InTheBite

BLACKHAWK Wins 4th Annual Marina Casa de Campo Open

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With a hot start, BLACKHAWK, a 76 Viking, won the 4th Annual Marina Casa de Campo Open based on time. The team released four blue marlin the first day before adding one more release to capture the top trophy. Mama Who, a 77 Jarrett Bay, also released five blues overall, followed by Princess Lily, a 66 Viking with four marlin on its ledger.

Dawn Samuels was named the Top Lady Angler competing aboard Princess Lily. Samuels also boated a 130-pound yellowfin tuna for the top game fish prize. During the tournament, she tagged her 100th blue marlin with a Billfish Foundation nylon dart tag. TBF was on hand for the occasion as well as interacting with the teams.

Set at the world-class Marina Casa de Campo in La Romana, Dominican Republic, this fun team event focused on release fishing for blue and white marlin, along with sailfish. Tuna, dolphin and wahoo were eligible to be weighed. The tournament is presented by the Marina Casa de Campo and Fly Zone Fishing and was held March 12-14 at the Casa de Campo Resort & Villas.

“Mama Who was on fire the second day,” says Tournament Director Robert “Fly” Navarro. “They went five for seven and were a consistent threat all day long. But BLACKHAWK was able to release their final fish first to earn the win.” Most of the boats were pulling ballyhoo for baits.

“The weather was unbelievable and the fishing was really good, too,” Navarro adds. “The boats averaged between four and eight blue marlin bites during the two days. Everyone had a great time and we made sure to emphasize the positive benefits of tournament fishing to get everyone’s mind off what is going on back home [with corona virus].”

Three young brothers were recognized for their budding angling achievements. Seven-year-old Clay, 11-year-old Miller and 13-year-old Harris Crumpton all hooked and landed their first blue marlin earlier in the Caribbean season. The juniors were fishing aboard Mama Seata.

The Marina Casa de Campo Open also utilized digital technology and communications for the first time. An optional service allowed teams to join a text network to receive real-time updates and to keep track of family members who were competing. This successful option was available on www.flyzonefishing.com  The host facility, Marina Casa de Campo, made the visiting teams feel more than welcome.

“Marina Casa de Campo is a great venue for any event, not just fishing,” Navarro explains. “The staff is very accommodating and friendly. We have a strong relationship and are planning several new things for the future.”

For more information on the Marina Casa de Campo Open, contact Fly Navarro at 561-310-9214 or email: fly@flyzonefishing.com.

Sandman Takes first in 2020 Jimmy Johnson’s Quest for the Ring

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Photo courtesy JJ Fish Week

South Florida (January 16, 2020) – Brought to you by Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino in Hollywood, Fla., the 9th Annual Jimmy Johnson’s “Quest for the Ring” Championship Fishing Week (JJFISHWEEK) expanded its boundaries and took over all of South Florida, March 3-7, 2020, with fishing options available in Fort Lauderdale, Miami, and Key Largo spanning over 112 miles, and hosting the ultimate parties at the iconic new Guitar Hotel at Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino in Hollywood, Fl. Annually boasting the World’s RICHEST guaranteed purse, this tournament, led by the newest pro hall of fame inductee, Coach Jimmy Johnson, hosts the largest fleet in South Florida and is ALL about the RING, presented annually by Contender Boats, powered by Yamaha Outboards, and fueled by Papa’s Pilar.

Photo courtesy JJ Fish Week

98 teams joined together for 5 days of events and the ultimate sportfishing experience, which included a 2-day Billfish Championship, featuring a Catch & Release Division hosting 82 of the 98 teams, and a Weighted Division, with tournament days taking place Thursday, March 5 and Friday, March 6, from three official marinas: Ocean Reef Marina, Miami Beach Marina, and Bahia Mar Marina. 435 sailfish and 1 white marlin were released and 65 fish were weighed in.

The winners were decided by a nail-biting :26 seconds. Additionally, the tournament week included a private Hard Rock tournament and a 1-Day Celebrity Charitable Pro Am, which was supposed to occur Saturday out of Papa’s Pilar Captain’s Quarters at Bahia Mar in Fort Lauderdale, but unfortunately due to weather, was turned to a simulation competition at PLA, the new interactive game bar at Seminole Hard Rock.

The event week started Tuesday night with a Kick Off at Daer Rooftop, presented by GlassTech, Captains Meeting at The Comedy Club, presented by American Custom Yachts and Seakeeper, and Private Invite Only Champions Dinner at Abiaka, hosted by LPL Financial and Papa’s Pilar. Wednesday was a pre-fish day, which ended with dockparties at all three host marinas. Friday started the weekend events at Hard Rock with a Weekend Kick off and Celebrity Meet & Greet at Daer DAYCLUB, presented by KM Relief and Hines Securities and, Saturday closed out the week at the Hard Rock Event Center for the Ultimate Gifting Suite, hosted in part by Greater Fort Lauderdale Convention & Visitors Bureau, featuring over 40 sponsors gifting complimentary gifts to all registered anglers of the tournament, who walked away with $7,000+ gifts per team, and the over the top Closing Awards Bash, hosting 1,400 members of the fishing community for the final celebration.

The guaranteed payout for the Billfish Championship is set as a hybrid payout, annually guaranteed at $1Million and based on boat entry, accrues for every 10 additional paid teams above 85 in the Catch & Release Division. Addition to the Billfish Championship payout, the Hard Rock tournament includes a $500,000 prize payout, and $100,000 were gifting to charity with the Celebrity Pro-Am simulation competition tournament for a total of $1.6 Million in prizes gifted throughout the event week.

This year’s tournament top honors in the Catch & Release Division went to:  

The 2020 Champions with 12 releases winning a total of $238,000 and another RING in Coach Johnson’s RING OF HONOR: SANDMAN

The 63’ Spencer registered to Fort Lauderdale with Captain John Dudas at the helm from Miami, Fl and owner Sandra MacMillan from Minneapolis, MN receiving Top Female Angler, featuring anglers Domi Adams, Alex Castalonos, Jeffrey Liederman, Ryan Montesino, Robbie Ramirez, receiving Top Master Angler, and Robbie Watick.

2nd Place for a total of $195,000 with 12 releases: De-Bait-Able, the 62 Viking out of Palm Beach with Captain KJ Zeher at the helm and owned by Mike Walsh

3rd Place for a total of $66,500 with 11 releases: ReelEstate / Shell Yeah, the 39 SeaVee out of West Palm Beach, with Captain Dallas Twist and owner Todd Minnick

4th Place for a total of $100,000 with 11 releases: Reel Easy, the 62’ Viking out of Jupiter, Fl with Captain Jon McIntyre

5th Place for a total of $47,000 with 10 releases: Marc Sherry Fishing Team on the CaribSea, 46’ Guthrie out of Islamorada owned by Kenny Spaulding and chartered by Marc Sherry, owner of Old Homestead Steakhouse

6th Place for a total of $23,000 with 10 releases: Smile Maker , the 37 Freeman owned by Dr. Bill Sullivan and captained by James Chappell out of Islamorada

7th Place for a total of $6,000 with 10 releases: Weez In the Keys, the 58’ Merritt out of Miami Beach, Fl captained by Chris Zelinski and owned by Scott Robins

8th Place for a total of $120,000 with 9 releases: JICHI, the 61’ Paul Mann out of Coral Gables, Fl captained by Hannibal Moya and owned by Luis Isais

Additional prizes were awarded to PRICELESS, DOUBLE DIAMOND, WET DREAM, JUST DO IT, FISH TALES, SERAPHIM, BAR SOUTH, HARDWAY/DOING IT ALL, FROST BITE, LUNATICO, OUTNUMBERED, AND TAR BABY.

On the weighted division:

The Overall winner with an aggregate weight of 66.5LBs weighing in a 35lb Kingfish and a 31.5lb Kingfish,

For a total winnings of: $42,500 : TEKEZE CHARTERS

The 34 SeaVee out of Islamorada is captained by Charles Hertel, Angler Amanda Gale, Emily Gale, Ryan Hullihan, Patrick Jackson, Tommy Twyford, and owned by Harris Katz, out of Coral Springs, Fl.

2nd place weighing in an aggregate weight of 59,5 for their kingfish winning a total of $20,000: ONE MORE Sportfishing, a 43’ Everglades led by Captain Brandon Singh and owned by Patrick Lewis out of Atlanta, Ga.

Additional prizes were awarded to BELOW ME, OSH-IT, HELLREYZER, TOUCH OF GREY, and ADVANCED ROOFING/SAILSMEN.

In the Hard Rock division:

The overall winner with a total of 114 points was team: OSH-IT , a 72’ Viking led by Captain Jim Puller and owned by Marc Osheroff .

Additional prizes were awarded to BIG SMOOTH, CATCH 23, TOO MANY MARTINIS, and CHASIN’ TAIL.

The Celebrity Pro-Am was attended by some of Coach Johnson’s former players and friends and the tournament saw some celebrities throughout the billfish tournament participants, to include Jonathan Vilma, DJ Williams, Brian Griese, Russell Maryland, Alex Gonzalez, Worldwide Wes, Desmond Howard, Brett Romberg, Bennie Blades, Charles Johnson, Twan Russell, Michael Jordan, Michael Vick, and Willie Young Jr.. Thanks to KM Relief and Hines Securities, the Celebrity Pro-Am gifted $100,000 in charitable monies to Tranquil Shores Foundation, Fishing for Muscular Dystrophy, and the University of Miami.

RankTeamPoints

1Sandman :12

2Debaitable :12

3Reelestate/Shell Yeah :11

4Reel Easy11

5CaribSea :10

6Smile Maker :10

7Weez in the Keys :10

8Jichi :10

9Just Do It :9

10Reel Life :9

11Fish Tales :9

12Seraphim :9

13Wet Dream :9

14Priceless :9

15Lights Out :9

16Frost Bite :9

17Still Right :8

18Hardway / Doing It All :8

19D&D :8

20LUNÁTICO :8

Team Galati Wins Leg II of Los Sueños Signature Triple Crown

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Los Sueños Resort and Marina — The second leg of the seventh annual Signature Triple Crown billfish series, presented jointly by Los Sueños Resort and Marina and Chantilly Air, was held at Los Sueños February 26-29, 2020. Forty one team comprised of two hundred two individual anglers worked through the heat and the adrenaline of competition to release a three-day combined total of 870 billfish, including 703 sails and 67 marlin.

DAY 1

The tournament kicked off with a sailfish release by Shoe eight minutes after lines in was called at 8:00 am. Gallo Pinto took an early lead with a marlin release at 8:24 am, but HT Hook moved into first at 9:05 am with a striped marlin and three sails and stayed there until after 11 am, ahead of Team Galati and Gallo Pinto. By noon the field had released 164 sails and 8 marlin, and it was HT Hook still in first, but on time only, with 1200 points, followed by Tarheel also with 1200 points, and Team Galati with 1100 points. Off Duty made their first appearance on the leaderboard, moving to first with a marlin release at 12:44 pm, but were bumped out by Team Galati with a double sailfish release at 1:28 pm, only to take the lead back at 1:44 pm with another marlin release. Game Changer entered the fray, moving to second with a marlin release at 3:06 pm. War Party plucked away at the sailfish all day long, finishing with 16 sails, the most releases of any boat on Day 1, but secured their second place finish for the day with a marlin release at 3:12 pm. As the sun set Thursday evening, the official scores showed Off Duty in first with 2200 points (12 sails, 2 marlin), followed by War Party in second with 2100 points (16 sails, 1 marlin), and Team Galati in third with 2000 points (15 sails, 1 marlin).

DAY 2

D.A. Sea started the day off with a sailfish release at 8:07 am and by 10 am the 41 participating teams had released a two-day combined total of 415 sails and 20 marlin with Off Duty in first with 2300 points, War Party in second with 2200 points and Game Changer in third with 2100 points. Between 10 am and noon, War Party went on to release three more sails, taking first with 2500 points as of the midday update. Reel Joy enjoyed the top spot with two marlin releases at 12:30 pm, which they kept until Team Galati released their second marlin at 1:17 pm, taking them to the front of the pack, where they remained for the rest of the day. At 4 pm, it was Team Galati in first with a two-day total of 3500 points (20 sails, 3 marlin), followed by Reel Joy in second on time with 3000 points (15 sails, 3 marlin), and Tarheel in third, also with 3000 points (20 sails, 2 marlin).

DAY 3

Outage started the day off with a marlin hook up at 8:04 am, which they released five minutes later. In under an hour, seven more marlin had been release by the fleet and by 10 am the leaderboard looked almost completely different, with Off Duty in first with 4100 points, Team Galati in second with 4000 points, and Outage in third with 3300 points. Team Galati was in first at noon, over Off Duty and Fish Tank. Outage went on to bump Fish Tank out of third just before 1 pm and then moved to first with a marlin just 20 minutes later. Team Galati took the top position back with a double sailfish release before 2 pm. At 2:21 pm Team Galati, Off Duty (who had just released a triple), and Outage were all tied on points. No sooner had this report been shared on the official tournament radio, Outage released a double and moved ahead of the pack. Team Galati then took first with a marlin just before 3 pm and stayed there until the end, where they finished with a three-day combined total of 5000 points after releasing 25 sails and 5 marlin. Team Galati was followed by Outage in second on time, with 4800 points after releasing 23 sails and 5 marlin, and Tarheel released 33 sails and 3 marlin, also for 4800 points and third place.

On behalf of the tournament committee, congratulations to all winners!

TOP ANGLER LEG 2

The top angler award is usually always a surprise and it was so much so this time around that the man of the hour, Mike Ivancevic of Fish Tank, wasn’t present to receive his award. Mike achieved the highest score out of all the non-professional anglers after releasing 8 sails and 2 marlin for 1800 individual points. Congratulations!

SERIES CHAMPION

Going in to Leg 3 Outage has the highest score, with a two-leg total of 8400 points, 400 points ahead of Tarheel, in second position, and 900 points ahead of Team Galati, rounding out the top three.

Photo courtesy © Los Sueños Resort & Marina | Pepper Ailor

Photo courtesy © Los Sueños Resort & Marina | Pepper Ailor

Photo courtesy © Los Sueños Resort & Marina | Pepper Ailor

Photo courtesy © Los Sueños Resort & Marina | Pepper Ailor

Reelestate/ShellYeah Wins Their 1st Quest for the Crest Tournament

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Photo courtesy Endless Imagery/Bluewater Movements

Pompano Beach, Fla. (Feb 25, 2020) – The 17th Annual Sailfish Challenge was one for the history books in many ways. 55 teams were treated to an amazing kick-off party hosted for the first time by “Oceanic” at Pompano Beach Pier, a premier new seafood and steak restaurant located on the beach in Pompano. The tournament partnered with Costa and their “OneCoast” initiative to help with the ongoing fundraising effort for Bahamas Relief from Hurricane Dorian.

Team FFMD won the “Lucky Fish” 50/50 raffle at the kick-off party and generously donated their winnings back to OneCoast!

An approaching cold-front brought strong northerly winds on Day 1 of the tournament with the teams fishing on the north end of the boundary battling the roughest conditions. With the fleet spread out from Jupiter to Miami, it was a slow pick for most of the day up and down the line. As time pressed on, the boats to the south managed to find a few more fish than their competitors to the north. Three boats, Doing it All/Hardway, Reel Addiction, and Potential finished the day in a three-way tie with 4 releases, but it was Doing it All/Hardway that came out on top, based on time, in their Yamaha powered 39’ Contender.

Reel Addiction were the big money winners on Day 1 with daily winnings of $51,705. Team Chop it Up had the best meatfish catch of the day with 118.8 pounds that earned them a daily payout of $7,560. Heading into Day 2, a forecast for gale-force winds and 12 to 15-foot seas led to a postponed fishing schedule from Saturday to Sunday. While the seas improved on Sunday, the sailfish bite remained slow.

Despite tough fishing, team Reel Estate/Shell Yeah stayed steady on their Mercury powered 39’ SeaVee releasing 3 fish before noon to jump into the lead with 6 releases. As the day pressed on teams Jichi, Reel Addiction, and Doing it All/Hardway evened the score with 6 releases a piece as well. It was a battle to the end, but Reel Estate/Shell Yeah was able to hang on to their time-based lead and win the tournament, earning a check for $38,125. Jichi finished in 2nd overall with 6 releases and a massive check for $204,095!

Reel Addiction finished in 3rd with winnings of $67,275 followed by Doing it All/Hardway in 4th with 13,075 and Bar South in 5th with 5 releases and a $47,405 payday. Without question, it was the exceptional meat fishing action that created all the buzz in the 2020 Sailfish Challenge. A red-hot kingfish bite off Palm Beach had crews battling to keep baits in the water all day.

Team Chop it Up improved on their Day 1 catch with four massive kings on Sunday that ranged from 31.2 to 49.8 pounds for a total weight of 156.1. They posted a combined weight of 274.9 pounds over the two days of fishing to win the aggregate weight division and a check for $22,590. By midday on Day 2, rumors were flying around about a record-setting meatfish catch onboard team Old No 7. When they arrived at the dock in Palm Beach the rumors were put to rest.

Not one, but two giant wahoo, plus a cobia and a kingfish were on their way to the scale. Both wahoo, set new tournament records in their category with the first fishing weighing in at 84.7 pounds and the second at 85.5 pounds! Even more amazing, both fish were caught on 16-pound test line, and 30-pound leader with a circle hook! Their 4-fish bag on Day 2 was an astounding 223.9 pounds, for a 56-pound average per fish! Old No 7 won $39,080 in meatfish money and earned a bonus $1,000 gift certificate from Grizzly coolers for the heaviest fish of the tournament.

The 3rd Annual Coin Challenge competition kept the team spirit alive during the tournament. Seven groups of 8 teams mixed it up to see which color group would come out on top and win the commemorative challenge coins. In the end, the blue color group emerged victorious with a total of 26 releases. Team Native Son was the grand prize winner, earning a 3 day/2 night vacation package to Margaritaville Hollywood Beach Resort courtesy of Landshark Lager.

Nicole Paul-Hus on team SkipJac 2 was the top female angler with 1 release and Benji Fernandez on team Potential was the master angler of the tournament with 3 releases. Branch Office defended their Non-Pro division title for the third year in a row with 2 releases. The tournament concluded at Blue Moon Fish Company, a 5-star restaurant on the beautiful intracoastal in Lauderdale-by-the-Sea. Anglers indulged on an amazing array of food and Reel Estate/Shell Yeah was treated to a delicious steak and lobster dinner at the champions table for the tournament.

The race for the burgundy jacket has one more event to determine who will claim the world’s most prestigious sailfishing title. Team BAR South holds the lead with 57 points followed by Jichi with 51 points and Reel Estate/Shell Yeah in 3rd with 49 points, and several other teams are still in the hunt heading into the final leg in Miami at the DoubleTree Grand Hotel with Final Sail on April 1-4.

For more information on the Sailfish Challenge, visit www.SailfishChallenge.com or call 954-725-4010. The entire Quest for the Crest schedule and series standings can be found at questforthecrest.com

  • Total amount paid out: $479,275
  • Top team overall – Reelestate/ShellYeah (6 releases) $38,125 total
  • 2nd place team/Highest paid – Jichi (6 releases) $204,095
  • 3rd place team/2nd Highest paid – Reel Addiction (6 releases) $67,275
  • 4th place team – Doing It All/Hardway (6 releases) $13,075
  • 5th place team/3rd Highest paid – BAR South (5 releases) $47,405
  • Notable Team: Old No. 7 – caught 2 massive wahoo weighing 85.5 lbs. and 84.7 lbs. off of Palm Beach winning them a few calcutta categories for a total of $39,080

Leaderboard from the 17th Annual Sailfish Challenge:

Big Oh Takes First at Pescadora Billfish Championship

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Photo courtesy The Pescadora/Tony Cadorin

After two days of fishing the Big Oh team took first place in the 2020 Pescadora Billfish Championship with 27 sailfish. Vaquero came in second with 16 sailfish and one marlin. Grand Slam followed in third with 17 sailfish.

The 300th fish of the tournament—a blue marlin—was caught at 1:42 p.m. by Morgan Welch on the Outage!  

Official score for tournament is 180 sailfish and six marlin.

Below are the results and photos of the 2020 Pescadora Billfish Championship presented by Costa Sunglasses:

Female Angler of the Year – IGFA – Camila Ingram

Female Angler of the Year – Hook and Hand – Lori Bagliore, Team Fuhgeddaboutit

      • 1st Place, Day 1 Winner, Day 2 Winner – Big Oh – 27 sailfish
      • 2nd Place – Vaquero – 16 sailfish, 1 marlin
      • 3rd Place – Grand Slam – 17 sailfish
      • 4th Place – Outage – 10 sailfish, 2 marlin

Dorado Division – Grand Slam

Tuna Division – Stress Reliever

Top Tagging Team – Team Shoe and Team Pescadora
Top Tagging Angler – Britney McCrae, Team Kelly Dawn
Best Video Submitted – Game Fisher II
Best Team Name – Chardonnay Castaways

There was a total of 34 boats, approximately 400 registered participants, 330 sailfish and nine marlin.

Photo courtesy The Pescadora/Tony Cadorin

Photo courtesy The Pescadora/Tony Cadorin

Photo courtesy The Pescadora/Tony Cadorin

Photo courtesy The Pescadora/Tony Cadorin

Photo courtesy The Pescadora/Tony Cadorin

Photo courtesy The Pescadora/Tony Cadorin

Photo courtesy The Pescadora/Tony Cadorin

Photo courtesy The Pescadora/Tony Cadorin

Over $100,000 in Prizes Awarded in 2nd Annual Hatteras Cup Fishing Tournament

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Hatteras | Cabo Yachts, LLC, an industry leader in building luxury motor yachts and convertible sportfishing yachts for over 60 years, is delighted to announce the winners of the 2019 Hatteras Cup, an annual sportfishing tournament that is open to owners and teams fishing from the cockpit of any Hatteras yacht, regardless of its model year. Entrants simply register at www.hatterasyachts.com/hatterascup in order to submit their catches online in six different divisions of this “virtual” tournament.

The winners of the 2019 Hatteras Cup Sportfish Challenge, who received prizes totaling more than $100,000, were honored at an awards ceremony held at the Hatteras | CABO Miami Yacht Show Display in Miami, Florida, on February 14, 2020.

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Hatteras 54 Convertible Centurion and the Heaviest Blue Marlin

Team Centurion, which fishes from a Hatteras 54 Convertible, received the coveted Hatteras Cup trophy and grand prize of $50,000 for Heaviest Blue Marlin. The winning fish, which was caught by angler Carlos Bortoni, weighed in at 450.45 lbs.

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Catch & release blue marlin submitted by Team Rapa Nui

Catch & Release division winners:

  • 1st Place: $10,000 to Team CU+ Leader (GT63) for accumulating 9,600 pts.
  • 2nd Place: $7,500 to Team Rapa Nui (38 Flybridge), 7,000 pts.
  • 3rd Place: $5,000 to Team Miss Wilder (GT60), 4,400 pts.

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Team CU+ Leader’s 1st Place dolphin

Dolphin division winners:

  • 1st Place: $5,000 to Team CU+ Leader (GT63) for 52lb. catch (Jack Treas)
  • 2nd Place: $2,500 to Team Rapa Nui (38 Flybridge) for 42.42lb. catch (Ivan Ramirez)
  • 3rd Place: $1,000 to Team Hot, Black & Sticky (60 Convertible) for 43.6lb. catch (Josh Terry)

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Team Brianna’s 1st Place grouper

Grouper division winners:

  • 1st Place: $5,000 to Team Brianna (GT54) for 41lb. catch (Jerry Winograd)
  • 2nd Place: $2,500 to Team Hot, Black & Sticky (60C) for 28.2lb. catch (Randall Billingsley)
  • 3rd Place: $1,000 to Team Reel Deal (GT45X) for 19.8lb. catch (Dan Cornell)

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Team Now or Never’s 1st Place snapper

Snapper division winners:

  • 1st Place: 5,000 to Team Now or Never (GT60) for 32.6lb. catch (William Peek)
  • 2nd Place: $2,500 to Team Reel Deal (GT45X) for 31.8lb. catch (Dan Cornell)
  • 3rd Place: $1,000 to Team Hot, Black & Sticky for 29.6lb. catch (Josh Terry)

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Team Miss Wilder’s 1st Place tuna

The Tuna division was swept by Team Miss Wilder (GT60), which took 1st, 2nd and 3rd Place for tuna weighing in at 450 lb. (Steve Diffenbacher), 430 lb. (Anthony Delgreco) and 388.5 lb. (Tommy Clay), respectively, winning a total of $8,500 for this division alone.

“Congratulations to all the 2019 Hatteras Cup winners,” said Joe Cacopardo, Hatteras | CABO Yachts director of sales & marketing. “We hope to have even more teams participating in this year’s edition of the Hatteras Cup. We will announce the start date for the tournament shortly. Stay tuned!”

Buccaneer Cup: Sandman Takes the Win in a Last Minute Leap

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Photo courtesy Steve Momot, @AH360views

The 57th Annual Buccaneer Cup Sailfish Tournament was held January 22-25, 2020 off of Palm Beach. A total of 160 sailfish were released, The prize, a purse in excess of $250,000, the prestigious and beautiful Buccaneer Cup trophies for the top three boats, and bragging rights for placing in one of the oldest and most enduring billfish tournaments in the world.

Add to that the knowledge that the tournament proceeds benefits the Recreational Fishing Alliance and The Billfish Foundation, made the event all that more important. Teams fish a format giving them the choice to fish any two out of three possible days. With a cold front pushing through just before the first day, teams were rewarded with steady fishing. Although damp conditions put a damper on day two a northwest wind kept the bite consistent through lines out on the last day.

Photo courtesy Steve Momot, @AH360views

Courtney Bowden, currently in her seventh year as director of the Buc Cup, did a spectacular job running one of the best-organized and classiest billfish tournaments on the east coast. Along with her team of volunteers and committee members including staff from the RFA and TBF, she has made the Buc one of the most exciting and talked about tournaments of the season. The comradery displayed by the teams in attendance proved to everyone that the Buc Cup is most definitely back! Having team after team noting this was the most fun tournament they had fished in a while.

The tournament opened with the Captains meeting on Wednesday, Jan. 22 held outdoors at the recently completed private Tiki Bar at the Rybovich Marine Center (North). The meeting was sponsored by Yamaha, the Viking Yacht Company and HMY Yacht Sales. Robert “Fly” Navarro emceed the event, with his signature electric energy. Although it was cold and damp, participants raved about the pig roast dinner, texting Bowden, “it was the best food they have ever had at a Captains meeting.”

Pat Healey, Viking Yachts. Photo courtesy Steve Momot, @AH360views

A few changes were made for 2020 adding an all-new TBF tagging category and junior angler award. The meeting included raffle items provided by the long list of tournament sponsors, featuring: Engel Coolers filled with goodies, Costa del Mar sunglasses, Maxel Reels, lures, AFTCO, Hi-Liner Offshore Tackle, Grand Slam Sport Fishing, Avid sportswear, Outrigger Yacht Products, Kohler, Kraft Power and Mustad to name a few.

Sandman. Photo courtesy Steve Momot, @AH360views

Time for the competition!

The majority of the fleet decided to fish on day one, and lay on Friday. Leaving Saturday which, based on the forecast, held the best conditions of the three available fishing days.

Tournament Director (Bowden) wrote; “This year each day was a wild card. And we never knew who would pull into the lead at any point. The Wicked Wahine slayed day one with consistent releases and 2400 points on dead bait. Team Two Cats was not far behind having consistent days on one and two. But Sandman is the team who came out on top with a total of 2800 points on live bait taking the lead in the last hour of the tournament and taking home over $131,900!

Wicked Wahine. Photo courtesy Steve Momot, @AH360views

In addition to the top three teams, Team Good Call, took home the first-ever sailfish tagging award with a total of 7 tags deployed safely and in accordance with TBF guidelines. History was also made by Jill Yates, of The Eights Eights who became not only our top female angler but also the TOP OVERALL ANGLER of the tournament, making her the first female top overall angler in the history of the Buccaneer Cup.

“We had a phenomenal group of competitors and teams this year! History was made, fishing was consistent and you certainly won’t find any other tournament having this much fun on the radio” said Bowden.

To add to the excitement, Sportfish Outfitters provided a chase boat for one day and the Buccaneer Marina generously donated the use of their helicopter and pilot for the official photographer, Steve Momot of @ah360views to take aerial photos of the fleet on the final fishing day! And what an exceptionally beautiful day it was!

Two Cats. Photo courtesy Steve Momot, @AH360views

The winning teams flooded The Sailfish Club of Florida on Palm Beach Island, Saturday Jan. 25 to receive their awards and celebrate with a full surf and turf buffet that the historical club is known for, seating over 250 guests for the awards dinners and taking home some very large checks and the coveted Buccaneer Cups!

Check out some of the praise the tournament has received from the 2020 teams below:

“Thanks for putting on a great tournament! It’s come a long way in the past few years thanks to your dedication. Well done!” – Richard Robinson (Southern Run) “Just wanted to congratulate you on an amazing job coordinating the Buc Cup. It was my first time competing and in comparison to other sailfish tournaments you do a top-notch job. Bravo to you and your volunteer staff”. – Juan Ruiz (Team Gypsea)

Good Call with TBF. New for 2020 the TBF top tagging team was awarded to Team Good Call with 7 total tags
successfully and safely deployed with video validation.Photo courtesy Steve Momot, @AH360views

“What a fantastic event this was! We were so incredibly happy to be a part of a very prestigious venue with great fishermen! The Buccaneer Cup is a high-class event and we loved being a part of it. Thank you, Courtney for a spectacular event – we will see you next year!” – Frank Fini and Gerrard Weigold (Double Diamond/ Outnumbered)

“Thank you for putting on an awesome weekend for us, we all had a blast. And, the best food I’ve ever had at a captain’s meeting too. This will surely be one of our regular yearly tournaments now.” – Taylor Sanford

Awards:

The top angler trophies went to Jill Yates on the Eight Eights, who also took home the top female angler award.

