InTheBite

Final Sail Results– Team “Showtime” Wins the Burgundy Jacket

By

1st place in Final Sail and Quest for the Crest Champions – Showtime Captain Nick Carulo $214,720 won in Final Sail and $271,800 overall won in the Quest

Miami Beach, Fla. (April 7, 2019) – The stakes were high, and the pressure was on for the 37 teams competing off Miami Beach in Final Sail, the grand finale of the 2019 Quest for the Crest Sailfish Series. The tournament opened with a kickoff party at the DoubleTree Grand by Hilton that included a casino fundraiser to benefit the tournament’s charity, Fishing for Muscular Dystrophy (FFMD). The combined efforts of the teams and the casino night enabled Bluewater Movements to present FFMD with a check for $5,000 to help them on their mission to cured MD. [Read more…]

Final Sail is Back: Who Will Be Named Crown Jewel of Sailfishing?

By

Miami Beach, Fla. (Mar. 18, 2019) – The party moves south, as the highly anticipated grand finale of the Quest for the Crest Sailfish Series, Final Sail, closes out in Miami Beach this year on April 3-7.  A hefty purse in excess of $800,000 is not the only prize teams have their eyes on.  The prestigious burgundy jackets are also awarded to the top overall team at this final leg of the series.  With an elite fleet of competitors, this world title is as tight as the lines, but the leader will be cut soon and just one team will claim their spot in the competitive sailfishing hall of fame.

Major payouts aren’t the only attraction for teams at Final Sail.  This grand finale takes place in Miami Beach, with an exciting kick-off party overlooking beautiful Biscayne Bay and a Resorts World Bimini sponsored “Casino Night” where anglers compete on the green felt to help raise money for the tournament charity, Fishing for Muscular Dystrophy.  The kick-off party is held Wednesday, April 3rd at the incredible DoubleTree by Hilton Grand Hotel Biscayne Bay.  With a “day of rest” in between, competition starts on Friday, April 5th with lines in at 8 a.m.  Following lines out on day one, teams can unwind for happy hour at the famous Monty’s Restaurant in Miami Beach Marina with complimentary drinks and food. Day two of competition is Saturday April 6th and tensions will be high as the final scores determine both the winners of Final Sail and the Quest for the Crest series.

With a total purse exceeding $1.9 million dollars, several boats have claimed six figure prizes at each stop for the series.  With a current payout approaching $350,000 and a winner-take-all format, the Release Round Up  has the undivided attention of every team and many spectators heading into Final Sail. Run the table in Final Sail and your team will have a shot at a payday in excess of $500,000. Five teams were in arms reach of the jackpot in the last tournament, Sailfish Challenge, and two of those teams needed just two more releases to win the massive jackpot. The signature category is broken into four rounds of fishing (morning and afternoon) over the two-day competition.  In each round, a random number between 1 and 6 is drawn at the start of the round and represents the minimum number of sailfish a team must release during the 4-hour round in order to advance to the next. A team must advance through all four rounds and have the most releases in the final round among their competitors in order to claim the jackpot.

The results of the first two legs in the series have been diverse, with Utopia taking first place for Operation Sailfish with 14 releases, MDALA only a release behind with 13, and Kluch/Reel Easy taking 3rd place with 12 releases. Sailfish Challenge was a nail-bitter to the end. Native Son, one of the final five in the Release Round Up at the Challenge, secured 1st place with 20 releases. Team Good Call followed closely behind in 2nd with 19 releases and Kluch/Reel Easy snagged back-to-back 3rd place finishes with 18 releases. Their consistent performances earned them the lead in the series standings with 56 points followed by Bar South in 2nd place with 51 points, and one of the center-console favorites, team Showtime in 3rd place with 49 points on their 39’ SeaVee.

Claiming the world champions title and the burgundy jackets requires dominant performances and most importantly – consistency. As the final sailfish tournament of the season, teams know what is at stake.  Who will rise to the occasion?  The 7th annual Final Sail will be one to remember and the tournament of the season you won’t want to miss!

2019 Final Sail Details:

The Final Sail kick-off party is held on Wednesday, April 3 at the beautiful DoubleTree by Hilton Grand Hotel Biscayne Bay in Miami Beach.  Competition days are both Friday, April 5th and Saturday, April 6th, followed by an awards ceremony Sunday, April 7th at the DoubleTree Grand Hilton Hotel ballroom. Tournament registration is available online at www.FinalSail.com and remains open until the conclusion of the kickoff party on April 3rd.

For more information on Final Sail, visit www.FinalSail.com or call 954-725-4010. The entire Quest for the Crest schedule and series standings can be found at http://www.questforthecrest.com

Sailfish Challenge Final Results: “Native Son” Takes the Win

By

Native Son Wins Sailfish Challenge with Walk Off Release

Four boats make it to final round of $314,000 Release Round Up

Pompano Beach, Fla. (Feb 26, 2019) – Nothing short of exciting and unpredictable with a 52-boat fleet, 466 anglers, 3 inlets and 2 days of competition, the 16th annual Sailfish Challenge was one for the books. The tournament opened with an amazing kickoff party hosted at the International Game Fish Association, charitable beneficiary for the tournament. Within these two-days a total of 427 sailfish were released from Palm Beach down to Miami, with a majority of the boats fishing from Palm Beach to Jupiter. The record setting bite got off to a hot start at lines in on day 1 and stayed steady until the end of the tournament with multiple boats hooked up each day all the way through lines out.

Competition was stiff and the stakes were high with a $639,220 total purse and the $314,100 Release Round Up on a tight line, the first number drawn Friday morning was 1. 29 boats advanced to the second round. At noon on Friday the second number was pulled and coincidently it was number 2. 19 boats advanced on two round 3 where it would take 4 releases or more to make it to the final round on Saturday afternoon. 5 boats made the cut and were only a few hours and 5 more releases away from a $314,100 winner-take-all payday! Native Son, Double Diamond and Chips Ahoy Too all got the closest, each releasing 3 fish a piece in the final round, however the 5-release mark was not met.  Native Son went 3 for 6 in the final round, however it was not meant to be. With no winner, the massive jackpot rolls over into the Final Sail tournament in Miami on April 3-7 where it is expected to reach $350,0000!  [Read more…]

Cash Purse Worth Over $800,000 in 2019 Operation Sailfish

By

Two days of battle by an infantry of elite Sailfishing teams

Photo courtesy of Endless Imagery

West Palm Beach, Fla. (Dec. 27, 2018) – Recognized as both the largest and richest sailfishing series in the world, the first leg of the Quest for the Crest Sailfish Series, Operation Sailfish, will be held at the Sailfish Marina in Palm Beach from January 16-20, 2019. Participating teams will battle it out on the high seas, sailfishing both Friday and Saturday for the chance to take home a custom set of champion dog tags and a stout payday with a cash purse worth over $800,000.

Other opportunities to reel in a win include the “Release Round-Up” jackpot.  This winner-take-all category is approaching a $300,000 payout at Operation Sailfish with a buy-in of only $1,000. Win the tournament and the Release Roundup and your team could be cashing a check for over $500,000. The 2018 champion team and current titleholder, Weez in the Keys went home with a cash payout of $210,000 last year.  Who will earn the prestigious title this year?

This two-day long tournament will give anglers a run for their boats, rods, and money. With  a variety of prize categories available to enter, anglers will have many opportunities to collect some hefty checks and patriotic trophies. There are two tiers of optional entry through the daily categories that provide teams with an opportunity to win over $80,000 on a first place daily. Early and late bite categories also offer teams the chance to win some bonus cash in both the first and second half of the day.

Along with the competition, one of the most notable highlights of Operation Sailfish is the unique opportunity it provides anglers to give back to the men and women of the United States military. In partnership with its charity, Operation Homefront, each year this tournament holds a “Take a Hero Fishing Day,” which is designed to honor and support military veterans, active-duty soldiers, and wounded warriors by getting them out on the water for a fun day fishing. Held on Thursday, January 17, 2019, each participating team will be paired with a hero to enjoy a day of fishing, followed by a cocktail reception and awards ceremony, where top hero’s will be presented with trophies of their own!

Photo courtesy of Endless Imagery

The kick-off party is held on Wednesday, January 16 at the historic Sailfish Marina Resort in Palm Beach, with a color guard and national anthem ceremony. Competition days are both Friday, January 18 and Saturday, January 19, followed by a brunch and awards presentation Sunday, January 20 at Sailfish Marina Resort. Tournament registration is available online at www.operationsailfish.com.  Registration remains open until the conclusion of the kickoff party on January 16th.

