InTheBite

  • Home
  • News
    • All News
    • Featured Stories
    • General News
    • Captain of the Year
    • Tournament Results
    • First Builds
    • Splash Reports
    • Old Salts Rule
    • Tackle Tips
    • Dock Talk
    • Crew Records
    • Conservation
  • Tournaments
    • Calendar
    • Captain of the Year
    • Champion’s Cup
  • Shop
    • All Products
    • Subscriptions
    • Back Issues
    • Shirts
    • Hats & Visors
    • Miscellaneous
    • Release Rulers
  • Classifieds
  • Job Board
  • Contact
    • Contact InTheBite
    • InTheBite Media Kit
  • Log in

The Evolution of the Captain of the Year—The Championship of Sportfishing

April 20, 2021 By InTheBite Editor

The InTheBite Captain of the Year Cup is the championship of sportfishing. The Cup is the world’s only quantifiable way to recognize the tournament success of professional sportfishermen. Comprised of 90-sanctioned events that span the world, there is nothing else like it. Winning an InTheBite Captain of the Year Award is a major achievement. From the winners to the Cup’s origin, it is an interesting tale.

[Read more…]

Filed Under: Captain of the Year, Featured Stories, General News, News Tagged With: airmar, Captain of the Year, champion's cup, contender, furuno, Offshore Fishing, release marine

Champion’s Cup & COTY Updates

April 19, 2021 By InTheBite Digital Editor

lunatico effie may

Photo courtesy CatchStat.com

Champion’s Cup Update

April 19, 2021 Team Lunatico’s 63′ Titan Effie Mae is moving up in the ranks for both the Champion’s Cup and Captain of the Year with their first place win during this weekend’s White Marlin Roundup. The win awarded them a full 500 points putting them neck and neck with Uno Mas within the Champion’s Cup International Division points category. No teams have harvested a blue marlin- yet. For those teams interested in competing in the Champion’s Cup Winner Take All prize money, register soon before someone boats a big blue in your division.

FLORIDA DIVISION—MOST POINTS

  1. Native Son/Island Rover // 300 Points

[Read more…]

Filed Under: Featured Stories, General News, News Tagged With: Captain of the Year, champion's cup, fishing tournament, florida fishing, Offshore Fishing

Updates: Quepos Billfish Cup, Pelagic Shamrock Shootout

March 15, 2021 By InTheBite Digital Editor

1st Place team Hattadream

Photo courtesy Quepos Billfish Cup

Quepos Billfish Cup

1st place: Hattadream

Captain: Johnny Martinez

2nd place: Bradass

Captain: Ronald Mejias

3rd place: Spit or Swallow

Captain: Oscar villalobos

[Read more…]

Filed Under: General News, News Tagged With: Captain of the Year, champion's cup, Offshore Fishing, pelagic shamrock tournament, Quepos Billfish Cup

Weekend Tournament Updates, COTY Rankings

March 8, 2021 By InTheBite Digital Editor

native son

Photo courtesy JJ Fish Week

[Read more…]

Filed Under: Fishing, General News, News, Tournaments Tagged With: Captain of the Year, Jimmy Johnson’s Quest for the Ring, jj fish week, The Masters Angling Tournament

2020 Hawaii Division Captain of the Year Capt. Shane O’Brien

March 2, 2021 By InTheBite Digital Editor

wild hooker on the water

Wild Hooker, 2,150 points

Lazy Marlin Hunt 2nd Place – 300 pts.
Firecracker Open 1st Place – 500 pts.
Kona Throw Down 1st Place – 500 pts.
Skins Marlin Derby 3rd Place – 100 pts.
Big Island Marlin Tournament 1st Place Release – 500 pts.
Hawaiian Marlin Tournament Series Overall Champions – 250 pts.

[Read more…]

Filed Under: Crew, Featured Stories, Fishing, People, Tournaments Tagged With: Captain of the Year, kona fishing, Kona Hawaii, Offshore Fishing, shane obrien

2020 AIRMAR East Coast Division Captain of the Year Capt. Russell Sinclair, Wave Paver

February 16, 2021 By InTheBite Digital Editor

wave paver crew on the water

Photo courtesy Steve Momot

White Marlin Open, 1st Place Release – 500 pts.
MidAtlantic, Most Points Overall – 500 pts.

It never hurts to have a former champ in the driver’s seat and for the third time in five years, Capt. Russell Sinclair of Merritt Island, Florida, has earned a coveted Captain of the Year Cup. And with his 2020 showing, Sinclair is the first captain to win different divisions. With tournaments being forced to shutter across the globe, this was unlike any fishing season anyone had ever experienced. “So, we started last year in March and had some great fishing in the Abacos. We had two trips down there. And right before the closure, we moved the boat back to the U.S. and we sat there waiting during the whole quarantine thing to see what to do with our season. We wanted to go down to St. Thomas and fish the BVI and USVI, but we finally just pulled the plug on everything and went to the Northeast. We kinda weren’t supposed to be there,” Sinclair says.

