Elizabeth Thompson, an 11-year-old, sixth-grader at the West Tisbury school, broke the derby’s junior record for boat-caught bonito on Saturday with a 11.68-pound fish.
The story of the Cape Codder 19 dates to the late 1960s when Sandy Urquhart was tinkering with hull designs aimed at creating an affordable craft made specifically for Cape and Vineyard waters.
The weigh station has been buzzing at derby headquarters, as cool autumn days arrive and the fishing heats up. “The fishing has been phenomenal,” derby chairman Joe El-Deiry said.
The Martha’s Vineyard Striped Bass and Bluefish Derby will partner with Island Grown Initiative to distribute fresh fish for seniors, community meals and Islanders in need.
