Chachalacos Weighs Largest Blue Marlin in Bisbee East Cape Offshore History

Bisbee’s Offshore Tournaments, Aug. 12, 2020—From around the world, 72-teams came to compete in Bisbee’s East Cape Offshore three-day event on the Sea of Cortez for a jackpot of over $1,100,000, breaking three of its records. The Bisbee’s Organization began the 2020 Season during the world-wide COVID-19 Pandemic with the event’s largest turnout, the first time the prize money cracked the million-dollar mark, and the largest blue marlin ever caught in the 21-year history of the East Cape Offshore.

Day one was dominated by 62 billfish released. In the gamefish categories, there were hard-luck stories. But one of the most disappointing was Buena Vista Oceanfront & Thermal Resort’s Team Member Esaul Valdez. Valdez battled his dorado for well over an hour before losing what he described as a winner, weighing well over the qualifying weight of 30-pounds!

Day two, team Keep It Reel, Oscar Romero released a blue marlin after a three-hour battle; Scott Kays released a striped marlin and Manuel Perlata released a blue marlin aboard Alegria owned by Buena Vista Oceanfront & Thermal Resort.

Team Big Oh with angler Greg Kelc weighed their 39.9-pound dorado that took only 15 minutes to boat, ultimately capturing the heaviest dorado of the tournament and $60,170.00 and prizes.

In the yellowfin tuna division, team Fin & Tonic with angler James Brodsky weighed in a tuna at 41.4 pounds. He also enjoyed the benefits of there not being a qualifying a tuna on the first day, allowing them to receive an incredible $82,695.00 for a fish just 1.4-pounds over the minimum weight on Day Two.

True Grit’s owner and angler, Jim Putman weighed a black marlin that exceeded the 300-pound minimum weight by a mere six pounds, earning their team a whopping $559,870 (since there were no billfish weighed on Day One the daily purses were doubled on Day Two).

There were two blue marlin weighed on day three, the final day. The first was team Dos Tejas, Mike Darden with a 386-pound blue marlin that briefly was the heaviest billfish of the day. A bit later, local team Chachalacos with Captain Carlos Almanza relied on their accumulated knowledge from the past three generations arrived with a huge blue marlin that weighed 704-pounds, the largest ever weighed during the 21-year history in the Bisbee East Cape Offshore.

In the Release Division, ten teams battled it out as the three-days unfolded. The front runners were constantly being pressured to find just one more billfish that would bite. There were ample billfish to chase in this category since minimum weights were not an issue.

Team El Suertudo once again ended up at the top of the leader board. Team Hooray and team Real Texan were in pursuit every day and they had the El Suertudo gang looking over their shoulders several times.

Dos Tejas, Quiteña, Oro Negro, Overtime, Protocol, Team Reel Energy, and Carajo made the top three earn their win.

Total Team Payouts $1,110,050.00

• 1^st      Chachalacos Blue Marlin 704-pounds – $240,284.00
• 2^nd    True Grit Black Marlin     306-pounds, – $559,870.00
• 3^rd    Dos Tejas Blue Marlin 386-pounds – $76,506.00
• 1^st      El Suertudo Release Division – $44,200.00
• 2^nd    Hooray Release Division – $15,300.00
• 3^rd    Reel Texan Release Division – $8,500.00
• Fin & Tonic Heaviest Yellowfin Tuna – $82,695.00
• Big Oh Day 2 Largest Dorado – $60,170.00
• MAJA Day 3 Largest Dorado – $22,525.00

The final awards were distributed Saturday.

Along with the assistance of anglers from around the world, the Bisbee Organization has created the first “Trifecta of Million Dollar Contests” in Baja California Sur, Mexico including:

• Bisbee Black and Blue, (Los Cabos, BCS, MX)
• Los Cabos Offshore, (Los Cabos, BCS, MX)
• And the newest – East Cape Offshore, (BCS, MX).

These are among the 9 or 10 tournaments around the world hosting Million Dollar Events annually.