The day has come to a close with a total of 47 teams consisting of a total of 209 anglers with 144 Striped Marlin released and 1 Mahi Mahi weighed for the days fishing. Myself and the team from Australia from the Sunshine Coast Game Fishing Club fished onboard Falcon a 37 Bertram going 5 from 5 on Striped Marlin releasing the first fish of the Championship to Ash Warland. Ash Warland released 2 Striped Marlin for the day, myself Ross Martin released 2 Striped Marlin and John Dwyer released 1 Striped Marlin. Below is the final standings for day 1, stay tuned for tomorrows report or you can check like stats here.

'Striped Marlin caught by Ross Martin, Photo by John Dwyer'

Top 10 Boats Day 1.

1st - 2010 IGFA Offshore World Champions - 2200 Points
2nd - San Carlos Cantina Cup - 1400 Points
3rd - XV Torneio De Marlin Azul do Rio de Janeiro - 1400 Points
4th - 7th Campeonato Int de Pesca Grossa de Portimao - 1200 Points
5th - 39th Annual Bluewater Tournament - 1200 Points
6th - Sunshine Coast Game Fishing Club - Spring Shootout - 1000 Points
7th - Open Pesca Altura Port Torredembarra - 1000 Points
8th - VI Lobito Big Game Fishing Tournament - 1000 Points
9th - Herbie Paul International Festival - 800 Points

'Team from the Sunshine Coast Game Fishing Club'

Following through on the theme from the entire season, the Sailfish Pro Series came to a fast-paced and action-packed ending that, once again, featured one team biting its fingernails as another fought multiple fish. By the time the final gun sounded all Team Advanced Roofing could do was breathe a huge sigh of relief as they watched Team Get Lit release the last of a quadruple header about 10 minutes before lines out. When the fourth fish was released and Get Lit couldn’t hook up again, the Sailfish Pro Series title was Advanced Roofing’s to keep. Both teams finished the day with six releases, but Advanced Roofing took home the title based on the fact it released its last fish first. “That’s the hardest I’ve seen this crew work in years,” said Advanced Roofing Capt., Jeff Scott. “There were a lot of people rooting for us. It was a great way to end the season.”

'2012 Sailfish Pro Series Champions, Team Advanced Roofing. Photo by Endless Imagery'

The series finale took place out of Miami Beach; featuring the top six boats from the season standings, plus one wildcard winner, team Lights Out. The two-day, head-to-head, elimination-style tournament pitted six teams against each other, with Advanced Roofing receiving the bye and automatic entry into the Final Four.

However, even with the bye Advanced Roofing hit the water. “We got the bye, which was much needed, but we decided to go out anyway and fish along with the rest of the teams,” Scott said. “We were doing some research and learning some things, but it was raining and pretty bad weather.”

Despite entering the first day trailing by half a fish to the higher seeded team, underdogs Get Lit and Blue Time both managed to advance to the final showdown. Sandman won its head-to-head battle 10.5 to 6, beating Lights Out.

When dawn broke on the final day, the weather had deteriorated and getting out of Government Cut (inlet) was a challenge in itself.  For Advanced Roofing, a 39-foot SeaVee and by far the smallest boat fishing in the finale, it took some tactical planning just to clear the inlet.

“We got all ready, put on our new rain gear, went out that morning and I just followed the biggest, heaviest boat I could find. And that was Blue Time,” Scott said of the 68-foot Viking that offered protection from the waves. “I figured, at that point, we were probably fishing wherever they went the rest of the day. It was pretty rough.”

Scott estimated the waves to be 12 feet as they were setting up for fishing. In fact, it was so bad that, about 10 minutes before lines in, tournament president Chris King polled the four teams as to whether they wanted to continue with the day. The consensus was they would fish until 1 p.m. and declare a winner.

Advanced Roofing wasted no time, releasing the first fish of the day from a flat line. Scott considered putting the kite baits out but there was an approaching storm, so the team fished flat lines for the first couple hours. They released three more fish between 9:30 and 9:45 to take the lead.

Sandman, which beat Advanced Roofing in the World Sailfish Championship on time of release, jumped out to a 5-4 lead on their rival and led Get Lit 5-1 by 10:15. But that turned out to be Sandman’s last fish as they finished third.

Advanced Roofing scored fish No. 6 at 11:30 and felt safe with their score – until Get Lit got the quad right at the end of the day.

“I was sitting next to them and I wanted to make a run back and do another drift, but there was only about 20 minutes left and it was taking that long to, literally, go a quarter mile, so we stayed where we were,” Scott said.

All they could do was watch as Get Lit carefully released all four fish and then failed to hook another as time expired.

“Luckily enough, it was just enough to tie us, not beat us,” Scott said.

Thank you to Doug Cox for sending the results.

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Miamian, Alex Vazquez led team Fish Tales to an impressive victory at the Bahamas Billfish Championship’s first tournament of the 2012 season at Great Guana Cay, Abaco. Vazquez and teammate Joey Souto caught and released four blue marlin and a white marlin to earn 2,600 points for the win.

For the second straight year, Team Sandman held off 52 other boats to win the 2012 World Sailfish Championship presented by Bass Pro Shops.

The event’s defending champion takes home a total of $316,917.50, after the tournament was called Sunday morning for safety concerns due to high seas and worsening weather conditions.

Sandman, led by captain Scott Leon, boat owner Sandra MacMillan and crew Kyle Sherman of Fort Lauderdale, Domie Adames of Miami and Robby Waddick, Cory Ryan and Wes Stevens of Pompano Beach, finished with 34 releases. Based on the time of the release, Sandman was able to hold off Team Advanced Roofing who also finished with 34 releases.  Team 4 Aces made a charge Saturday by releasing five fish in just 42 minutes of fishing to capture third.

“I can’t put into words how this feels” said Leon, who joined the team midway through the season. “It’s just a great feeling. It’s incredible. We have a great team. The crew and captains on the boat are just awesome. We worked really hard to get here.”

MacMillan continued Sandman's good fortune, earning the title of Top Female Angler for the second consecutive year. MacMillan released 12 fish, outdistancing Sweet Release's Sarah Hoog-White, who had 8 releases for the tournament.

Sunday also marked the second World Sailfish Championship title for Leon, who led Team Rock Star to the title in 2008.

A field of 53 boats caught a record 630 fish over the first two days. However, Saturday was limited to just 42 minutes of fishing after heavy storms moved through the Key West area and lightning knocked out tournament communications. Overall the event finished with 652 total releases.

That meant the first two days of fishing – Wednesday and Thursday – were critical to Sandman’s taking home the big check. Sandman caught 20 fish the opening day and 14 on Thursday before heading into Friday’s lay day and wondering what Saturday would hold weather-wise.

“Wednesday and Thursday were critical because I knew they were going to be tailing and I knew we were going to have to catch as many as we could in the first two days because the third day was going to be minimal,” Leon said.

The win moved Sandman from 13th in the Sailfish Pro Series standings to an automatic qualifying position in the season-ending tournament, which will be held in two weeks in Miami Beach. The Sailfish Pro Series Championship will feature the top seven teams in the standings fishing in a head-to-head elimination-style tournament to determine the winner.

Top 10 Final Standings

1st Place - Sandman - 34 Sailfish Released
2nd Place - Advanced Roofing - 34 Sailfish Released
3rd Place - 4 Aces - 32 Sailfish Released
4th Place - Viva La Vida - 26 Sailfish Released
5th Place - The Edge - 25 Sailfish Released
6th Place - Silent Hunter - 25 Sailfish Released
7th Place - Get Lit - 24 Sailfish Released
8th Place - Jichi - 23 Sailfish Released
9th Place - Blue Time - 23 Sailfish Released
10th Place - Qualifier - 22 Sailfish Released

Thank you to Doug from the World Sailfish Championship for the report.

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Key West, FL (April 19, 2012) – With 20 minutes remaining in Day Two of the World Sailfish Championship presented by Bass Pro Shops, Team Sandman released its 14th and final fish of the day. That release gave the 63-foot Spencer 34 sailfish for the tournament and what seemed like a comfortable lead heading into the final day on Saturday.

