The Latest Catch

Today is the beginning of the final Bisbee tournament of the season, the 37th Annual Bisbee Black and Blue, October 24-28. This event primarily targets black and blue marlin weighing a minimum of 300 pounds to qualify. All other species, including striped marlin, sailfish and spearfish, are released with special prizes for the top release teams. The Black and Blue also features a special Saturday night Award celebration with Auction, Raffle, and David Pack's "Legends Live" Charity Benefit Concert.

This year

Located in the heart of Cabo San Lucas, we’re very happy to welcome the brand new Médano Hotel and Suites as our host hotel this year.  

There are countless ways to gauge success in today’s society. From presidential polls to college football rankings, friends, followers and likes to stocks and commodities values, all measure degrees of achievement, standings and wealth. The benchmark for the Bisbee’s Black & Blue Marlin Jackpot Tournament, the richest sport-fishing contest in the world and presented this year by Orca Coolers, is the unofficial Pacifico Index. By all accounts the 2016 edition was a resounding success with an overall purse of $3,511,900 at stake for the 121 boats entered.

It wasn’t the biggest marlin Julio Fernandez has ever caught. And it wasn’t the hardest fighting fish, either. But the black marlin he landed Thursday morning in the 2016 Bisbee’s Black & Blue Marlin Jackpot Tournament will be the most memorable, without a doubt. Catching a fish worth close to $2 million dollars tends to stand out, regardless.

It was a fitting end to the 36th annual Bisbee’s Black & Blue Marlin Jackpot Tournament. The SoCal team aboard C-Bandit was the last to the scales Friday night with a solid contender definitely in tow. Russ Armstrong was on the rod when a black marlin ate a live 12-pound yellowfin tuna near Vinorama right at noon. Even though it stayed down at first, Armstrong suspected it was a good fish. As he applied more drag, the black came alive and started leaping out of the water 200 feet behind the transom.

The Bisbee’s Black & Blue, presented by Orca Coolers, is well-known as the world’s richest sport-fishing tournament. But for those who have competed in or followed the event over the years, it’s also known for its high-stakes drama. Many a winning fish has come to the scales in the last day or last hour throughout the B&B’s 36-year history. So Wednesday’s scenario on the first day of fishing added a somewhat early twist.

It takes confidence to bet heavily when the stakes are so high. Yet that’s exactly what Team Tranquilo did this past week during the 35th edition of the Bisbee’s Black & Blue Marlin Tournament.

Putting on a tournament the size and scope of the Black & Blue is no easy task. Besides coordinating 121 teams from around the globe, weighing trophy fish and distributing more than $3.5 in prize money, there are tons of behind-the-scenes logistical details to consider.