Top 3 teams: Sandman, Wicked Wahine, Two Cats

The Buccaneer Cup Tournament cash award for the Most Points on Live Bait ($10,000) went to the Sandman, which pocketed $131,950 total. Most Points on Dead Bait ($10,000) went to Wicked Wahine, the team receiving a check for $24,580 in total purse for their win. The InTheBite Top Captain cup was awarded to Captain John Dudas, who led team Sandman to victory.

Double Diamond. Photo courtesy Steve Momot, @AH360views

New for 2020 the TBF top tagging team was awarded to Team Good Call with 7 total tags successfully and safely deployed with video validation.

The awards dinner was emceed by Robert “Fly” Navarro and Courtney Bowden. Pat Healey, President of Viking Yachts and member of the RFA Board of Directors, welcomed participants and spoke on the
importance of the support the industry receives from the RFA. Pat presented Ellen Peel of the Billfish Foundation with a check to aid the organization in its ongoing efforts to advance the science used for billfish management and assessment.

Great strides are being made by both organizations to ensure the longevity of our fisheries and industry. The awards banquet was sponsored by MTU Marine Power, Florida Detroit Diesel Allison, and Johnson and Towers.

Photo courtesy Steve Momot, @AH360views

Sponsors included YAMAHA OUTBOARDS, MTU Diesel, Florida Detroit Diesel Allison, Johnson & Towers, Viking Yachts, Viking Service Center, HMY Yacht Sales, The Buccaneer Marina, C. Nicklaus Starling, Jupiter Beach Spa & Resort, Downey Yachts, Contender Boats, American Custom Yachts, Akzo Nobel-Interlux Paint, Seakeeper, Garmin, Kohler, Electrosea, Sportfish Outfitters, Christi/Travelers Insurance, Atlantic Marine Electronics, American Fishing Wire/Hi-Seas, Release Marine, Reel Time Apps, Rybovich Marina, and Outrigger Marine Products.

2021 dates for the 58th Buccaneer Cup TBA.

Captain Greg Eklund and Cloud Nine team take first at IFC Captain’s Cup Sailfish Tournament

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Photo courtesy Pete Pehrson

The Islamorada Fishing Club welcomed 48 anglers fishing on 16 boats for the Islamorada Fishing Club Captain’s Cup Sailfish Tournament. Northwest winds at 15kts greeted the fisherman with lines in at 8 a.m.

Captain Greg Eklund aboard his charter boat Cloud Nine called in a doubleheader of sailfish at 8:24. Mate Eric Ehlers would get the release on both fish putting the Cloud Nine in first place with two fish.

Photo courtesy Pete Pehrson

The team would sit on pins and needles throughout the day searching for more sailfish. Other teams would slowly catch up to them, first Crisdel then Hell Reyzer followed by Remix, Conetagious and Relentless all with two releases.

When the committee boat called lines out at 4 p.m. anglers Josh Jackson from Temple, TX along with Cory Nelson and Jake Turek from Islamorada, Fl, would breathe a sigh of relief as the early morning double landed them in first place on time. Centennial Bank would present the team with beautiful Tim Rahn Photography prints and a check for $16,000. Winning Captain Greg Eklund was awarded the Captain’s Cup full of gift certificates from local establishments.

Photo courtesy Pete Pehrson

Second Place went to Crisdel with anglers Frank and Tony Criscola from Fairhills, NJ along with Joe Prestiffillpo also from NJ. Captain George Stellar along with mates Brad Goodrich and Jeff Dickman were all awarded Caribee Boat Sales and Yamaha Outboard sponsored second place trophies for the team’s two releases.

Captain Ryan Alexander of the Hell Reyzer took third place with two fish on time. Anglers Victor Paneda, Eric Darvill and Johnny Vilorio along with Mate Cap Hinkley all from Miami would take home the third-place awards sponsored by Baker Mitchell Plumbing and Tackle Center of Islamorada.

“The Islamorada Fishing Club put on another great event”, stated tournament director Dianne Harbaugh. “The great food and service the club provides makes it a fun place to have a party.”

In total 17 fish were released in the one-day event. The Islamorada Fishing Clubs Captains Cup Dolphin tournament will be held June 25, 2020. More information can be found on the web site theislamoradafishingclub.com

Three Natives Takes Top Honors at the 30th Annual Cheeca Lodge & Spa Presidential Sailfish Tournament

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Photo courtesy Cheeca Lodge & Spa

83 anglers fishing on 22 boats released 57 sailfish over challenging two-day competition

ISLAMORADA, FL (Jan. 27, 2020) – Cheeca Lodge & Spa’s 30th Annual Presidential Sailfish Tournament, the second leg of the Florida Keys’ Gold Cup Series, hosted 83 competitive anglers this past weekend in the sportfishing capital of the world.