But then the calls started coming over the radio.

Team Advanced Roofing called with a release at 3:17pm. That was followed by another release at 3:20 and yet another at 3:22 as they finished off a doubleheader and then a single that took up most of the last half hour of the day.

The end result was, rather than have a lot of ground to make up, the two teams will begin fishing Saturday morning with 34 releases each.

Though not exactly what Sandman was hoping for as it tries to repeat its World Sailfish Championship title from a year ago, it sets up a very intriguing final day of the world’s richest sailfish tournament.

“We had no idea what they had going,” said Sandman Capt. Scott Leon regarding Advanced Roofing’s sprint to the finish. “We didn’t realize all that.”

After an opening day that saw 53 boats catch a single-day record 362 sailfish, anglers checked in on Day Two with 268 releases for a tournament total of 630.

When lines drop at 8 a.m. Saturday, Sandman will be leading Advanced Roofing on time while the other Day One leader, Team 4 Aces, trails by seven fish and what seems like a mile in a very short race. Those teams will have six hours to figure out which one takes home the title of World Sailfish Champion.

In fact, 4 Aces finds itself in a much tougher battle to hang on to third place, as Viva La Vida is one fish back with a total of 26. The Edge and Silent Hunter each have 25 releases, while Jichi (23), Get Lit (22), Blue Time (22) and Qualifier, with 21, round out the Top 10.

Advanced Roofing will be hoping to capitalize on its amazing final half hour on Thursday as it pushes for its first World Sailfish Championship.

“We knew today we had to catch everything we saw, and for the most part, we did,” said Advanced Roofing Captain Jeff Scott. “I think we might have lost one fish and come up on a couple too fast but, other than that, we did exactly what we tried to do. We showed today every fish counts. Now, we’re tied up and seven fish ahead of the next boat. It’s tough keeping up with Sandman; they’re a great team. One of the best, if not the best, around.”

Saturday’s battle has just a little extra spice for those two boats as one of Sandman’s anglers, Robbie Waddick, used to fish with Advanced Roofing and is married to the owner of that team’s sister.

Scott said the rivalry may be friendly, but beating his former teammate and good friend would just add to a lifelong dream.

“Winning this tournament is something I’ve definitely wanted to do forever,” Scott said. “I think we’ve fished it the last six years now, but winning it is one of my dreams.”

The conditions are more than likely going to make things a lot harder for the anglers on Saturday. A south-southwest wind is forecast, which will cause the tailing fish the fleet has been chasing for two days to lay down and the bite to diminish.

That means strategy is going to play a key role in determining who walks away with the trophy.

“On Saturday, four or five fish may win the daily,” Leon said. “When we wake up Saturday, the whole ballgame changes. You get up and you’re going to start something all over again. We just have to stay on top of whoever is catching them. The best offense is a good defense.”

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Key West, FL (April 18, 2012) – If the opening day of the World Sailfish Championships presented by Bass Pro Shops is any indication of what’s to come over the next couple days, anglers and spectators are in for some major fireworks.

Fifty-three boats combined to release over 362 sailfish, a single day record, as the World’s Richest Sailfish Tournament dropped lines in the waters off of Key West.

The wire-to-wire action didn’t stop until Team Sandman released one of the final fish of the day. That fish was exactly what last year’s winner needed to slip into 2^nd place for Day One.

“The first hour we were kind of sweating it out,” said Sandman’s Scott Leon. “I think we caught like the 50^th overall fish of the day. We started out by following a tailer for about 15 or 20 minutes but 30 seconds before lines in, he spooked. That’s not what you want. You want the first fish of the day. We were around a lot of boats, but we pulled in the kites and started to follow tailers and eventually we were by ourselves and we started racking up the numbers.”

Photo taken on board Sandman

Boat owner Sandra MacMillan, who assumed the lead in the Top Lady Angler standings, had a huge day with eight releases. Based on release times, she and her team will begin Day Two just behind Team Advanced Roofing, which found very little downtime during the day.

Advanced Roofing, which entered the tournament in the sixth and final guaranteed playoff spot, released six fish in the first two hours of the tournament and then another half dozen between 11:45 a.m. and 12:45 p.m.

“We had a real good run in the middle of the day, but it was pretty even, pretty steady throughout the day,” said Advanced Roofing’s Captain Jeff Scott.

When Advanced Roofing released sailfish No. 20 at 1:15, it gave the 39-foot SeaVee the tournament lead and the inside track heading into tomorrow. But Sandman rallied with a doubleheader in the final 10 minutes to release No. 20 and then Team 4 Aces sneaked in with a release seven minutes from lines out to record 20 releases and claim a close third position.

That is something Scott said he will consider when he maneuvers the Advanced Roofing team out of Key West Harbor for Day Two.

“We casted at probably 40 fish and got 20 to bite. A lot of them wouldn’t bite or just kept going and acting like they weren’t interested,” Scott said. “Now we’ve got two of the best boats in the tournament tied with us. You’ve got to consider that. With less wind tomorrow, I think the fishing will be slower and there will be more pressure on the fish. Maybe we stick near the other teams and try to battle it out. The best man is going to win.”

The entire field will set their kites out again Thursday morning at 8 a.m. in what will be the final day of the World Fishing Tour’s regular season. The teams will be vying for the top six spots in the Sailfish Pro Series, while boats in positions 7 through 12 will fight it out on Day Three for the wild card spot in the postseason. Tomorrow will be vital for teams like Sandman, who entered the tournament in 13^th spot and desperately needs to move up.

Thank you to the team at the World Sailfish Championship for the report.

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The Yamaha Contender Miami Billfish Tournament concluded another successful and exciting fishing tournament and fundraiser for marine conservation and education! The 2012 tournament, which marked its 30th Anniversary, produced a winning weekend for everyone! Held at the Miami Beach Marina on South Beach in Florida, 298 anglers aboard 61 boats fished for over $154,000 in cash, plus valuable prizes and trophies. Thanks to its anglers and sponsors, this non-profit organization donated almost $18,000 to area marine conservation organizations and education including groups such as The Billfish Foundation, Florida Keys Marine Laboratory, Costal Conservation Association (CCA), The Ed Fund and various scholarships.

The weekend offered anglers beautiful weather and steady fishing each day, with 246 sailfish released in 2 days.

On Thursday, March 22nd, the tournament started with the Cannon Downrigger Kick-Off  Party and Captain’s Meeting with fantastic food from Miller's Ale House Restaurants. On Friday, March 23rd, the start of the 2-Day fishing competition began. As the fleet headed out the air was filled with the excitement. Teams were after the glory of being the Top Outboard and Top Inboard Boats, but also kept their eyes out for Funfish that could win them great cash prizes as well.  By day’s end, Fish Tales in the inboard division had racked up the most releases and 1,200 points.  Two boats, Dirty Nest and Night Prowler, were tied for second place, also with 1,200 points each. The Top Angler position for the day was taken by Ricky Linder aboard Dirty Nest with 1,000 Points. Top Lady was Sandra MacMillan on Sandman and the Top Junior was taken by Ridge Murphy on Contender One. The fleet released 78 sailfish and 3 white marlin by the close of their fishing day.

As the fleet returned to the docks the excitement of the weigh-ins was growing. Crowds gathered on the baywalk to enjoy the weigh-in show and the free dock party. The weigh-in was exciting as fish were brought in to compete on weight. The heaviest and only Dolphin was brought in by Chip Sheehan on No Mercy and weighed 20.3 pounds. Ryan Carr on Pro Payroll showed off the heaviest Kingfish weighing in at 21.5 pounds.  To make the festivities even more enjoyable, participants and their family, friends and spectators enjoyed ice cold Pabst Blue Ribbon Beer, Tito's Vodka, Botran Rum, Jose Cuervo Margaritas and wine from the Presidential Challenge Wine Bar.

After the final fish were weighed in, the Costa Sunglasses and Sportsman’s Adventures Dock Party "Party" began.   Drinks continued flowing, great food was served up by Miller's Ale House and the music played as stories of the day’s fishing adventures were shared while lots of laughs and good times were had by all.