[Read more…]

Filed Under: Captain of the Year, Crew, Featured Stories, People Tagged With: Captain of the Year, Captain Russell Sinclair, midatlantic tournament, Wave Paver, White Marlin Open

Third Week of February Arrives with New Round of Champion’s Cup Tournaments

February 15, 2021 By InTheBite Digital Editor

Kicking off the tournaments for this week is the second leg of the “Quest for the Crest” Sailfish Series, with its three checkpoints from Government Cut in Miami to Hillsboro Inlet in Pompano Beach and Lakeworth Inlet in West Palm. Leg two of the Los Sueños Signature Billfish Series starts February 24 and runs until the 27th. A day later The Masters Angling Tournament starts with fishing heading into March. Jimmy Johnson’s Quest for the Ring begins March 2 followed by the Quepos Billfish Cup, Leg 3 of the Los Sueños Signature Billfish Series, Marina Casa de Campo Open.

Captain of the Year 

Teams with a first-place win so far in 2021 include:

Contender Florida Division

Capt. Kevin Paul // Waterman // 500 Points

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

Capt. Matt Bierley // Miss Texas // 500 Points

Silver Sailfish Derby, 1st Place, 500 Pts.

Release Marine International Division

Capt. Eddie Wheeler // Cabana // 500 Points

  • Pelagic Rockstar Offshore Tournament, 1st Place, 500 Pts.

Champion’s Cup Sponsor Highlight

https://assets.inthebite.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/02/IMG_6561.mp4

Filed Under: Featured Stories Tagged With: Captain of the Year, champion's cup, crest for the ring, Los Suenos, Quest for the Crest

Captain of the Year Capt. Jeff Shoults, Furuno Gulf Coast Division

February 9, 2021 By InTheBite Digital Editor

mollie team with captain jeff shoults

Photo courtesy Brian Leiser

Mollie, 2,100 points:

MBGFC Memorial Day Tournament, 1st Place – 500 pts.
MBGFC Memorial Day Tournament, Heaviest Marlin – 613.8 lbs. – 500 pts.
Emerald Coast Blue Marlin Classic, Heaviest Marlin – 660.4 lbs. – 500 pts.
Emerald Coast Blue Marlin Classic, 3rd Place – 100 pts.
MBGFC Invitational Labor Day Tournament, 1st Place – 500 pts.

[Read more…]

Filed Under: Crew, Featured Stories, Fishing, People, Tournaments Tagged With: captain jeff shoults, Captain of the Year, furuno, gulf coast, mollie

Champion’s Cup, Captain of the Year Updates

February 8, 2021 By InTheBite Digital Editor

jumping sailfish

We’ve got a short intermission before the next round of sanctioned tournaments kick off and the Champion’s Cup is gearing up for another couple of weeks of tough competition. Currently, 13 teams are fighting for the top prize among the Florida, Gulf Coast, East Coast, International and Hawaii Divisions. Check out the competition below, and if you feel like you’re up for a challenge, register now.*

Current Champion’s Cup Team Lineup:

  • BAR South
    60′ Spencer
  • Lo Que Sea
    58′ Paul Mann
  • FLORIDIAN
    60′ SPORTSMAN
  • LUNATICO (Effie May)
    63′ Titan
  • LUNATICO2
    42′ Invincible
  • FINS UP
    54′ Bertram
  • Fish Tank
    65′ Hatteras
  • Krazy Salts
    80′ Viking
  • Wild Hooker
    68′ Blackwell
  • Lucky Dog
    57′ Bayliss
  • Eight Eights
    72′ Viking
  • Uno Mas
    77′ Mark Willis
  • You Never Know!
    72′ F & S

Winning a coveted Captain of the Year Cup is worth far more than any amount of money you could attain for the victory and this longstanding tradition will still be presented independently of the Champion’s Cup. However, we thought it would be nice to reward the rest of the fleet with new opportunities to win some extra cash.

Click the links below for additional information on each division or click here to register for an event.

  • Florida Division
  • Gulf Division
  • East Coast Division
  • International Division
  • Hawaii Division

Upcoming Captain of the Year Sanctioned Tournaments:

  • February 17 – February 21
    Sailfish Challenge, 2nd Leg of the “Quest for the Crest” Series
  • February 24 – February 27
    Los Sueños Signature Billfish Series, Leg 2
  • February 28 – March 4
    The Masters Angling Tournament
  • March 2 – March 6 
    Jimmy Johnson’s Quest for the Ring
  • March 12 – March 13
    Quepos Billfish Cup
  • March 17 – March 20
    Los Sueños Signature Billfish Series, Leg 3
  • March 18 – March 20
    Marina Casa de Campo Open

*Teams should register one month prior to their next division tournament in order for InthBite to process all the boat’s information.

