Vol 8, Issue 10 by Linda Fisher

Boat Division 2008 Viking

505

Hatteras

135

Contender

Spencer

Cabo

Motor Division 2008

Presidentâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Cup Kona Blue Trophy by Geoffrey Smith www.geoffreysmith.com

Caterpillar

214

MAN

145

MTU/Detroit Diesel

122

Yamaha

Cummins

This award is presented annually to the top boat and motor manufacturing companies based on performance in over 70 tournaments on the WBS World Tour. The current standings are presented above.

T A B L E

O F

C O N T E N T S

“Supporting Tournament Fishing, Now and Forever” On the Cover Int’l Billfish Tournament of San Juan For half a century now, big-game anglers have come from around the world to participate in the San Juan International Billfish Tournament. Photo courtesy of Richard Gibson

Departments

Desintations

Editor’s Message

Upcoming Event Calendar

Industry News

12 Caught On The WBS World Tour

18 Alabama... Wonder Full This Deep South state has plenty to offer visitors.

Tournament Tales 28 Int’l Billfish Tournament of San Juan A true cornerstone in the Caribbean.

32 Presidental Caribbean Cup Venezuela fishing hits high gear for the PCC.

36 Miami Swordfish Tournament The Florida Swordfish Series winds up in Miami.

40 Old Salt Loop St. Petersburg, Florida hosts this annual event that’s a favorite with anglers and visitors.

Angler Profiles 45 Andy Cohen 47 Donnie Seay 49 Charles Greenberg

Inside the WBS

Winners Wear Sebagos

59 2008 Standings

17 The Top Anglers for 2008

62 2008 World Tour Schedule

Billfishing Magazine

FROM THE WBS

E D I T O R ’ S

BILLFISHING

M E S S A G E

As the tournament season starts winding down and the presidential election is heating up, it seems as if a feeling of cautious optimism has settled over the sportfishing world. Sure, the marine industry is undergoing a major shake-up right now, but the core businesses are still strong. Tournament fishing itself remains just as popular as ever. Boats are still being sold, albeit not at the recordbreaking pace we saw just a few short years ago. Advertisers are still advertising, and sponsors are still sponsoring. Once everyone has a chance to restructure and re-organize for the future, we’ll all come out stronger and better in the long run. And when times are rocky, it presents opportunities for success in other areas. We’ve got several exciting new developments regarding new tournaments joining the World Tour and new sponsors coming aboard for 2009 that should break in time for the next issue, so stay tuned. Tag Heuer recently renewed their agreement to allow the WBS to offer heavily discounted pricing on any Tag Heuer timepiece, so please call our offices for more information on that exciting promotion. Two thousand nine is shaping up to be a great season for tournament sportfishing despite the woes and throes on Wall Street or in the White House. Once again, the WBS Grand Championships will descend upon beautiful Los Sueños, Costa Rica in early December, where we’ll crown the 2008 WBS World Champion of Billfishing—we expect another superb field of anglers, sponsors and spectators and some outstanding tournament competition. And it’s always tough to beat Costa Rica in December, with three different species of marlin making their annual migrations along the coast and enough big Pacific sailfish to keep things interesting out on the water. Back ashore, we’ll be throwing some fantastic cocktail parties after each day of fishing and capping the event with our signature awards dinner and fireworks. We’ll be posting daily updates on our website so visit www.fishWBS.com during the tournament to check on your favorite angler’s progress. Finally, please take a few minutes to review your membership status. The WBS Anglers Club is just $25 annually so if it’s time to renew, please give us a call, drop us an email or visit our website.

The Official Monthly Publication of the WBS Volume 8 No. 10, October 2008

Published monthly by SportsUSA Group, Inc. 9293 Bay Pines Blvd. St. Petersburg, Florida 33708 phone: (727) 864-4400 fax: (727) 867-1149 email: info@fishwbs.com

President & CEO James R. Simons Editor-in-Chief Sam White Creative Director Linda Fisher-Morgan Account Executive Robbie Carter Administrative Assistant Kaela Morgan Administrative Director Jana E. Simons Destinations Editor Jeff Merrill

Thanks for your support of tournament sportfishing, Sam White World Billfish Series

Special Contributors

Upcoming Events November 19 - 22 Playa Herradura, Costa Rica November 21 - 23 Iztapa, Guatemala December 3 - 6 WBS GRAND CHAMPIONSHIPS Los Sueños, Costa Rica

Bailey Bobbitt

Marty Locke

David A. Brown

Heather Maxwell

Robbie Carter

Kitty McGowan

Laurie Ciecierski

Jim Niemiec

Bart K. Davis

Bruce Paul

Capt. Rob Ellyn

John E. Phillips

Brenda Fletcher

Walt Rhodes

Rick Gaffney

Capt. Jim Sharpe

Greg Gawlikoski

Tom Twyford

Scott Kerrigan

Capt. Joan Vernon

Alaric Lambert

Eric West

Special Thanks to: All the companies, associations and individuals who give back to the sport of billfishing so that future generations can enjoy one of America’s favorite pastimes.

Order the WBS Tournament Calendar at www.FishWBS.com. Billfishing Magazine

I N D U S T R Y

N E W S

BERTRAM ANNOUNCES TWOYEAR WARRANTY PROGRAM

he production behind a Bertram Yacht is a combination of creative engineering, advanced technology, quality construction, fine materials and a team of dedicated individuals, some of whom have been building Bertrams since the company’s inception in 1961. To prove Bertram Yacht’s longstanding commitment to excellence, the leading sportfish manufacturer is spearheading a new initiative that is sure to give the brand a true competitive advantage. Bertram is announcing a limited warranty that will now be extended to two years on manufacturer-built construction and encompasses five years for the yacht’s hull and fiberglass structural components. This new program will apply to all 2009 and future Bertrams and is a distinctive offer in the sportfishing yacht industry. The new warranty program is an all encompassing process that starts with a new tracking program that facilitates faster claim processing. Alpha Data Systems, a boating industry company that focuses on warranty claim systems, has provided a software platform that was altered to fit the unique Bertram parts and claims process. Dealer service organizations are able to submit

COSTA DEL MAR: TO PANAMA AND BACK

very year, Costa Del Mar goes on a photo safari which is documented for their new catalog, website and ad campaign. So far, past trips have been made to Cabo San Lucas, Puerto Rico, Costa Rica, the Galapagos Islands, the waters of Florida and now, the epic Panama Canal. Costa not only shares their travel log to display innovative new sunglasses and accessories but to make you feel as though you’re along for the ride.

claims using the online platform and are provided with online training to support their use of the user-friendly program. Bertram is dedicated to working with customers and dealers to ensure that each boat is serviced in a timely fashion and with the level of professionalism that is expected from our customers. Therefore, when a customer purchases one of these finely-crafted luxury vessels, they can be assured they are protecting their valuable investment with this comprehensive warranty program. The new two-year warranty period will cover repairs or replacements for defects in warrantable items manufactured by Bertram. Additionally, all of the yacht’s hull and fiberglass structural components will be covered for a warranty period of five years. Complete details on the new program can be found at www.bertram.com.

