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2019 Final Standings

1 2017 In the Bite COTY

Overview // Sanctioned Tournaments // Rules

Divisions: East Coast Florida / Gulf Coast / International / Hawaii 

Past Standings: 2022 // 2021 // 2020 // 2019 // 2018 // 2017  //  2016  //  2015 & Earlier //  InTheBite Champion’s Cup

The CHAMPIONSHIP OF SPORTFISHING.

The InTheBite Captain of the Year Cup presented by Hatteras is the world’s foremost competition for professional sportfishermen. The world’s only quantifiable metric for comparing the tournament success of captains, winning an InTheBite Captain of the Year Award is a major achievement. The Cup is composed of five divisions that span the sportfishing world: East CoastFloridaGulf CoastHawaii and International. It is comprised of 90-sanctioned tournaments. The SCORING SYSTEM is:  1st Place: 500 points, 2nd Place: 300 points, 3rd Place: 100 points. Heaviest Marlin: 500 points. Overall Championship: 250 points. 12 Boat Tournament Minimum for points.

Divisional Sponsors:

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AIRMAR EAST COAST DIVISION

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Winner: Capt. Ryan Knapp, Top Dog, 1000 Points

  • Hatteras Village Offshore Open, 1st Place, 500 Pts.
  • The Big Rock, Heaviest Marlin 914 lbs., 500 Pts.

Capt. Sean Dooley, Jackpot, 850 Points

  • Carolina Billfish Classic, 2nd Place, 300 Pts.
  • Edisto Invitational Billfish Tournament, 2nd Place, 300 Pts.
  • SC Governor’s Cup Series Champion, 250 Pts.

Capt. Brooks Smith, Uno Mas, 800 Points

  • White Marlin Open, 2nd Place Release, 300 Pts.
  • The MidAtlantic, Most Points Overall, 500 Pts.

Capt. Barry Sawyer, Waste Knot, 800 Points

  • Dare County Boat Builders Tournament., 1st Place, 500 Pts.
  • Virginia Beach Billfish Tournament, 2nd Place, 300 Pts.

Capt. Dan Woody, Syked Out, 500 Points

  • Bohicket Marina Invitational Billfish Tournament, 1st Place, 500 Pts.

Capt. Chris Russell, Piracy, 500 Points

  • Hatteras Village Offshore Open, Heaviest Marlin 655.9 lbs., 500 Pts.

Capt. Bobby Garmany, Bench Mark, 500 Points

  • Georgetown Blue Marlin Tournament, 1st Place, 500 Pts.

Capt. Brad Sutton, Annie O, 500 Points

  • The Big Rock, 1st Place, 500 Pts.

Capt. Jay Weaver, Blue Sky, 500 Points

  • Carolina Billfish Classic, 1st Place, 500 Pts.

Capt. Shelby Myrick, Trashman, 500 Points

  • Edisto Invitational Billfish Tournament, 1st Place, 500 Pts.

Capt. Robbie Brown, Just Right, 500 Points

  • Virginia Beach Invitational, 1st Place, 500 Pts.

Capt. Ronnie Fields, Gret Three J’s, 500 Points

  • Huk Big Fish Classic, 1st Place, 500 Pts.

Capt. Mike Burt, Pumpin’ Hard, 500 Points

  • Huk Big Fish Classic, Heaviest Marlin 455 lbs, 500 Pts.

Capt. Rob Barker, Desperado, 500 Points

  • Pirate’s Cove Billfish Tournament, 1st Place, 500 Pts.

Capt. Paul Spencer, Bangarang, 500 Points

  • Alice Kelly Memorial Tournament, 1st Place, 500 Pts.

Capt. Charlie Horning, Fish Whistle, 500 Points

  • White Marlin Open, Heaviest White 79.5 lbs, 500 Pts.

Capt. Brian Rabbitt, Big Deal, 500 Points

  • White Marlin Open, 1st Place Release, 500 Pts.

Capt. Rhett Bailey, Intents, 500 Points

  • MidAtlantic, Heaviest White Marlin, 72 lbs, 500 Pts.

Capt. Rob Skillman, Moore Bills, 500 Points

  • MidAtlantic, Heaviest White Marlin, 72 lbs. 500 Pts.

Capt. Howard Lynch, Haulin’ n Ballin’, 500 Points

  • MidAtlantic, Heaviest Blue Marlin, 630 lbs. 500 Pts.

Capt. Kevin Pankoke, Evelyn Kennedy, 500 Points

  • Virginia Beach Billfish Tournament, 1st Place, 500 Pts.

Capt. Donnie White, Sea Wolff, 500 Points

  • Ocean City Marlin Club Labor Day White Marlin Tournament, 1st Place, 500 Pts.

Capt. Butch Cox, DA Sea, 500 Points

  • Ocean City Marlin Club Challenge Cup, 1st Place Overall, 500 Pts.

Capt. Mike Glaesner, Sportin’ Life, 300 Points

  • Bohicket Marina Invitational Billfish Tournament, 2nd Place, 300 Pts.

Capt. Kenny Midgett, Marlin Gull, 300 Points

  • Hatteras Village Offshore Open, 2nd Place, 300 Pts.

Capt. Bubba Simmons, Rare Breed, 300 Points

  • Georgetown Blue Marlin Tournament, 2nd Place, 300 Pts.

Capt. Lee Martin, Drillin & Billin, 300 Points

  • The Big Rock, 2nd Place, 300 Pts.

Capt. Kenny Sexton, Free Style, 300 Points

  • Virginia Beach Invitational, 2nd Place, 300 Pts.

Capt. Jimmy Horning, Hog Wild, 300 Points

  • Dare County Boat Builders Tournament, 2nd Place, 300 Pts.

Capt. Anthony Materese, Jr. Reel Chaos, 300 Points

  • Huk Big Fish Classic, 2nd Place, 300 Pts.

Capt. Wade Fickling, The General, 300 Points

  • Pirate’s Cove Billfish Tournament, 2nd Place, 300 Pts.

Capt. Mike Merritt, Sandra D, 300 Points

  • Alice Kelly Memorial Tournament, 2nd Place, 300 Pts.

Capt. Jon Duffie, Billfisher, 300 Points

  • Ocean City Marlin Club Labor Day White Marlin Tournament, 2nd Place, 300 Pts.

Capt. Grant Bentley, Home Run, 100 Points

  • Bohicket Marina Invitational Billfish Tournament, 3rd Place, 100 Pts.

Capt. Bull Tolson, Sea Toy, 100 Points

  • Hatteras Village Offshore Open, 3rd Place, 100 Pts.

Capt. Kevin Overstreet, Tighten Up, 100 Points

  • Georgetown Blue Marlin Tournament, 3rd Place, 100 Pts.

Capt. Ryan Riggs, Full Pull, 100 Points

  • The Big Rock, 3rd Place, 100 Pts.

Capt. Miles Herring, Glazed, 100 Points

  • Carolina Billfish Classic, 3rd Place, 100 Pts.

Capt. Stephen Davis, Bench Mark, 100 Points

  • Edisto Invitational Billfish Tournament, 3rd Place, 100 Pts.

Capt. Harvey Shiflet, Anticipation, 100 Points

  • Virginia Beach Invitational, 3rd Place, 100 Pts.

Capt. Chris Kubik, Point Runner, 100 Points

  • Dare County Boat Builders Tournament, 3rd Place, 100 Pts.

Capt. Barry Daniels, Skirt Chaser, 100 Points

  • Pirate’s Cove Billfish Tournament, 3rd Place, 100 Pts.

Capt. Todd Smith, Triple S, 100 Points

  • Alice Kelly Memorial Tournament, 3rd Place, 100 Pts.

Capt. Rob Mahoney, Tar Heel, 100 Points

  • White Marlin Open, 3rd Place Release, 100 Pts.

Capt. Daniel Davis, Katherine Anne, 100 Points

  • Virginia Beach Billfish Tournament, 3rd Place, 100 Pts.

Capt. Zack Adams, Voodoo Child, 100 Points

  • Ocean City Marlin Club Labor Day White Marlin Tournament, 3rd Place, 100 Pts.

2019 AIRMAR East Coast Division Captain of the Year

Ryan Knapp scaled e1578076443752

Capt. Ryan Knapp, Top Dog, 1000 Total Points

Hatteras Village Offshore Open, 1st Place, 500 Pts.
The Big Rock, Heaviest Marlin 914-pounds, 500 Pts.

Just a young pup at 29, Capt. Ryan Knapp has packed a lot of experience into his short career. Knapp’s grandfather and uncle had offshore boats while he was growing up and he says that, “I was always the one who wanted to go do it! My grandfather really encouraged me, and I was pretty much attached to him at the ankle. I grew up on the western shore of Maryland so we fished a of Chesapeake Bay and Ocean City stuff.”

Like a lot of aspiring mates, Knapp got his first paying job as mate on Joe Riley’s famous headboat, Muff Diver. “It was a big pink headboat and you couldn’t miss it. It’s not an easy job working on a headboat, but you could make it work if you are willing to do whatever it takes to keep the people happy. You really have to love doing it to be successful. When Riley finally retired at the age of 70, he said to me, Ryan, you are my last protégé, do me proud. I still think about that a lot and try to live up to his expectations.”

Knapp earned his AIRMAR East Coast Captain of the Year designation with two impressive first-place wins in the Big Rock and Hatteras Village open, so you could say that North Carolina has been very good to Knapp and his team. “I definitely got zoned in on where the fish were going to be in North Carolina this year. By the time I left the state, we were 12 for 12 on blue marlin bites and found every one of those fish in 80.5 F water. I got tuned into a few things, but I really just paid attention and did my job,” says Knapp.

Success, however, didn’t come quick or easy for his team. “I’ve fished The Big Rock for six years…and before last year, we’ve had just one bite in six years. It wasn’t that we weren’t in the zone, we just didn’t get the opportunities. You really are hunting unicorns out there sometimes.” “Five years into it and we still hadn’t caught one. At the end of the tournament my boss walks up and thanks us for all our hard work and tells us what a great tournament it’s been. Now that’s the guy you want to work for…a guy who will do what it takes to succeed.”

That perseverance paid off in spades this past year. “The Hatteras Village Open was awesome for us. The last day of fishing we saw five blues, caught three and killed one. We saw all the fish just 27 miles from the slip. It was truly an amazing day. All of the fish were 400-plus pounds and it was just amazing to see that many blue marlin in one day so close to home. It seemed like we would catch one, head up sea for a bit, turn around, catch another one, head up sea and do it again,” says Knapp.

Knapp’s first mate, Phillip “Moonpie” Williams is only a few years older than he is, but the team has been working together for the same set of owners on the same boat for the last four and half years. “We’ve been very fortunate to have worked together all this time…it makes for a good atmosphere and we are a very family-oriented team,” says Knapp. “The boat is owned by two brothers, Todd and Kyle Dickerson, and since one of them was a police officer, most of our fishing guests consist of fire fighters and police officers. We have a small group of about ten guys that rotate through, so that’s a good thing as well. It keeps things fairly consistent.” Knapp says that keeping an upbeat attitude is important for any boat’s success, whether fishing in a tournament or just for fun. “I never want to come home from a day’s fishing and have someone onboard that’s mad or upset about something; that’s the exact opposite of what a day’s fishing is supposed to bring.”

“I would like to thank everyone along the way who made me into what I am today. It’s very gratifying to win this award at such a young age. It’s really what you do all this for…you want to try to be the best and the one to beat,” says Knapp. “When I get to be an old man, I want the guys to head out the grounds and find me already sitting there when they pull up. Then I want them to say, ‘Shit! We aren’t going to catch anything today… Ryan’s going to catch them all!’ Bull Tolsen was that guy for me.”

LOS SUENOS INTERNATIONAL DIVISION

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Winner: Capt. Jason Parker, Reel Steel, 1550 Points

  • Bermuda Billfish Blast, 1st Place, 500 Pts.
  • Bermuda Big Game Classic, 2nd Place, 300 Pts.
  • Sea Horse Anglers Club Tournament, 1st Place, 500 Pts.
  • Bermuda Triple Crown Champion, 250 Pts.

Capt. Russell Sinclair, Wave Paver, 1550 Points

  • White Marlin Roundup, 1st Place, 500 Pts.
  • Production vs Custom Shootout, 1st Place, 500 Pts.
  • Abaco Diamond Series Champion, 250 Pts.
  • Scrub Island Invitational, 2nd Place, 300 Pts.

Capt. Greg DiStefano, El Suertudo, 1500 Points

  • Bisbee’s East Cape Offshore Tournament, Heaviest Marlin 381 lbs, 500 Pts.
  • Los Cabos Billfish Tournament, 1st Place, 500 Pts.
  • Bisbee’s Black & Blue, 1st Place, 500 Pts.

Capt. Ben Horning, Fish Tank, 1050 Points

  • Los Suenos Signature Series, Leg 1, 1st Place, 500 Pts.
  • Los Suenos Signature Series, Leg 2, 2nd Place, 300 Pts.
  • Los Suenos Series Champion, 250 Pts.

Capt. Ed Dwyer, Bear Trap, 800 Points

  • Custom Shootout, 2nd Place, 300 Pts.
  • Baker’s Bay Invitational, 1st Place, 500 Pts.

Capt. Bryce Garvey, Flyer, 800 Points

  • Bermuda Big Game Classic, 1st Place, 500 Pts.
  • Sea Horse Anglers Club Tournament, 2nd Place, 300 Pts.

Capt. Dan Lewis, Tag Team, 800 Points

  • Bisbee’s East Cape Offshore Tournament, 2nd Place, 300 Pts.
  • Bisbee’s Los Cabos Offshore Tournament, 1st Place, 500 Pts.

Capt. Victor “Pia” Ceballos, The King and I, 800 Points

  • Los Suenos Signature Series, Leg 1, 2nd Place, 300 Pts.
  • El Salvador International Billfish Tournament, 1st Place, 500 Pts.

Capt. Brooks Smith, Uno Mas, 600 Points

  • Los Suenos Signature Series, Leg 3, 1st Place, 500 Pts.
  • Scrub Island Invitational, 3rd Place, 100 Pts.

Capt. Tony Carrizosa, Team Galati, 500 Points

  • Los Suenos Signature Series, Leg 2, 1st Place, 500 Pts.

Capt. John Brennan, Game Plan, 500 Points

  • Quepos Billfish Cup, 1st Place, 500 Pts.

Capt. Brent Gaskill, Builder’s Choice, 500 Points

  • Marina Casa de Campo Open, 1st Place, 500 Pts.

Capt. Robert Helms, Que Mas, 500 Points

  • Production vs. Custom Shootout, Heaviest Marlin 526 lbs, 500 Pts.

Capt. Simon Gonzales, Spanish Fly, 500 Points

  • The Masters Tournament, 1st Place, 500 Pts.

Capt. Jerry Owens, Electric Bill, 500 Points

  • Custom Shootout, 1st Place, 500 Pts.

Capt. BC Angel, Sea Angel, 500 Points

  • Bermuda Billfish Blast, Heaviest Marlin 509 lbs, 500 Pts.

Capt. Howard Williams, Sorted, 500 Points

  • World Cup, 1st Place, 500 Pts.

Capt. Rob Moore, Fa La Me, 500 Points

  • Bermuda Billfish Release Cup, 1st Place, 500 Pts.

Capt. Peter Rans, Overproof, 500 Points

  • Bermuda Big Game Classic, Heaviest Marlin 697 lbs, 500 Pts.

Capt. Danny Hearn, Blank Check, 500 Points

  • Sea Horse Anglers Club Tournament, Heaviest Marlin 666 lbs, 500 Pts.

Capt. TJ Dobson, Second Wind, 500 Points

  • Bisbee’s East Cape Offshore Tournament, 1st Place, 500 Pts.

Capt. Jeffrey Rosado, Lady Abi, 500 Points

  • International Billfish Tournament of San Juan, 1st Place, 500 Pts.

 Capt. Shane O’Brien, Wild Hooker, 500 Points

  • Los Cabos Billfish Tournament, Heaviest Marlin, 440 lbs, 500 Pts.

Capt. Roberto Castro, Marlini, 500 Points

  • Bisbee’s Los Cabos Offshore Tournament, Heaviest Marlin, 468 lbs, 500 Pts.

Capt. Jarrad Croes, Energy, 500 Points

  • Aruba Caribbean Cup, 1st Place, 500 Pts.

Capt. Victor Julio, Tranquilo, 500 Points

  • Bisbee’s Black & Blue, Heaviest Marlin 577 lbs, 500 Pts.

Capt. David Dalfo, Mon Chari, 500 Points

  • Scrub Island Invitational, 1st Place, 500 Pts.

Capt. Jim Werling, Plane Simple, 400 Points

  • White Marlin Roundup, 2nd Place, 300 Pts.
  • Baker’s Bay Invitational, 3rd Place, 100 Pts.

Capt. Michael Tickle, Waste Knot, 400 Points

  • Bermuda Billfish Blast, 2nd Place, 300 Pts.
  • Bermuda Big Game Classic, 3rd Place, 100 Pts.

Capt. Irving Irausquin, Hey Chama, 400 Points

  • Los Suenos Signature Series, Leg 3, 3rd Place, 100 Pts.
  • Aruba Caribbean Cup, 2nd Place, 300 Pts.

Capt. Carl Schloderler, Pelagic Magic, 300 Points

  • Quepos Billfish Cup, 2nd Place, 300 Pts.

Capt. Eddie Wheeler, Cabana, 300 Points

  • Marina Casa de Campo, 2nd Place, 300 Pts.

Capt. Ronnie Fields, Big Oh, 300 Points

  • Los Suenos Signature Series, Leg 3, 300 Pts.

Capt. Lance Hightower, Vaquero, 300 Points

  • The Masters Tournament, 2nd Place, 300 Pts.

Capt. Chris Kaulin Marlin Darlin, 300 Points

  • Baker’s Bay Invitational, 2nd Place, 300 Pts.

Capt. Scott Adams, Viking 80, 300 Points

  • Production vs. Custom Shootout, 2nd Place, 300 Pts.

Capt. Michael Farrens, Just a Dog, 300 Points

  • Bermuda Billfish Release Cup, 2nd Place, 300 Pts.

Capt. Manuel Rodriguez, Pink Lady, 300 Points

  • International Billfish Tournament of San Juan, 2nd Place, 300 Pts.

Capt. Vincente Bojorquez, Sneak Attack, 300 Points

  • Los Cabos Billfish Tournament, 2nd Place, 300 Pts.

Capt. Brett Eller, Overtime, 300 Points

  • Bisbee’s Los Cabos Offshore Tournament, 2nd Place, 300 Pts.

Capt. Edward Noonan, Chupacabra, 300 Points

  • Bisbee’s Black & Blue, 2nd Place, 300 Pts.

Capt. Mike Sheeder, Intensity, 300 Points

  • El Salvador International Billfish Tournament, 2nd Place, 300 Pts.

Capt. Edward Murray, Auspicious, 200 Points

  • Marina Casa de Campo Open, 3rd Place, 100 Pts.
  • Bermuda Billfish Blast, 3rd Place, 100 Pts.

Capt. Rich Hamilton, Quitena 200 Points

  • Bisbee’s Los Cabos Offshore Tournament, 3rd Place, 100 Pts.
  • Bisbee’s Black & Blue, 3rd Place, 100 Pts.

Capt. Chris Workmon, Reel Pushy, 100 Points

  • Los Suenos Signature Series, Leg 1, 3rd Place, 100 Pts.

Capt. John Bayliss, Tarheel, 100 Points

  • Los Suenos Signature Series, Leg 2, 3rd Place, 100 Pts.

Capt. Cleyner Ruiz, Gallo Pinto, 100 Points

  • Quepos Billfish Cup, 3rd Place, 100 Pts.

Capt. Kevin Paul, Lo Que Sea, 100 Points

  • White Marlin Roundup, 3rd Place, 100 Pts.

Capt. Luis Hernandez, Crush Em, 100 Points

  • The Masters Tournament, 3rd Place, 100 Pts.

Capt. Gene Lebron, Three Times L, 100 Points

  • Custom Shooutout, 3rd Place, 100 Pts.

Capt. Tucker Colquhoun, Special Situation, 100 Points

  • Production vs. Custom Shootout, 3rd Place, 100 Pts.

Capt. Will Thornhill, Mama Who, 100 Points

  • Bermuda Billfish Release Cup, 3rd Place, 100 Pts.

Capt. Brian Rabbit, Big Deal, 100 Points

  • Sea Horse Anglers Club Tournament 3rd Place, 100 Pts.

Capt. David Palos, Carajos, 100 Points

  • Bisbee’s East Cape Offshore Tournament, 3rd Place, 100 Pts.

Capt. Alex Oben, Fishing Tales, 100 Points

  • International Billfish Tournament of San Juan, 3rd Place, 100 Pts.

Capt. Dylan Kerwin, Buenaventura, 100 Points

  • Los Cabos Billfish Tournament, 3rd Place, 100 Pts.

Capt. Bincho Mansur, Naira, 100 Points

  • Aruba Caribbean Cup, 3rd Place, 100 Pts.

Capt. Nasry Arguedas, Monique, 100 Points

  • El Salvador International Billfish Tournament, 3rd Place, 100 Pts.

2019 International Division Captain of the Year

Jason Parker cover 1 1

Capt. Jason Parker, Reel Steel, 1550 Total Points

Bermuda Billfish Blast, 1st Place, 500 Pts.
Bermuda Big Game Classic, 2nd Place, 300 Pts.
Sea Horse Anglers Club Tournament, 1st Place, 500 Pts.
Bermuda Triple Crown Champion, 250 Pts.

Everybody loves Bermuda. It’s just that Capt. Jason Parker on the 66-foot Hines Farley, Reel Steel, has a few more reasons to like it than most. After three straight years of fishing the Bermuda summer tournament season, and doing fairly well, the team exploded in 2019, taking two first place finishes and a second to take home the Bermuda Triple Crown Championship trophy. This impressive performance against some of our sport’s toughest competition earned Capt. Jason Parker the Top Captain of the Year in the Los Sueños International Division.

“We had a really good season,” says Parker. “I couldn’t be any happier. In Bermuda, we were just regular lure fishing. I’d like to say we were doing something different, but we just made the most of our opportunities and luck was on our side. We prefer to bait fish, we are primarily dead bait fishermen, light-tackle guys, but we can adapt to whatever. I used some of my friend’s experience and knowledge when I first came to Bermuda.

Since it was more of a lure fishing place, I relied on guys like Andy Moyes to help us a bit. But we know to lure fish and we went out there and lure fished and had three good seasons with this last year being the best of it. I had a good crew – Drake Cooper – and a good angler, my owner, Mike Verzaleno. I wish I could say I’m the greatest and all that, but that’s just not the case. It was a really cool experience for us though, grinding it out every day and just doing what we know works.”

Parker started his sea-going career fishing out of Ocean City, Maryland. “I met Chris Bowie [the young mate who lost his life while wiring a blue marlin] and he kind of showed me the ropes, introduced me to the right people,” says Parker. “He also taught me how to act and carry yourself in this business. Work hard, keep a clean head, and do it because you love to do it.

That’s the number one thing…you really got to love it. Fishing is the reward for all the waxing and cleaning and being away from home. You’re not here to have a party every day.” Being away from home makes up a large part big game sportfishing these days and Parker says he owes a lot of his success to his wife. “I really owe a lot to my wife. She’s a very trusting person. She takes care of everything at home which allows me to do my job to my best ability. We have been married now for almost 20 years, and we are a team. She gets the crappy end of the stick because she’ll be eating at home alone while we are all out at nice restaurant
somewhere. If I had to worry about paying the bills or worrying about her being happy every five minutes, I could not do what I do.”

Parker is also lucky in his working life…he says he’s never worked for someone that wasn’t a really nice guy. “I always believe that if you are a good person, then good things will come to you. I’ve been lucky to work with some really great owners,” says Parker. “Sean Healey, who owned the 84-foot Bayliss, Orion, was a dream of a guy who took us all down to fish in Costa Rica. I also worked a season up in Massachusetts giant tuna fishing with Cookie Murray. I passed up a chance to fish in Venezuela to take that job, but I’d still do it again,” he says.

“Maybe they will open up Venezuela again someday.” Parker says his favorite place to fish is wherever they are biting, but he has a special affinity for Bermuda because “there’s a chance to see some really big ones!” Parker also likes fishing around Ocean City and really likes Isla Mujeres, Mexico. “Isla’s a lot of fun for us…we are going back in mid-January for six weeks or so. I like a lot of other places too; my list is probably the
same as everybody else’s.”

Parker says he’s very reluctant to accept any accolades, but he’s grateful for the recognition. “I know that there a lot of really great captains and mates out there who don’t fish a lot of tournaments who deserve to be recognized as well,” he says.

FURUNO GULF COAST DIVISION

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Winner: Capt. Jason Buck, Done Deal, 2100 Points

  • Cajun Canyons Billfish Classic, 2nd Place, 300 Pts.
  • Emerald Coast Blue Marlin Classic, 2nd Place, 300 Pts.
  • Texas Billfish Classic, 1st Place, 500 Pts.
  • Lone Star Shootout, 1st Place, 500 Pts.
  • New Orleans Invitational, 1st Place, 500 Pts.

Capt. Robbie Doggett, Relentless Pursuit, 1350 Points

  • Orange Beach Billfish Classic, Heaviest Marlin 658.2 lbs, 500 Pts.
  • Mississippi Gulf Coast Billfish Classic, 1st Place, 500 Pts.
  • Gulf Coast Triple Crown Champion, 250 Pts.
  • Lone Star Shootout, 3rd Place, 100 Pts.

Capt. Jeff Shoults, Mollie, 1000 Points

  • Orange Beach Billfish Classic, 1st Place, 500 Pts.
  • MBGFC Memorial Day Tournament, 1st Place, 500 Pts.

Capt. Chris Hood, It Just Takes Time, 800 Points

  • MBGFC Memorial Day Tournament, 2nd Place, 300 Pts.
  • Emerald Coast Blue Marlin Classic, Heaviest Marlin 574 lbs, 500 Pts.

