Bogdonovich, captain of fishing vessel Bogesa, $3,000 for fourth place with a 591-pound tuna; and Erik and Kurt Christensen, co-captains of Molly Jane, $1,500 for fifth place with a 576.5-pound tuna and a prize for the most cumulative weight of 1,151.5 pounds for $1,000.
Tournament organizers and researchers were open to questions from the visiting public and invited people through social media to come see what the bonanza was all about.
On Thursday, there was a group of children from the local recreation center and vacationers alike, all curious about what the fishermen and scientists were doing. Every question was patiently answered — all opportunities to tell people about the bonanza’s mission.
“Overall, it was a very successful year. We got scholarships funded, got kids in college and furthered research,” he said. “That’s what we’re here for — to get these scholarships funded.”