TEAM GALATI LANDS WORLD RECORD

hile better known for their consistent performance in billfish tournaments around the world, the Galati Yacht Sales fishing team recently proved their prowess at bottom fishing. With Chris Galati at the helm, the team headed out into the Gulf of Mexico, where angler Bill McClarty III would land a black grouper weighing 52 pounds, nine ounces on 80-pound class tackle. The IGFA recently added black grouper as a separate species so it looks like Team Galati will also find themselves in the record books for the catch. For more information on Galati Yacht Sales and the Galati family, please visit www.galatiyachts.com.

FROM THE IGFA This year’s product catalog highlights Chris and Melissa Fischer and their Ocean crew as they traveled through the Panama Canal back in May. The 126-foot mothership made it safely through the Canal and the crew had the fishing experience of a lifetime. They met indigenous people from the area, ate local fare and lived the life of hardworking deckhands, all while capturing the trip on camera. Costa Del Mar invites you to follow along to learn more about sustainable fishing practices in Panama and around the world. For more information, please visit www.costadelmar.com. 8

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here are 47 species of sharks that live in the Mediterranean Sea.

There are currently no catch limits for commercially-fished shark species in the Med. Some species, including hammerhead, blue, mako, porbeagle and thresher sharks, have declined by more than 97 percent in both abundance and catch weight over the last 150 to 200 years in the Mediterranean. Sharks are vulnerable to overfishing because they are slow to mature, produce very small numbers of young, have long reproductive cycles and have long life spans.

I N D U S T R Y

N E W S

MARINA PEZ VELA: A SAFE BET

n unstable economy and faltering housing market in the U.S. are prompting many people to consider foreign countries for investment and retirement. Costa Rica, long a haven for American retirees and home to an estimated 500,000 American residents according to the U.S. Embassy of Costa Rica, has become Latin America’s most popular destination. A temperate climate, low cost of living, stable government, first-rate medical services, a large Englishspeaking population and direct U.S. flights are key factors that have led to the country’s phenomenal growth. Located in a region known for its worldclass sportfishing and extraordinary beauty, Marina Pez Vela is destined to further enhance the area’s reputation as a boating and fishing paradise. Designed to be the largest full-service marina in Costa Rica, the first phase of construction is nearly complete. According to project founder Harold Lovelady, Phase I consists of 100 slips, accommodating yachts up to 200 feet in length, which are scheduled for completion in the spring of 2009. He reports that dredging is well underway, a state of the art cofferdam breakwater is nearly complete and dock installation will begin shortly. Wet slips are currently available starting at $175,000 and dry slips from $125,000.

The 300-slip marina will feature one of the most sophisticated breakwaters ever built for a recreational marina, providing a safe and well-protected harbor. The extra wide modern concrete floating docks, built by Bellingham Marine, allow safe loading of passengers and equipment as well as secure moorage. The marina is being constructed with an emphasis toward environmental protection and will meet full American and Costa Rican building codes and standards.

Marina Pez Vela, which is now securely funded by PINMSA, offers a safe investment and incredible value. In addition, slip holders have the option to participate in a rental program when their slip is not in use. Phase II was released in July, which includes 40 wet slips starting at $175,000. In addition to 300 wet slips, Marina Pez Vela will also feature a full maintenance and repair boatyard with 75- and 200-ton Travel-Lifts, high-speed fueling pumps, 24hour security and commercial air access from San Jose, the capital of Costa Rica.

To investigate, research and expand upon the present state of knowledge of the marine environment, in particular the billfish, and to disseminate the information thus obtained.

he National Marine Fisheries Service is recommending that the Atlantic bluefin tuna’s spawning grounds in the Gulf of Mexico be designated a federal Habitat Area of Particular Concern. The recommendation would highlight the importance of the area for bluefin tuna spawning and provide added conservation benefits if steps are taken to reduce impacts from development activities, according to the agency.

For more information, visit www.marinapezvela.com.

PRESIDENTIAL CHALLENGE GRANTED CHARITY STATUS he Presidential Challenge Conservation Series has formed a new parent company, Presidential Challenge Charitable Foundation, Inc, which was recently granted 501 (c)3 status by the Internal Revenue Service. The Presidential Challenge Charitable Foundation is permanently dedicated and organized exclusively for educational, scientific and charitable purposes including but not limited to the following:

NMFS: BLUEFIN GROUNDS IN GULF NEED PROTECTION

To develop and implement programs for the conservation and improvement of the fishery. To act as a coordinating entity with other groups in the promotion and achievement of the above purposes. The Presidential Challenge Charitable Foundation, Inc. will continue to operate the Presidential Challenge Conservation Series including the Caribbean Cup. For more information, please visit www.preschallenge.com.

NMFS received a joint request last year from the National Coalition for Marine Conservation and the Tag-A-Giant Foundation to consider establishing a new HAPC for spawning bluefin tuna in the Gulf of Mexico, the sole breeding ground for the severely depleted western Atlantic population. The area in question would be based on research from new electronic tagging studies by Dr. Barbara Block of Stanford University, perhaps the foremost expert on bluefin tuna tagging and migrations. With bluefin tuna stocks on the ropes worldwide, it is important to identify and protect their spawning areas from overfishing, especially from the world’s high seas longline and purse seine fleets. For more information, please visit the National Marine Fisheries Service website at www.nmfs.noaa.gov. Billfishing Magazine

Enter the "Caught on the WBS World Tour" contest and win a new pair of Costa Del Mar sunglasses! 2

D0 you recognize anybody in the “Caught On WBS Tour” photo gallery?

www.FishWBS.com

caught on tour the place to see your face 10

Win a new pair of Costa Del Mar sunglasses! See page 15 for more on the â&#x20AC;&#x153;Caught On WBS Tourâ&#x20AC;? Contest.

