Angler Darryl Bradly of Ahipara Game Fish Club, New Zealand, celebrates his 408-pound Pacific blue marlin catch with Miss Billfish 2015 Cheri Lavoie. The team was fishing aboard Hooked Up with Capt. Jim Wigzell. (Hawaii 24/7 photo by Karin Stanton)

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After three days of action-packed tournament fishing, 29 of 31 teams have already posted points and several teams are within striking distance of the top spot on the Hawaiian International Billfish Tournament leaderboard.

Wednesday’s catch, smaller in number than days one and two, netted 13 fish tagged and released, one boated 408-pound Pacific blue marlin and one boated ahi (yellowfin tuna).

The top two teams exchanged scoring positions Wednesday with Team Likeke Club jumping ahead of Tuesday’s leader Sunshine Coast Game Fishing Club by a mere 207 points.

“International representation at our tournament brings folks with a passion for fishing together to fish in Kona’s famous waters,” HIBT founder Peter Fithian said. “HIBT anglers from Japan, Australia, China, New Zealand, Kenya, South Africa, Papua New Guinea and Vanuatu unite with teams from Hawaii and several states on the mainland for a week-long tournament that celebrates the spirit of amateur big game sportfishing.”

HIBT fishing continues through Friday.

2015 HIBT Day Three Results

LEADERBOARD

Team Likeke Club 1,895
Sunshine Coast Game Fishing Club 1,688
Kona Game Fishing Club – Kusatsu 1,564
Nanhai Lang Tao Club 1,300
New Britain Game Fishing Club 1,150

TOP BOATS

Illusions 1,745
Ihi Nui 1,564
Northern Lights II 1,300
Hooked Up 1,050
Kona Blue 950

— Find out more:
www.hibtfishing.com