October 18, 2009 — by Dave Lear
Despite lots of bait and water temperatures in the mid-80s, the big marlin proved elusive for the 57-boat fleet fishing the first day of the 8th annual Bisbee’s Los Cabos  Offshore Tournament. No marlin were weighed, although several teams reported billfish releases. Team Ez-Duz-It scored the only weight points of the day when they scaled a yellowfin tuna registering 42.1 pounds. The competition continues through today.
“I’m loving life,” says Amanda Thompson, of Houston, Texas, who is fishing in her first Bisbee’s event. “As we took off this morning I thought even if I don’t catch a fish, I’m loving this experience. The people are fantastic and I’m having fun.”
Thompson did get on the board by releasing a blue and striped marlin. She was fishing aboard Doghouse, a 56 Viking, near the Gordo Banks.
Bisbee’s veteran Martha Macnab also released a striped marlin on her boat Retriever, a 61 Viking, using a live skipjack tuna for bait. She's been fishing the Bisbee’s events for 12 years. “I fish these tournaments because I’m very competitive,” Macnab says. “We’ve had enough success in the past that I know the big fish is there.” That’s certainly true. In 2004 Macnab landed the largest black marlin in the 29-year history of the Bisbee’s Black & Blue Marlin Tournament. That fish tipped the scales at 645 lbs.
With another gorgeous day ahead and a talented field of anglers, the scales should be a busy scene after lines out at 5pm this afternoon.
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