Billfishing Magazine

www.FishWBS.com

Billfishing Magazine

caught on tour the place to see your face 22

Congratulations to our most recent contest winners: Scotty Boudreaux — Lizana, LA Claire Shadler — Houma, LA Eddie Teartt — Gulfport, FL

29 “Caught On WBS Tour” Contest The WBS Anglers Club member who correctly identifies the most people on pages 12, 13 and 15 by December 29, 2008 will win a pair of Costa Del Mar sunglasses. Send your entries—including photo number, names of individuals in photo, tournament name, and magazine issue—to sam@fishwbs.com, fax to 727-867-1149 or mail to 9293 Bay Pines Blvd., St. Petersburg, FL 33708. Please include your name, address, phone number and e-mail address. Fax, e-mail or mail entries only. Entries will be judged on individual identification first, tournament identification second. Any ties will be decided by time and date of entry. Billfishing Magazine

Dave Dickman - Silver Sailfish Derby

Boyd Mothe Jr. - New Orleans Invt’l Tournament

Rudy Polselli Jr. - Jupiter Billfish Tourn.

Barry Weshnak - BBC Boat Harbour Champ.

Mariano Da - Los Sueños Signature Series I

Dave Perry - Emerald Coast Blue Marlin Classic

Debbi David - The Sailfish Tournament

Douglas Miller - Charleston Harbor Billfish Tourn.

Mark McDevitt - Buccaneer Cup Sailfish Tourn.

Nicole Russel - HMY-Viking Megadock

Rick Arnold - Cheeca Lodge Presidential

Arlen Charpentier - Bay Point Billfish Invt’l.

Van Wicher - Palm Beach Sailfish Classic

Gray Ingram - VIGFC July Open

Carlos Martinez - Miami Mayor’s Cup

Jay Johnson - A.H. Riise Billfish Tournament

Mark Wodlinger - Ft. Lauderdale Billfish Tourn.

Rocky Jones - Outcast Blue Marlin Classic

Peter Adrian - Capt. Bob Lewis Billfish Challenge

Joel Broussard - Orange Beach Billfish Classic

Edwin Bustos - Los Sueños Signature Series II

Tyler Dean - Ducks Unlimited

Amanda Nichols - Miami Billfish Tourn.

Peter Cherasia - White Marlin Open

Cleynor Ruiz - Pres. Challenge of Costa Rica

Dave Monda - Sarasota Slam-HBA Fishing Tourn.

Lainey Jones - BBC Central Abaco Champ.

Trey Irvine - Pirate’s Cove Billfishing Tournament

Barry Weshnak - BBC Boat Harbour Champ.

Rene Ramírez Alzamora - San Juan Int’l Billfish Tourn.

Tom Russell - BBC Harbour Island Champ.

Luis Isais - Islamorada Swordfish Tournament

Drew Andrews - Los Cabos Billfish Classic

Ken Cummins - Old Salt Loop Tournament

Chace Nelson - MBGFC Memorial Day Tourn.

Peter Cherasia - Mid-Atlantic $500,000

Greg Barber - Boat Harbour Billfish Blast

Beck Daniel - Miami Swordfish Tournament

Robert Southard Sr. - BBC Treasure Cay Champ,

Gray Ingram - Presidential Caribbean Cup

Matt Jackson - Mississippi Gulf Coast Classic

Richard Pingree - The Sailfish Slam

Luis Bacardi - Abaco Billfish Challenge

Paul Spencer - El Pescado Billfish Tournament

Alabama... Wonder

Full

By Eric West

Located squarely in the heart of Dixie, Alabama is home to not only some spectacular sportfishing but also some of the finest scenery and recreational activities anywhere in the world. 18

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hen viewed from above, whether from an airplane or atlas, Alabama resembles a big kid shouldering aside its neighbors, Mississippi to the west and Florida to the east, in order to dip its right toe into the Gulf of Mexico. Despite the fact that the state has just roughly 60 linear miles fronting the productive Gulf waters, it has a significant amount of waterfront thanks to Mobile Bay and several large rivers that drain the heartland of America. And as a testament to just how important offshore fishing is here in the Deep South, keep in mind that Alabama is also home to one of the oldest fishing clubs today. The Mobile Big Game Fishing Club was founded back in 1966 by Dr. Robert Mudd, Max Rodgers and Jerry Austill Jr with the intention of fostering interest in the sport of big-game fishing, oceanography, marine biology and other related fields. Today, the club still operates several long-standing tournaments including their 42nd Annual Labor Day Tournament, 32nd Annual Memorial Day Tournament, 31st Annual Ladies Tournament and 9th Annual Billfish Limited Tournament. The fact that the club founders were so enamored of the big game fishing off these historic shores stands as proof of just how good the billfishing can be here. Described by many locals as the best summertime blue marlin fishery anywhere in the conti-

nental United States, it’s possible to depart on single or multi-day charters and encounter not only blue marlin but also white marlin, sailfish, swordfish and even the rare spearfish offshore. Most of the offshore boats will depart prior to first light for the fishing grounds because, although deep water does run fairly close to shore, there is no prevailing Gulf Stream current as is the case on the East Coast. Instead, the Gulf version is called the Loop Current, swirling around the Gulf of Mexico basin from the Yucatan Peninsula off Mexico, up around Florida’s western coast, past Alabama, Mississippi and Louisiana before sweeping along the Texas coast and back around to the south. Fishing here is heavily influenced by these currents and the eddies of water that spin off from the main body. By using satellite imagery like ROFFS, productive fishing grounds can be pinpointed before ever

MARINAS AND CHARTERS Orange Beach Marina Phone: 251-981-4207 Website: www.orangebeachmarina.com

Mexican Gulf Fishing Company Capt. Rimmer Covington Phone: 601-951-3981 Email: rimmerc@gmail.com

Zeke’s Landing Marina Phone: 251-981-4044 Website: www.zekescharters.com

Class Act Charters Capt. Ron Woodruff Phone: 251-974-5057 Email: rtwoodruff@aol.com

Annie Girl Charters Capt. Mike Rowell Phone: 251-981-2081 Email: mike@captainmikesfishing.com

