Planer fishing is an effective way to target wahoo. Traditional systems utilize a planer that is permanently fixed to the line. In this case, the angler reels the swivel to the rod tip before handlining the wahoo and 75’ of leader to the boat. This tip makes the planer removable, allowing the angler to reel the planer to the rod tip, easily remove it and reel the fish and leader to the boat—no more handlining.
Nobody has ever been disappointed to catch a wahoo.
Even a marlin tournament crew can take solace that the wahoo they caught, even if it were not a marlin, still makes a hell of an excuse to fi re up the grill. Wahoo are found far and wide and wherever they are caught people like to eat them.
What follows is Chef Andi Bell’s take on preparing wahoo. Bell is the executive chef at Boshamps Seafood and Oyster House in Destin, Florida. Located in Destin Harbor, Boshamps is not only a Gulf Coast landmark, but occupies a place of prominence on the fishing landscape. Home to the Flathead Classic Cobia Tournament and frequented by the who’s who of the Gulf Coast tournament crowd, Boshamps is exposed to its share of fresh seafood – including wahoo.
Bell’s Gulf to Table Culinary philosophy produces some remarkable cuisine. When it comes to cooking wahoo, Bell recommends two methods: grilling and pan roasting.
“Grilling might be the best way to cook wahoo aside from maybe pan roasting it,” Bell explains. “You want to cook it medium-rare to medium so that it doesn’t dry out. You want to cook it over high heat for a short amount of time.”
1. Lightly brush wahoo steaks or fillets with olive oil.
2. Season with salt and pepper (“That’s all I ever use to season wahoo,” Bell says.)
3. Cook over the hot part of the grill without allowing the fish to catch fire. Cook 4-5 minutes per side.
Bell’s other go-to method for fulfilling wahoo’s culinary potential is to pan roast it. This method is a straight forward one as well. Just make sure that the pan that you use doesn’t have a plastic handle and can be placed in a hot oven.
1. Add olive oil to a sauté pan/skillet.
2. On the stove, place the pan on high heat until the olive oil just begins to smoke.
3. Add seasoned wahoo to the pan (Bell seasons his with a little bit of salt and pepper).
4. Let the fish brown until the fillet begins to turn opaque.
5. Flip the fish, remove from heat and place the skillet in an oven heated to 400 degrees.
6. Allow the wahoo to finish cooking in the oven for 10 minutes. Once you have your wahoo cooked the way you like it, Bell recommends a couple of varieties of sauce. His go-to for grilled wahoo is lemon butter sauce. This is something that he prepares daily in the restaurant and always has on hand.
An aerial view of Boshamps in Destin Harbor. The crossover between great seafood and sportfishing is clearly evident.
1. Place a cup of heavy cream in a saucepan or small pot.
2. Cut three lemons in half. Drop the lemon halves into the cream.
3. Cook cream and lemons over medium heat until it thickens. When the cream reduces by half, you are good to go.
4. Remove the lemon halves.
5. Add two pounds of butter, cut into two-inch pieces. Whisk in the butter a few pieces at a time so it doesn’t break. Cook it until all of the butter melts.
6. Pour over wahoo….
If you are feeling ambitious, Chef Bell provides a couple more sauce recipes that require a bit more skill to prepare. Getting them right will make you a wahoo hero.
• 2 cups Duke’s mayonnaise.
• 1 cup chopped bread- and-butter pickles.
• 2 tbsp. chopped fresh parsley.
• 3 tbsp. chopped green onion, both white and green parts.
• Juice and zest of 1 lemon.
• 2 tsp. whole-grain Dijon mustard.
• 1 heaping tbsp. finely chopped garlic.
• 1 tsp. Worcestershire sauce.
• 1/2 tsp. Tabasco sauce.
• 2 oz. whiskey.
• 1/2 tsp. kosher salt.
• 1/2 tsp. black pepper.
Mix together and use as a dip or garnish for wahoo or other seafood favorites.
Want to sample Chef Andi’s handywork? Pull up a chair at Boshamps.
• 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil.
• 3 large sweet onions cut into 1/4-inch dice.
• 2 parsley sprigs.
• 2 bay leaves.
