Our Story
History
In early 1960 Captains Johnny Harms, Jerry Black, Mike Benitez and Jimmy Loveland and their anglers were pioneers of the “North Drop” and the fabulous Blue Marlin Fishing there. A few years later Captains Tommy Gifford, A.T. Horne, Red Bailey, Spike Herbert, Butch Gonsalves, Lincoln Richardson and Vincente Oquendo arrived to fish the famous “North Drop”.
The word spread around the world and the Virgin Islands became known as the Blue Marlin Capital. Year after year the area is still one of the most consistent producing fishery’s in the world. When Johnny Harms started to build the Lagoon Marina, now American Yacht Harbor, the Virgin Islands Game Fishing Club bought a parcel of land over looking the marina.
The Club under the direction of founding members Howard Crouse, Hoppy Hampton, Frank Illich and Robert Schultz, along with other members, built a three story building on the property. This building now houses the Club on the second floor.
In 1995 under the direction of member Michael Bornn, a monument was built and painted by renown marine artist Carey Chen, honoring those Blue Marlin Captains that discovered the “North Drop”. This monument is located in front of the building.
Our Goals
To promote and encourage the sport of saltwater game fishing in the Virgin Islands and for Virgin Islanders
To promote recognition of saltwater game fishing as a healthful, relaxing and challenging sport
To encourage good fellowship and clean honest sporting instincts among it’s members
To instill in it’s members a deep awareness of the vital importance of conservation of marine life and to encourage it’s members to practice techniques of marine conservation and anti pollution in the islands and elsewhere.
Interim Board Members
President: Kelvin Bailey, Jr.
Vice-President: Kevin Haddox
Secretary: Elizabeth ‘Beth’ Didomenico
Treasurer: Corey Pugh
Stewart Loveland
Theodore ‘TP’ Danet
Kevin Weatherbee
Karl Gartner
Dr. Craig Friedenberg