Billfishing Magazine

Destination: Alabama Gulf Coast... leaving the dock, giving area captains a good starting point once they arrive offshore. Especially promising are areas where warmer offshore water spins inshore, then interacts with bottom structure, attracting and concentrating enormous schools of baitfish and the predators that accompany them. And while billfish like blue and white marlin and sailfish take center stage around tournament time, the real prize for many offshore anglers is the yellowfin tuna. Prized for their edibility as well as their tenacious fighting ability, the Alabama coast certainly holds more than its fair share of jumbo-sized yellowfins. The state record is over 200 pounds, and it usually takes a tuna over 100 pounds to place in area tournaments. For those unfamiliar with these fish, a yellowfin that pushes over the century mark has enough brute force and swimming strength to test even the stoutest tackle (and angler) to the breaking point. While they may lack the aerial acrobatics of billfish, they choose instead to swim doggedly against the drag, refusing to give up the fight. However, few would argue that fresh tuna

steaks on the grill are not worth the sacrifices. Because of the size and number of oversized marlin and tuna in the area, most recreational and charter operations opt for relatively heavy tackle when they head offshore, preferring to be over-gunned should a small fish show up in the spread rather than be woefully under-geared when that fish of a lifetime makes a brief appearance behind a trolled offering. And while the debate among anglers varies from live bait to dead bait to artificial lures, most realize that each has a proper time and place, to be used much as a good mechanic will select the right tool for the task at hand. Live-baiting in particular has caught on as a way to selectively target large blue marlin during tournament time, and as more area captains experiment with the technique combined with the new regulations regarding circle hooks, itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s sure to gain even more in popularity.

The fishing in the Alabama waterways are ripe with the fruits of the sea. Tuna, snapper, kingfish, grouper and many other species of fish are just a drop away.

And in the very center of the coastal activity lies the historic Orange Beach Marina, the nerve center for Alabama sportfishing. Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a full-service marina located in a completely protected harbor with easy access from the Gulf, Intracoastal Waterway, Mobile and Pensacola Bays and inland waterways. Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s also the home of the Mobile Big Game Fishing Club, which hosts a spate of annual offshore events each year. In just fifteen short minutes from the marina, boats depart Perdido Pass into the open Gulf, where a wide variety of fishing awaits. While the distant blue water beckons many, others, especially those in

INTERESTING FACTS Capital: Montgomery Largest City by Population: Birmingham Largest City by Land Mass: Huntsville Oldest City: Mobile State Bird: Yellowhammer State Tree: Longleaf Pine State Flower: Camellia Rank by Population: 23rd Rank by Land Area: 30th

Billfishing Magazine

Destination: Alabama Gulf Coast...

smaller vessels, elect to target the area’s tasty bottom fish like grouper, red snapper and cobia (called ling in the Gulf). Other nearshore species like dolphin, wahoo and king mackerel can put a hefty bend in any angler’s rod as well as smiles on their faces, while moving farther back into the bays and shallows can produce good catches of trout, redfish and flounder, among other species. Orange Beach Marina is easily reached by commercial flights from Mobile and Pensacola, with a private aviation field a short distance away, and a host of charter operations are based out of the marina.

The area beaches are also a major draw for visitors to the area. With miles of barrier islands and unspoiled white sand beach to pick from, it’s hard to beat, especially for the kids. There’s nothing quite like relaxing under the southern sun along a ribbon of sandy perfection, watching the young ones building sand castles and chasing seagulls. While fishing and “beaching it” are among the top draws to the coastal areas of Alabama, the state is also famous for one other pastime: golf. Founded by Dr. David Bronner, CEO of Retirement

Geno’s Fresh Catch Grill is one of the newer eateries in Orange Beach, offering the ultimate in fresh seafood dining and Southern cuisine.

Systems of Alabama, the now-famous Robert Trent Jones Golf Trail took shape. Bronner’s concept was to use golf tourism as a way to drive economic growth throughout the state. And he undertook this vision on a grand scale, with not just one or two courses, but with 18 courses spread throughout the central part of the state. Bronner was able to coerce legendary course designer Robert Trent Jones from semi-retirement to oversee the critical design stage of the project and thus the largest single golf construction project in American history was begun. The Trail would offer 378 holes of golf stretching for over 100 miles. Once all eight sites were open, construction began on two new sites that were completed in 2005, expanding the Trail to 10 sites before the historic Lakewood Golf Club was brought online via some extensive renovations, moving the grand total to 11 sites with 26 courses and 468 individual holes. And perhaps the most amazing thing about the entire project is that these are designed as public golf courses. The tee markers are designed to be played according to the ability of the golfer rather than age or gender, giving them unprecedented flexibility—courses may be as short as 4,700 yards or as long as 7,700 yards when played from the professional tees,

Billfishing Magazine

Destination: Alabama Gulf Coast... with as many as 12 tee boxes in between. As one director of golf remarked, “The Robert Trent Jones Golf Trail is an incredible golfing experience for everyone. It will challenge the best golfers in the world, yet at the same time allow for an enjoyable outing for the casual to beginner golfer.” History buffs will also be intrigued by a visit to Alabama. During the Civil War, Jefferson Davis, president of the Confederacy, traveled from his home state of Mississippi to be inaugurated in Montgomery, Alabama. He lived there in what became known as the First White House of the Confederacy until the Southern capital was moved to Virginia in May of 1861. That historic location still stands today and is open to visitors. In addition, there are a number of Civil War forts that remain standing along the coastline which also make interesting day trips for area residents and visitors alike. During World War II, the state was featured prominently on several fronts. The USS Alabama, one of the new fast South Dakota-class battleships built during the war, served in both the Atlantic and Pacific campaigns for over 37 months, safely carrying her crew through the war without suffering any significant casualties or damage as a result of enemy fire. After the war, she was mothballed in Bremerton, Washington in 1947 until 1962, where she was destined for the

arrest, the Montgomery black community launched a bus boycott which will last for more than a year, until the buses are desegregated in 1956. As newly elected president of the Montgomery Improvement Association, Rev. Martin Luther King, Jr. was instrumental in leading the boycott.

Montgomery, Alabama is the home of the First White House of the Confederacy where Jefferson Davis resided. scrapyard. Two years later, state residents launched a campaign to bring the “Mighty A” home to the state as a memorial to the sons and daughters who had served in the armed forces. School children raised nearly $100,000, most in small change, to help bring the ship back to the state. Today, the “Mighty A” serves as the centerpiece of Battleship Memorial Park in Mobile, where visitors can board the ship for interactive tours. In the 1950s and 60s, the state was a hotbed of landmark civil-rights actions like the bus boycott in Montgomery in 1955, when Rosa Parks refused to give up her seat at the front of a city bus to a white passenger, defying a southern custom of the time. In response to her subsequent

It’s also impossible to forget the impact of scholastic sports on the state, whose residents celebrate University of Alabama Crimson Tide football games with a fervor that’s unmatched throughout the Southeast. The team is among the most storied and decorated programs found anywhere in NCAA history, claiming more national championships than any other team save for Notre Dame. The program began in 1892 and soon became one of the most successful of its kind following World War II. From 1958 through 1982, the team was led by Hall of Fame coach Paul “Bear” Bryant, who won six national championships for the Crimson Tide. They currently play their home games in a 92,000-plus seat stadium in Tuscaloosa, home of the University of Alabama. So whether visitors are in search of outstanding bluewater excitement, a relaxing day at the beach, on the golf course or at a football game, or interested in the state’s rich history, Alabama is certainly one of those places that’s easy to visit yet hard to forget.

Billfishing Magazine

Intâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;l Billfish Tournament of San Juan San Juan, Puerto Rico www.sanjuaninternational.com

A History of Excellence By Sam White

Few events in the world can match the prestige and history of the International Billfish Tournament of Club Nautico de San Juan. Now in its 56th consecutive year of operation, the tournament is the longest-running sportfishing competition of its type found anywhere in the world, and itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s been a cornerstone of the WBS Caribbean Division for over a decade.

www.FishWBS.com

o what keeps anglers coming back, year after year? Part of it is surely the location. Puerto Rico lies squarely in the heart of blue marlin country, with San Juan sitting at the head of the table. Club Nautico itself is both elegant and historic with a modern twist, conveniently within walking distance from many area hotels, sightseeing spots, shopping, restaurants, casinos and more. The marina is the most modern in Puerto Rico, with dockage for over 100 top-flight sportfishermen and all the amenities they’ve come to expect in such a destination. Then there’s the pomp and pageantry that’s found in few other events. Prior to the official start of the tournament, the participating boats line up and file past a reviewing stand, where they are saluted by the commodore of the club as well as members of the local Coast Guard and others. The boats themselves are dressed out with flags and decorations and it’s quite the party to kick of the tournament. Breakfast is served at the club each morning, and the after-fishing cocktail parties are quite legendary in their ability to cause late-night (early morning) fits of revelry among even the most jaded angler. For the ladies that are disinclined to spend

Clockwise From Opposite Page: From the spectacular blue marlin fishing to the boat parade that kicks off the event to the Fiesta Tipica mid-week party, the International Billfish Tournament of Club Nautico de San Juan has it all.

Billfishing Magazine

Int’l Billfish Tournament of San Juan Meanwhile, the Amirita, owned by Ecuadorian Pepe Anton, fell just a bit short of the winning mark. Anton’s team also released four blue marlin during the week but since ties are broken by the time of release, they just missed first place. The Little Elo, owned by Joe Ramirez Alzamora, came in third in the boat division with 1,200 points.

The Pink Lady was the Top Boat in the tournament for the second year in a row. the week offshore, there are daily activities that include shopping and tours of the city. By the mid-tournament mark, the event’s organizers throw a huge Fiesta Tipica with a local barbeque and plenty of entertainment. Finally, the awards function is a fitting end to the week, with participants donning formal attire before partying the night away once more.

absolute best.” The Pink Lady was able to successfully release four blue marlin during the four days of fishing to top the event.

In the angling category, fishing aboard the Little Elo, Rene Ramirez Alzamora emerged victorious. Alzamora had three blue marlin on Day One and never looked back to win the angler division going away. He will be invited to attend the WBS Grand Championships to represent the International Tournament of San Juan for his accomplishment. He was also presented an award as the angler with the most tagged billfish by The Billfish Foundation president Ellen Peel. In the category of Best International Team, perhaps the most hotly-contested area of the event, representing the United States, Bob Hickson, Robert Browning and Tony Carrizosa emerged victorious. They were followed by one of the many teams representing Club Nautico in second, while Pepe Anton and the Ecuadorian contingent found themselves in third place overall.

On a competitive level, this event also ranks right up among the world’s finest. Fifty-pound test line is mandatory, and the tournament has both indiOnce again, the International vidual/team and boat scorBillfish Tournament of Club ing using IGFA angling Top International Team was awarded to the United States Nautico took its place rules. In recent years, the team Game On. among the top bluewater tournament has moved to an all-release format but don’t events of the season. be misled, there are some very large blue marlin that call these deep blue waters home. In 1997 the top marlin weighed 895.5 pounds, with a 713.5-pounder caught the same day, and in 2000 a grander was caught about five Our 55th annual tournament was a proven We had the following outstanding results: miles offshore just a week prior to the tourtestimony of the highest standards by 12 participating countries, 51 boats, 199 nament. Since there’s also a team format, which we celebrate the International anglers, including 39 visiting anglers,and it’s not uncommon to see some of the Billfish Tournament of Club Nautico de last but not least, a successful event with finest names in the sport joining forces to compete, making the event a true gatherSan Juan. We worked relentlessly in its 63 releases and a tournament that we ing spot for blue marlin aficionados from organization. really enjoyed. We will continue to work to across the world.

A MESSAGE FROM THE CHAIRMAN

And when you put a group as talented as this on the water, it seems that the most consistent will rise to the top. Such was the case once again this year, as the Pink Lady, owned by Puerto Rican Alberto “Pipo” Gual, was named the Top Boat for the second consecutive year in a row. “This is one of the few times that a boat wins twice in a row the International Tournament,” said tournament director Gonzalo Miguel Ferrer. “They did their

I want to thank all our guests, sponsors,

our organizing committee members, fellow anglers, club members and all the individuals who perceived as great hosts to all our participating anglers.

attract the best deep-sea fishing anglers

to Puerto Rico, and will continue to exercise the best practices to ensure conservation of the species. Tight lines,

Gonzalo Miguel Ferrer

Billfishing Magazine

Presidential Caribbean Cup La Guaira, Venezuela www.preschallenge.com

VivaVenezuela By Joan Vernon

www.FishWBS.com

Without a doubt one of the hottest fishing destinations on the planet lies just offshore of the South American nation of Venezuela. While it’s unclear who was the first to wet a line here, the fact remains that the best chances for an angler to score a grand slam in the Atlantic happen at the La Guaira Bank.

his year, the Presidential Caribbean Cup hosted 36 anglers who journeyed to these storied fishing grounds in search of not only great fishing but enjoyable camaraderie and outstanding competition, the trademarks of Presidential Challenge events. The tournament also represented the second leg of the highly coveted Bertram/Ever Marine Grand Champion Angler and Eagle Claw Grand Champion Team awards. The event kicked off with the competitors gathered at Marina Portofino, located just 30 minutes from the Venezuelan capital city of Caracas, to review the rules with chief judge Capt. Dan Kipnis. Baptist Health International hosted a paella dinner accompanied by festive music, local dancers and plenty of rum. The anglers, captains and crews were all excited about the next three days of competition, which would pit the best teams in the Caribbean against one another in one of the world’s finest fisheries. One thing that makes Venezuela so special to billfishing enthusiasts is variety. Blue marlin, white marlin and sailfish are all caught here with regularity, while swordfish are also landed with enough frequency that it’s really no big deal. However, the rarest of billfish, the spearfish, also call these magical waters home. The first three species consti-

tute a grand slam. Add a fourth and it’s a super slam. Releasing five different billfish species in one day is known as a fantasy slam and has only been accomplished less than a handful of times anywhere in the world. The action kicked off on Day One as Eric Dallin released the first billfish of the tournament, a sailfish, aboard the Tijereta with Capt. Bubba Carter at the helm. The morning wore on in typical Venezuelan style with Henry RiggsMiller letting go a white marlin for team A-Fin-Ity on the Vintage. Gray Ingram’s team on Big Oh also had a white scored, while team Decisive on Tijereta had a doubleheader of whites to move into contention. The Iliza also made an early move with Rafael Rojas, a two-time past winner of the individual angler award, scoring a pair of white marlin while his teammate Jose Guanipa adding a sail and another white. By the end of the day the Big Oh would be at the top of the leaderboard while the Prime Time surpassed team A-Fin-Ity to move into second—Prime Time had four whites in just two hours, followed by a double and a single to finish the day with seven. Tournament anglers are required to use Berkley 20-pound test line and Eagle Claw non-offset circle hooks which kept the playing field quite level. The action picked up a bit later on Day Two but again, when it’s good here, it can be very good indeed. In just Billfishing Magazine

The Adopt-A-Billfish Program You’ve just tagged and released a marlin, sailfish, or swordfish. Ever wonder where that billfish will go, what route it took to get there, and what its ultimate fate will be? So do the scientists who are trying to determine the condition of, and connections among, billfish stocks and fisheries around the globe. Historically, 50 to 80 percent of what is known about our fisheries comes from traditional tagging data, but so much more is unknown. Because traditional tagging methods require the fish to be recaptured, the chance of ever hearing about a particular tagged billfish is about one in a hundred. Thanks to recent developments in electronic fish tags, that’s changing.

After a pre-determined time period (researchers can program the tag to sample from less than a day to over a year), the tags detach from the fish and float to the surface where they transmit their stored information to the Argos satellite system. The collected data are then provided to the researcher via email. The beauty of this technology is that it provides intimate details of the life of individual billfish in their natural environment without requiring researchers or anglers to physically retrieve the tags from the fish or from the ocean. This new tool holds great promise for ultimately providing more specific types of data that will assist in management, conservation, and rebuilding of billfish resources around the globe.

The technology that’s making a big splash in billfish research is the pop-up satellite archival tag. These tags are actually 5-inch, computer-controlled sensors that can be programmed to measure and store water temperature, depth and light-based location data every minute.

The proceeds from the Presidential Caribbean Cup will be used to fund the Adopt-A-Billfish tagging program, ensuring a strong future for billfish stocks worldwide. For more information, please visit www.preschallenge.com.

two hours, the fleet scored 17 white marlin and one blue marlin. The Big Oh team picked up where they left off on Day One, continuing to pick away at the marlin and by 3 p.m, they held a resounding lead at 5800 points. The Prime Time held onto second with team A-Fin-

Team Decisive, fishing aboard the Tijereta with Capt. Bubba Carter, left, finished in third place overall. Ity on the Vintage in third and team Decisive on Tijereta in fourth place. The Sea Angel moved into contention based in part on a doubleheader of blue marlin, an impressive feat anywhere in the world but even more so in a tournament. A last-minute flurry of releases shuffled the standings a bit but the day definitely belonged to the Big Oh. In just two days of fishing, they had released two blue marlin and 18 sailfish, proof of just how good the fishing can be in these waters.

Gray Ingram from the Big Oh was the event’s Top WBS Angler with 3500 points. them a record-breaking total of 9900 points and the win. Team AFin-Ity on the Vintage took home second place with 9600 points, while team Decisive on Tijereta placed third with 6400 points. Gray Ingram would be the event’s WBS Top Angler with 3500 points, followed by his teammate Kevin Paul with 3100 points. For the tournament there were 154 white marlin, 15 blue marlin and six sailfish released.

And it continued to improve on Day Three. Once again the fleet was off to a fast start, with an incredible 44 billfish released from nine o’clock in the morning until noon. While Ingram and the Big Oh team continued their winning ways, the story of the afternoon belonged to the A-Fin-Ity team fishing on the Vintage with Capt. Hans Kraaz. Anglers Davis Clapp, Henry Riggs-Miller, Juanga Lopez and Dewey Sanchez released 14 billfish by 1 p.m. to challenge the tournament leaders. The afternoon action slowed just a bit, with third place up for grabs—the Iliza, Prime Time and Tijereta (team Decisive) were all within just 100 points of each other. Then, as the afternoon wore on, the Vintage found the fish and team Decisive made their move. By 4:15 p.m, the team had released an incredible 20 billfish to challenge Big Oh for the lead! Then Capt. Ronnie Fields called in a white marlin release for Gray Ingram at 4:40 that sealed the deal, giving

Henry Riggs-Miller was the third place angler in the event. Billfishing Magazine

Miami Swordfish Tournament Miami, Florida www.miamiswordfishtournament.com

, s t h g i L t h g i r B s t h g i N k r a D ples e e P k c i .R By Capt

oing into the final tournament of the Florida Swordfish Series, much was at stake: the tournament’s prize purse, the overall series title and even the WBS Southeast Division title would all hinge on the next two nights of swordfishing.

Once again, the Miami Beach Marina hosted the Miami Swordfish Tournament, proving to be the perfect jumping-off point for boats heading out to battle these billfish of the deep. Teams would elect to stretch out to the north and south of Miami’s Government Cut, drifting their lines across known depth contours in hopes of finding productive areas. In the week leading up to the tournament, all eyes were on Hurricane Ike though. With the Islamorada leg of the Florida Swordfish Series cut short due to an approaching tropical storm, all hoped that the weather would pass safely by and enable the tournament to continue. To everyone’s

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relief, Ike did just that, producing a very favorable forecast for the weekend. The first night of fishing had winds out of the east-southeast at about 12 knots and the boats reported excellent conditions for swordfishing. Much different than trolling for marlin, this type of billfishing is accomplished by drifting a combination of live and dead baits at a variety of depths using heavy tackle. Some sort of light, either a chemical lightstick or small battery-powered model, is attached to the leader to enable the fish to locate the bait, with additional lights used at the surface to draw baitfish, squid and their associating predators upward. In the inky blackness, the only

Miami Swordfish Tournament frame of reference are the lights from other boats bobbing on the ocean and the backdrop of downtown Miami to the west, creating a surreal landscape. Unfortunately, the fishing was very slow on the first night with just two swordfish released. However, both teams were among those in the running for both the series title and the WBS divisional win: Luis Isias aboard the Jichi and the Get Litâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Peter Miller. The latter has won this award several times, while the former sought to unseat the champion in the last tournament of the season. The second night, everyone fervently wished for improved fishing, and they got it. After a quiet hour following lines in, the bite kicked off in typical South Florida style. First up was the My Sea Cin, hooking a double-header, followed by the Night Prowler, who called in the first release of the night for angler Adam Yunis. Unfortunately, My Sea Cin pulled the hook on both of their fish but they were far from finished for the night. At 9:44 p.m, they called back to tournament control to report they had boated a swordfish. Both Miller and Isais added to their respective point totals with another release apiece, while the Superstition, with captains Richard

Peeples IV and Nelson Fonseca sharing duties, released a pair to put them in a tie with the tournament leaders. It was at this point that Capt. Randy Towe on My Sea Cin decided it was time to show the fleet that they had won this series last year and wanted very badly to repeat as season champions. Their angler, Ed Barro, released another swordfish at 10:23 p.mâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;combined with their fish in the boat, this would most likely give the team the lead. Things continued to steamroll along right through the final hour of fishing, when My Sea Cin hooked up yet another nice swordfish. The Deja Blue, a team that had remained quiet all night, finally got the shot for which they had been searching, as a big swordie proceeded to dump three-quarters of the spool on an 80W reel. When the call for lines out finally came at 2:30 in the morning, both boats were still battling it out with fish. A short while later, both teams reported that they had boated their fish and would be heading to the scales to weigh in. The crowds gathered at Miami Beach Marina awaiting their arrival. First up would be Capt. Brett Dudas and the Deja Blue. Angler Beck Daniel was elated with his 77-inch

Billfishing Magazine

The WBS Top Angler award was presented to Beck Daniels.

Team My Cin Sea won not only the Miami leg of the tournament but also the Florida Swordfish Series for 2008.

swordfish, which tipped the scales at 201 pounds, giving them a onepoint lead over the Get Lit, Jichi and Superstition, all with 200 points and two releases each. Now it was up to My Sea Cin. Their first fish up was Gary Newgent’s 152-pounder, but the next, even larger swordfish really had the Deja Blue team sweating. Could it knock theirs out of contention for the $5,000 prize awarded to the heaviest fish of the series? As the scale settled on 174 pounds for angler Jeff Callahan, both teams erupted in cheers and high-fives. The My Sea Cin’s three fish total of 426 points was more than enough for the tournament win and also vaulted them into the winner’s circle for the overall series, making them the first backt0-back series champions. The Deja Blue’s swordfish was big enough to give them second place, winning the Top Angler award for Beck Daniel and the award for the largest fish of the series. Third place fell to Get Lit. While the Jichi was knocked out of the money in the tournament, Luis Isias’ two releases in Miami and three in Islamorada were enough to enable him to capture his first ever World Billfish Series Southeast Division win. In spite of the tough year of tournament fishing, this year’s Florida Swordfish Series sponsored by Southstar Development Partners was a great success. Conservation, sportsmanship and honesty, the cornerstones of the series, will always be a winner.

Miami Beach Marina

Located adjacent to Government Cut, with no fixed bridges and plenty of deep water, Miami Beach Marina affords easy accessibility to great fishing and cruising. The famous Art Deco District is nearby with exciting shopping and the nightlife of trendy South Beach.

By land, Miami Beach Marina is only minutes from downtown Miami, Interstate I-95 and 20 minutes to Miami International Airport. By water, boaters are only five minutes from the dock to the Atlantic Ocean, with easy access to the Intracoastal Waterway, Biscayne Bay and the Florida Keys.

Our 400 boat slips provide plenty of dock space for vessels up to 250 feet. Slips are complete with fresh water, electricity, telephone and cable hook-ups, and the rates are affordable. And for your convenience, they now have an online reservation form.

Miami Beach Marina is a full service facility run by a courteous and professional staff. Make it your stop on Miami Beach. For more information please visit www.miamibeachmarina.com. Billfishing Magazine

Old Salt Loop St. Petersburg, FL www.oldsaltfishing.org

By Ro

n 1527, Spanish explorer Panfilo de Narvaez landed on Florida’s west coast while searching for gold in the New World when a hurricane blew his fleet of four galleons off course. He thought he had found the treasure for which he was seeking, but soon discovered it was merely Spanish doubloons salvaged by native tribes who had plucked them from earlier shipwrecks. Later, pirates like Black Caesar, Jose’ Gaspar, and Jean Lafitte came seeking treasure and are remembered and honored at the region’s annual Gasparilla festival, a fully costumed pirate invasion. Fishing fleets soon arrived to take advantage of the fish-rich waters of Tampa Bay and another industry developed. Fishing remains a mainstay of the region’s economy, and the backbone of the area’s restaurants. 40

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Like the early explorers, the earliest pioneers in the bluewater game learned of a nutrient-rich current that swirled throughout the Gulf of Mexico, carrying with it vast shoals of yellowfin tuna as well as oversized blue marlin, wahoo and dolphin. Researchers would later call this the Loop Current, and its importance to the bluewater fishing off Florida’s western

Exploring The Loop

coast (and in fact the entire Gulf of Mexico) cannot be understated. The Old Salt Loop Foundation was formed and has, for over 30 years, supported family interaction and camaraderie through sportfishing for recreation, science, conservation and education. The club also provides financial support to various local non-profit organizations.

In order to keep this a local tournament confined to local waters, this year the tournament committee mandated northern and southern boundaries and also awarded an additional 50 points to leave from the tournament’s host resort and 50 points to check in there when returning. They also lowered the points on swordfish catches to keep it more of a marlin tournament after last year’s top spots went to those teams with multiple swordfish releases. These changes were generally well-received by the fleet, who could now concentrate on the game at hand.

The winds were blowing 20 to 25 knots out of the west for the start of this year’s tournament, making the 100-plus mile run feel like a 12-hour roller coaster ride at Busch Gardens. Our Bottom Line team elected not to spend the first night swordfishing but prepared for the next day’s trolling, while teams aboard the Marlin Hunter and Hi Hatter were pulling around in the same area the next morning. The winds start to lie down and the conditions kept getting better and better, with a few weed lines around. However, the

on Gauthier

Billfishing Magazine

Old Salt Loop checking out and into the host resort. Cabo Loco placed second with one blue marlin and two swordfish. The Hi Hatter got the last podium spot with one blue marlin release plus the check in and check out points. The winners of this year’s Sarasota Slam, the team aboard Use of Proceeds did not place in the billfish division but took the win in the wahoo division with a 33.90pounder. They also scored the first place dolphin in the tournament at 30.08 pounds. Team Mannaray received top honors in the tuna class with a beautiful 109.08-pound yellowfin.

The Use of Proceeds with their tournament winning 33.90 pound wahoo. wind had scattered the weeds far and wide so constant attention was required to keep the trolling lures free of debris. We finally found a weed line that looked fishy and trolled down the side, where we raised a white marlin to the spread. In typical white marlin fashion, he billed one bait then dropped to another, a rigged ballyhoo this time. After several missed chances for a hook-up, the frustrated white marlin finally swam off, leaving an equally frustrated crew wondering what had happened. We chose to stay in this area and worked it for the remainder of the day, as the Marlin Hunter had hooked up with a white and released it a short while later and the Hi Hatter had released a blue marlin. We are near the end of the day with the sun setting in the background when a large whale

STAYING IN ST. PETE The Old Salt Loop tournament, one of the longest-running bluewater events on the west coast of Florida, is now hosted in the beautiful Renaissance Vinoy Resort in St Petersburg, Florida, located right in the heart of the city’s burgeoning downtown area. This resort has 347 rooms, 13 suites, a private marina, two heated pools, an 18-hole golf coarse, and a 12-court tennis complex in addition to several awardwinning restaurants and banquet facilities. There is so much history here (St. Petersburg is famous for its many museums) and places to explore like Busch Gardens, the Florida Aquarium, sparkling local beaches, annual powerboat racing, an openwheel Grand Prix race, and of course all the pro teams like the Bucs, Rays, and Lightning.

Ken Cummins, far right, and the rest of the Hooker team celebrates after they won top honors for the Old Salt Loop Tournament. breached the surface near us. At nearly the same time, the short left goes off with a short burst of drag, ending before an angler could even get on the rod. Fortunately, a nice blue marlin came right back and crushed the short transom bait, greyhounding and almost dumping the line from the 50-W Shimano Tiagra before we could get the other rigs in the boat. It was almost dark and we started to worry about sharks getting to our fish before we could release it, as a 300-pound blue marlin on 50-pound class tackle is a true fight between the angler and the fish, each not knowing who will win. The blue finally came to the boat in the darkness unhurt; we shot a few pictures and released the fish to fight again another day.

The city is easily accessible via the nearby Tampa International Airport, roughly 30 minutes distant, or by the St. Petersburg/Clearwater facility. Several smaller fields also provide private air service including Albert Whitted Airport located on the waterfront in downtown St. Petersburg. For more information on visiting St. Petersburg, Florida please visit www.stpete.com.

The swordfishing that evening was slow with only a few fish caught, but the next day the weather started out to everyone’s liking, with flat seas and bright sun shining. World Billfish Series veteran Ken Cummins and his team aboard the Hooker took the win with two white marlin and a sailfish, all released, plus an extra 100 points for Billfishing Magazine

Billfishing Magazine

Andy Cohen Profile Favorite Billfishing Location: “My favorite place in the world for billfish would be Kona. If you have ever fished there then you know why. The suspense is tremendous once the lures go out because if the line starts pulling off the reel there could be a 20-pound dolphin or a 1,000-pound blue marlin at the other end.” Favorite “Fun Fishing” Location: “In the sprtingtime I would have to say Miami Beach just for fun. It’s hard to beat a May afternoon when you have a couple livewells full of pilchards.” Other Interests: “Sports and trying to finish school at the University of Central Florida.” Occupation: “When I’m not fishing or in the classroom, you can find me bartending at The Rosen Shingle Creek Resort in Orlando, Florida.”

he first tournament I ever fished in was the Capt. Bob Lewis Billfish Tournament in 1998 on the Reward II. I was 11 years old. On a side note, in 1999 we placed second in that same tournament. I always had a passion for competitive fishing and I believe it was this event that helped to spark this in me. You can usually see me at the Bob Lewis and the Miami Billfish Tournament with a few others sprinkled in during the season.” “One of my best catches also proved to be one that changed my outlook on killing billfish for the rest of my life. On a trip to Kona, Hawaii I was privileged to catch a blue marlin. I’ve caught many of these but this one really put on a show and was by far the biggest of my career thus far. After 30 minutes we had her alongside the boat and the captain asked if we were boating the fish—during the heat of the moment, I said yes. It was a great feeling at first but that feeling went away pretty quickly when I realized that what I did was wrong, and since then I haven’t killed a marlin since then. The fish weighed 725 pounds. I’ve caught larger ones since then and hopefully they are all still out there swimming.”

Favorite Fish Story: “My buddy and I were fishing on my boat one spring afternoon off South Florida in 400 feet of water when we spotted a frigate bird diving. It was a pretty rough day with the waves pushing seven feet, so once we got over to where the bird was diving we tossed a few handfuls of pilchards in the water and sure enough, here comes a huge dolphin greyhounding toward the stern. We both cast to the fish and both were hooked up right away—the dolphin had eaten both our baits. So with two of us cranking, we got it to the boat pretty fast. I laid down my rod to gaff it but the fish went nuts and ripped off the gaff, running about 50 yards away. During this time I saw something small go flying off the boat, which turned out to be my rod. I looked in the water and there it was, my little rod screaming across the surface of the ocean. I looked at my buddy and started laughing. Like I said, my boat is called No Worries so that’s how we fish. