The 14th BIG OM in Omišalj, an international big game fishing cup, was won in strong competition by the excellent Slovenian team Barracuda, led by captain Bojan Cestar, with team members Blaž Legiša, Pino Bačić, and Tomislav Jukić. In the final ranking, the Slovenian crew earned 1,521 points, gained from two caught tunas weighing 82 and 66 kilograms, as well as two released (catch and release) tunas. Given the experience, knowledge, and skill they’ve demonstrated at national and international tournaments, the Barracuda team is expected to make a notable impression at the upcoming World Big Game Fishing Championship in Costa Rica, for which they qualified directly by winning BIG OM.

The crew El Diablo caught the heaviest tuna of the tournament, weighing 135 kilograms. The seasoned fishermen from Volosko – Robert and Marsel Šepinski and Kristijan Žagar – earned 1,079 points and secured second place.

The third-placed team, Mima II, scored 1,073 points. The crew from Rijeka – Domagoj, Hrvoje, and Marin Grabovac, along with Zoran Jukica – caught a fine tuna weighing 104 kilograms. Other teams that had fish on board included No Limits, Zappa, and Orhan.

BIG OM once again confirmed that the number of tunas has been increasing in recent years, that Kvarner is a favored area for the largest Adriatic tunas, but also that catching them is no easy feat.

The first day at sea was extremely challenging – the fishermen toiled under the heat, patiently trying to lure the prey, but the tuna wasn’t biting. Due to the sweltering heat and lack of wind, the tuna retreated into deeper waters and refused to be fooled. On the second day, currents brought scent trails, finally stimulating the tuna’s appetite, and the bites began. The final day was exciting and full of action – there was hardly a moment without a fish on the line, and tension ran high right to the end.

Ultimately, the numbers speak for themselves: BIG OM brought together 28 experienced teams, each searching for their trophy catch over three days of fishing in the Kvarner waters. There were a total of 23 bites, with seven tunas caught and five released and scored. In addition to tuna, fishermen also reported two bites from fox sharks. The tuna catch quota for this year was 1,300 kilograms, of which 600 kilograms were utilized.

A rich and entertaining program on the Omišalj waterfront drew a large number of guests, who eagerly observed the caught specimens, listened to fishing tales, and enjoyed great music and excellent food.

The 14th BIG OM was organized by the BIG OM Sea Sport Fishing Club, with the wholehearted support of tournament partners Hotels Njivice, and under the sponsorship of the Omišalj Municipality Tourist Board, the Municipality of Omišalj, and the Primorje-Gorski Kotar County.