Day two was the start of the One Day Outboard Only Tournament, which brought 28 new boats and 134 more anglers into the competition as they competed for over $23,000 in cash prizes. At the end of the day, Team Swordafish had 4 releases to earn them the top Billfish Boat and total winnings of $4,360. On their heels was Double Diamond in second place. They took home $5,716 as a result of winning $3,400 from the Winner-Take-All Billfish Bonanza Added Value category, along with $816 from the One Day Pot of Gold and $1,500 for the second place boat prize. Team Lina captured third, also with 800 points. The One Day Top Funfish Boat went to Howyareelin with a 27.2 pound Kingfish that was brought to the scales by Nick Stylianoudakis, winning them $5,360. Not a bad return on a $395 entry fee! Second Place Funfish Boat went to T/T Bandit with a 16 pound Kingfish. They were able to take home $3,460 with a combination of winning the 2nd Place Funfish Boat prize, 4th Place Billfish Boat, 3rd Place Pot of Gold and 2nd Place Kettle of Fish. In addition, Jorge Amores on T/T Bandit was named Master Angler with 400 points. The Top Female award was won by Lyndsay Woske on Reel Deal with 200 points and Top Junior honors went to Zach Ruwitch aboard Old School with 200 points.

As the 2-day tournament continued on with their second day of fishing, the sailfish seemed to have come out of hiding. By the end of the day an additional 125 sailfish were released, bringing the 2 day total to 206 fish.  Bar South was certainly finding those extra fish, as they had 11 releases and 2,200 points, bringing their 2 day total to 3,200 points, which made them the Top Inboard Boat and Grand Champion of the 2012 YCMBT!  With this win, they were awarded $54,750. This was a result of the Championship Boat prize of $15,000, the Top Inboard Boat prize of $10,000, the Winner Take All prize in the 3K Hook-up for $22,950 and 1st place in the 2-day Pot of Gold for $6,800. Second Place went to 4 Aces with 3,000 points. They took home $13,351.25 made up from the $5,000 prize for 2nd place Inboard Boat, $2,231.25 from the Half Day Daily, $2,040 form the Inboard Daily and $4,080 from 2nd Place in the Pot of Gold. Third Place, with 2,600 points, went to Get Lit winning them $9,780 made up from the 3rd Place Inboard Boat prize of $4,000, $3,060 from the Inboard Daily and $2,720 from the 3rd Place Pot of Gold. The Top Outboard Boat and $10,000 went to Captain Jack with 2,200 points.

The Funfish Division was not without its excitement. No Vacansea captured the Top Funfish Boat for the second year in a row with a combined 56.50 pounds winning them $4,306. This was from $1,500 in prize money for 1st place Kingfish at 25.70 pounds brought in by Shawn Sherwood and a 17.80 pound 3rd place Kingfish brought in by his son Tyler Sherwood, along with $2,805 from 1st Place Kettle of Fish.  Tyler Sherwood also won Top and 2nd Place Junior in the Funfish Division, as well as the Heaviest Funfish by a Gentleman. The Top Dolphin was 20.30 pounds, caught by Chip Sheehan on No Mercy winning him $2,683 for Top Dolphin prize and 2nd place Kettle of Fish. Top Wahoo was caught by Bill Flynn, Jr. on Weez in the Keys.

In other divisions, Top Captain for the tournament was Jim Multahy and Top Mate was Greg Sage, both aboard Bar South with 3,200 points; Master Angler went to Gene Lebron aboard Jichi with 1,600 points; Top Lady Angler went to Sandra MacMillan aboard Sandman with 800 points and she also captured the heaviest fish by a lady with her 11.4 pound Dolphin; and Top Junior Billfish Angler was Ridge Murphy for the second year in a row with aboard Contender One with 1,000 points.

All of the winners received their cash prizes, trophies and other great prizes during the 30th Anniversary Yamaha Awards Party. This party offered participants and the public a huge silent auction with trips, tackle, electronics, Yamaha Engines and more. Everyone also enjoyed a fantastic BBQ dinner from Miller's Ale House, live entertainment and the moment everyone was waiting for...the drawing for the 25' T Contender Boat with a 300 hp Yamaha 4- stroke engine, Bluewater T-Top and Lean Post and a Continental trailer. This year's winner was Robert Talt of Rye, New York.

The Miami Billfish Tournament has now raised and donated over $693,000 to marine conservation and education, fulfilling the Yamaha Contender Miami Billfish Tournament’s mission to promote awareness and support marine enhancement, education and conservation.

Photo of a leaping Sailfish from the Get Lit team that finished in third place.

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Kona, Hawaii Hosts 53rd Annual Hawaiian International Billfish Tournament First Time Teams from Portugal and Russia Expected

An unforgettable week of famous deep-sea fishing in Kona awaits anglers from around the world as teams gather for the 53rd running of the Hawaiian International Billfish Tournament August 13-17 2012. This summer, HIBT anglers, aboard some of sportfishing’s finest fleet of vessels, will fish for prized Pacific blue marlin and a chance of capturing the HIBT's prestigious Governor's trophy.

Kona’s billfishing water is considered unique for two reasons, calm seas and big marlin.  And summertime in Kona is where the billfishing action is. Just ask last year’s winning team. Port Vila Game Fishing Club of Vanuatu prevailed and captured the 2011 HIBT Governor’s Trophy, earning them first place. Port Vila’s lead going into Day 5 was strong enough to hold off several other teams high on the scoreboard, finishing the 2011 HIBT with an even 2,000 points.

The 2012 HIBT scoreboard promises to bring much anticipated excitement. Expect even more fishing action as teams return to fish HIBT from Australia, China, Japan, New Zealand, Papua New Guinea, Singapore, Vanuatu  and teams from across the USA. However, don’t underestimate angler skill as the 2012 HIBT welcomes new teams to the Tournament including Portugal and Russia.

For more information, to register a 2012 Hawaiian International Billfish Tournament team and IGFA world-record rules, log onto  www.hibtfishing.com   

The Hawaiian International Billfish Tournament is underwritten by the generosity of the County of Hawaii and sponsored in part by KWXX Radio and numerous corporate and community donors.

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The High Hook came to the Presidential Challenge of Costa Rica ready to fish, and they took on the fleet in style. They followed up with their Day Two performance going into Day Three, tallying more than enough points to outdistance the closest competitor (they had a memorable second day where they released three blue marlin and two sailfish, good for 1,100 points). While the scores were tight during most of the day, a last-minute sailfish release put them on top with 1,500 points. High Hook owner Larry Allison was also the Top Angler for the tournament, releasing two blue marlin and a sailfish over the course of the three days. The High Hook is captained by Mike Parr with anglers Larry Allison, David Shinn, Lindor Arroyo and Jose Campon.

The Sea Angel clawed their way into second place with 1,300 points. Owner Greg Angel, his sons Capt. BC and Austin Angel and Arturo Moreno found only sailfish during the tournament, never releasing a marlin in three days, so they scored their points the hard way: one sailfish at a time. The team won several events in the Pacific last year including the Papagayo Cup Perpetual Trophy, presented to the team with the highest point total between the Presidential Challenge of Costa Rica and the Presidential Papagayo Cup.

The Silver-Rod-O with team Las Ventanas del Mar (angler owner Gary Carter, John Richardson, Tim Mossberg and Brian Grange) placed third with 1,300 points. A last-minute bite would have moved them into second but unfortunately they ran out of time, missing the 3:30 PM cutoff by just seconds.

In the angler standings, Allison took home first with 700 points thanks to his early release of a blue marlin. Gary Carter finished second with 700 points, followed by Arturo Moreno in third, also with 700 points.

The Presidential Challenge of Costa Rica celebrates its 16^th anniversary of “fishing for conservation” this year. Next up on the PCCA Tournament Schedule is the Presidential Papagayo Cup, scheduled for June 6-9, 2012 in Marina Papagayo, Costa Rica. For more information on the tournament series, please visit www.preschallenge.com, or “friend” us on Facebook!

PCCA Final Standings

Four Blue Marlin, Six Striped Marlin and 67 Sailfish Released

First Place Team: High Hook, 1,500 points
Second Place Team: Sea Angel, 1,300 points
Third Place Team: Las Ventanas del Mar, 1,300 points

First Place Angler: Larry Allison, 700 points
Second Place Angler: Gary Carter, 700 points
Third Place Angler: Arturo Moreno, 700 points

Top Boat: High Hook, 1,500 points
Second Place Boat: Sea Angel, 1,300 points
Third Place Boat: Silver-Rod-O, 1,300 points

The High Hook, winners of the 2012 Presidential Challenge!

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Guy Harvey reports on this years '11th International Billfish Tournament'

Each year in October and November, the world famous Tropic Star Lodge in Panama closes for a few weeks of renovations and rest for the staff that typically have worked a 300 day season. The next season opens around Thanksgiving week with an international tournament, or torneo and teams come from all over the western hemisphere to participate. It is also a qualifying event for the International Tournament of Champions in Cabo San Lucas, Mexico next year.

In addition to getting ready for the tournament I was acquiring more footage for my documentary about billfish in Panama so award winning producer George Schellenger was on the expedition with me. In an earlier visit I had interviewed the President of Panama  Ricardo Martinelli about his two new decrees aimed at conserving game fish in Panama’s 200 mile EEZ.

“Los Bamofos” team members (Left to Right) George Schellenger, Guy Harvey, Andi Marcher and Jason Ward.

Three teams from Cayman participated again this year including the reigning champs and they arrived a few days early to enjoy the fishing before all the teams arrived. I was joined by Cayman restaurant owner Andi Marcher and friend Jason Ward. We jumped aboard the “Australia” with captain Gavilan Cordoba and mate Ermel Sousa and headed out to the 100 fathom curve. Our first afternoon can be described as a classic….leaving with no bait we pulled lures and carved a path through the attacking dorado.

Within minutes a 300# blue marlin jumped on the right teaser and I pitched a softhead to it and she grabbed it and went off to the horizon, unzipping the ocean, jumping all the way. Cameraman George Schellenger was all smiles. Ermel got the marlin on the leader after Andi worked the fish back to the boat and I planted a 6 month duration satellite tag in the marlin’s right shoulder before the marlin swam off, brilliant blue stripes showing vividly. We were off to a good start. Some more big dorado were caught and then we caught bonito bait along a trash line and fished live baits which is the way the Panamanian crews like to fish for marlin. But our next bite was a 130# yellowfin tuna landed by Andi, and Jason was casting poppers to the tunas as they mingled with a large school of spotted dolphins. The other Cayman team of Troy Burke, Tony Berkman and Derrin Ebanks also released a blue marlin and barely survived the dorado attack with Troy landing a 60# dorado. In Cayman we work hard for a dorado (dolphin fish) in Panama we drive away from them. Just crazy!

300 pound Black Marlin.

Day 2 was a blank for all Cayman teams on the marlin but a couple of sailfish flags were flying in the riggers at the end of the day. The third Cayman team of Sebastien Guilbard and Buster McLean went without a billfish for their second day. A team from Spain released a black marlin of around 400#. On the way in we stopped at the Pinas Reef so George and I could dive and film the vast schools of fish. Andi and Jason had some fun deep jigging for amberjacks. The reef is a small seamount and is loaded with big schools of mullet snapper, crevalle jacks, amberjacks, rainbow runners and yellowfin tuna and we acquired some excellent footage.

Then the heavens opened and it poured for the next 48 hours. In spite of high winds and the rain two black marlin were caught, one by Jason Ward and the other by Tony Berkman, each around 400#. Jason  Ward also landed a 62# Dorado, a monster by any standards.

The weather finally cleared and as bait was scarce we pulled lures at the start of the official tournament practice day. I was watching the lures on the bridge with captain Gavilan when a fine blue marlin darted in and ate the green and orange softhead on the right rigger. Angler Andi Marcher caught the 450# blue in 30 minutes and I placed a satellite tag in its left shoulder. Before we released the marlin George and I dived with marlin to get some footage then I cut her off and she swam off strongly carrying the 6 month tag. The remaining tournament anglers arrived at the lodge that morning and all fished through the afternoon.

450 pound Black Marlin.

At the tournament kickoff event director Eleanor Armstrong and dockmaster Albert Battoo welcomed nine teams from Canada, three teams from the Cayman Islands, one from Jamaica and one from Guyana. The boat draw always creates a lot of hype…who is going to fish with who? But to me all the crews are so good at Tropic Star things are very even for all teams.

Everyone left the dock promptly at 6.30 a.m for the first day of fishing. It was a scramble to get bait at the reef, the water was dirty from all the rain but we managed to catch four bonitos on board the “Puerto Rico”, with captain Armando Mona and mate Levin Grajales. We than ran out to the shelf and starting fishing with three live baits on a flat calm day. After 90 minutes of no action Armando wanted to move and so instructed us to wind in our baits; mine came in first, then Andi’s and just then a big dark shadow loomed behind Jason’s livey. From the amount of colour in the water it was a big fish for sure. I jumped up on the bridge to see the marlin better as it crossed the wake looking at Andi’s live bait then went back to Jason’s checking everything out …but agonizing for us watching all this. Then its tail turned florescent blue and I knew it was really focused now, but it faded back and disappeared. George was shooting…I felt disappointment that the marlin had not eaten….suddenly it rocketed up from deep below all lit up blue and bronze and pounces on Jason’s bait. Only a short dropback was necessary and Jason was hooked up to one of the most exciting blue marlin I have ever seen. The marlin went crazy, doing a big circle on its tail behind the boat and then charged towards us and overtook the boat on the port side barreling along like a jet ski throwing up sheets of foam. Armando did some exotic moves with the boat to keep Jason in touch with the marlin while George captured the action on film.

My shots were not that great, blue marlin throw out so much water when skating along the surface you generally have a lot of white water with a bill sticking out front. On the other hand black marlin make high graceful leaps and are much more photogenic. The big blue did another series of jumps and was at the leader after 45 minutes as mate Levin got us on the board with a technical release. I wanted to deploy a satellite tag on this marlin so Jason worked it for another hour before we got her back up and the tag was placed perfectly in her back. She was the biggest blue marlin I have seen caught at Tropic Star which we estimated around 650#. On release she rolled upright and swam off strongly.  A good week had just become a GREAT week.

Out went our two remaining live baits. We had not finished a celebratory Panama beer when Levin calls out sharply as another marlin strikes the right rigger bait and Andi is hooked up. He makes short work of this 300# blue and brought it back to the boat after more wild jumps on a placid ocean. The electronic tag went in and the marlin swam off strongly. By 11.30 we were in the lead with two marlin. Several other boats had caught and released marlin, and by the end of the day, 6 marlin and a couple of sails were scored by teams from Canada and Guyana. On the way back in we found a Ridley turtle tangled in fishing rope and buoys and lifted him into the boat to cut all the rope off and set it free. One happy turtle later… it was high fives all around.

Blue marlin tangled in the leader, bait flying.

Only one of Cayman’s other teams the “Cayman Brac Down” with anglers Alistair Walters, Sebastian Guilbard and Stuart Sybersma (who were reigning champions) scored with a sailfish and some big tuna and dorado. “Cayman Hard Buoys” (Derrin Ebanks, Tony Berkman and Troy Burke) hard some bad luck losing a black marlin and a handful of sails on day 1. They then lost a blue but scored with a sailfish on day 2 and also got amongst the tuna and big dorado.

George and I had to head back to the USA the following day for appearance commitments so Andi and Jason carried the Cayman flag…and carried it high. Their boat draw was the “Tropic Star” with captain Jacob Panzeo and mate Enot Mecha. I was sitting in the departure lounge at Tocumen waiting to board my flight when I got a BBM from Eleanor that Jason had caught another blue marlin. Tremendous! It was going to be close though as the Guyanese team also caught a blue and a couple of sailfish so were right behind on points. Time ran out at 3 p.m. and the final scores were Cayman Islands “Los Bamofos” 900 points, Guyana 800 points, and Canada “Bush rats” got 600 points.

