#soliloquy-container-36473{opacity:1}#soliloquy-container-36473 li > .soliloquy-caption{display:none}#soliloquy-container-36473 li:first-child > .soliloquy-caption{display:block} El Suertudo

Captain of the Year Home

2019 Standings

Capt. Russell Sinclair, Wave Paver, 1250 Points

White Marlin Roundup, 1st Place, 500 Pts.
Production vs Custom Shootout, 1st Place, 500 Pts.
Abaco Diamond Series Champion, 250 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. 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. Brooks Smith, Uno Mas, 500 Points

Los Suenos Signature Series, Leg 3, 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. Jim Werling, Plane Simple, 400 Points

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

Capt. Victor “Pia” Ceballos, The King and I, 300 Points

Los Suenos Signature Series, Leg 1, 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. 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. Edward Murray, Auspicious, 100 Points

Marina Casa de Campo Open, 3rd Place, 100 Pts.

Capt. Irving Irausquin, Hey Chama, 100 Points

Los Suenos Signature Series, Leg 3, 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.

Los Suenos 2018 International Division

Captain Greg DiStefano
El Suertudo, 80-foot Weaver
Homeport: Cabo San Lucas, Mexico

900 points include: Bisbee’s Black and Blue, 1^st Place Release Division; Bisbee’s Los Cabos Offshore Tournament 3^rd Place Release Division; Los Cabos Billfish Tournament, 2^nd Place Release Division.

Captain Greg DiStefano is no stranger to either to tournament victory or magazine write ups. In addition to his skill catching blacks and blues in tournament situations, there is a near 100% chance that DiStefano and owner/angler Guy Yocom have caught a bigger yellowfin tuna than you. In 2012, the pair won a million dollars for catching a world record 427-pound yellowfin on a Mustad hook. DiStefano’s experience fishing the waters surrounding Cabo San Lucas is extensive and marked by successful endeavor.

When discussing his approach to tournament fishing, DiStefano is laid back and thoughtful. “We focus on pre-fishing. Go do your own thing and focus on what you’re doing,” he recommends. “Forget what everybody else is doing. Focus on what you see and not what you hear on the radio or at the bar. We don’t expect people to tell us the truth if we asked… so we don’t ask them,” DiStefano says with a laugh as he describes his tournament preparation.

“This year we pre-fished a lot with just the crew. Guy gives us the tools and says, ‘We’ll see you when the tournament comes,’” DiStefano says. “We couldn’t do it without him. He gives us every bit of opportunity – he says, ‘Go for it.’ He doesn’t ask a bunch of questions, he lets us do our thing. It really helps having an owner who understands what it takes to be successful. He is an all-around great guy. It also really helps to have a family that supports us, with all the travel that is involved.”

While the majority of the El Suertudo’s Captain of the Year points came from finishes in the releases divisions, the team is also accomplished in targeting large marlin for the scales. In the Los Cabos Offshore Tournament, the team finished third in the release division and weighed a 361. “We pulled the hooks on a good one on the second day of the Black and Blue – when nobody caught anything,” DiStefano recalls.

The El Suertudo, roughly translated the Lucky One, is marked by stability of captain and crew. “I’ve worked with the owner for 12 years. My mate Oswaldo and I have been together for 11 years. We have the yellowfin record and a bluefin line class record,” DiStefano says. Guy Yocom owns the boat. For tournaments, he brings his buddies down to fish. Anglers on El Suertudo include Yocom, Bruce McDonald, Chris Kirkley, Greg Chase, Gary Mason and Azam Flores. Running the cockpit are first mate Oswaldo “Balin” Ortega – first mate, Noe Cruz and Alfonso Ortega, Oswaldo’s father.

When tournament marlin fishing, DiStefano deploys mullet or mud flap dredges, two teasers (squid chains mainly) and a five lure spread. When it comes to their pitch baits, the El Suertudo’s arsenal includes sierra mackeral, horse ballyhoo, and rigged caballitos (goggle eyes). More than the spread and putting in the time to prefish, DiStefano credits the close relationships of those who fish together. “Balin and I are really close friends. We’re all dedicated to the boat and to fishing, but we’re also really competitive. We race cars off road in Baja – my boss does it, too. We’re very competitive.”

DiStefano’s southern California roots are evidenced by his laid back, reflective manner and approach to fishing. He grew up in San Clemente, California in south Orange County. While much of the operation is based out of Cabo San Lucas, Guy Yocom also owns a 61-foot boat in Dana Point, California. The current El Suertudo is an 80-foot Weaver. “We’ve been extremely happy with the Weaver. We bought it used a year and a half ago out of Texas. It’s a 2008. Jim Weaver builds an amazing boat.”

Captain Greg DiStefano and El Suertudo’s 2018 campaign took top honors in a hotly contested Los Sueños International Division. DiStefano’s 900 points were enough to best the five other captains who finished within 200 points of the lead. Congratulations also goes to Captains Brent Gaskill (Builder’s Choice) and Cookie Murray (Auspicious) who finished in a second place tie with 800 points on the year. Captain Greg DiStefano is also the first Cabo-based captain to win Captain of the Year honors.

Past Winners:

2014 Capt. Rob Moore, Fa-La-Me, 1650 Pts.
2015 Capt. Russell Sinclair, Wave Paver, 1950 Pts.
2016 Capt. Victor Julio Lopez, Tranquilo, 2100 Pts.

2017 Capt. Russell Sinclair, Wave Paver, 2150 Pts.

2018 Capt. Greg DiStefano, El Suertudo, 900 Points

Sanctioned Events: