Back-to-back derby winner dedicates trophy to Shayne

07/16/2025 - Only Reels repeated as Governor’s Cup grand prize winner of the 41st Saipan International Fishing Tournament held last July 12 and 13 in the waters around the Northern Marianas. 

Skipper Aaron S. Benavente and his brothers, Anthony and Austin, and cousin Jesse Ramon reeled in a 241-pounder to beat all comers. The Only Reels crew pocketed $3,000 for their feat, plus the over $5,000 side bet.

Aaron dedicated their win to good friend, former Saipan Fishermen’s Association board member Shayne Villanueva, who passed last May.

“For this victory this year, I dedicate it to my brother, Shayne Villanueva, Roil Soil. You know, he left us in May. I miss him. He's a very avid fisherman. He's a part of the SFA. So, I dedicate this derby [win to him], that's why I'm wearing this shirt.”

Aaron said that during the two-day derby, he was asking for Villanueva’s guidance, and it worked.

“I was out there asking him to give me that help to land this fish to become a grand prize. I was praying to him to guide me out there and help me out.”

The captain of Only Reels said they caught the monster fish on Day 2 of the derby at 1pm using a Mors lure.

As for the more than $8,000 in winnings they won in the derby, Aaron said after divvying it up among his brothers and cousin, he will use the rest to fix his boat.

“I actually had to take a loaner boat for this. My boat is actually being worked on right now, but it'll be ready in a few months. And then we're going to go out and we're going to compete in, we want to go compete in Guam, we want to compete in Rota, and we want to showcase Only Reel skills.

More than eyeing a three-peat in the 42nd edition of the Saipan International Fishing Tournament, Aaron and company want to beat the record, which was a 942-pound blue marlin caught in 2012 by Mike James, Frank James, and John Hattig on the boat Emmanuel.

In the total Mobil weight category, Lady V took the plum after hauling 118.5 lbs of pelagic goodies. The boat was captained by Chris Pangelinan and had a crew of four Villagomezes—Joseph Kevin, Timothy, Kirida, and Jon. They took home $2,000.

Guam’s Rod Bender got a $250 gift certificate by winning Yamaha’s Biggest Catch, given to fishermen who reeled in the biggest catch while powered by a Yamaha engine. Ed Wong served as captain with Vern Perez, C. John Bagaford, and Frank Tominez as crew.

And speaking of Wong and company, the crew of Rod Bender also topped the MARPAC billfish category after landing a 213-pounder, to add another $2,000 to their weekend bounty. Rose 1, of captain Melvin Tenorio and crewmen Richard Anthony Tenorio, Jimmy Joe Norita, Juan A. Tenorio Jr., and Juan Tenorio, was second with their 211-pounder, while the San Juan (captain Antonio Maestro and crew of Errol Moises, Ariel John Moises, and Arvin Hornejas) and Lady V finished third and fourth with their 155.5-lb and 118.5-lb catches, and won $1,000 and a special prize from Greg Perez, respectively. 

The Docomo wahoo category was ruled by Rose 1 with a 29.8-lb fish, with Korean charters Fifty Club and Kachan III coming in second and third with wahoo weighing 29.4 lbs and 19.5 lbs, respectively. The former is captained by Guam’s Frank Quinata and crewed by Myungjin Park, Jun Biroya, Jesse Mendiola, Vic Camacho, and Thomas C. Sapp III, while the latter is skippered by Bob Taguchi and manned by Brian Ardegarde, Troy Manahane, Yejoon Su, MSeok Ki Kim, Ham Gum Su, MJ Aldan, and Joe Borja. The Top 3 in the wahoo division won $1,000, $750, and $500, respectively.

Mama Loling was the winner of the Niao’s Poke yellowfin category after captain Mark Hapdei and his crew of Philip Aldan, TKiku Togawa, Vernalani Mike, Maria Camacho, and Henry Sablan landed a 79.1-pounder. Sweet Candy of skipper George M. Moses and crewmembers Mike Kukkua, George I. Moses, Dennis John Moses, Candelaria I. Moses, Daymart Tergeyo, and Jayda; and Guam’s My Princess Jasmine of captain Jeremy Tereas and crewmembers Stephanie and Lasty Tereas and Promise Teren came in second and third with yellowfin weighing 64.5 lbs and 54.4 lbs, respectively. The prize was the same as the wahoo division.

In the Hawaiian Rock skipjack division, Guam’s Ava Rose won with a 20-lb catch and its crew $750 richer, followed by Victoria and Defiance with their 17.3- and 17.1-pounders and took home $500 and $250, respectively. Ava Rose is captained by Daniel Elliot and manned by Cole Brub, Gandhi N., and Kuwanitsu Iwanaga. Diego T. Benavente was at the helm of Victoria and had a crew of Scott Schuler and his wife, Vicky. Defiance was skippered by Rufin Inos Jr., and her crew was 

made up of Vincent Inos, Rufin Inos Sr., Asapmar Ogumoro, and Brian Torres. 

Report by Mark Rabago