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Ron Ashimine Award

The Ron Ashimine Award for Top Angler

In Memoriam Ron Ashimine

1950 - 2019

THE RON ASHIMINE AWARD

The Ron Ashimine Award celebrates lifelong fisherman and founding member of the WHOW tournament, Ron Ashimine. 

Ron was a Vietnam War veteran and close friend of WHOW tournament founder, Anthony Hsieh. Together Anthony and Ron spent more than 800 days at sea, fishing side by side, creating lifelong memories, and catching world-class billfish.

The Ron Ashimine Award was created in memoriam for this beloved member of the SoCal sportfishing community and is bestowed upon the Veteran who scores the most total points in the WHOW tournament. 

Ron may not be with us, but his love of the ocean, for the SoCal fishing community, and for his fellow brothers and sisters in arms will always be with us—and our WHOW participants.

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In Memoriam of Ron Ashimine 1950-2019

Ron Ashimine Award

Ron Ashimine Award Winners

2021

Larry D.

Team Tenacious

The Ron Ashimine Award was one of five that Larry D. claimed during the 2021 tournament. His other awards included first place for qualifying points, second place for overall weight, and species honors for yellowtail. Larry’s team, Tenacious, would take eight awards, including Top Boat.

2020

Drew M.

Team Sea Horse

Drew M. took the coveted award with 482 points. He also took first place for overall weight, second place for qualifying points, and species winner award for Dorado, and was one of four lucky anglers to catch (and release) a striped marlin. His team, Sea Horse, took Top Boat honors with an average of 364 points per angler.

2019

Kaleb W.

Team Bull Pen

Kaleb W. had the honor of being the first Ron Ashimine Award winner. This honor was especially poignant as Kaleb, a returning veteran, had fished with Ron aboard Bad Company 92 during the inaugural 2018 WHOW tournament.