One of the island’s oldest fishing tournaments will be back for the 50th time on Sunday.

About 36 boats and 150 anglers are set to compete in the The Royal Gazette Wahoo Tournament, the last big tournament of the season.

Robert “Bobby” Rego, one of the organisers, said: “It’s probably the most popular fishing tournament on the island.”

It attracts a lot of participants because it is held at the same time every year, focuses on one species and is a Light Tackle Tournament, he explained.

“It’s one of the oldest continuous running tournaments. It’s completely open to residents and youngsters, who have to be under 16.”

Mr Rego also noted that this year’s entry numbers were a “nice improvement” to last year’s 39 boats and 142 anglers.

And the tournament’s weigh master, John Barnes, added: “It’s always been very popular because it’s the last big tournament of the season. It’s traditionally been a real locals tournament.”

According to Mr Barnes, the wahoo is a “challenging” and “great light tackle fish”, that helped put Bermuda on the map for salt water fishing.

“It’s powerful — it’s one of the fastest fish in the sea,” he said.

Mr Barnes and Mr Rego have both been involved with the event, which was first held in 1967, for more than 25 years.

The inaugural tournament was organised by Mid-Ocean News sports reporter Alan Harman, keen sportsman and former International Game Fish Association representative for Bermuda, Tom Smith, and captain Russell Young. When the Mid-Ocean News closed shop, The Royal Gazette took over sponsorship.

“My most memorable moment was going back to 1974, when I was fishing on my boat and my late brother Gary Rego was the winner,” Mr Rego said.

Mr Barnes added that some “really nice” fish had been caught over the years, with the occasional marlin and sailfish brought to the weigh in.

“We get two runs of wahoo a year here,” he said; the first is in the spring and the second in September.

“We try to get it to go the first decent weather day. The earlier it is held, the better — we have had it coincide with hurricanes.”

Mr Rego added: “There have been times when there’s been lots of fish and times when there’s been not so many. It’s been calm and not so calm.”

The tournament allows anglers to use 12, 16, 20 and 30 pound test lines, with more points awarded per pound on a lighter test line.

While the biggest prize goes to the biggest fish, there are also prizes for the different test classes and the boat with the high point score.

And the junior angler with the high point fish also receives a prize. “This once again is to encourage youngsters to fish light tackle,” Mr Rego said.

Mr Rego has fished in the tournaments since the seventies but he will be assisting Mr Barnes, who is responsible for weighing all the fish, on land this year.

With fishing set to start at 7am, the fish have to be brought to the weigh station in Dockyard by 5.30pm.

And while Mr Barnes said Sunday’s weather forecast looked like it would be “good enough to go fishing in”, a tentative rain date has been set for next Sunday.

Any decision to postpone will be announced on a recorded message on 234-2070 from 5am on the day of the tournament.