Clinching first place, Team Three Natives earned overall champion honors releasing a total of six sailfish. Team members included Matt Turner of Tallahassee, FL; Tim McGavern of Tampa, FL; and Moriah Davis of Tuscaloosa, AL. Outstanding Captain and Mate Awards went to Richard Black and Ross Render of Tavernier. Captain Richard Black was the Artificial Division Champion Guide at Cheeca’s 7th Annual All-American Backcountry Fishing Tournament last year.

First Place Overall Champions. Photo courtesy Cheeca Lodge & Spa

“We were excited to celebrate the tournament’s 30th anniversary with top-shelf competition by anglers from all over the world. We appreciate the tremendous support of our anglers and sponsors, and are proud to be part of the Florida Keys Gold Cup,” says Lisa Thornhill, Tournament Director.

Overall, 29 sailfish were released on the first day of the tournament and 28 were released on the second day, for a total of 66 hookups and 57 releases by 83 anglers on 22 boats.

Three Natives best photo award. Photo courtesy Cheeca Lodge & Spa

The Grand Champion Angler Award, sponsored by Caribee Boat Sales and Marina, went to Reed Ekey of Port Orange, FL, on The Booty Shaker captained by Denny Perna for four releases.

The Top Lady Angler Award sponsored by Blue Marlin Jewelry, went to Madison Wright of Islamorada, FL, for one release onboard the Remix captained by JC Cleare of Miami. The Top Lady Angler Award is dedicated to the memory of Jay Anna and Kenny Cohan, beloved members of the Islamorada community.

Grand Champion Angler Reed Ekey and Team Booty Shaker. Photo courtesy Cheeca Lodge & Spa

Second Place went to Team Kelly Dawn led by Captain Justin Baker of Key Largo, FL. Kelly Dawn released six sailfish with anglers Patrick Nutt and Will Ochse of Ft. Lauderdale, FL; Nick Caito of Davie, FL; and Jimi Fickling of Islamorada, FL.

Team Remix earned Third Place honors. With Captain JC Cleare of Miami, anglers Doug Mientkiewicz and Madison Wright of Islamorada, FL and Jorge Corzo and Sarah Melia of Miami, released five sailfish.

Most outstanding Captain Richard Black and Mate Ross Render. Photo courtesy Cheeca Lodge & Spa

In a long-standing Presidential Tournament tradition of conservation, The First Choice team won the Most Tagged Fish Award, captained by Larry Wren of Islamorada, FL, with Angler Oliver Bastian from Southampton, Hampshire UK, tagging one sail.

New this year, the Top Photo Award went to Miles Murphy onboard Shitz & Giggles of Key Colony Beach, FL. A runner-up award sponsored by Bass Pro went to Patrick Nutt of Ft. Lauderdale, FL onboard the Kelly Dawn.

Tournament trophies were created by famed Keys artist Pasta Pantaleo and sponsor King Sailfish Mounts of Ft. Lauderdale, FL. Pantaleo’s artwork was also featured on the tournament shirts.

Top Lady Angler Award_Madison Wright on Remix. with Capt. Cleare. Photo courtesy Cheeca Lodge & Spa

The 30th Annual Presidential Tournament Title Sponsors included Caribee Boat Sales and Marina, Yamaha Outboards, Bacardi and Titos. Partner sponsors included King Sailfish Mounts, BlueFin USA, Pasta Pantaleo, Blue Marlin Jewelry, Keys Audio Visual, World Wide Sportsman, Executive Printers of Florida, Florida Keys Brewing Company and RideStarRX.

Live scoring for the 30th Annual Presidential Tournament can be found at https://www.islamoradasailfishtournament.com/tournament.php?id=889.

Cheeca Lodge & Spa also hosts the All-American Backcountry Fishing Tournament set for Nov. 12-14, 2020.

Florida Keys Gold Cup Sailfish Championship

The 30th Annual Cheeca Lodge Presidential Sailfish Tournament was the second leg of the prestigious Florida Keys Gold Cup Sailfish Championship, following the Islamorada Sailfish Tournament. The Islamorada Fishing Club Tournament on January 29, 2020, is the third leg of the series. The Gold Cup Championship benefis the Islamorada Charter Boat Association.

Results: 2020 Buccaneer Cup & Reef Cup

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Photo courtesy Leonard Bryant Photography

2020 BUCCANEER CUP

JANUARY 22 – JANUARY 25, 2020

First Place: Sandman, Capt. John Dudas, 2800

Second Place: Wicked Wahine, 2400

Third Place: Two Cats, Capt. Nathan Benz, 2400

Full Results…

Photo courtesy Leonard Bryant Photography

Photo courtesy Leonard Bryant Photography

Photo courtesy Leonard Bryant Photography

2020 Reef Cup

JANUARY 22 – JANUARY 25, 2020

First Place: Sweet Release/Buckalot, Capt. Chris White, 800

Second Place: Tar Baby, Capt. JP White, 700

Third Place: Hope, Capt. Floyd Leach, 500

Full Results…