Capt. Brad Shcoenfeld, Amigo, 700 Points

  • Texas Billfish Classic, 3rd Place, 100 Pts.
  • Texas Billfish Classic, Heaviest Marlin 643 lbs, 500 Pts.
  • Texas Legends Billfish Tournament, 3rd Place, 100 Pts.

Capt. Jimmy Crochet, Restless Ladies, 600 Points

  • MBGFC Ladies Tournament, 3rd Place, 100 Pts.
  • White Marlin Shootout, 1st Place, 500 Pts.

Capt. Mike Rowell, Annie Girl, 500 Points

  • MBGFC Memorial Day Tournament, Heaviest Marlin 699.2 lbs, 500 Pts.

Capt. Joey Birbeck, You Never Know!, 500 Points

  • Cajun Canyons Billfish Classic, 1st Place, 500 Pts.

Capt. Scooter Porter, Fleur de Lis, 500 Points

  • Cajun Canyons Billfish Classic, Heaviest Marlin 602.7  lbs, 500 Pts.

Capt. Clayt James, Chasin Tail, 500 Points

  • Emerald Coast Blue Marlin Classic, 1st Place, 500 Pts.

Capt. Clint Daws, Fabricator, 500 Points

  • Pensacola International Billfish Tournament, 1st Place

Capt. Robert Jones, Bimini Babe, 500 Points

  • Lone Star Shootout, Heaviest Marlin 514.5 lbs, 500 Pts.

Capt. Matt McDonald, Breathe Easy, 500 Points

  • MBGFC Ladies Tournament, 1st Place, 500 Pts.

Capt. KT Scott, Backlash, 500 Points

  • Texas Legends Billfish Tournament, 1st Place, 500 Pts.

Capt. Terrell Miller, Sigsbee, 500 Points

  • Texas International Fishing Tournament, 1st Place, 500 Pts.

Capt. Brian Phillips, Smooth Move, 500 Points

  • Texas Woman Anglers Tournament, 1st Place, 500 Pts.

Capt. Zach Gueldner, Sashimi, 400 Points

  • Texas Legends Billfish Tournament, 2nd Place, 300 Pts.
  • Texas International Fishing Tournament, 3rd Place, 100 Pts.

Capt. Chris Blanchet, Reel Fire, 300 Points

  • Orange Beach Billfish Classic, 2nd Place, 300 Pts.

Capt. Leslie Van Norman, Easy Rider II, 300 Points

  • Mississippi Gulf Coast Billfish Classic, 2nd Place, 300 Pts.

Capt. Shawn Clemons, Breathe Reel Deep, 300 Points

  • Pensacola International Billfish Tournament, 2nd Place, 300 Pts.

Capt. Anthony Lopez, Bali Ha’i, 300 Points

  • Texas Billfish Classic, 2nd Place, 300 Pts.

Capt. Randal Gaines, Pandemonium, 300 Points

  • Lone Star Shootout, 2nd Place, 300 Pts.

Capt. Andy Yarborough, Pearl, 300 Points

  • MBGFC Ladies Tournament, 2nd Place, 300 Pts.

Capt. Jimmy Goode, All In, 300 Points

  • Texas International Fishing Tournament, 2nd Place, 300 Pts.

Capt. Justin Bunch, Miss Remy, 300 Points

  • New Orleans Invitational, 2nd Place, 300 Pts.

Capt. Justin Drummond, Sancha, 300 Points

  • Texas Woman Anglers Tournament, 2nd Place, 300 Pts.

Capt. Devin Potts, Sea Mixer, 300 Points

  • White Marlin Shootout, 2nd Place, 300 Pts.

Capt. Myles Colley, Born 2 Run, 100 Points

  • Orange Beach Billfish Classic, 3rd Place, 100 Pts.

Capt. Mitch Latoff III, Salty Dog, 100 Points

  • MBGFC Memorial Day Tournament, 3rd Place, 100 Pts.

Capt. JJ Tabor, Double J, 100 Points

  • Cajun Canyons Billfish Classic, 3rd Place, 100 Pts.

Capt. Brennan Moore, Pullin Wire, 100 Points

  • Mississippi Gulf Coast Billfish Classic, 3rd Place, 100 Pts.

Capt. Bo Keough, Southern Charm, 100 Points

  • Emerald Coast Blue Marlin Classic, 3rd Place, 100 Pts.

Capt. Travis Boyd, Summetime Blues, 100 Points

  • Pensacola International Billfish Tournament, 3rd Place, 100 Pts.

Capt. Matt Abraham, Contrapption, 100 Points

  • New Orleans Invitational, 3rd Place, 100 Pts.

Capt. Nick Knoepflein, Quicktime, 100 Points

  • White Marlin Shootout, 3rd Place, 100 Pts.

2019 Furuno Gulf Coast Division Captain of the Year

Jason Buck

Capt. Jason Buck, Done Deal, 2100 Total Points

Cajun Canyons Billfish Classic, 2nd Place, 300 Pts.
Emerald Coast Blue Marlin Classic, 2nd Place, 300 Pts.
Texas Billfish Classic, 1st Place, 500 Pts.
Lone Star Shootout, 1st Place, 500 Pts.
New Orleans Invitational, 1st Place, 500 Pts.
*This represents Buck’s 4th win in the Furuno Gulf Coast Captain of the Year: 2014, 2017, 2018, 2019.

Well, if you’ve spent anytime fishing tournaments in the Gulf of Mexico for the last six years or so, the names Jason Buck and Done Deal have probably been permanently etched into your brain—and your wallet. Buck and his team are a veritable winning machine; this is Buck’s fourth Captain of the Year award since 2014, and he’s won the last three years in a row.

“We’ve definitely been a roll,” says Buck. “Some of it was lucking into good fishing, but a lot of our success comes down to doing your homework and scouting. That was especially true for the Texas Billfish Classic this year. We fished a tournament on the way over there and we caught six blues and white on the way over. We stuck to that to that discipline of scouting, and the last place we ended up we got crushed by a great blue marlin bite and I said, ‘All right, I know where I’m going back to!’”

“We started fishing in tighter as well. I felt we were passing up a lot of fish by fishing way out wide just so that we could be all by ourselves. I threw that strategy out the window and said that if we think it looks good right out front, then that’s what we are going to fish. We ran 70 miles offshore, which in the Texas is really close, found good water and caught our fish.”

Buck grew up on the Gulf Coast, fishing with his Dad and his friends on a company-owned 46-Hatteras. He often dreamed about those trips and by the time he was teenager, he managed to work a couple of summers on the docks of Orange Beach, Alabama, making the 45-mile trek from his hometown of Fairhope, Alabama to work for free.

“One of the guys I was working for free for was a very professional guy. I could tell he had it together, and I was really impressed with him, so I asked him how I should go about making fishing a career. He said that he’d gone into the Coast Guard and then worked on charter boats during his days off. So that’s what I did. I joined the Coast Guard, and my second duty station was Venice, Louisiana. I got a job running a charter boat catching tunas on my days off and that was that! You get to see a lot of cool stuff happening offshore in Venice!”

Buck’s first captain’s job was on the 65-foot Placebo, which took him to the Turks and Caicos, Costa Rica, and the Panama. While he was in Panama, he started talking to his present owner, Jon Gonsoulin. After a year of talking, Buck jumped ship and came to work for him. Eleven years later and the team is still together.

“After a brief Central American tour, for the past six years we mostly stayed at home and fished the Gulf tournaments,” says Buck. “It’s been working out good pretty for us! I think Jon might have been ready to quit in 2017…he was at least thinking about it. But we won the World Cup and a number of others that year, winning something like $1.5 million or so. So, he was like, maybe we should keep doing this! It’s hard work fishing these Gulf tournaments back to back to back…I’m just glad my guys are ate up with blue marlin fishing and the competition!”

Buck attributes a lot of his success to his world-class team of anglers and mates. “Katy Gonsoulin is our main angler. She’s also a crew member. A lot of this operation revolves around her. She’s caught a 535 after a five-hour fight, and the year before she fought a fish for that was tail wrapped for eight hours. She can catch them plenty quick too, she caught a 740-pounder in an hour and 15 minutes. It’s really great to see a cute, 100-pound girl standing next to a giant blue marlin. She’s a big inspiration to the little girls around here…she’s like the Katy Perry of sportfishing on the Gulf Coast,” says Buck.

“Wilkes Hammock is another one of our great anglers who fills in sometimes, and I’d also like to thank my mates Scott Sullivan, Vick Lott and especially Nick Bovell. I can’t say enough good things about Nick. We had a good operation before Nick, but his experience, attitude and work ethic just took us to whole new level. There’s never any drama with that guy,” says Buck.

CONTENDER FLORIDA DIVISION

Contender Logo

Winner: Capt. Nick Carullo, Showtime, 1250 Points

  • Final Sail, 1st Place, 500 Pts.
  • Quest for the Crest Champion, 250 Pts.
  • Dust ‘Em Off Sailfish Warmup, 1st Place, 500 Pts.

Capt. Ryan Alexander, HellReyzer, 800 Points

  • Islamorada Fishing Club’s Sailfish Tournament, 1st Place, 500 Pts.
  • Cheeca Lodge Sailfish Tournament, 2nd Place, 300 Pts.

Capt. Art Sapp, Native Son, 800 Points

  • Silver Sailfish Derby, 2nd Place, 300 Pts.
  • Sailfish Challenge, 1st Place, 500 Pts.

Capt. Wink Doerzbacher, Showtime!, 500 Points

  • Gold Cup Team Fishing Tournament, 1st Place, 500 Pts.

Capt. David Grubbs, Grand Slam, 500 Points

  • Pelican Yacht Club Invitational, 1st Place, 500 Pts.

Capt. Joe Garberoglio, Fragrant Harbor, 500 Points

  • Silver Sailfish Derby, 1st Place, 500 Pts.

Capt. Luis Coll, Utopia, 500 Points

  • Operation Sailfish, 1st Place, 500 Pts.

Capt. KJ Zeher, De-Bait-able, 500 Points

  • Buccaneer Cup, 1st Place, 500 Pts.

Capt. Marty Lewis, Main Attraction, 500 Points

  • Cheeca Lodge Sailfish Tournament, 1st Place, 500 Pts.

Capt. Jerry Pohl, Seraphim, 500 Points

  • Jimmy Johnson Quest for the Ring, 1st Place, 500 Pts.

Capt. Craig Clark, Mr. Grinch, 500 Points

  • Viking Key West Fishing Challenge, 1st Place, 500 Pts.

Capt. Glenn Cameron, Floridian, 500 Points

  • Fish Heads of Stuart, “The Quickie”, 1st Place, 500 Pts.

Capt. Jon Meade, Showtime!, 500 Points

  • Pirate’s Cove Sailfish Classic, 1st Place, 500 Pts.

Capt. KC Spaulding, Caribsea, 500 Points

  • Islamorada Sailfish Tournament, 1st Place, 500 Pts.

Capt. John Dudas, Sandman, 400 Points

  • Buccaneer Cup, 3rd Place, 100 Pts.
  • Jimmy Johnson Quest for the Ring, 2nd Place, 300 Pts.

Capt. Robert Collins, Last Dance, 350 Points

  • Islamorada Fishing Club’s Sailfish Tournament, 3rd Place, 100 Pts.
  • Florida Keys Gold Cup Series Champion, 250 Pts.

Capt. Andy Ford, Wrapped Up, 300 Pts.

  • Gold Cup Team Fishing Tournament, 2nd Place, 300 Pts.

Capt. Mike Brady, Cowpoke, 300 Points

  • Pelican Yacht Club Invitational, 2nd Place, 300 Pts.

Capt. John Hagen, MDALA, 300 Points

  • Operation Sailfish, 2nd Place, 300 Pts.

Capt. Jamie Ralph, Old No. 7, 300 Points

  • Buccaneer Cup, 2nd Place, 300 Pts.

Capt. TBA, Cloud Nine, 300 Points

  • Islamorada Fishing Club’s Sailfish Tournament, 2nd Place, 300 Pts.

Capt. Matt Alligood, Good Call, 300 Points

  • Sailfish Challenge, 2nd Place, 300 Pts.

Capt. Quinton Dieterle, Contender One, 300 Points

  • Final Sail, 2nd Place, 300 Pts.

Capt. Ben Sharpe, Gypsea, 300 Points

  • Viking Key West Fishing Challenge, 2nd Place, 300 Pts.

Capt. Gene Lebron, Three Times L, 300 Points

  • Dust ‘Em Off Sailfish Warmup, 2nd Place, 300 Pts.

Capt. Hans Kraaz, Jr., Vintage, 300 Points

  • Fish Heads of Stuart “The Quickie”, 2nd Place, 300 Pts.

Capt. Pat Price, Wrapped Up, 300 Points

  • Pirate’s Cove Sailfish Classic, 2nd Place, 300 Pts.

Capt. Brian Cone, Contagious, 300 Points

  • Islamorada Sailfish Tournament, 2nd Place, 300 Pts.

Capt. Rhett Bailey, Intents, 200 Points

  • Fish Heads of Stuart, “The Quickie”, 3rd Place, 100 Pts.
  • Pirate’s Cove Sailfish Classic, 3rd Place, 100 Pts.

Capt. Kevin Paul, Lo Que Sea, 100 Points

  • Gold Cup Team Fishing Tournament, 3rd Place, 100 Pts.

Capt. Josh “JD” Chaney, Champagne Lady, 100 Points

  • Pelican Yacht Club Invitational, 3rd Place, 100 Pts.

Capt. Joe Ferrulle, Sparhawk, 100 Points

  • Silver Sailfish Derby, 3rd Place, 100 Pts.

Capt. Mike Riseley, Kluch/Reel Easy, 100 Points

  • Operation Sailfish, 3rd Place, 100 Pts.

Capt. Travis Dicken, Indigenous, 100 Points

  • Cheeca Lodge Sailfish Tournament, 3rd Place, 100 Pts.

Capt. John McIntyre, Kluch/Reel Easy, 100 Points

  • Sailfish Challenge, 3rd Place, 100 Pts.

Capt. Raul Gonzalez, Bar South, 100 Points

  • Jimmy Johnson Quest for the Ring, 3rd Place, 100 Pts.

Capt. Travis Ralph, Reel Captivating, 100 Points

  • Final Sail, 3rd Place, 100 Pts.

Capt. Kevin Dunn, Ragin Cajun, 100 Points

  • Viking Key West Fishing Challenge, 3rd Place, 100 Pts.

Capt. Evan Hamilton, Pharma-Sea, 100 Points

  • Dust ‘Em Off Sailfish Warmup, 3rd Place, 100 Pts.

Capt. Rob Dixon, Challenger, 100 Points

  • Islamorada Sailfish Tournament, 3rd Place, 100 Pts.

2019 Contender Florida Division Captain of the Year

Nick Carullo photo courtesy AH360 Photography

Photo courtesy AH360 Photography

Capt. Nick Carullo, Showtime1,250 Total Points

Final Sail, 1st Place, 500 Pts.
Quest for the Crest Champion, 250 Pts.
Dust ‘Em Off Sailfish Warmup, 1st Place, 500 Pts.

Like many of the South Florida tournament headliners, Captain Nick Carullo takes bait fishing and preparation nearly as seriously as he does catching sailfish. Leading a high powered team that cruises around on a boat powered by 1400 horsepower, Carullo details all that goes into creating a successful kite fishing campaign.

“A lot goes into bait catching and prep work. Quality bait can be the key to catching one or two more fish than your competition,” Carullo says. His preferred arsenal includes goggle eyes, threadfin herring and sardines. “We have our bait pins at the dock. We dip baits into and out of the pin one at a time. Generally, baits will be penned up anywhere from three to six weeks before the tournament. They are fed every day.”

When traveling to fish a tournament in Palm Beach or elsewhere, bait transport is a major undertaking. “For tournaments, we like to have about 150 white baits—threadfin and sardines—per day. For goggle eyes, we try to have about 70 per day. You always want to have more in case of die off. When we travel, we bring 400 herring, 200-300 sardines, and 200 gogs. The boat has three wells, but we bring two 100-gallon wells on deck that are removable. Each of these can hold 150 baits.”

“In the average year, we’ll spend more time bait fishing than fishing for sailfish,” Carullo says. This investment of time, resources and care for the bait has paid off in spades. “For your average tournament, we’ll generally fish the weekend before and the two days prior to the tournament. This allows us to scout the area and know what’s going on.”

How does Carullo’s time prefishing tournaments compare to his investment in bait fishing? “We generally spend between four and eight days bait fishing for each tournament. It’s a constant struggle to keep the bait perfect.”

Given the many moving parts and the sizable nature of the investment of time and resources that goes into keeping everything tournament ready, having a committed group is very important. The Showtime’s tournament team consists of angler Joe Fernandez (owner), Frankie Villasante, Sarah Melia, and Doug Mientkiewicz. Manning the cockpit are James Clear, Kyle Sherman and Jorge Corzo. The team’s tournament line up is rounded out by Jason Spiewak on the camera.

While this is Nick’s first year at the helm of the Showtime, he has fished with the mates for a long time. “Great chemistry and knowing what everyone is doing in different situations, without having to talk about it is very important. The chemistry comes into play when we are setting up on a free jumper, switching from a kite to a flat line or resetting on a fish with the kites out,” Carullo explains.

His approach to catching sailfish with the kites is one that accounts for a variety of variables. “Covering the right depths with the kites, especially as it relates to the wind is important. You want to stagger your kites so that the baits will cover different depths. Some people will deploy their kites so that all their baits are on the same depth profile,” says Nick.

Nick’s south Florida roots runs deep. He grew up in Miami fishing with his father. After cutting his teeth on his father’s small boat snapper fishing, he began crewing for one of South Florida’s finest captains. “I worked for Capt. Ray Rosher for three years. It was right after high school and during college. I got my first captain’s job right after working for Ray, when I was 23.”

While Nick has been a consistent name among the leaderboards of the Quest for the Crest Series for the past few years, 2019 was his first year aboard the Showtime. “I’ve know the Joe (the owner of the  Showtime) for ten years. Right before the 2019 season, the owner I was working for pulled out. I called Joe and asked him if he’d like to put a team together at the last minute. He said yes and it’s really worked out for us.”

When asked if there were any moments from the 2019 season that stand out, Nick is circumspect. “The last one… the Dust ‘Em Off Tournament was really special. It was that tournament that wound up winning us the Captain of the Year Award. We were in third place going into the last minute (of the last day) of the tournament. We needed a Hail Mary fish. We hooked the winning fish with 30 seconds left in the tournament,” Carullo recalls. “That fish won us the award.”

“It was a perfect reminder to always fish hard. You really never know how far your can go. If you just always fish hard, and your team is prepared, good things can happen.”

SEA GENIE HAWAII DIVISION

SeaGenie 6x4 Oval copy

Winner: Capt. Teddy Hoogs, Bwana, 1,900 Points

  • 1ST Place Release Points, Skins, 500 Pts.
  • 1st Place Release Points, Lure Maker, 500 Pts.
  • 3rd Place Release Points, Marlin Magic, 100 Pts.
  • 2nd Place Release Points, BIMT, 300 Pts.
  • 1st Place Points, It’s a Wrap, 500 Pts.

Capt. Marlin Parker, Marlin Magic II, 1,600 Points

  • 1st Place Heaviest Marlin (427), Kona Kickoff, 500 Pts.
  • 1st Place Heaviest Marlin (428.5), Kona Throwdown, 500 Pts.
  • 3rd Place Release Points, Skins, 100 Pts.
  • 1st Place Heaviest Marlin (1,035) BIMT, 500 Pts.

Capt. Rob Ellyn, Lightspeed, 1,000 Points

  • 1st Place Release Points, Kona Kick Off, 500 Pts.
  • 1st Place Release Points, Marlin Magic, 500 Pts.

