Excellent fishing highlighted this year’s Bahamas Billfish Championship. The boats participating in the four leg series released a total of 105 billfish – 51 blue marlin, 34 white marlin and 20 sailfish. Of those releases the 2016 Championship winner, team Uno Mas, released 11 blues, 4 whites and 3 sailfish.
Brooks Smith led his team to victory in all three of the legs they fished. In the Boat Harbour Championship team Uno Mas, a 69’ Bayliss, came in first and won the $5,000 Grand Slam Bonus by releasing a blue marlin, a white marlin and a sailfish all before 9:30 am on the first day of the tournament! Uno Mas went on to win leg three in Marsh Harbour and placed second in the Treasure Cay Championship. With an impressive 9900 total points, Uno Mas earned the prestigious title of 2016 Bahamas Billfish Champion!
Uno Mas received the beautiful overall championship trophy designed in Murano, Italy by the artists at Orovetro Murano Company. This gorgeous piece of art is one-of-a-kind and was commissioned especially for the BBC. The glass blue marlin sat atop a teak base created by BlueWater Chairs. It is quite an impressive piece! In addition to the trophy, the team received gift certificates from BBC sponsors Costa and Roff’s Ocean Fishing Forecast.
Last year’s Bahamas Billfish Champion, team Wave Paver, took home second place honors for the 2016 series. Aboard his 61’ Garlington, Jr. Davis led his team to victory with second place wins in the Guana Cay and Marsh Harbour Championships and a first place win in the Treasure Cay Championship. The team won a custom designed stainless steel Bodo Much trophy with a total of 8350 points.

Long-time BBC participant Bill Canida has been fishing the series aboard his 41’ Cabo Bamboo for many years. Team Bamboo took home a first place trophy in the Guana Cay Championship and third place trophies in the Boat Harbour and the Treasure Cay Championships. With 6400 total points team Bamboo released 7 blue marlin, 2 white marlin and 4 sailfish this season. The team was presented with a custom designed stainless steel Bodo Muche trophy.
Sander, Jeremy and Chris aboard the Uno Mas each received Top Crew trophies. These are scaled down replicas of the perpetual Top Crew trophy located at the IGFA headquarters in Dania Beach, Florida.
Tournament sponsors HUK Performance Fishing and Required Team Gear supplied the anglers with amazing sportswear with the BBC logo and artwork by the tournament artist Carey Chen. In addition to this sportswear, the visors, hats and buffs kept everyone looking their best!
A big thanks to the tournament’s major sponsors, which included: AIG, Costa, ZF Marine,
Vetus-Maxwell, Aqualuma, Bluewater Chairs, Denison Yacht Sales, Roff’s, Simrad, Starbrite, Huk Performance Fishing, Required Team Gear, Abaco Cays Realty, Abaco Gold, Bodo Muche, Black Bart Lures, and Silver Airways, the official airline of the BBC. All of these brands worked in coordination to make sure the tournament series had great resources and great parties.
The Bahamas Billfish Championship is proud to be an InTheBite ‘Captain of the Year Cup’ sanctioned event. All captains placing in the BBC tournaments are eligible for points towards this prestigious award. For more information visit www.inthebite.com
The 2016 awards ceremony at the conclusion of the Treasure Cay Championship marked the finish of the BBC’s 43rd season. The Bahamas Billfish Championship is the oldest billfish tournament series in the world. Anglers can fish any or all of the tournaments with cumulative points determining the overall Bahamas Billfish Champion.
The Bahamas Billfish Championship is produced and managed by AIM Marine Group. For the very latest information, results, and overall standings, visit our Web site at www.bahamasbillfish.com. Be sure to follow us on Facebook (Bahamas Billfish Championship) or on Twitter @Bahamasbillfish. You can also download the BBC app for your Android or Apple device. Search “Bahamas Billfish Championship” in the Play Store or App Store. To contact the Bahamas Billfish Championship call 954-761-7073 or email: jdudas@aimmedia.com.