13-Year-Old Earl Questel Wins Big, Literally, at St. Thomas Kid’s Fishing Tournament

Saturday's Kid’s Fishing Tournament, hosted by the Virgin Islands Game Fishing Club, ended in triumph for 13-year old Earl Questel, who hoisted a mammoth 8.1 pound tarpon out of the water to capture first place. “It was there swimming in a school by the dock,” said young Mr. Questel. “It came to my bait, and I caught it."  The tournament winner was one of 165 junior anglers aged 14 and below who participated in this year’s iteration of the annual event, held at the IGY American Yacht Harbor Marina in Red Hook, St. Thomas. The VI Game Fishing Club supplied all registrants to the free event with bait, hand lines and buckets, before sending them off to find a spot along the docks. One of the first to catch a fish was 7-year old Kain LaPlace, who received an honorable mention for a 485-gram Cubera Snapper. “I like being outside,” he noted. Kai James, age 6, approached the day with a particular target in mind. “I want to catch an eel,” he expressed. That honor, however, was reserved for ...