At the 80th annual Martha’s Vineyard Striped Bass and Bluefish Derby, 37-year-old Sam Bell’s lucky key unlocked a new 22-foot Sisu hard-top boat constructed by Eastern Boat Works, thanks to his 18.66-pound false albacore that he caught in the opening days of the Derby.
As Derby tradition goes, all six grand leaderboard winners insert their key into a lock in front of a large and anticipating crowd under a tent at Farm Neck. Bell was the fourth grand prize nominee in a line of six on Saturday. After three other finalists’ keys failed, the Martha’s Vineyard Regional High School graduate stepped up and the glorious sound of a “click” rang through the ears of hundreds of local anglers, who erupted in cheers and praise.
Bell’s hands shot up and clasped his head in disbelief before he sprinted around the ceremony to hug his wife, mother, and grandfather.
His winning albie was one of the first fish weighed after the opening bell in September. He landed the monster while fishing on his partner Andy Van Royan’s boat for their team, the “Albie Junkies.”
Just after the ceremony, Bell said he was overwhelmed with emotion, describing the moment as a dream come true.
“I’m just doing what I love and I finally caught the fish of my dreams. That’s all it really is. It was a fish I have been fishing for, for years, man,” said Bell in an interview with the Times. “For over a decade I’ve been fishing for a fish like that and the pieces just all came together.”
This marks Bell’s second Derby win. He previously claimed the truck grand prize in 2013.
Bell, who was born and raised on Island, developed a love for fishing at a young age, learning from his grandparents. After taking a brief hiatus from the Island after graduating from the high school in 2016, Bell made his way back to the Vineyard. His love for fishing never stopped.
“My grandparents were diehard Derby fishermen and I grew up fishing on the boat with my grandfather. I fished as a junior for years,” said Bell. “When I came back to the Vineyard, I was right back into fishing the Derby religiously every year. Ever since, I’ve been fishing albacore like a madman.”
During Saturday’s ceremony, there were also five new inductees into the Martha’s Vineyard Striped Bass and Bluefish Derby hall-of-fame: Vineyard Vines founders Shep and Ian Murray, Ron Domurat, Jim Cromwell, and Maryanne Jerome.
“They were just exceptional people who have given so much to the Derby,” said Derby president John Custer. “That today was just wonderful for me and for all of us. It just added to the celebration.”
While the Derby is about catching the biggest fish, for many anglers and committee members, it’s more so about spending time with family and doing what they love.
“Obviously, this is a fishing tournament and the fishing drives it and fishermen are passionate and I love that. But I also appreciate how more and more I’m hearing people say ‘Yeah it’s about the fishing but it’s also about the people and the connections and the relationships,’ and that’s something that Ed Jerome taught me that I certainly feel. It feels good that it is more than just fishing to so many people,” said Custer.
Custer thanked the anglers for making each year special at the Derby.
“Nothing lasts for 80 years unless it is supported and well loved. [The Derby has] been around for 80 years and every year, I get reminders of how much it means to people, individuals, families, different people every year,” Custer said. “It just reminds me, and it reinforces to me just how incredible it is.”
The Leaderboard:
On Sunday, the Derby also recognized young anglers in the Mini Junior and Junior divisions, as well as competitors in the Flyrod and All Tackle categories. In the Mini Junior Grand Awards, first-place winners included Riley Gardner who weighed in a 7.23-pound bonito, from a boat; Clifton M. Colby with a 3.89-pound bonito from shore, and Tucker Schaefer, who swept both bluefish (19.07 pounds, boat) and false albacore (14.06 pounds, boat). Second-place honors went to Gryphon Kurth (7.17-pound bonito, boat), Theo Choquette (3.89-pound bonito, shore), Atlas Faherty (18.45-pound bluefish, boat), and Cal Stedman (13.69-pound false albacore, boat). Third-place winners were Elizabeth Rivers (6.82-pound bonito, boat), Isabella M. Pachico (3.59-pound bonito, shore), Cal Stedman (16.51-pound bluefish, boat), and Atlas Faherty (12.24-pound false albacore, boat).
In the Junior Grand Awards, first-place winners were Colton Stedman (8.91-pound bonito, boat), Calvin J. Davis (5.10-pound bonito, shore), Christian E. Fisher (19.04-pound bluefish, boat; 11.78-pound bluefish, shore), Liam M. Keene (17.20-pound false albacore, boat), and Eli Beford (10.67-pound false albacore, shore). Second-place finishers included Liam M. Keene (8.69-pound bonito, boat), Eli Beford (4.84-pound bonito, shore; 5.23-pound bluefish, shore), Jocie L. Smith (18.80-pound bluefish, boat), Christian E. Fisher (16.69-pound false albacore, boat), and Otto Karbe (8.11-pound false albacore, shore). Third-place winners were Christian E. Fisher (8.38-pound bonito, boat), Mica Zoref (4.80-pound bonito, shore), Hudson R. Smith (18.71-pound bluefish, boat), and Jocie L. Smith (16.15-pound false albacore, boat).
The Fly rod Grand Awards saw first-place winners Thomas J. Rapone (7.99-pound bonito, boat; 16.28-pound false albacore, boat), Steph S. Pond (5.48-pound bonito, shore), Robert D. Morrison (14.56-pound bluefish, boat), Adam M. Knight (4.04-pound bluefish, shore), and W. Brice Contessa (11.56-pound false albacore, shore). Second-place finishers included Andrew G. Moore (7.84-pound bonito, boat), Travis J. Lyon (5.11-pound bonito, shore), Thomas J. Rapone (13.52-pound bluefish, boat), Zachary C. Horrocks (16.26-pound false albacore, boat), and Trevor C. Knowles (11.51-pound false albacore, shore). Third-place winners were Sarah Kadison (6.33-pound bonito, boat), Casey R. Smith (5.09-pound bonito, shore), Kevin Ludwig (13.08-pound bluefish, shore), Harley L. Stowell (14.50-pound false albacore, boat), and Abe Pieciak (11.47-pound false albacore, shore).
In the All Tackle Grand Awards, first-place winners included Ned Williams (10.86-pound bonito, boat), John M. Thurgood (9.55-pound bonito, shore), David C. Kadison (19.85-pound bluefish, boat), Chris W. Hall (17.71-pound bluefish, shore), Sam Bell (18.66-pound false albacore, boat), and Evan Hammond (13.87-pound false albacore, shore). Second-place finishers were Michael Kelley (10.20-pound bonito, boat), Brody M. Valentine (9.47-pound bonito, shore), Matt Stedman (19.61-pound bluefish, boat), Chris Tuccelli (16.96-pound bluefish, shore), Julian G. Pepper (18.35-pound false albacore, boat), and Rudy Sanfilippo (13.65-pound false albacore, shore). Third-place winners included Sarah L. Kadison (10.17-pound bonito, boat), Francis E. Fisher (9.04-pound bonito, shore), Christopher Morris (19.54-pound bluefish, boat), Justin W. Poole (16.94-pound bluefish, shore), Zack Stedman (17.97-pound false albacore, boat), and Jonathan Kresel (13.41-pound false albacore, shore).
Another joke of a Derby with the same people with big boats on stage who win all the time. It is not a level playing field and those with small boats who can not get to the East side of Nantucket had no chance. Shore fishing is pretty much equal to all but the boat division is rigged and until they take Nantucket out of the derby or find another way to make the boat category fair I am done joining the derby.