• 1 rosemary sprig.
• 1 cup sugar.
• 3/4 cup white balsamic vinegar.
• In a large pot, heat the olive oil until shimmering. Add the onions and cook over moderately high heat, stirring occasionally, until golden brown, about 15 minutes.
• Tie the parsley, bay leaves and rosemary together with kitchen twine. Add the herb bundle to the diced onions and cook over low heat, stirring a few times, until fragrant, about three minutes. Sprinkle the sugar over the onions and cook, without stirring, until the sugar melts, about five minutes. Increase the heat to high and cook, without stirring, until an amber-brown caramel forms, about six minutes. Stir in the white balsamic vinegar and simmer over low heat, stirring a few times, until the jam is thick, about five minutes. Discard the herb bundle. Season the jam with salt and let cool to warm.
Next time you catch a wahoo, try one of these recipes. You will not be disappointed.
Team ‘Uno Mas’ presented with their winning check of U$100,000 by Pilar Bush, Executive Vice President for Marketing at Dart Enterprises
(George Town, Cayman Islands) The Cayman Islands’ first-ever Cayman Billfish Rundown awarded more than US$260,000 in cash prizes to 14 teams hailing from both local and international shores. Held May 14-17 on Grand Cayman, 41 teams registered in the sportfishing tournament, presented by Hurley’s Media Ltd., Dart Enterprises and The Residences at Seafire.
Managing Director of Hurley’s Media Ltd. Randy Merren said he was pleased with the outcome of the tournament. “It’s incredible to see Cayman Billfish Rundown come to life after a year of planning and preparations. We are grateful for the support from the local and international participants, and based on the feedback received, we expect even higher numbers next year,” Mr. Merren said.
Carey Chen brought his experience and expertise as the Official Artist and Tournament Ambassador, taking news of the tournament to global waters. “I’ve been fishing the Cayman Islands since Million Dollar month in the 80s. The offshore fishing is less than a mile from land in the clearest water you can imagine,” Mr. Chen said. “Cayman Billfish Rundown in its debut is one of the most organized tournaments I have been to and this will only get better,” he said.
Tournament Ambassador: Carey Chen and Hall of Famer: Warren Sapp, fished the Cayman Billfish Rundown
The winning team, ‘Uno Mas’ from Florida, captained by Brooks Smith, released three billfish to win the top prize of US$100,000 for the Most Billfish Release Points and the Captain’s Award of US$10,000 presented to the Captain of the Boat with the Most Release Points. The team also entered seven additional categories that flexed its billfish skills and rewarded Uno Mas with additional payouts of more than US$16,000, making its total winnings for the tournament close to US$130,000.
In second place, ‘Happy Days’ from the Cayman Islands, took home US$35,000 for the second most billfish releases, as well as an additional US$2,250 for the smallest boat with the most billfish releases. Small boats were considered under 36 feet Length Over All (LOA).
Third place for most billfish release was tied, with seven teams earning equal points through catching and releasing a Blue Marlin. Down to time stamps, ‘Suntide’ took home third place and US$20,000, inching ahead of ‘Lazy Lady’ and ‘Trading Time’ by releasing their Marlin 10 and 20 minutes earlier respectively.
Angler Shaun Bodden from ‘Cool Change’ hooked the heaviest yellowfin tuna, weighing 77.2 lbs., which awarded his team US$10,000 from the guaranteed payout and an additional US$10,000 for entering and winning the ‘Tuna Doubler’ category.
Team ‘Cool Change’, including angler Shaun Bodden celebrating their category winning Tuna at 77.2lbs
The heaviest wahoo was caught by Baron Jacob from ‘Ecks-Change’ weighing 39.2 lbs. The heaviest dolphinfish was caught by Nathan Ebanks from ‘Reeladdiction’. Both teams won US$10,000 and each team kindly donated U$1,500 to the Alex Panton Foundation, the charity the tournament chose to support. Anglers were encouraged to donate a portion of their winnings to the Alex Panton Foundation. The foundation’s mission is to improve the mental health of the Cayman Islands’ children and young adults.
