The Reel Deal:
Annual Oak Bluffs Bluewater Classic Provides Challenging Competition for Charity
Community Program
Bianca Moorman
Fishing boats are lined up and down Oak Bluffs Harbor, and piles of the ocean’s bounty line the docks. Flounder and bass smoothly mirror the hot sun as it reflects off of their many scales. The fishermen have just come back from another day of feverish competition at sea in the Oak Bluffs Bluewater Classic. “The Classic” is another name for a fishing tournament. The goal of the tournament is, simply, to see how many fish can be caught. The scoring is based on a certain point value. For example, a catching a blue marlin is 300 points. The marine animals are weighed after they are caught, and the boat with the most points after the multi-day competition wins the tournament.
The annual event will be held at the Oak Bluffs Marina. There will be fishing during the day and the night, beginning at 12 a.m on each day of the competition. Participants can choose to fish on two out of the three days. The tricky part of the tournament is that the participants cannot catch any fish with outside help. The tainted legacy of similar tournaments to the Bluewater Classic have given rise to a well-regulated, highly monitored, and fair competition in Oak Bluffs, and this just makes the Classic all the more satisfying for participants. But a fair fight isn’t the only thing to feel satisfied about. The money that is raised from the Classic goes to a good cause; The Island Autism Group of Martha’s Vineyard and the Mass General Colon Cancer Research Fund, in memory of Kevin Glynn.
The Classic is filled with four days of fun, starting with registration. On Wednesday, participants can go to the slamming registration party at the Wesley Hotel from 3:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. After the party, boat captains can meet at the Lampost for a meet and greet starting at 7:30 p.m. Also, there will be a Calcutta station at the Wesley Hotel from 3:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m.
On Thursday through Saturday, the real fun begins. Thursday starts early, and participants can fish all night beginning as soon as the clock strikes 12:00 a.m. Weigh in for the day begins at 5:00 p.m, and closes at 8:00. There will also be fishing on Friday and Saturday. On Saturday, an awards ceremony will be held from 6:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m, with shuttles from Our Market located near the corner of the Oak Bluffs Harbor beside Bait and Tackle. A pig roast, barbecue, and swanky cocktails will be on the menu. There will also be trophies, cash prizes and money going to many local charities with local vendors and booths. The Classic will officially end on Sunday with a customary polygraph test from 10:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. at the Wesley Hotel. Finally, many local restaurants will be offering specials during the tournament. Make sure to come to the OBBC on July 20th for fun fishing, food and the feeling that all of your efforts are going a good cause. For registration and for more information about the Classic, make sure to go the website http://www.obbclassic.com/index.html
