As we arrived at Suidpunt Diepsee Hengelklub this evening, it was delightful to see the sponsor banners fluttering in the wind. These vibrant banners, adorned with the names and logos of our generous sponsors, line the pathway, creating a festive and welcoming atmosphere. We extend our heartfelt gratitude to these sponsors for their invaluable support, making this tournament possible.
Small welcome drinks were served as the anglers arrived and once again we thank the lovely ladies behind the bar for their cheerful service and friendliness.
Patricia, Corne, Karen, Deidre, Lisa
The atmosphere at the clubhouse was filled with laughter and camaraderie as the anglers gathered for the evening’s function. The room buzzed with animated conversations and cheerful banter. Smiles and playful teasing were creating a warm and inviting ambiance.
Welcome DrinksPeté, Craig and Gawie (Indigo)August Joe Adrian (Soo-Ja)Christian, Sampie, Gert, Jo, Stefan (Vistrok)New shoes!He swept me off my feet!
Female Anglers
“The Two Oceans Marlin Tournament typically draws a large number of male anglers, but this year, we are thrilled to welcome five female competitors.
Angie Lotter from A-LureLoslappie had three female anglers participating. Ada de Witt, Ide de Witt (Mother and daughter), Monica Botha. Nettie the dog also gets to go along. Hopefully, she brings them luck!Leonie Penninkhof as introduced yesterday. She is on The Gambler
Best of luck to these incredible lady anglers. Your passion and skill inspire us all. May you reel in the biggest catches and create unforgettable memories on the water. Tight lines and happy fishing! 🎣
Tournament Founder It was a privilege to have Trail Witthuhn, one of the founders of TOMT, speak to the anglers. He recounted the story of his first encounter with marlin in the Agulhas area and how an Australian friend taught him the proper technique to catch them. Drawing from his extensive experience, Trail shared that at this time of year, anglers are more likely to catch black marlin, as the stipeys have migrated from the area. Thank you, Trail, for your valuable tips, which we are certain will be immensely helpful to the anglers.
What a legend – Trail Whitthuhn
The Auction This evening, Andrew Perrins, renowned for his sharp wit and humor, stepped into the role of auctioneer at our lively wine auction. Dahlene presented the exquisite wines, ready to go under the hammer, while the anglers had to be cautious with their gestures, as even the smallest wave could lead to a substantial bid.
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The amazing winesSafety Officer or Auctioneer?The bidding beginsChris bidsHow much did I bid?!Dahlene shows what’s on offerDarius makes a generous bidI up it to 7 – thousand or hundred?Piet parted with a few randsI’ll bid on that!This is fun!
Following the auction, we were treated to a delectable dinner. Marinda and her team truly outdid themselves as we savored Cordon Bleu Pork, chips, and salad. For dessert, we indulged in irresistible tiny chocolate balls that were simply to die for.
Suidpunt Diepsee Hengelklub, is once again proud to host the annual Two Oceans Marlin Tournament.
This evening, all the teams gathered at the clubhouse to register, collect their goodie bags, and enjoy a wonderful tapas meal catered by the Club Manageress, Marinda, and her amazing team.
A-Lure Skipper, Pieter Steyn at the registration desk.Are they twins? No but they sure look alike – one of them is Skipper of Bad Co – Mike Broderick – Which one?I’m still confused!
I’m not sure yet how many lady anglers we have in the tournament this year but it was good to see at least one at the registration desk.
Leonie Penninkhof, lady angler fishing the marlin for the first time with hubby, Ron, skipper of GamblerDory’s Skipper Dudley Rosslee signing in.Delicious food for the hungry anglersThe ever-cheerful kitchen staff – Hanelie, Beverley, Genéve, Joseline (Kitchen Manager)Sponsored by Robertson Toyota!
Assisting the anglers in enjoying the evening fully were the lovely bar ladies, who are always patient, friendly, and helpful.
Three of the bar ladies – Patricia, Lisa, and Deidré
Tonight’s event commenced with a series of welcome speeches. Grant van der Westhuyzen, the Tournament Manager, reminded the anglers of the competition’s format, explained the rules, and encouraged everyone to participate with the right spirit. Below, you’ll find a brief history of how the tournament began and an overview of its operation.
History and Rules of The Two Oceans Marlin Tournament
The late Meirion Williams of Huck Finn fame, was instrumental in establishing an annual marlin catch, measure, and release competition.This was after he chatted to local commercial fisherman, TrailWhitthuhn, who twenty years ago, landed a striped marlin. Meirion believed it would be valuable to investigate the population and sizes of marlin in the Agulhas area. It is important to acknowledge that the project was not the work of just one person. Contributors such as Gawie Bruwer, Hannes Schreuder, Gerard De Kock, Johan Jooste, and Johan van der Walt played crucial roles in turning the idea into a reality. Andrew Perrins was approached to take on the role of Safety Officer, and since then, he has been actively involved in setting up aerials and operating the radios. He is supported by his reliable assistants, Trevor Brinch and Earl Fenwick, along with various team members throughout the years—making it a great team effort. For the past several years, Andrew, who now lives and works in the United Kingdom, has returned specifically to participate in this unique competition. He is expertly assisted by Trevor Brinch, also known as Spotter One, a local from Cape Agulhas who manages radio control in the area. The Two Oceans Marlin Tournament belongs to all those who participate and their influence over Tournament matters is proportional to the number of events the Skippers have participated in since 2007. The Tournament is an invitational event and is not associated with organised angling at either Local, Provincial or National levels. In the event of a tie at the end of the tournament, the marlin caught last will be declared the winner. The Tournament is fished as a no-kill, measure and release event with no points being given for a dead fish.