Capt. Tracy Epstein, Last Chance, 900 Points

  • 1st Place Release Points, BIMT, 500 Pts.
  • 2nd Place Release Points, Skins, 300 Pts.
  • 3rd Place Release Points, It’s a Wrap, 100 Pts.

Capt. Shane O’Brien, Strong Persuader, 800 Points

  • 1st Place Release Points, Kona Throwdown 500 Pts.
  • 2nd Place Release Points, It’s a Wrap, 300 Pts.

Capt. McGrew Rice, Ihu Nui, 600 Points

  • 1st Place Release Points, Firecracker, 500 Pts.
  • 3rd Place Release Division, Lure Maker, 100 Pts.

Capt. Kevin Hibbard, 2nd Offense, 600 Points

  • Ist Place, HIBT, 500 Pts.
  • 3rd Place, Wahine, 100 Pts.

Capt. Chuck Wigzell, EZ Pickens, 600 Points

  • 1st Place, Rock and Reel Hawaiian Open, 500 Pts.
  • 3rd Place Release Points, BIMT, 100Pts.

Capt. Sigmund Brown, High Flier, 500 Points

  • Heaviest Blue Marlin (421), Marlin Magic, 500 Pts.
  •  

Capt. Chris Donato, Benchmark, 500 Points

  • 1st Place Heaviest Marlin (517.5), Firecracker, 500 Pts.

Capt. Mike Derego, Maggie Joe, 500 Points

  • 1st Place Heaviest Marlin (684), Wahine, 500 Pts.

Capt. Boyd DeCoito, Foxy Lady, 400 Points

  • 2nd Place Release Points, Firecracker, 300 Pts.
  • 3rd Place, HIBT, 100 Pts.

Capt. Shawn Rotella, Miss Mojo, 300 Points

  • 2nd Place, Rock and Reel Hawaiian Open, 300 Pts.

Capt. Tony Clark, Ihu Nui II, 300 Points

  • 2nd Place Release Points, Kona Kick Off, 300 Pts.

Capt. Randy Parker, Sea Baby, 300 Points

  • 2nd Place Release Points, Marlin Magic, 300 Pts.

Capt. Dave Crawford, Kona Blue, 300 Points

  • 2nd Place Release Points, Kona Throwdown 300 Pts.

Capt.  Cyrus, Honey, 300 Points

  • 2nd Place Lure Maker, 300 Pts.

Capt. Trevor Child, Maverick, 300 Points

  • 2nd Place Wahine, 300 Pts.

Capt. Kevin Nakamaru, Northern Lights II, 300 Points

  • 2nd Place, HIBT, 300 Pts.

Capt. Greg “Stretch” Fogarty, Hula Girl, 100 Points

  • 3rd Place, Rock and Reel Hawaiian Open, 100 Pts.

Capt. Greg Hopkins, Nasty Habit, 100 Points

  • 3rd Place Release Points, Kona Kick Off, 100 Pts.

Capt.  Gene Vanderhoek, Sea Genie II, 100 Points

  • 3rd Place Release Points, Firecracker, 100 Pts.

Capt. Bryan Toney, Melee, 100 Points

  • 3rd Place Release Points, Kona Throwdown, 100 Pts.

2019 Hawaii Division Captain of the Year

Teddy horizontal scaled

By Dave Ferrell

Sea Genie Hawaii Division
Capt. Teddy Hoogs, Bwana, 1,900 Points

1st Place Release Points, Skins, 500 Pts.
1st Place Release Points, Lure Maker, 500 Pts.
3rd Place Release Points, Marlin Magic, 100 Pts.
2nd Place Release Points, BIMT, 300 Pts.
1st Place Points, It’s a Wrap, 500 Pts.

There are few places in the world as steeped in the history of sportfishing as Kailua Kona, Hawaii. The use of the very first outriggers and very first artificial trolling lures for marlin to name just two. It also hosts the world-famous Hoogs family of sportfishing pioneers. Capt. Teddy Hoogs, this year’s winner of the Sea Genie Captain of the Year award grew up fishing the prolific waters of Kona sitting on the lap of his famous father Peter Hoogs, at the helm of the Pamela. “There wasn’t any daycare back then, so there’s a lot of pictures of me sitting on my Dad’s lap while fishing a charter,” says Hoogs.

Now all grown up and a legendary force to be reckoned with in his own right, Hoogs, 38, pilots the 46-foot Gamerfisherman, Bwana, in some of the best blue marlin water in the world. “It was awesome when I found out we were going to get her. She was formerly named Adios, and I was drooling over her the whole time she was on Yacht World. It’s really great to run her here,” says Hoogs.

Hoogs works for owner Craig Lindner Jr., and over the last 11 years, the two have put together a good team of anglers and mates that all work on the same page. Carl Shepard’s been with me for four or five years now, and we had Keith “KJ” Robinson come along when we run two crew. It’s all good vibes with those guys. We are all behind each other 100 percent. We stand behind our choices on the water. We also had Bobby Cherry fill in for a few tournaments this year as well. He’s a captain here in Kona as well, and runs a boat called the Cherry Pit. He’s a good friend and was a good asset for us this year. We made a lot of the right turns this year for sure,” says Hoogs.

Hoogs says that they caught the majority of their fish on lures, but that “we caught one on a live bait during the last tournament. Craig is an excellent angler, and he’s worked hard on our program. He knows when to tease a fish, when to back off the drag and when to put it to them. It’s like having another crewman on the deck,” says Hoogs.

Another thing that Hoogs appreciates about his present owner situation is that he doesn’t have to be out fishing every day to make his living. “I grew up fishing a ton of days on the Pamela. My Dad had to do a lot of fishing to raise a family. With this job, I don’t have to be out there every day now. I’ve got a couple of kids so fishing just 65 days or so a year, the majority of that with Craig, makes it much easier on the family life. I’m still busy keeping the boat up, and I enjoy the fishing all the tournaments in the summer. This arrangement allows me to be here for the kids while they are growing up,” says Hoogs.

Although he’s done the majority of his fishing in Kona, Hoogs quickly learned about the benefits of traveling to different spots and learning the ins and outs of big-game fishing from a variety of different perspectives. “I did six seasons on the Great Barrier Reef in Australia, went to Madeira with Clay Hensley and fished in Ghana, Africa with Alan Stewart. I’ve also done a lot of commercial tuna fishing here in Kona for many years. We get to see plenty of big ones right here at home.”

“I’m very proud to the get the Captain of the Year award,” says Hoogs. “I like catching big marlin and big tuna and I really like tournament fishing…those big fish really get me going. Although, I really don’t mind catching a few little blues during the tournaments; we can catch them fast, get some points, and hopefully win some money!”