Bad Dog Wins Virgin Gorda WahooMania as Tuna Catches Shine

Bad Dog’s 46-pound wahoo on Day 2 sealed the overall win at Virgin Gorda Yacht Harbour’s Easter weekend WahooMania, but the bigger read for tuna anglers was the depth of the offshore bite. Two boats, Bad Dog and Mr. Nice Guy, shared top-tuna honors at 44 pounds, while Salt Shaker backed up its runner-up finish with consistent tuna catches across both fishing days.

The two-day tournament sent crews into the Caribbean waters around Virgin Gorda targeting wahoo, tuna, mahi-mahi and kingfish, and the numbers showed the fish were there in more than one class. Bad Dog finished first with 324 pounds total, a team effort credited to Jerome Emanuel, Chad Emanuel, Jerome Emanuel Jr., Norvilke Brathwaite, Carlos Manzanal and Imoi Scattlife. That total was powered by the Day 2 wahoo, but the boat’s 44-pound tuna result matters just as much for anglers reading the event as a signal rather than a spectacle. That kind of tuna weight says the tournament was not carried by a single big fish alone.

Salt Shaker placed second with 211.5 pounds and proved the most reliable tuna boat in the field, holding steady across both days. That consistency is the kind of detail that matters for anyone sizing up Virgin Gorda as more than a one-off tournament stop. Mr. Nice Guy finished third with 59 pounds total, followed by Rod Fathers at 55.5 pounds, while the top mahi-mahi came in at 15 pounds and the top kingfish at 6 pounds.

The event also carried the community markers that keep it anchored in Virgin Gorda rather than just the leaderboard. Salt Shaker won cleanest boat, Jack Williams was named youngest angler, and the harbour thanked a long list of sponsors and supporters, including Caribbean Cellars, One Mart, Honorable Vincent Wheatley, The Rock Café, Botella, House of Luxury Aromas, White Oleanders, Destinations, QKC Sound MC, Chill & Peanut and JTV/IMandy for media coverage. On-site help came from Ephraim Benjamin, Aleah Harrigan, Power and AJ for ice support, and Dreadlocks and George, who built the weigh station.

Virgin Gorda Yacht Harbour has already set WahooMania for March 26-28, 2027, when it will coincide with Virgin Gorda’s 60th Anniversary Easter Festival. With dockage for 90 yachts and vessels up to 180 feet, the marina is pushing itself as more than a tournament venue. For tuna anglers, that makes the 44-pound catches and Salt Shaker’s repeat tuna pace the real takeaway: Virgin Gorda still has enough offshore life to matter when the festival tents come down.