Forty-one boats entered the tournament with 230 registered anglers, including 41 international anglers and 28 females. Between them, they released twelve Blue Marlins, one White Marlin and one sailfish. A total of 14 yellowfin tuna, five wahoo and six dolphinfish were brought to the scale.
“The Cayman Islands as a jurisdiction of choice has so much to offer, and this tournament is no different as it highlights the high professional standard of sport fishing,” said Mr. Merren. “Billfish in particular hold a special place in Cayman Islands sportfishing and for me personally, it was great to bring the action so close to our shores,” he continued.
Carey Chen creating a masterpiece to be auctioned at the Cayman Billfish Rundown
The tournament also supports responsible fishing and teamed up with Guy Harvey Ocean Foundation, the School of Marine Sciences at University of Maine, and The Gulf of Maine Research Institute in a Tag and Release Program. Mr. Chen said, “Of all the islands I have travelled to, Cayman takes the most pride in its reefs and ocean by protecting it from pollution and overfishing.” The tag and release programme encourages participants to tag and release undersized dolphinfish, yellowfin tuna, skipjack and bigeye tuna, and ocean whitetip sharks. ‘Conched Out’, captained by Colin Wilson earned the most release points and were awarded with an Ulysse Nardin CI Limited Edition Watch valued at US$10,000.
The awards dinner and closing ceremony took place on Friday evening at The Crescent in Camana Bay and included a live performance and an impressive display of fireworks. Sponsors, including: Dart Enterprises, Esso, Ulysse Nardin and Island Heritage handed out trophies and checks to winning teams. During the closing ceremony other sponsors were also thanked for their involvement in the tournament including: Chivas Regal; Michelob Ultra; Parkers; Automotive Art; Suzuki; Mikes Ice; Ogier; Shipping Registry and Pro Yacht.
Helping with the presentation of awards, Nicole Spenc, a sportfishing icon from Florida, also thanked sponsors and tournament organizers for welcoming her to the Cayman Islands. “The people, the island, everything is so welcoming and I am just blown away! I can’t wait to come back!” she said. Nicole writes an adventure blog and is popular across YouTube and Instagram.
Nicole Spenc, fishing icon and social influencer, with her team ‘Ricochet’ in the Cayman Billfish Rundown
Reflecting on the tournament, Mr. Merren expressed gratitude to participants and sponsors. “Thank you to those who participated and to the team at Hurley’s Media, Dart Enterprises and The Residences at Seafire for a successful inaugural event. My hope is that next year we have even more participants, increase the prize pools, and perhaps even can break the Blue Marlin record,” he said.
Mr. Chen also said he’s excited for next year’s event. “Looking forward to next year with more boats and even bigger jackpots. I am proud to call Cayman my second home.”
The 23rd Annual Orange Beach Billfish Classic (OBBC), kicked off the 2019 Gulf Coast Tournament Season with 48 boats chasing Blue Marlin and more than a $1M in prize money.
Relentless Pursuit, a 95′ Jim Smith, caught the winning fish shortly after the fleet departed Orange Beach on Thursday, May 16th. “We didn’t have a chance to do any pre-fishing before the tournament,” said Captain Robbie Doggett. “But we hadn’t been on the troll all that long when we got the bite we needed. What a way to start the season!”
Angler Dennis Pasentine, Jr. brought the fish to the boat in less than two hours and the crew started heading for Orange Beach to weigh their fish early the next morning. The team celebrated both the 116″ fish that weighed 658.2 pounds and team owner Dennis Pasentine’s birthday before a nice early morning crowd at The Wharf. The Blue Marlin would still be atop the leaderboard when the scales closed on Saturday night.
No other fish were weighed on Friday, but Saturday night saw two more Blue Marlin come to scales. Double J, a 42′ Freeman, saw their fish measure 107″ and 399.4 pounds. Current Alabama State Record holder for Blue Marlin, Chris Ferrara on the 70′ Viking Reel Fire, claimed third place with his 376 pound Blue Marlin which measured 108″.
Mollie the 66′ G & S from Destin, won Catch and Release and will have their name added to the Johnny Johnson Memorial Trophy, by releasing three Blue Marlin. Reel Fire also placed in the Catch and Release category with a second place finish by releasing two Blue Marlin.
Born 2 Run, a 72′ Viking from Pensacola finished in third place in Catch and Release by also releasing two Blue Marlin.
One of the highlights of this year’s tournament was the weighing in of two giant Bluefin Tuna. Hot Rod, a 56′ Viking from Sasser, GA, brought their 107″ fish in early on Saturday night to the delight of the crowd as the scale read 735 pounds. That fish was bumped to second place as the final fish of the night brought huge roars from the fans in attendance and those watching online.
Crawgator, a 61′ Viking from Venice, LA, caught their 110″ Bluefin late on Saturday and just missed setting a new Alabama state record with an 825-pound giant tuna. Tireless, a 44′ Cabo from Orange Beach, finished third with a 172.4-pound Yellowfin Tuna.
CE, a 65′ Hatteras from Point Clear, AL won the Wahoo division with a 58.0-pound fish. Crawgator also placed in the Wahoo division with a second place fish that weighed 45.2 lbs. and Relentless Pursuit also placed in multiple categories with a third-place finish in Wahoo at 40.2 lbs.
It was good to again see big Dolphin coming to the scales as a new tournament year begins. Lucky Dog, a 57 Bayliss from Destin, took first place with a 46.2 lbs. Mahi-Mahi. Second place went to A Team, a 43′ Viking from Galveston, Texas and third place was won by Breathe Reel Deep, a 52 Ocean from Orange Beach. Both fish weighed an identical 36.6 lbs.
The Top Lady Angler was Katie Gonsoulin on Done Deal as she released two Blue Marlin.
Thirty-Six Blue Marlin and three White Marlin were released in the 2019 Orange Beach Billfish Classic.
Official 2019 Orange Beach Billfish Classic Results
Catch and Release
1st- Mollie
2nd- Reel Fire
3rd- Born 2 Run
Tuna
1st- 825.6 lbs. Crawgator- Angler Bill Butler
2nd- 735 lbs. Hot Rod – Angler Stewart Fickel
3rd- 172.4 lbs. Tireless – Angler Gregg Trenor
Wahoo
1st – 58 lbs. CE – Angler Scott Cooper
2nd- 45.2 lbs. Crawgator – Angler Bill Butler
3rd- 40.2 lbs. Relentless Pursuit- Angler Johnny Pasentine
Dolphin
1st- 46.2 lbs. Lucky Dog – Angler Jarrett Johnson
2nd- 36.6 lbs. A Team – Angler Robert Sanderson
3rd- 36.6 lbs. Breathe Reel Deep – JC Jacobs
Top Lady Angler
Katie Gonsoulin on the Done Deal
Fish Anytime Between July 12th and July 20th!
There is nothing worse than being excited to fish a tournament only to have the weather not cooperate. The hours spent organizing gear, preparing bait, and pre-fishing your plan, can end up a fruitless effort thanks to Mother Nature. This is one of the reasons that the Montauk Canyon Challenge has become such a popular tournament in the Northeast. When you fish the MCC, you literally get to choose to fish anytime between July 12th and July 20th!
“We’ve really grown in popularity from where the tournament started and a lot it has to do with the flexibility in when you’re allowed to fish,” said Rich Lucas, one of the MCC’s tournament directors. “We also had 44 boats last year compete and we gave away over $250,000 in cash and prizes. Everyone loved the Awards Dinner and Party.”
Last year’s tournament also netted a record number of fish thanks to a hot bite. More than 150 BigEyes, 150 Yellowfin, and several white and blue Marlin were caught during the event. The heaviest tuna caught was 210.1lbs.!
Anglers are allowed to choose to fish either two 19-hour day trips or can do one 38-hour overnight trip. All boats will return to Gurney’s Yacht Club in Montauk for an official weighing.
The cost of entering a boat into the Montauk Canyon Challenge is $1,600, but anyone who registers online before May 15, 2019 will receive a $300 discount.
Below are the 2019 prizes for the MCC:
$25,000 1st Place Top Tuna
$5,000 1st Place Yellowfin Tuna
$1,000 2nd Place Yellowfin Tuna
$2,500 1st Place Albacore Tuna
$1,000 2nd Place Albacore Tuna
$2,500 1st Place Top Three Yellowfin
$1,000 2nd Place Top Three Yellowfin
$1,000 1st Place Mahi Mahi
$1,000 1st Place Mako Shark
$1,000 1st Place Swordfish
$1,000 1st Place Wahoo
$500 Top Female Angler
$500 Top Junior Angler (14)
Visit the Montauk Canyon Challenge website to view the Calcutta’s and the full list of rules and regulations with the tournament.
Proceeds from the MCC also go to help Maggie’s Mission, a non-profit charitable organization that is focused on raising awareness of pediatric cancers, funding ground-breaking research, and helps families affected by these awful diseases. Maggie’s Mission was created in honor of Maggie Schmidt who was a beautiful and vibrant young lady who was suddenly diagnosed at the age of 16 with a very rare and aggressive cancer. The MCC is proud to help contribute to such an effective and compassionate organization.
On July 20th, the last day of the tournament, an Awards dinner and after-party will be hosted for everyone at Gurney’s Yacht Club from 6:30pm – 10:30pm. Last year’s party had everyone dancing until the late hours and we only expect it to continue this year!
MCC main sponsor Staten Island Yacht Sales will have several boats on display at the tournament including some of the newest Viking Yachts available. “Both the Viking 58 Convertible and the 38 Billfish will be available to tour for everyone in the Montauk Canyon Challenge,” said Jay Hendrix, Vice President of SI Yachts. “Both Vikings arrive in early Summer so they will be ready for the season up here in New York assuming they last that long.” The Viking 58C made its debut at the Ft. Lauderdale Boat Show last November and boasts a 165-square foot fighting cockpit. The new 38 Billfish just made its premier at the recent Viking VIP event in February and has improved the already popular design of the 37 Billfish.
The Viking 58C will be at the MCC tournament with a grey hull and loaded with options.
“We are shooting for more than 50 boats this year to fish the MCC,” continued Rich Lucas. “Everyone I’ve talked to that participated in previous years is fishing it again because they had so much fun. It’s a friendly tournament that has a flexible schedule, and you can win a heck of a lot of money. We hope to see a lot of new faces this year and don’t forget to take advantage of the early bird registration discount!”
CHARLESTON, SC— The Carolina Billfish Classic, the third leg of the SC Governor’s Cup Billfishing Series, June 19-22, 2019, is gearing up for another successful year. In 2017, CBC returned to its original home, The Charleston Harbor Resort & Marina. With a full-service marina, coupled with The Beach Club’s luxury amenities, Charleston Harbor Resort & Marina is the only waterfront resort located directly on the Charleston Harbor overlooking the historic, downtown skyline. It represents everything that tournament participants look for when planning their season. The Resort offers two seaside, heated pools, sprawling pool deck, complete with private cabanas, The Estuary Spa, fitness center, three on-site restaurants, private beachfront, complimentary bike rentals and more.
Deidre Menefee, Tournament Director explains, “With the tournament growing each year since we moved back to the Charleston Harbor Resort & Marina, we can continue to reach the numbers from our first year in 1998, when we had 102 boats, and even beyond that”.
Charleston Harbor Resort & Marina is the site that currently holds the Blue Marlin State Record, caught by “Corky” Taylor aboard Rascal in 2005 during the Charleston Harbor Billfish Tournament.
Beyond the cash prizes CBC promises, anglers also have the possibility to win a 2019 Ford F150 for a State Record Blue Marlin, Dolphin, Wahoo, or Tuna. Menefee and CHRM are working together to bring a, fun-filled week for boat owners, captains, crews, friends and family. Great fishing, food, drinks, music, and incredible accommodations for all to enjoy!
For more information, follow us on Facebook @carolinabillfishclassic for updates on our schedule of events, sponsors, and more.
Diamond Fishing Products is proud to introduce its’ NEW ‘Hoo Hunter High Speed Trolling Weights
Computer designed and high-seas tested, these revolutionary weight-forward weights drastically improve lure performance at speeds up to 20 knots (and even faster).Their ballistic shape runs straight and true with no vibration and far less bubbles than standard weights.
