From left, deckman Rob Cosgrove, Fred Leibold, Kevin Bell and Capt. Juuka Hyytia caught this 474.2-pound blue marlin in February 2015. PHOTO BY DONNELL TATE.

LAHAINA – Trying to come up with the top deckman statistics for billfish involves several variables. Just looking at total numbers doesn’t reflect all the variables in coming up with the final rankings for the top Lahaina Harbor Charter Sportfishing deckman. The deckmen were working in a non-captain status in this category.

The final statistics are my own and are open to opinion and interpretation.

Now, the rankings for the Top Lahaina Sportfishing deckmen

Deckman Rob Cosgrove took back-to-back top honors as the top sportfishing charter boat deckman for Lahaina Harbor in both 2015 and 2014, among the 20 deckmen that caught a billfish. He accumulated his billfish while fishing aboard the top charter boat of 2015, Action, and the Start Me Up Again, Start Me Up Cuz, and Jun Ken Po.

Rob weighed 14 blue marlin, tied for second most, totaling 3,877.0 pounds, the second highest total blue weight. He weighed 714.2- (third largest), 553.3- (seventh largest), 474.2- and 444.4-pound marlin. He also released 14 blue marlin (most released) totaling an estimated 1,740 pounds, the third highest total release weight. This gave Rob 28 blue marlin captured (the highest total blues captured) totaling 5,617.0 pounds, the highest total blue capture weight.

Rob weighed one striped marlin at 49.5 pounds and 13 spearfish (the most caught) totaling 347.7 pounds, the highest total spearfish weight. This gave Rob 42 billfish captured for the year, the most billfish captured, totaling 6,014.2 pounds, the highest total billfish capture weight.

Hooking the second place deckman spot was Chad Quedding. He accumulated his billfish while fishing aboard the Reel Hooker, Exact, and Kai Akua.

Chad weighed 22 blue marlin, the most among the deckmen, totaling 4,396.7 pounds, the highest total blue weight. His largest blue weighed 568.7 pounds (sixth largest). He also released two blues totaling an estimated 300 pounds. This gave Chad 24 blue marlin captured (second most) totaling 4,696.4 pounds, the second highest total blue capture weight.

Chad weighed one striped marlin at 39.6 pounds and three spearfish totaling 58.9 pounds. This gave Chad 28 billfish captured for the year, the second most, totaling 4,795.2 pounds, the second highest total billfish capture weight.

Deckman Andy Payne took the third place spot. He accumulated his billfish while fishing aboard the Die Hard 2, Kai Akua and No Problem.

Andy weighed 14 blue marlin (tied for second most) totaling 1,985.7 pounds, the third highest total blue weight. He also released four blue marlin totaling an estimated 480 pounds. This gave Andy 18 blue marlin captured – tied for third most blues captured – totaling 2,465.7 pounds, the sixth highest total blue capture weight.

Andy weighed two striped marlin totaling 99.4 pounds and one spearfish weighing 28 pounds. This gave Andy 21 billfish captured for the year (tied for fifth most billfish captured) totaling 2,593.1 pounds, the sixth highest total billfish capture weight.

Grabbing the fourth place spot was deckman Chris Kiser. He accumulated his billfish while fishing aboard the Action, Start Me Up, and Start Me Up Cuz.

Chris weighed eight blue marlin, fourth most, totaling 1,311.4 pounds, the fifth highest total blue weight. He also released ten blue marlin (tied for third most released) totaling an estimated 1,610 pounds, the fifth highest total release weight. This gave Chris 18 blue marlin captured (tied for third most blues captured) totaling 2,921.4 pounds, the third highest total blue capture weight.

Chris released one striped marlin estimated at 60 pounds and weighed four spearfish totaling 94.7 pounds. This gave Chris 23 billfish captured for the year – the fourth most billfish captured – totaling 3,076.1 pounds, the fourth highest total billfish capture weight.