In consecutive years a team from the Cayman Islands has won this prestigious event and will be represent the Cayman Islands in the International Tournament of Champions in Cabo San Lucas, Mexico next November.

Please visit www.tropicstar.com if you wish to learn more about this amazing fishing destination.

Cabo San Lucas, Baja California Sur, MEXICO, October 24, 2011 — Bisbee’s Black & Blue Marlin Tournament is a jackpot tournament with teams entering at different levels up to $10,000 per day. On Saturday evening that format paid off for Team Tiger Spirit, as it earned the biggest payout in the 31st annual event which took place October 18-22. Boat owner Ned Wallace, of Newport Beach, California, and his local captain and crew won an impressive $1,162,842 after weighing a 395-pound blue marlin on the first of three days of fishing. The daily $5,000 and $10,000 jackpots rolled over when no other boat weighed fish eligible at those levels. A total of $2,173,955 was at stake in this year’s tournament.

“We’ve been fishing the Black & Blue since 1993 and we’ve placed in the money three of the last four years,” Wallace said at the awards banquet overlooking the Cabo San Lucas harbor. “But this one has paid off the most. The biggest compliment for us is fishing against some of the great teams from around the world. It really means a lot from a prestige standpoint. My captain, Sergio Cota, is one of the most respected in the area and this win really cements his reputation.” Luis Alberto Liera was the angler who reeled in the profitable fish.

“I’m going to give the money to the crew,” Wallace added. “They deserve it, and I want to help them out. They can use the money for a good purpose.” Wallace also earned an all-expenses paid fishing trip to Panama, compliments of the West Coast Fishing Club, a tournament sponsor, as part of his winnings.

Angler Luis Arballo fishing with Team Cabo Villas Beach Resort & Spa aboard Bad Medicine, a 35 Cabo, took top honors after landing the biggest fish, a 409-pound blue, after putting out a lucky lure and doing an impromptu “marlin dance” in the cockpit. That catch swept the day one $200, $500, $1,000 and $2,000 jackpots for a total purse of $394,090.

Vicente Rangel of San Luis Potosi, Mexico and his family team aboard Pegasus is taking home a check for $283,752 after boating a 329-pound blue on the second day. Steve Skola, Chuck Mangus and their Hawaiian crew are pocketing $259,745 in prize money as well. They too earned most of the daily jackpots after bringing a 313-pound blue to the scales aboard El Lobo on Friday.

Black and blue marlin are the tournament’s only eligible species and they must weigh at least 300 pounds to count. Boats can still show off their angling skills by competing in the release category, however. This year, Hammertime was the top team after recording three blues and one striped marlin. That showing earned the team a check totaling $47,791. Big Time II came in second place in the release division after bringing three blues and a sailfish to the transom, while Reel Energy rounded out the standings with two blue marlin scored based on time. Big Time II earned $16,543 and Reel Energy pocketed $9,190.

Photo by Dave Lear.

One hundred teams from 12 nations competed in this year’s Black & Blue. Among the fleet, 113 billfish were caught during the three days of fishing, including 55 blue marlin, 47 striped marlin, 9 sailfish and two black marlin. The overall release ratio was 94 percent.

After a track record of paying out more than $56 million over the last three decades, the Black & Blue, presented by the Cabo Riviera Marina and Golf Resort, has indeed earned its reputation as the richest event in the sport.

“Despite the economy our overall money is up again this year,” said Tournament Director Wayne Bisbee after the checks were handed out. “Even second place can win a million bucks in the Black & Blue. So thanks to all our anglers and crews, plus our fantastic sponsors, we are the big enchilada of sportfishing. We’re the World Series, Super Bowl, and Triple Crown all rolled into one wet—and wild—ride.”

Cabo San Lucas, Baja California Sur, MEXICO, October 17, 2011 — For many anglers and crews, the Los Cabos Offshore tournament serves as a precursor to the main event--the Bisbee’s Black & Blue, the richest billfishing tournament in the world. Yet, even in an off-year the LCO offers plenty of action, lots of fun and more money given away than many other longer-running events. Such was the case this year as the 10th annual edition, which took place October 14-16, drew to a close.

“I have some bad news and some really good news,” Tournament Director Wayne Bisbee told the crowd assembled on Medano Beach at the awards banquet hosted by Baja Cantina. “The bad news is we’ll have a short list of trophies to give out tonight since we didn’t have any qualifying marlin. The good news is all those really big fish are still swimming out there, just in time for the Black & Blue.” No marlin exceeding the 300-pound minimum were brought to the scales, so the jackpot money will be refunded to the participating teams.

The game fish division certainly made up for the lack of marlin, however. Angler Lance Fudickar of Baton Rouge, Louisiana, and his team aboard Wild Hooker, took home $42,792.50 in prize money after boating the largest yellowfin, a 204-pounder. Michael Reiner, who hails from Cabo San Lucas, waited until the final afternoon to bring in the only qualifying dorado. That 37-pound fish earned the Angelina I team a nice $56,605 payday for its efforts.

Go Deeper earned third-place honors in the release division based on time. The crew successfully released four sailfish and one striped marlin during the two days of fishing. Go Deeper also pocketed $13,812.50 after boating a 187-pound tuna and taking the daily tuna jackpot for Day 2.

Another local ringer, Picante 45, came in second place in the release competition by tallying one blue marlin, two stripers and one sailfish. Picante 45 was skippered by Capt. Jesus Daniel Carrera Ocampo and had an all-Canada team of anglers from British Columbia and Alberta, Canada. Overall, 13 different nations were represented by the participating anglers.

The Canadians definitely brought their game faces for this event. Another team from Alberta scored the top release title by capturing two blues and one striper aboard El Budster. In all 50 billfish were released by the 346 anglers fishing this year’s Los Cabos Offshore. The totals included 13 blue marlin, 21 stripers and 17 sailfish. Surprisingly, no black marlin were released among the 69-boat fleet. The overall billfish release ratio was 94.3 percent.

A total of 50 billfish were released at this year’s Venezuelan International Super Slam tournament in two days of fishing including three Grand Slams.  Uncharacteristically, there were more sails than whites released during this event held on October 1st and 2nd, the traditional height of the white marlin season.  The totals by species were 9 blue marlin, 12 whites and 29 sailfish. All catches were on 30-pound-test line and verified by highly Qualified Observers on every boat.

It was the team aboard the Venezuelan 58’ Viking, Plastika, skippered by Capt. Jorge ‘Carapacho’ Mayorca that took the early lead at mid day of the first day of fishing when they added a blue marlin release to the sailfish they had caught earlier in the morning while Florida boat 60’ Carolina Custom, Jessica Lee, and Puerto Rico’s 62’ Hatteras, Bluebird, were right on their tails with two sailfish and two white marlin releases respectively.  However, in the afternoon Plastika added two white marlin to their day’s total earning them an additional 200 bonus points for completing a Grand Slam (sailfish, blue marlin and white marlin).   Jessica Lee added a white and a sail in the afternoon and Bluebird added a sail keeping both within striking distance of the leader at the end of day one.  Coincidentally, the three leaders scored 20 bonus points for every released fish by promoting conservation through the use of circle hooks.

Continue reading for the full report.

The 38^th Annual White Marlin Open wrapped up with a bang last week and sure didn’t disappoint fans!  Although things got off to a slow start on Monday, there wasn’t a shortage of big fish worth a lot of money brought to the scales. 237 boats competed for over 2.13 million dollars in prize money, with the white marlin category taking home a large portion of the purse at over 1 million dollars.

The heaviest white marlin was caught by angler Paul Coen on the local boat Wee Wun IV weighing 88.5 lbs. and worth $289,063.00

Continue reading for the full report.

August 1, 2011, Baja California Sur, Mexico - The unofficial start to the 2011 Baja tournament season wrapped up last night as the Bisbee’s East Cape Offshore Tournament held its awards banquet at the Hotel Buena Vista Beach Resort. On the stage overlooking a tranquil Sea of Cortez, $331,740 in cash prizes were awarded to five teams. A total of 61 boats fished this 12th annual sport-fishing event which is presented by Cabo Riviera.