Available in 5 sizes – 16oz, 24oz, 32oz, 48oz & 64oz
3 different models – un-rigged, rigged on 1000lb test stainless cable with a 300lb test Diamond ball-bearing snap-swivel and our custom ‘Hoo Hunter Pro-Rig.
The Unrigged and Pro-Rigged weights are made with a heavy-duty brass tube through the center to keep the weights running straight and true for many seasons of hard use.
Users Can Now Access or Download ROFFS Reports When Offshore
Reston, Va. and Melbourne, Fla. – mazu, a leading marine technology and satellite communications brand and ROFFS™ (Roffer’s Ocean Fishing Forecasting Service), a scientific consulting company, announced today they have entered a partnership. Now with the free mazu SportFishing app, anglers can view and download their ROFFS fishing forecast hot spots while offshore. Information from ROFFS is digitally overlaid directly onto detailed sea surface temperature (SST), chlorophyll, current and altimetry charts in the mazu SportFishing app for iPad.
ROFFS provides a variety of the high-resolution satellite-derived fishing oceanographic analyses that are customized for local, recreational and tournament anglers. These analyses are specialized for pelagic fish like tuna, marlin, wahoo, dolphin, sailfish, swordfish, spearfish, shark, kingfish and bluefish. ROFFS professional oceanographers analyze multiple real-time oceanographic datasets including but not limited to; ocean currents, SST, clarity, ocean color/chlorophyll, plankton, frontal boundaries, species habitat of targeted fish, and bottom structure to guide users to the most productive waters for a successful fishing trip. This data is integrated into hot spot locations detailed on an oceanographic map and a comprehensive text description that is easy to understand and use.
SportFishing users can download their report straight from ROFFS website or by their emailed PDF from ROFFS by simply clicking the “Open With” button at the top right and select “Copy to mazu”. The app will automatically open and populate the fishing hot spots onto the screen. Each location is selectable to see the ROFFS analysis about that fishing spot. SportFishing is accessible over satellite for offshore use via mazu m2500 hardware, those users are also able to receive ROFFS reports and updates while offshore and out of cellular or WiFi range.
“We are thrilled to be the first sport fishing technology to offer the exclusive details of ROFFS analysis data in a digital format,” said Craig Myers, director of product management, mazu. “The mazu SportFishing app already offers vital detail and features that no other service provides. By combining ROFFS in-depth analysis onto a free and intuitive platform for users to display makes the SportFishing app absolutely essential for every angler.”
“We are very excited to partner with mazu in this endeavor,” said Matthew Upton, president and owner, ROFFS. “We are trying to create a better experience for our users. By having our analyses more accessible in an intuitive georeferenced platform, combined with all the real-time data and satellite capabilities that mazu provides is going to be a gamechanger for our clients.”
For information about mazu SportFishing, and other mazu products, please visit www.mazu-marine.com. For information about ROFFS, please visit www.roffs.com.
(George Town, Cayman Islands ) The Cayman Islands’ latest entrant into international fishing tournaments, Cayman Billfish Rundown, will take place May 14 – 17 2019, hosted by Hurley’s Media, Dart and The Residences at Seafire.
This inaugural multi-day fishing tournament will have one of the largest guaranteed prizes of the region’s competitive fishing circuit with a guarantee of USD$270,000 in prizes. In addition to the large cash prizes, Cayman Billfish Rundown will take place during the islands’ Carnival Season featuring the colorful CayMAS Parade. Tournament headquarters and weigh station will be at Camana Bay, one of Grand Cayman’s most prestigious addresses. The festivities will start around 4pm each day with the return of the boats to the harbor at Camana Bay.
Potential prize winnings are over USD$520,000 which includes the USD$250,000 insured for breaking the local Cayman Islands blue marlin record of 584lbs. The tournament also offers 21 added entry categories, to include billfish, yellowfin tuna, wahoo and dolphin, making the jackpot one of the largest in the Caribbean.
Unique to this event is the USD$10,000 Award to the Captain of the boat with the most billfish release points.
Randy Merren, Managing Director of Hurley’s Media, said this tournament has been over a year in the making and pleased to see the event taking shape. “Cayman Billfish Rundown is a sportfishing tournament to attract both overseas and local participants and will re-introduce big game international tournament fishing to the Cayman waters,” Mr Merren said. “Cayman is known for its beautiful weather, cuisine, diving and amazing beaches and is convenienctly located a direct route from the Panama Canal, US, and around the Caribbean.”
