Bastille Day Kingfish Tournament

St. Thomas, U.S. Virgin Islands. Calling all anglers! The Annual Bastille Day Kingfish Tournament – the one-day inshore fishing tournament that offers the best prizes and attracts more participants that any other of its kind in the U.S. Virgin Islands – will take place at Hull Bay, St. Thomas, on Sunday July 15th.

First organized by the Northside Sportfishing Club in 1987, the tournament last year attracted 213 anglers, including 34 junior anglers, aboard 62 boats.

Ernest Quetel, Sr., of St. Thomas, reeled in the Largest Kingfish, a 27.38-pounder aboard the Rambo 27, Alpha-Q. Quetel took home many prizes which included $2,000 in cash. In addition, there are a dozen more prize categories that include Best Boat, Best Captain, Best Male, Best Female, Best Junior Male, Best Junior Female and other fish species such as Largest Jack, Barracuda, Bonito and Mackerel.

The fishing starts at 5:30 a.m. and ends at 12 Noon, sharp, when the beachside party begins at Hull Bay, with food, music and fun lasting right up until the time of the Awards Ceremony.

The Annual Bastille Day Kingfish Tournament is one of many activities that celebrate French Heritage Week in July.

As well as being a day of fishing and fun for the whole family, the Annual Bastille Day Kingfish Tournament benefits a variety of local organizations.