It's a wrap and Capt. Arch Bracher and his team captured the hometown title in the 41st annual Pirate's Cove Billfish Tournament
Talk about vying for the key to the city.
Oregon Inlet-based captain Arch Bracher captured the title in the 41st annual Pirate’s Cove Billfish Tournament that wrapped up Friday, finishing with 1,000 points on two blue marlin, one sailfish and four white marlin.
He and his crew won $275,893 by winning five divisions and taking the coveted Top Boat prize.
Bracher, a graduate of First Colonial High and Old Dominion University, has called the Outer Banks home for decades and offshore fishing his enterprise for just as long. He’s a big-time tournament winner - and has won The Maters’ Sailfish Tournament multitudes of times.
His twin brother, Pat, - also of First Colonial and ODU - is a Florida inshore flats charter guide operating out of The Keys. He also has won countless awards in the Florida flats fishing scene.
This year’s Pirates’s Cove featured 84 teams competing for a $1,263,125 total purse.
Second overall went to Wanda, S.C.-based Sweet Spot with Capt. Chris Kubik. The team finished with 950 points on three blues and two whites, and captured $225,389.
In third was Viking 82 out of New Gretna, N.J., with Capt. Sean Dooley - coming in with 800 points on two blues and three sailfish that was good enough for $152,920.
The event saw a total of 148 billfish - 33 blues, 56 sails, two spearfish and 57 whites - caught and released.
Teams also brought 43 gamefish - three blackfin tuna, 17 dolphin, 13 wahoo and 10 yellowfin tuna) to the docks.
Other winners were:
Top Overall Angler - Joseph Segrave on the Re-Release with Capt. Thomas Bennett.
Top Lady Angler - Holly McAlhany on the Sweet Spot with Capt. Chris Kubik.
Top Junior Angler - Wyatt Bailey on the Pelican with Capt. Bracher.