Camana Bay Harbour
“Cayman is a very attractive destination and we view this as an opportunity to attract visitors who spend their time off shore on fishing trips and may not have had Cayman on their radar. We have scheduled this tournament at a time of year when the fishing is plentiful, when there is a break with other tournaments and to coincide with CayMAS carnival which takes place the day after the awards ceremony, we want to showcase all Cayman has to offer.”
“The 2019 Cayman Billfish Rundown is the perfect reason for avid international sportsfishermen to plan a trip to the Cayman Islands. Dart and The Residences at Seafire are pleased to join Hurley’s Media as presenting sponsors of this premier Caribbean event and welcoming both visiting and local anglers to Camana Bay,” said Pilar Bush, Executive Vice President Marketing at Dart Enterprises.
Cayman Billfish Rundown has also teamed up with world renowned marine artist and angler, Carey Chen, to provide his expertise and ensure this event is executed to a high standard.
Carey Chen, Tournament Ambassador, world renowned marine artist and angler
“Cayman has some of the best fishing in one of the most beautiful and successful islands in the Caribbean. I am honored to be part of this tournament and am looking forward to this being an unforgettable event,” Mr Chen said.
“I fish tournaments throughout the US, Caribbean, Mexico and Central America and always enjoy the fishing in Cayman as well as the hospitality given while visiting. I’m excited for the opportunity to work with Mr Merren on the event and encourage boats to sign up.”
“Whether traveling with family or a group of friends, Cayman offers our visitors a wide range of accommodations choices from award winning hotels to luxury rentals allowing our visitors to relax and beyond the great fishing, enjoy world famous culinary offerings, indulgent spas, a host of attractions, amenities, watersports and carefully curated shopping experiences from artisans markets to luxury boutiques”, Bush said.
Registration for the Cayman Billfish Rundown is now open. Early registration before March 1 2019 is USD $2,500 and after March 1 is USD $3,000. For more information about this event, visit www.caymanbillfishrundown.com.
Eligible species for the tournament includes Billfish (Blue, Sail, White and Swordfish), Tuna, Dolphin and Wahoo.
Cayman Billfish Rundown has designated the Alex Panton Foundation as the beneficiary charity of the tournament. Their mission is to improve the mental health of children and young adults in the Cayman Islands through advocacy, awareness and support while raising awareness of mental illnesses with a particular focus on anxiety and depression. Participants will have the option during registration to donate a percentage of their winnings to the foundation. www.alexpantonfoundation.ky
ALICE TOWN, BIMINI – (November 26, 2018) — Wahoo Smackdown X, hosted by the historic Bimini Big Game Club Resort and Marina on November 8-12, 2018, saw 23 boats competing for more than $25,000 in cash and prizes. Out of the 23 competing boats, 22 teams landed fish, bringing 152 wahoo to the scales in the process.
The team from Who’s Your Daddy took top team honors with 16 fish weighing a total of 231.5 pounds, taking home $15,000 in cash winnings.
Second place was the Blitzsea Team earning $7,500 in cash winnings, an 84.7 pound monster. They weighed 21 fish for a total catch weight of 206.4 pounds.
Team Murderize, out of Freeport, Grand Bahama, finished third, taking home $2,500 in cash winnings, with a total catch of 11 fish with a total catch weight of 193.6 pounds.
The team from Little Giant caught the largest wahoo of the tournament at 50.7 lbs.
Tournament festivities included live local entertainment nightly, a cocktail reception poolside for the Captains Meeting, a cookout on day one of the tournament, and a closing awards party on the great lawn, featuring a buffet, live entertainment and a full open bar.
Sponsors for this year’s tournament include American Beverage Marketers www.masterofmixes.com as the Title Sponsor, Bahamian Brewery and Beverage (Sands), artist David Dunleavy. Tropic Ocean Airways, Caza Offshore, Live Wire Tackle, Flanigan’s, CS Custom Lures and Bimini Big Game Club.