Photo courtesy of Endless Imagery

For more information on Operation Sailfish, visit the tournament website at www.operationsailfish.com or call 954-725-4010. The entire Quest for the Crest Sailfish Series schedule can be found at www.questforthecrest.com

$300,000 Jackpot in 2019 Quest for the Crest

By

$300,000 Jackpot. 1 winner. $1,000 entry.
REGISTER NOW!  www.questforthecrest.com

BIG Savings — Quest for the Crest Early Sign Up

By

Register for all 3 legs of the Quest for the Crest by December 19 and SAVE $1,000 PLUS your team will be eligible for these grand prize drawings at the end of the series:
✔️$1,000 Bass Pro Shopping Spree –
✔️Complete set of Costa shades for your team –
✔️Tigress kite fishing package valued at $1,000 –
✔️Grizzly cooler package valued at over $600 –
✔️Resorts World Bimini VIP weekend for 4 including airfare, lodging, spa credit & casino play –
✔️3-year lease on a 2019 RAM 1500 crew cab truck courtesy of Joey Accardi of Pompano Beach –
✔️$5,000 drawing!
REGISTER NOW!  www.questforthecrest.com

BAR South Wins Final Sail & Free Bird Sets New Series Record

By

After four legs of hard fought competition, the 2018 Quest for the Crest Sailfish Series wrapped up on April 21st with Final Sail, the grand finale of the series, hosted by Margaritaville Key West Resort & Marina. The festivities began with a kickoff party along the Margaritaville pier featuring live music, open bar and an amazing spread of food.

Heading into the Final Sail, team Free Bird had the lead in the chase for the burgundy jacket with 85 points, followed by Sandman in second with 82 points and Weez in the Keys in third with 76 points. With just one release on Day 1, Free Bird fell behind Sandman and Weez in the Key was able to close the gap.

Photo Courtesy: Endless Imagery

With no substantial change in conditions on Day 2, teams knew that they would have to make every bite count. Team Sir’ Reel came out swinging with a few releases early to claim the early bite and win the daily for $40,350. Sandman backed their Day 1 performance with another second place daily on Day 2. With less than two hours to go on Day 2 and no releases on the board, the burgundy jacket appeared to be slowly slipping away from Free Bird. Battling a zero-wind condition, Captain Nick Carullo made the call to put away the kites and start chasing floppers. It was a call that paid off. They caught a triple off a flopper before lines out to boost the team into the third place spot for the day. More importantly it brought them back within a 1-point margin of team Sandman for the burgundy jacket and the #1 title. In true championship format, it would all come down to the final day.

Photo Courtesy: Endless Imagery

In the midst of the battle between Free Bird and Sandman, team BAR South had quietly moved themselves into striking distance for a Final Sail victory, sitting in third place heading into the final day. Day 3 belonged to Captain Art Sapp and the BAR South crew. They got off to a hot start with five releases in the first half of the day and went on to release one more in the afternoon for a total of 11 releases that would be enough to secure the victory and a $136,835 payday! Contender One battled back from a slow Day 2, releasing four fish on Day 3 to claim second place overall in Final Sail and a check totaling $85,125!

Photo Courtesy: Endless Imagery

Sandman released their first couple of fish on Day 3 and appeared to be on their way to becoming the first 2-time winner of the burgundy jacket. True champions rise to the occasion and that is exactly what team Free Bird did. They answered the call releasing five fish on Day 3 to finish the tournament in fourth place overall with nine releases and season earnings of $224,400. More importantly they sealed their fate as the new #1 sailfishing team in the world with a two-point margin of victory over team Sandman. Free Bird set a new series record scoring 112 points out of a possible 124 in the series. They posted a first place finish and three fourth place finishes, never falling out of the Top 5 in the most competitive billfish tournaments the sport has to offer. Sandman finished the season in second place with total earnings of $312,940 followed by Weez in the Keys in third place with total earnings of $299,150.