Filed Under: Captain of the Year, Featured Stories, Fishing, Tournaments Tagged With: Captain of the Year, champion's cup, east coast fishing tournament, florida fishing tournament, gulf fishing touranment, tournament fishing

Champion’s Cup Q&A with Lo Que Sea Owner Tony Huerta

February 5, 2021 By InTheBite Digital Editor

The 2021 InTheBite Champion’s Cup is underway and so we sat down with one of the participants to get a better idea of who’s fishing. Tony Huerta, owner of the 58′ Paul Mann Lo Que Sea answers nine of our serious, and not-so-serious questions. Register your boat now for a chance to win it all in the first-ever Champion’s Cup: https://www.reeltimeapps.com/live/tou…

Filed Under: Dock Talk, Featured Stories, Owners, People Tagged With: Captain of the Year, champion's cup, fishing tournament, Lo Que Sea, Paul Mann

Next Page »

Connect With InTheBite

  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Twitter
  • YouTube

Sign Up for the InTheBite Newsletter


Be the first to hear about the latest Sportfishing News, Products, and Services!

Subscribe to InTheBite Magazine Today!

InTheBite Magazine Current Cover

Our latest issue is hitting the docks now! Be sure to subscribe to the hottest bluewater mag on the market. Purchase or Subscribe »

Upcoming Tournaments

Wed 21

Hawk’s Nest White Marlin Shootout

April 18 - April 21
Wed 21

Ed Dwyer’s Otherside Invitational

April 21 - April 25
Thu 22

Cayman Islands International Fishing Tournament

April 22 - April 25
Wed 28

The Shootout: Production vs. Custom

April 28 - May 1
Sat 01

MONGO Offshore Challenge

May 1 - September 30

View More…

InTheBite Champion’s Cup

InTheBite Champions Cup Logo

New for 2021, the Champion’s Cup is an optional paid entry with a winner-takes-all prize format for teams who want to up the stakes in each division utilizing our longstanding tournament scoring formula.

Captain of the Year Cup Standings

Captain of the Year Cup Standings Logo

View the current standings for InTheBite's Captain of the Year Cup... Leaderboard »

News

  • The Evolution of the Captain of the Year—The Championship of Sportfishing

    The Evolution of the Captain of the Year—The Championship of Sportfishing

    The InTheBite Captain of the Year Cup is the championship of sportfishing. The Cup is the world’s only quantifiable way to recognize the tournament success of professional sportfishermen. Comprised of 90-sanctioned events that span the world, there is nothing else like it. Winning an InTheBite Captain of the Year Award is a major achievement. From the winners to the Cup’s... [Read More...]

  • Fish Mapping: Now Available on Simrad & Furuno

    Fish Mapping: Now Available on Simrad & Furuno

    SiriusXM Marine’s Fish Mapping service is now available on Simrad and Furuno displays!  Whether you’re competing in a tournament, out fishing for fun, or taking clients on a charter trip, Fish Mapping provides the information you need to help get you to the spots where fish are most likely to be located, saving you time and fuel.  In addition to all... [Read More...]

  • Champion's Cup & COTY Updates

    Champion's Cup & COTY Updates

    Champion's Cup Update April 19, 2021 Team Lunatico's 63' Titan Effie Mae is moving up in the ranks for both the Champion's Cup and Captain of the Year with their first place win during this weekend's White Marlin Roundup. The win awarded them a full 500 points putting them neck and neck with Uno Mas within the Champion's Cup International Division... [Read More...]

  • New Texas State Record Bluefin Tuna Weighing 876 Pounds

    New Texas State Record Bluefin Tuna Weighing 876 Pounds

    Friday, April 16, 2021, Thomas J. Hilton, www.HiltonsOffshore.com—A week ago last year in early April 2020, 4 Texas boats with Hilton's subscribers aboard each landed a bluefin tuna weighing between 599 pounds to 820 pounds (new Texas state record). They were landed off of surface structures shown on www.HiltonsOffshore.com. Sea surface water temperature is critical this time of year, with fish... [Read More...]

  • NavNet TZtouch from Furuno

    NavNet TZtouch from Furuno

    If you missed the Palm Beach International Boat Show or didn't make it by the Furuno tent then check out the video below to see what was on display and to learn a little more about the Furuno products. Braden Shoemaker, Furuno SE Regional Manager, breaks down the different NavNet TZtouch systems and what they can offer on your next... [Read More...]

Search InTheBite

Copyright © 2021 InTheBite, LLC · All Rights Reserved.