The 27th Vineyard Derby is turning into a family fishing outing with the Tiltons and the Hancocks leading the way. Jean Hancock and her husband, Herb, still lead the boat bluefish division, topped by her record 23 lb. 4 1/2 oz. blue and Judy Tilton nearly knocked her husband out of the second spot in the resident shore bass category as she weighed in a 44 lb. 13 oz. striper, just 5 oz. less than her husband’s.

 

The Tilton’s son, Butch, jumped into the lead in the junior division and their nephew, Jerome, who is just 9 years old, proudly carried his string of eight blues into Derby headquarters on Wednesday. His largest fish weighed a mere 6 lbs. 12 oz. but these, he beamingly said, were the first blues he had ever caught. Mrs. Tilton, who bemoans the fact that there is no special prize for women this year, says her fish topped Gwen Smith’s prize-winning 42 lb. striper of two years ago.

 

Whit Manter knocked his fishing buddy, Alan Crossley, out of the top spot in the shore blue division when he smilingly weighed in a 17 lb. 9 oz. fish that put him in the lead for blues. He also had the largest striper of the day, a 34 lb. 4 oz. fish, and won his third prize of the day when he was drawn for the mystery award.

 

Another double winner was Oak Bluffs Police Chief Peter M. Williamson who landed a 34 lb. 9 oz. striper and a 9 lb. 12 1/2 oz. blue, each fish good for the first daily prize on Tuesday. According to Arthur W. BenDavid, skipper of Red Kennedy’s boat, Chief Williamson has finally found the secret of catching fish, all he has to do is put his rod in the rod holder and while the chief was stuffing himself with roasted nuts, the big striper was, in turn, swallowing the chief’s eel, stripping nearly all the line from the reel before the chief knew he had a fish on.

 

 

With 10 days left in the Derby, Wayne Iacono, the fishing Coast guardsman, leads all fishermen with his huge 55 lb. 9 oz. striper, followed by the Tiltons’ in the resident class.

 

The non-resident leader in the shore bass class is Clyde Omar at 40 lbs., but close behind is that perennial prize winner, Mike Pagano of Newton with a 38-6 fish, and in the third spot is Marvin Bryer of Warwick with a catch of 36-1.

 

Spider Andresen, who held the third spot in the boat bass division last week, moved into the top spot on Monday with a 47-14 1/2 oz. striper, dropping Al Reinfelder into second place with his 47 lb. fish and Jim Howell moved down a notch to third with a 42 lb. 9 oz. lineside.

 

Whit Manter and Alan Crossley hold the two spots in the shore blue class, but moving into third place was William Alwardt, with a 14 lb. blue weighed in yesterday.

 

There was no change in the boat bluefish division led by the Hancocks and in the running for third prize is Keith Baker of Falmouth.

 

The weekly winners for the second week of the Derby were Larry Enos of Oak Bluffs, shore bass; Jim Howell of Chilmark, boat bass; Cooper Gilkes of Oak Bluffs, shore blues, and Herb Hancock of Chilmark, boat blues.

 

The junior winners were Leigh Gibson, shore bass; Brian Alwardt, shore blues; and Greg Cimeno for both boat bass and boat blues.