Local News

Larry Libres Fishing & Diving tournament sees first-ever back-to-back tako champ

Melcor Boco poked the biggest tako and became the first repeat champion in the 38-year history of the Larry Libres Fishing & Diving Tournament on Saturday at Kanaha Beach Park.

The 207 tako divers and 186 shoreline fishermen experienced strong gusty tradewind conditions even at the 8 a.m. shotgun start.

"Unbelievable," Boco, a 47-year-old Kahului truck driver, said after winning the tournament. "It's a good feeling to win back to back. It was pretty windy, the current was pretty strong, so I just go with the current."

Boco entered the water just north of the lifeguard tower and waited for everyone else to hit the water.

"I just kind of took my time. I just kind of let everyone go because I didn't want to tangle with everybody," Boco said. "I just swam out to the middle and just ride with the current down. I got this one (winning tako) just before the breakers."

Boco weighed in three other takos. In all, 58 legal size takos hit the scale in what experienced Kanaha divers were calling a lean summer for takos.

Boco said he did not use any special strategy. "No secret, just luck. I haven't been diving as much, pretty busy with work."

The only other two-time champion prior to Boco was Jules Ino, who won the inaugural contest in 1988 and won it again in 1992. The now 79-year-old Ino was among the competitors again Saturday.

C.J. Salsido Park of Wailuku was the first to hit the scale and finished second. He weighed his 3 pound, 6 ounce octopus 70 minutes after the contest began.

Jade Enomoto was the top female and placed third. She was diving with her dad Clement and was second to last to get to the scale with her tako, making it just before the 10:30 a.m. cutoff.

"It was really fun," said Enomoto, an eighth-grader at Kamehameha Schools. "I hard a time. I kept running out of breath so my dad helped me. I helped putting it in the bag."

"She did great," Clement said. "We try to get out as much as we can. It's events like this that make us come out."

Only three oama were caught Saturday, and Tami Matsumoto of Honolulu and Alex Rose of Kihei caught the two oama in the 13-&-over division. Juan Manuel hooked the only oama in the 12-&-under division. Contest officials measured other shoreline catches to round out the top five places.

Results

Tako -- 1. Melcor Boco, Kahului, 3 lbs. 13.5 oz.; 2. C.J. Salsido Park, Wailuku, 3 lbs. 6 oz.; 3. Jade Enomoto, Wailuku, 3 lbs. 1 oz.; 4. Josh Hosea, Kula, 3 lbs.; 5. Mike Souza, Wailuku, 3 lbs.; 6. Kaipo Acain, Wailuku, 2 lbs. 14.5 oz.; 7. Brian Vierra, Makawao, 2 lbs. 13.5 oz.; 8. Aaron Souza, Pukalani, 2 lbs. 13 oz.; 9. Brandon Tacub, Wailuku, 2 lbs. 12.5 oz.; 10. Craden Kaileihu, Kahului, 2 lbs. 12 oz.

Oama 13 & over -- 1. Tami Matsumoto, Honolulu, 10 cm; 2. Alex Rose, Kihei, 9.8 cm; 3. Don Shigeta, Kahului; 4. Nami'i Ortiz, Wailuku; 5. Maricel Shigeta, Kahului.

Oama 12 & under -- 1. Juan Manuel, Wailuku, 9.4 cm; 2. Ayla Shigeta, Kahului; 3. Emrea Shigeta, Kahului; 4. Elias Alexander, Haiku; 5. Hiilani Ortiz, Wailuku.