The Latest Catch

The 96 teams entered in the 22nd Annual East Cape Offshore Tournament all had one thing in common – they were still in the hunt on the third and final day for the right fish that could put them on the leader board for this year’s already record-setting event.

entered in the 22nd Annual East Cape Offshore Tournament all had one thing in common – they were still in the hunt on the third and final day for the right fish that could put them on the leader board for this year’s already record-setting event.

Wednesday morning at exactly 7:30-a.m., 97 boats responded to the red flare streaking across the sky fired by Cabo San Lucas Mayor Armida Castro, by roaring off in search of a qualifying BLUE OR BLACK MARLIN WEIGHING 300-POUNDS, A DORADO WEIGHING 30-POUNDS OR A TUNA WEIGHING 40-POUNDS.

In search of a piece of the record breaking Jackpot or $1,582,975.00 exceeding last year’s record of 1.1 MILLION DOLLARS by half-million dollars!

Early morning cloudy skies combined with thunder booming in the distance greeted the 97 East Cape Offshore teams as they gathered on Day One for their first day of competition. It was an impressive sight as boats ranging from 24- to 80-feet crowded the start line as the seconds ticked down to the 7:30-a.m. start.

First, this past Thursday, we had an absolutely awesome movie premier event for “Blue Miracle” at the historic Granada Theater in Dallas, TX.

Baja Cantina was buzzing Saturday night when Wayne and Tricia Bisbee began the abbreviated awards’ program honoring the Top Release teams of the Bisbee Black & Blue tournament.  Observing that there were fewer trophies than he had expected on the table, Wayne Bisbee commented, “I gotta’ say it’s different…a lot different.”

The “virtual crowd banner” awaited the arrival of a qualifying fish weighing over 300 pounds as it hung over the Weigh Station for the three days of the Black & Blue tournament. And this was not counting the pre-fishing days the 127 teams scoured the waters off the tip of Baja on boats skippered by some of the finest Captains in the world.

Waiting impatiently, Wayne Bisbee, Tournament Director, each passing day would grumble, “Bring me a damn fish!”

The following morning, before the start boat left the dock, Carlos Mendoza Davis, Baja’s Governor, and other state officials presented Wayne and Trish Bisbee with a special plaque, honoring the Bisbee family and their deceased father, Robert “Bob” Bisbee for his decades of support in Cabo San Lucas and Baja.

The Governor commended them saying, “We wanted to recognize Robert “Bob” Bisbee and his children Wayne and Trish along with the entire Bisbee family for their ongoing support for Cabo San Lucas over the past 40 years.

Rebecca Ehrenberg, Pisces Sportfishing just posted the following
"I just hung up the phone with local and well respected Captain Javi Abaroa of the 34’ Luhrs “Whatta Journey”, with team “5 More minutes” onboard. They hooked up to a Blue Marlin at 12:38 PM today and fought their fish for over 5 hours!!

Two fish were brought to the scales that did not qualify and this was the last boat hooked up, all lines out, and if they made it happen, the marlin would turn them into Millionaires...

This year, the first billfish of the day arrived before the weigh station had opened at 2:00 p.m. at the API Pier. The incoming team had dedicated their catch to the kids at the orphanage as a tribute to their longtime fishing buddy, surfer, and friend, Donnie Lovett, “Blackfin Donnie.”