Brief summary of the rules
Upon returning to shore, boats must display a flag indicating what they have caught and released. Additionally, a video must be presented to the judges to verify the catch. In the event of a tie at the end of the tournament, the marlin caught last will be declared the winner.
MARLIN
POINTS
FLAG
Black Marlin
150
White flag with Black Marlin
Striped Marlin
150
White flag with Blue Marlin
Blue Marlin
150
Blue Flag with White Marlin
Sailfish
100
Blue Flag with Black Marlin
Other Billfish
100
Two Oceans Flag
The above indicates the basic allocation of points. Bonus points may be given in certain circumstances.
Sponsors The participating anglers acknowledge and appreciate the support of this club, as well as the sponsors, whose generosity makes this tournament possible.
TWO OCEANS MARLIN TOURNAMENT SPONSORS
Please support our Sponsors
AIRMAR BALLYHOO MARINE
BILTONG & JAVA BLENCO
BON COURAGE WINES BUFFELSFONTEIN/HALEWOOD
COFFEE. (FULL STOP) FISH & MORE CEMSTONE
CENTRAL FORKLIFT CHAS EVERITT
CORNELIS HAM FPM SUPPLIERS
GARMIN SA GREENFISH
HEINEKEN HEINRICH TIPS
JACITA TACKLE & OUTDOOR JEBO CONNECT
NICO ALBERTS INTERIORS NINA’S DELI
PAUL DRYER PICK N PAY STRUISBAAI
PULSATOR LURES RAYMARINE AVION
ROBERTSON TOYOTA RUTHERFORD / MERCURY
M-RAD / SIMRAD SKI-BOAT MAGAZINE
SOUTH AFRICAN BREWERIES SPRINGFIELD WINES
STRUISBAAI SPECIALSIT ANGLING SUIDPUNT SECURITY
SUIDPUNT MARINE VILJOENSDRIFT WINES
WALKER BAY FIRE ENGINEERING
Andrew Perrins (Safety Officer and Radio Controller) with Zach Swingburn – Airmar Representative. Thank you Airmar, for your amazing support.
Mercury Representative Gareth Dreyer and his wife Delicia. Thanks to Mercury for their generous sponsorship.
Below is a list of the participating boats and skippers
Skipper
Boat
PIETER STEYN
A-LURE (First-time entrant)
MIKE BRODERICK
BAD CO
PIET WESSELS
BAYSWATER
MIKE RILEY
CATITUDE
DUDLEY ROSSLEE
DORY
IAN BARNARD
ECLIPSE (First-time entrant)
KOOS PRETORIUS
GEE SPOT
ANDREW VAN ZYL
GWAZA
GAWIE BRUWER
INDIGO
JB SNYMAN
JAYLIZ (First time entrant)
CHRIS GOATLEY
JOHN GRAEME
SAREL JANSE VAN RENSBURG
KIRU (First-time entrant)
JACO JACOBS
LE BOSS 2
PEET BOTHA
LOSLAPPIE
RIKUS DE BEER
MARCO POLO
JACQUES VAN NIEKERK
MOJO
ROELOF VISAGIE (VLEIS)
MULTI
MARIUS LODEWYKS
NERINA (First time entrant)
ROBIN VERMAAK
PIROMERO
ALLAN FIRMANI
SHE’S ALL WET (First time entrant)
JOE VERWEY
SOO-JA (First-time entrant)
JACQUES BRITZ
STRIKER (First-time entrant)
RON PENNINKHOF
THE GAMBLER (First time entrant)
GERT VILJOEN
VISTROK
Listening to the rulesTeam Bayswater got into the spirit of the tournament. Just love those supporters’ t-shirts. Left to right – Ockie holding twin Janko, Henda holding twin Malinke, Piet, Hanicke and in front AnikaDarius ‘Trump’ all the way from the USA made friends with our Airmar Sponsor!
TOMTLegend Award Every year one Two Oceans Marlin ‘legend’ is honoured with special award. This year’s Legend of TOMT is Koos Pretorius A special award honouring him was presented by Gawie Bruwer. Koos generously sponsored the purchase of our Delta 82 radio system, which benefits all anglers around Cape Agulhas and Cape Point. Additionally, Koos was part of the Osprey team that released six striped marlin in one day in 2012, a record that still stands unbroken.
Koos Pretorius receiving his award from Gawie Bruwer
Sunday was originally planned as the first day of fishing. However, due to a weather call, fishing will now commence on Monday. The forecast for the week looks promising!
Sponsored by Robertson Toyota!
Adventuring into Retirement 