Chucky Van Wormer and his team aboard La Hielera & Co. were the biggest winners after boating a blue marlin weighing 557 pounds. The big blue was caught on a Hi-5 Triple XL Kona Dodger lure and was weighed before noon on the first day of fishing, Van Wormer earned $238,569 for that catch.

Continue reading for the full report

KONA, HAWAII -“Stop fishing, stop fishing, stop fishing,” rang out at exactly 4:30pm for the final time this week, and with those iconic words the 52nd Hawaiian International Billfish Tournament came to a close.

The fifth and final day of this prestigious Tournament generated plenty of fishing action, keeping judges and scorekeepers alert as 28 teams battled for points.

“Every year, the Big Island of Hawaii extends such warmth and aloha to the anglers and their families. HIBT thanks this community for 52 years of aloha,” said HIBT founder Peter Fithian. “All 28 teams putting points on the scoreboard really emphasized Kona’s internationally acclaimed reputation for great sportfishing. 2011 proved to be another fantastic year at HIBT.”

Continue reading for the full report and final results

Port Vila Game Fishing Club of Vanuatu Retains HIBT Lead

Kona, Hawaii (Thursday, July 28, 2011) – Two hours into Day Four of the 52^nd Annual Hawaiian International Billfish Tournament and Kona’s Captain Marlin Parker heard the reel scream. Fishing in sector Juliet, just north of Kailua, Bay of Islands Swordfish Club #2 of New Zealand boated a major catch to propel the team into second place on the current leaderboard.

Angler Simon Brown battled the 540-pound Pacific blue marlin on 50-pound test line for just over two hours. “Simon is an experienced angler and we had a strong fight. We got her to the back of the boat in good time,” said Captain Parker.

Continue reading for the full report and results for day 4

Leader Board Changes as Port Vila Game Fishing Club-Vanuatu Moves Into First Place

Kona, Hawaii (Wednesday, July 27, 2011) – Port Vila Game Fishing Club of Vanuatu jumped to the top position with another two Pacific blue marlin tags today. Angler Murray Parsons, fishing aboard Sundowner and captained by long-time Kona skipper Randy Llanes, tagged and released an estimated 150-pound Pacific blue marlin just after the lunch hour. An hour later, teammate Andrew Mourgues tagged his first fish of the tournament in just five minutes. Both tagged marlin earned this rookie HIBT team enough points to take over the lead position with a cumulative score of 1400 points. “I tagged my fish in just about 5 minutes, an easy feat with Kona’s great captains and crews,” said Mourgues.

Continue reading for the full report and results for day 3

Old South Marlin Club #1 Holds On To HIBT Lead

Kona, Hawaii (Tuesday, July 26, 2011) – The Old South Marlin Club #1 retained its two-day lead with another two fish adding valuable points to their overall total. Angler Susan Ward, fishing aboard Anxious, a 33-foot Bertram, tagged an estimated 180-pound Pacific blue marlin using 50-pound test line. “That was a tough fish and a tough fight. I can’t reel as fast as the guys, and the teamwork of Captain Neal Isaacs and his crew made all the difference,” said Susan Ward.

Continue reading for the full report and results for day 2

The 2011 Firecracker Big Game Tournament fleet over the two days caught 43 blue marlin and two yellowfin tuna with a total purse of $265,780.00 dollars.

1st Place - Sea Genie, 841 points

2nd Place - Northern Light, 712 points

3rd Place Tie - Marlin Magic, 600 points

3rd Place Tie - Last Chance, 600 points    

Continue reading for the full report.              

Marina Papagayo, Costa Rica-The first annual Presidential Papagayo Cup, Presented by the ICT and Hosted by Marina Papagayo, wrapped up Saturday evening with a gala awards presentation at the beautiful Prieta Beach Club. Emerging victorious in the event was the Sea Angel, a team that's dominating the Costa Rican billfishing season this year. With previous wins in both the Presidential Challenge of Costa Rica and the first leg of the Los Suenos Signature Series, Greg and "Mamalu" Angel, fishing with their sons Austin in the cockpit and BC at the helm, came to town ready to fish against the best teams in the Pacific. But victory would not come easily.

Continue reading for the full report.

The 39th New Orleans Invitational Billfish Tournament was held in Cypress Cove Marina in Venice, Louisiana on June 17 - 18, 2011. This Invitational is regarded as the tournament that put Gulf of Mexico big game fishing on the map and inspired the many offshore tournaments being held currently across the region.

1st Place - FOG CUTTER
2nd Place - GZ GIRL
3rd Place - LADY LAB

Continue reading for the full report

Not only did team Zues win the 2011 Bahamas Billfish Championship - they scored a record number of points for any team winning the Series. The Fort Pierce, Florida based team amassed 12,000 points by releasing 13 blue marlin, 12 white marlin and 11 sailfish and finishing in first place or second place at four out of the five BBC tournaments. With the exception of one day during the Guana Cay Championship, Team Zues managed to release at least one billfish each tournament day; with fifteen fishing days in the five
tournament Series, Zues released a total of 36 billfish fishing in the five tournament series. When asked to comment on his team’s performance, Sandy Smith of St. Cloud, Florida

Continue reading for the full report.

The 2011 Cajun Canyons Billfish Classic is now in the record books. A total of 39 sportfishing boats ranging from 30 to 64 feet fished for a total purse of $405,450.00 dollars. The tournament ended up with a total of 8 blue marlin releases, 7 white marlin releases along with 1 sailfish released for a 100% release ratio.

Continue reading for the full report.

Fishing the final leg of the Bahamas Billfish Championship in Treasure Cay, Don McKinney’s team Double Dog accomplished a spectacular finale to the five tournament season by establishing a new Bahamas blue marlin record catching a blue marlin weighing 1,119 pounds (507 kg). Angler David Albury of Man-OWar Cay, Bahamas fought the big blue for three hours seventeen minutes before being able to bring the fish to gaff on the 66 Hines Farley. In addition to the record blue, Double Dog released a blue marlin and two white marlin, racking up 2,119 points to win First Place at the Treasure Cay Championship.

Second place went to ZUES and third place went to BOB - ALONG.

Continue reading for the full report.

New Bahamas Blue Marlin Record Caught In Abaco.

Team Double Dog established a new Bahamas record when they boated a blue marlin weighing 1,119 pounds (507 kg). The record breaking blue was caught on the second day of the Treasure Cay Championship, the fifth and final leg of the 2011 Bahamas Billfish Championship. Angler David Albury of Man-O-War Cay, Bahamas fought the big blue for three hours seventeen minutes before being able to bring the fish to gaff.

According to the Double Dog's captain, Jason Parker, "It was team work all the way especially when it came to getting the fish into the boat. We quickly realized that we were going to have a difficult time getting the fish through the transom door. We rigged a 'come along' to keep the fish straight while everyone aboard pulled the monster fish aboard."

Continue reading for the full report

The 2011 event went off in a big way. There were 27 boat days fished (9 teams with 3 days each). There were 50 marlin raised, 37 hook-ups and 10 fish were tagged. This year we had 8 double hook-ups reported and there was a variety of billfish caught including black marlin, blue marlin, short billed spearfish, and pacific sailfish. On top of that there were also catches of yellow-fin tuna, wahoo, mahi mahi and various bait fish.

Continue reading for final results:

A field of 60 boats competed in the 15th annual Mississippi Gulf Coast Billfish Classic for a purse of $1,246,300 dollars.

Catch & Release Champion - REEL ADDICTION
Heaviest Blue Marlin - PATRON, 702.5 Pounds
Heaviest Tuna - JASPER TIME, 203.9 Pounds
Heaviest Wahoo - PAPOTANIC, 68.4 Pounds
Heaviest Mahi Mahi - SWEET LIBERTY, 41.8 Pounds

Continue reading for the full report

A field of thirty-six of the world’s top sportfishing teams were on-hand for the first billfish tournament ever held on Great Guana Cay in the Abacos. David Anderson’s team Krazy Salts of Medford, New Jersey, christened the event perfectly by scoring 3,000 points to take First Place at the Guana Cay Championship, the fourth leg on the 2011 Bahamas Billfish Championship.

Keith Greenberg, captain of the Viking 70, directed the team in releasing two blue marlin on day one and concluding with three blue marlin on the final day.

Continue reading for the full report

The tournament is going well and there is still another two days of fishing left. Escapade has tagged three Blue Marlin on 15Kg line class, V-Factor Team A has tagged 1 Blue Marlin on 15Kg, 1 Black Marlin on 15Kg, 1 Spearfish and 1 Sailfish. Nevagivup Bad Company has tagged 1 Blue Marlin on 15Kg.

There has been plenty of Blue Marlin around with plenty seen, hooked and lost. The weather has been fantastic with 15 knot winds and no rain.

Many thanks to Michelle Janz Temminick from 'Crusoe Fishing Adventures' for the update.

Full results will be available on Sunday.

Sandy Smith’s team Zues scored 2,600 points during the Harbour Island Championship to capture First Place for the tournament and maintain their impressive lead in the overall standings of the 2011 Bahamas Billfish Championship. Smith, from St. Cloud, Florida led his team in catching and releasing three blue marlin, one white marlin and six sailfish during the tournament which was the third leg of the BBC’s five tournament Series. Team Zues caught qualifying billfish each day keeping the pressure on and the points consistently accumulating.

Continue reading for the full report

There was a total of 44 billfish released during the tournament! 6 Blues, 31 whites, and 9 Sails. Congratulations to the winning teams and anglers.

1st Place Boat - Sportin' Life - 2 Blues and 2 Whites, 1800pts.
2nd Place Boat - Daymaker - 4 Whites, and 1 Sail.
3rd Place Boat - Miss Wy IV - 1 Blue, and 2 Whites.

Continue reading for the full report and photos.

Bimini Big Game Club Billfish Invitational (A Catch and Release Tournament)

With three days of hard fishing with more than 50 anglers, the first annual Bimini Big Game Club Billfish Invitational wrapped up on Saturday with the 'Renaissance/Team Varsity Jacket ' team winning first place with a blue marlin caught the first day of fishing. Second place went to team Mirage and third place went to El Viejo team.

To read the full report click 'Continue Reading' to the right.

The 12th Steinlager I'a Lapo'a Game Fishing Tournament

Pago Pago Game Fishing Association -  In total there were 25 blue marlin caught and three sailfish released as well as wahoo, dogtooth tuna, masi masi and yellowfin tuna. Team "Girlfriend" from New Zealand took the Top Boat spot in the 12th Steinglager I'a Lapo'a International Game Fishing Tournament, held in American Samoa.

Team Girlfriend finished the tournament with six tagged and released blue marlin, one tagged sailfish, and 307.6 pounds of fish at the weigh station. They came in a mere 110 pts ahead of the second place boat, Bonavista III released 2 blue marlin and 1057.6 pound at the weigh station. Fua II came in 3rd place, 270 points behind with 3 released blue marlin and 587.2 pound at the weigh station.

12 year old Ryan Simpson fishing on board Fua II caught a 153.2 pound yellowfin tuna, great to see young children getting involved in fishing and Timothy Dromgool weighed the only blue marlin, pulling the scales down to 258 pounds.

Girlfriend also took home the invitation for next year's IGFA Offshore World Championships in Cabo San Lucas, Mexico.

For more details got to Pago Pago Game Fishing Association.

Timothy Dromgool with his 258 pound blue marlin	1st Place Team Girlfriend from New Zealand	Ryan Sipmson with his 153.2 pound yellowfin tuna

Cape Eleuthera Championship
For team Chasin Tail, three days of fishing at the Cape Eleuthera Championship showed that the 60 foot Viking catches what it is ‘chasin.’ The Ft. Pierce, Florida based team led by Howard Webb and Capt. Robbie Valco kept the pressure on by catching blue marlin each day of the tournament.  In catching and releasing four blues over the three days and adding a white marlin to the count on the second day, the team amassed a total of 2600 points to take First Place at the second leg of the 2011 Bahamas Billfish Championship.

Team Zues, with owner Sandy Smith and Capt. Glenn Cameron directing the angling efforts, finished second on the 58 foot Custom sportfisherman. The team compiled a 2400 point total by catching and releasing three blue marlin, two white marlin and two sailfish for the week. Of their point total, team Zues compiled an impressive 2000 points on the final day of fishing.

Third place was awarded to James B. ‘Junior’ Davis of Kissimmee, Florida on board the 61 foot Garlington, Wave Paver. Davis and Capt. ‘Snick’ Akers also compiled 2400 points in releasing three blue marlin and three white marlin for the three-day event hosted by the Cape Eleuthera Resort & Yacht Club. In BBC competition, when two teams achieve the same point total, the winner is determined by the team first reaching the point total.

For the win, Howard Webb and Chasin Tail was awarded a Randy Rich designed trophy presented by the BBC. As Top Release Team at the Cape Eleuthera Championship, Chasin Tail received a Hy Jacobson original teak sculptured trophy sponsored by Murray Products and the Al Behrendt Marine Group.  In addition, Top Crew trophies, sponsored by the Lewis Marine Group, were presented to Capt. Robbie Valco and the Chasin Tail crew. All top three finishers received Randy Rich trophies, gift certificates from Roffer’s Ocean Fishing Forecasting Service (ROFFS) and a supply of Bacardi Anejo Rum from Bahamas based Bristol Wine and Spirits.

This year, the twenty-three participating boats caught and released a total of fifty-eight billfish; twenty-five blue marlin, twenty white marlin, and eight sailfish. As with all BBC tournaments, all releases are validated using time and date stamped digital images. Affidavits signed by all participants fishing on each team further confirms that the fish was released in accordance with IGFA and Bahamas Billfish Championship rules.

The Championship tournaments are governed by a uniform set of rules for qualifying billfish with cumulative points determining the overall Bahamas Billfish Champion. After two tournaments of the five tournament series, team Zues ranks First Place Overall with 5600 points. The top spot is heavily contested with Team Wave Paver a close Second Overall with 5400 points and team Chasin Tail standing at Third Overall with 5100 points. The three teams are competing in all five tournaments with Zues and Wave Paver finishing second and third respectively at the Central Abaco Championship.

The Bahamas Billfish Championship is a world-class fishing tournament series founded in 1973 making it the oldest billfish tournament series in the world. In an effort to give-back to the Bahamian people, the Bahamas Billfish Championship endowed two scholarships that enable Bahamian students the opportunity to pursue a degree in marine biology or advanced education in marine technologies.

For the complete details about the Championship, the very latest information and overall standings visit www.bahamasbillfish.com

1st Place - Chasin Tail	2nd Place - Team Zues	3rd Place - Wave Paver

17th Annual Hatteras Village Offshore Open
 Day 1 - 27 boats fished, there was 1 blue marlin weighed in at 511.2  pounds, 7 blue marlin released and 1 white marlin released.
Day 2 - 10 boats fished with 1 blue marlin released.
Day 3 - 36 boats fished with 2 blue marlin released.
Day 4 - 34 boats fished with 3 blue marlin, 2 white marlin and 1 sailfish released.

Final results, 1st place went to WIRED UP, 2nd place went to OUTER LIMITS and 3rd place went to SEA STRIKER. WIRED UP weighed the only blue marlin at 511.2 pounds.

For more details go to here.

More tournament results on the way soon...

Another day of fishing in Cabo San Lucas brings another 79 marlin releases and the second swordfish release for the international field of anglers. Some nice game fish were weighed including an impressive tournament record. A 226-pound yellowfin tuna caught by Flavio Campos Reis from the Brazilian team representing the Torneo De Marlin Azul.  It takes a very skilled and fit angler to best a tuna using 30-pound IGFA class line loaded on a spinning reel.

In the wahoo division, Jury Kozlov from Russia representing the 60^th Ernest Hemingway Int. Billfish Tournament caught a nice 43.50-pound fish to take the lead in the category.  In the dorado division, Lorento Ferretti from Italy on the Trofeo Circolo Nautico Sambenedettese team moved into first with a 37.6 pound fish.

Yesterday’s leading team, N’Gor Marlin Cup, and angler Jean Robin Dubouchet added a striped marlin release and the tournament’s second swordfish release adding 700 points to their score. The family team from Senegal sits in third place with 1700-points.

The American team from Florida representing the Islamorada Fishing Club Captains Cup Sailfish Tournament was one of the top scoring boats catching 6 striped marlin. This team led by Sam Worden currently holds second place with 1800-points and is in great position heading into the third day of fishing.

Another big move was made by the retuning 2010 IGFA Offshore World Championship team from Mexico.  Led by angler Hernando Gonzalez the team released six striped marlin to move into first place with 1800-points on time.

Another hot team that released 6 striped marlin was the 2010 IGFA Offshore World Championship second place team from the Bahamas.  They currently have 1600 points placing them in 4^th place.

Following the fishing the anglers were treated to yellowtail fish tacos, brick oven pizza and beer compliments of Capt. Tony’s bar and restaurant.  Anglers enjoyed the great food and posed for pictures next to the huge blue marlin statue outside the restaurant.  Anglers shared stories of the days fishing that included the tournament record yellowfin tuna and the tournaments second registered swordfish.  A huge thank you to the crew at Captain Tony’s.  A great time was had by all.

Anglers will hit the water tomorrow for the third day of fishing.  With the bite going strong and the quality of the field it is still anyone’s tournament to win. Stay tuned-in on our live scorekeeper at www.IGFAOWC.com.

All compliments of our many fine sponsors: Los Cabos Visitors Bureau, Baja California Sur, Costa Del Mar Sunglasses, Geoffrey Smith, Hotel Finisterra, Momoi Hi-Liner, Marlin, Salt Water Sportsman, Sport Fishing, Reactor Watches, Fin-Nor, Baja Brewing Company, Guy Harvey, IGY Marina, Hook & Tackle, King Sailfish, Marina Pez Vela, Transcabo, Vanmark, Accurate, IWS Scales, Eagle Claw,  Minerva’s Baja Tackle, Williamson Lures and VMC Hooks.

Thank you for being part of the IGFA Offshore World Championship series. We look forward to welcoming you in Cabo.

All the best,
Dan Jacobs

Miami Beach, Florida.  The 2010 – 2011 Sailfish Pro Series Post Season Finale has ended at Miami Beach Marina after a 2 day playoff to crown a new champion.

Seven teams made their way to Miami to compete in the Sailfish Pro Series playoffs based on earning a position by accumulating points throughout the season. The "team "Sandman" earned a bye through the playoffs by accumulating the most points over the season.

All teams slugged it out but in the end team Sandman retained the lead and took out the victory with the final count of 10 sailfish releases and the title of 2011 Sailfish Pro Series Champion. Team "High Standards" finished in second place releasing 7 sailfish and earning them $16,000.00 dollars. Team "Keys Dizeaze/Savanna Lynn" placed third with 7 sailfish releases, earning them $11,000.00 dollars and Team "Viva La Vida" finished close behind with 6 sailfish releases earning them $5,000.00 dollars.

Team Sandman, owned by Sandra McMillan and captained by Neil Orange Jr, took home the $76,000.00 dollars first place prize along with the coveted Sailfish Pro Series custom Irish crystal trophy designed by Fred Curtis.

For more information on the Sailfish Pro Series visit  www.SailfishSeries.com.

"Central Abaco Championship", Bahamas
First Leg of the 2011 Bahamas Billfish Championship.

THE BEAR TRAP team, led by owner John Stout and Captain Greg Eklund, racked up 2,800 points by catching and releasing two blue marlin, three white marlin, and two sailfish over the three days. The point total was enhanced with an additional 700 Grand Slam bonus points for the blue marlin, white marlin and sailfish releases on the second day of the tournament.
The win garnered Stout a Randy Rich designed trophy presented by tournament sponsors Gulfstream International Airlines and Hatteras Yachts. As the Top Release Team for the Central Abaco Championship, team Bear Trap was presented with an custom hand- carved mahogany trophy sponsored by Murray Products and the Al Behrendt Marine Group. Capt. Greg Eklund and the Bear Trap crew each received a Randy Rich designed trophy sponsored by Steve Lewis of the Lewis Marine Group.

Second Place honors at the Central Abaco tournament went to team ZUES, a 58 Custom yacht based out of Ft. Pierce, Florida. After sharing the lead with John Lee’s Committed from Destin, Florida for two days, Team leader Tim Lanahan and Capt. Glenn Cameron accumulated 2300 points by releasing two blue marlin, four white marlin, and two sailfish. Team Zues was also awarded a Randy Rich trophy from Gulfstream International Airlines and Hatteras Yachts.

Junior Davis’ WAVE PAVER, a 61 Garlington from Kissimmee, Florida finished in Third Place also with 2300 points. Team Wave Paver with Capt. ‘Snick’ Akers caught and released one blue marlin, three white marlin, and three sailfish during the tournament.

"Grove SLAM", Miami Florida
"Panama Red" fishing on their 34' Sea Vee with twin Mercury Verado 300's came all the way from Fort Myers to win the 10th annual Grove SLAM!.  The Grove SLAM is a dolphin fish ( Mahi Mahi) only tournament where each team can weight up to 5 fish.

Final Results:
1. PANAMA RED - 80.85 pounds - $24,100 in total winnings!
2. HOOK UPS - 26.49 pounds
3. MAKIN' IT HAPPEN - 25.86 pounds
4. INSURED CONTENDER - 23.68 pounds
5.MELLOW YELLOW - 21.69 pounds

Heaviest Dolphin: PANAMA RED - 28.54 pounds
Kingfish: Fly Girls/Thomas Flyer - 25.01 pounds
Wahoo: El Capitan: - 18.58 pounds

Top Junior: Tyler Lowrey on SIMTRA - 12.19 pound dolphin fish
Top Female: Tracey Preston on FLY GIRLS - 25.01 pound kingfish

Big Bite Offshore Bounty: MAKIN' IT HAPPEN
Best Team Name: DEEP PENETRATION

Final day of the 9^th Annual World Sailfish Championship saw 66 teams produce 115 tagged sailfish to bring the championship total to 335 sailfish tagged for the three days, with a hook up conversion rate of an astonishing 99.11%.

Sandra MacMillan's 63 foot Spencer "Sandman" caught and released a three day total of 17 sailfish to take out the World Sailfish Championship. MacMillan and her crew of Capt. Neil Orange, Robby Waddick, Jason Roe, Domie Adames, Corey Ryan and Wes Stevens won $255,785 dollars. MacMillan was the top female angler with seven releases.

Team "Lights Out" which had the lead going into the final day with 12 sailfish, had only two releases to finish in second place with a total of 14. The team won $123,870 dollars.

Conched Out/Team Sea Hunter was third with 12 releases to win $20,830 dollars.

                                             Image by Endless Imagery

Day two of the 9^th Annual World Sailfish Championship was very impressive with teams roaring around the ocean in hot pursuit of the sailfish. Weather conditions have been perfect for the first two days and looks like hanging around for the final day.

Day two saw 66 teams produce 155 tagged sailfish to bring the championship total to 220 sailfish tagged in two days, with a hook up conversion rate of an astonishing 98.65%.

The following are the top 3 boats after day two:

1st - "Lights Out" - 12 Sails	2nd - "Sandman" - 11 Sails	3rd - "Miss Brill" - 10 Sails

The 9^th Annual World Sailfish Championship begun today in Key West, Florida and runs till April 16^th. It has been called the “super bowl of sail fishing” and is the world’s richest sail fishing tournament. This prestigious tournament will see the overall purse exceed $1 million dollars and will guarantee top prize of $100,000 dollars.

Day one saw 66 teams with 92 anglers produce 66 tagged sailfish with a hook up conversion rate of a remarkable 98.51%.

The following are the top 3 boats after day one:

1^st Place – De – Bait – Able with 4 Sailfish

2^nd Place – High Standards with 4 Sailfish

3^rd Place – Wound Up with 3 Sailfish

Photos by: Cox Group