LAHAINA – Trying to come up with the Top Deckman statistics for billfish has several variables. I look at all the variables in each category, give them a number and try to come up with a fair ranking. Released billfish were noted as both a total number and estimated weight, but all weights were “guesstimations.” These numbers do reflect into the rankings.

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

Now, the rankings for the Top Lahaina Sportfishing Deckmen.

Sam Thies took top honors as the Top Sportfishing Charter Boat Deckman for Lahaina Harbor in 2017, among the 23 deckmen that caught a billfish during the year.

Sam, fishing aboard the Die Hard 2, weighed 13 blue marlin, most among the fleet, weighing 2,353.5 pounds, the highest total blue weight. His largest blue weighed 485.6 pounds. He also released two blue marlin for an estimated total weight of 375 pounds.

This gave Sam 15 blue marlin captured, most blue marlin captured among the deckmen, totaling 2,728.5 pounds, the second highest total blue marlin capture weight.

Sam weighed four striped marlin, tied for most weighed, totaling 127.8 pounds, the second highest total weight. He also weighed seven spearfish, tied for second most, totaling 237.9 pounds, the highest total weight. This gave him seven spearfish captured, third most, totaling 237.8 pounds, the second highest total capture weight.

This gave Sam 26 billfish for the year, most billfish captured among the deckmen, totaling 3,094.2 pounds, the second highest total billfish capture weight.

Sam had a good year for big ahi, weighing eight over 100 pounds, the second most weighed over 100 pounds, totaling 924.9 pounds, and the second highest total ahi weight. He also weighed four between 80-99 pounds.

Congratulations to Sam Thies, Top Charter Sportfishing Deckman for Lahaina Harbor in 2017.

Grabbing the second place spot was John French, fishing aboard the Jun Ken Po. He weighed nine blue marlin, third most, totaling 2,161.1 pounds, the second highest total blue weight. He had two nice blues weighing 491.2 and 475.2 pounds. He also released five blue marlin, third most, for an estimated total weight of 990 pounds.

This gave John 14 blue marlin captured, second most captured, totaling 3,151.1 pounds, the highest total blue marlin capture weight.

John weighed one striped marlin at 33 pounds. He also weighed four spearfish, totaling 124 pounds, and released one estimated at 35 pounds. This gave him five spearfish captured, totaling 159 pounds.

This gave John 20 billfish for the year, tied for third most billfish captured, totaling 3,343.1 pounds, the highest total billfish capture weight.

The third place spot went to Rob Cosgrove. He accumulated his billfish fishing aboard the Action, Jun Ken Po, and Start Me Up La Dat. He weighed four blue marlin, sixth most, totaling 958.1 pounds. He also released seven blue marlin, second most blue marlin released, for an estimated total weight of 1,370 pounds, the second highest estimated total blue marlin weight.

This gave Rob 11 blue marlin captured, tied for third most captured, totaling 2,328.1 pounds, the fifth highest total blue marlin capture weight.

Rob weighed one striped marlin at 37 pounds. He also weighed seven spearfish, tied for second most, totaling 180 pounds, the third highest total weight, and released one estimated at 20 pounds. This gave him eight spearfish captured, second most captured, for an estimated total capture weight of 200 pounds, the third highest total capture weight.

This gave Rob 20 billfish for the year, tied for third most billfish captured, totaling 2,565.1 pounds, the third highest total billfish capture weight.

Rob had a record year for big ahi, weighing 15 of the 28 over 100 pounds, the most weighed over 100 pounds, totaling 1,895.8 pounds, the highest total ahi weight. He also weighed 18 between 80 and 99 pounds, most in that range weighed.

A special deckman shout-out goes to Kapono Brown, who only fished the last five months of the year aboard the Action, and finished in fifth place.

He weighed three blue marlin, totaling 960.6 pounds. His largest blue was a 595.4-pounder and second largest blue for the Lahaina Charter boat fleet. Kapono also released eight blue marlin, most blue marlin released, for an estimated total weight of 2,340.6 pounds, the fourth highest estimated total blue marlin weight.

This gave Kapono 11 blue marlin captured, tied for third most captured, totaling 2,340.6 pounds, the fourth highest total blue marlin capture weight.

Kapono released one striped marlin estimated at 90 pounds. He also released two spearfish estimated at 25 pounds each. This gave Kapono 14 billfish captured, sixth most billfish captured, totaling 2,480.6 pounds, the fourth highest total billfish capture weight.