Photo Courtesy: Endless Imagery

Combined payouts across all four legs of the series tallied $2.1 million dollars. For a complete list of results for Final Sail visit: https://www.bluewatermovements.com/final_sail_results/

For a complete list of the standings from the Quest for the Crest, visit: https://www.bluewatermovements.com/quest_for_the_crest_point_standings/

 

 

Congratulations Sandman – Winner of Sailfish Challenge

By

Sandman Wins Sailfish Challenge, 18 Minutes Shy of $434,000 Payday

Captain John Dudas and his Sandman crew – Photos courtesy: Endless Imagery

Fifty-eight teams competed for a purse in excess of $581,000 in the 15th Annual Sailfish Challenge, leg 3 of the Quest for the Crest Sailfish Series.  With a 3-inlet format and a boundary from south of Miami to north of Jupiter, teams were stretched out from end to end looking for the best conditions and the hottest bite.  As it turns out, the bite was fairly spread out on both ends of the boundary, however, team Ice Box/High Gear landed in the fish in a big way on Day 1.  Fishing out of Hillsboro Inlet, they ran north on their 37’ SeaVee and got into a red-hot bite off Boynton Inlet. They won the early bite and the late bite on Day 1 with a total of 13 releases and a commanding lead in the tournament.

The 1st, 2nd and 3rd place finishes on Day 1 were split between the three different inlets in the tournament.  Fishing off Miami, team Sandman released 9 sailfish to secure the second place position on Day 1 and $43,600 in daily winnings.  Fishing out of Palm Beach, team Good Call released 7 sails and put themselves in contention heading into the final day of competition.  Miss Annie had 7 releases on Day 1 in 4th place and De-Bait-Able rounded out the top 5 with 6 releases.

Coming off their 2017 world title in the Quest for the Crest, there were no doubts about whether Captain John Dudas and his Sandman crew could handle pressure when the money is on the line.  They stayed hot on day 2, releasing 8 fish to win the daily and a grand total of $189,380 in prize money.  Sandman needed just 18 minutes on one of their sailfish releases to run the table in the winner-take-all Release Roundup Jackpot and win an additional $244,800!  The pot remains unclaimed and will roll over to the final leg in Key West on April 17-21 where it is expected to exceed $275,000!

Ice Box/High Gear finished the tournament with 15 releases in second place and a $16,675 payout. Team Priceless charged hard on Day 2 in their 39’ Contender, releasing 8 fish to jump into 3rd place overall and claim a $63,265 payout!  Team Blue Moon Fish Company weighed the heaviest meatfish of the tournament, a 42.3-pound kingfish, to win the Bluewater Bonanza and $14,770 in prize money.  Sandra MacMillan, team Sandman, was the top female angler with 6 releases and her teammate, Alex Castellanos, won the top male angler and master angler trophies with 6 releases as well.  Fishing on board Lisa L/The Fishing Experience, Tyler Walsh won the top junior angler division with 1 release.  Branch Office was the top non-pro team with 3 releases and a $2,000 bonus payout.  They also landed an 18.6-pound blackfin tuna that was the heaviest tuna of the tournament for an additional $1,000.

With 1 leg remaining in the 4-leg series, all eyes are on the burgundy jacket and the #1 title in competitive sailfish tournaments around the globe.  Team Free Bird, posted another strong 4th place finish at the Challenge with 11 releases.  They remain in first place overall with 85 points followed by Sandman in second with 82 points.  Weez in the Keys finished in 9th place at the Challenge with 9 releases to maintain the 3rd place spot overall with 76 points heading into the final leg of the series.  It will be a true ‘clash of the titans’ in Key West, FL as we determine who has what it takes to don the coveted burgundy jacket and become the new world champion of competitive sailfishing.

The grand finale of the Quest for the Crest, Final Sail, takes place April 17th – 21st in sunny Key West, FL at the Margaritaville Resort & Marina where a world champion will be crowned. To register for this event visit www.finalsail.com

Old No. 7 Wins Big In Key West- Sandman Wins Crest

By

sand_man

Sandman team captures prestigious Quest for Crest title 2017.

Sailfishing teams arrived at Margaritaville Key West Resort & Marina on April 25th in search of a great bite and a great time during Final Sail, the grand finale of the 4-leg Quest for the Crest Sailfish Series. The tournament did not disappoint.

With an $868,000 purse up for grabs and a world champion title on the line, the stakes were high. Heading into Final Sail, team Sandman held the lead in the chase for the burgundy jacket with 79 points, generated from a 3rd, 7th and 4th place finish in the first three legs of the series. Team Sailsmen/Advanced Roofing was hot on their heels in 2nd with 71 points followed by Contender One and Miss Britt/Contender each with 69 points.

On the dawn of Day 1, Captain John Dudas let the fleet know that team Sandman came to play when they jumped out to a hot start winning the early bite with five releases. As the day progressed, Captain Jamie Ralph and his Old No. 7 team found the fish and capitalized on nine releases to take the late bite and the Day 1 daily for a $67,200 payout. Sandman finished the day with eight releases in 2nd place and a $33,120 payday. A total of 121 fish were released on Day 1.

Heading into Day 2, the wind picked up out of the southeast and the bite picked up with it. Silent Hunter found the fish early releasing eight sails before noon. The afternoon belonged to 2015 Quest champions, BAR South. They released eight fish between 12 p.m. and 4 p.m. and a total of 12 releases for the day to win the $67,200 daily. Three other boats, HellReyzer, Silent Hunter and Family Matters, also posted double digits with 10 releases each. Team Seraphim grabbed the lead on the big fish scoreboard when they weighed a hefty 47.8-pound dolphin at the tournament scale on Day 2. The big mahi turned out to be the heaviest dolphin of the tourney earning the team a bonus $1,500 payout. A total of 159 fish were released on Day 2.

After two hard days of fishing, a much needed lay day provided a fun opportunity for teams to let loose and enjoy the Key West night life during a pub crawl along the world famous Duval Street. With the lay day shenanigans behind them, only one day remained for teams to capitalize on the opportunity to close out the season on a high note.

At the start of Day 3, BAR South held the lead with 18 releases followed by Old No. 7 and Lights Out in 2nd and 3rd with 16 releases each. Old No. 7 caught three sails by 9:15 a.m. to take the lead over BAR South. Shortly after, BAR South answered with a double to jump back into the lead with 20 releases. The lead didn’t last long. Minutes later, Captain Jamie Ralph called in two more releases to push Old No. 7 back to the top of the leader board with a total of 22 releases. In the midst of the battle for first and second, Sandman jumped in the mix releasing six fish by 12:34 p.m. to move into 3rd place with 21 releases and striking distance with 90 minutes of fishing left in the tournament.

Contender One, contenders for the burgundy jacket, got hot on Day 3 and released eight fish to grab the 1st place daily and bump themselves into 7th place overall for the tournament and runners up for the jacket with 93 points. They also finished strong in the earnings column with a $97,720 payout at Final Sail and over $191,000 in earnings for the season. Team De-Bait-Able took 2nd on Day 3, just behind Contender One on time with eight releases and a check for $49,400.

Despite BAR South’s best effort, Old No. 7 would simply not be denied of their first ever victory on the Quest for the Crest trail. They finished the tournament with 23 releases and total winnings of $219,675! BAR South finished in 2nd place overall with 22 releases and took home a check for $137,725. That payout also pushed the team’s net earnings to more than $1,000,000 in the Quest series. A total of 124 fish were released on Day 3.

Sandman finished the tournament in 3rd place overall with 21 releases and $79,470 in prize money. More importantly, it secured their position as the #1 sailfishing team in the world and recipients of the Quest for the Crest burgundy jackets. They join an elite fleet of teams that have been able to conquer one of the most difficult feats in competitive billfishing today and they did it in record style. Under the leadership of Captain John Dudas, Sandman never placed outside of the top 10 in all four legs of the series. They became the first team ever to break the 100-point threshold with a grand tally of 107 points for the season. To put things in perspective, a perfect score (1st place in all 4 tournaments) would equate to a score of 121.

In the angler category, Stephanie Choate from Miss Britt/Contender made history by becoming the first angler to sweep a category in all four legs of the series. She was the Top Female Angler in each tournament with a Master Angler title in Leg 3 as well. Carl Lindner of team Seraphim took the Top Male Angler with 13 releases and edged Stephanie out of the Master Angler title at Final Sail based on time. Seraphim’s big dolphin held on to the big fish lead on Day 3 until Reel Rodeo pulled up to the dock and dropped a 64.2-pound wahoo on the scale to steal the $13,650 pot in the Big Fish Bonanza.

Combined payouts across all four legs of the series tallied $2.5 million dollars. For a complete list of results for Final Sail visit: https://www.bluewatermovements.com/final_sail_results/

For a complete list of the standings from the Quest for the Crest, visit: https://www.bluewatermovements.com/quest_for_the_crest_point_standings/

old_7x3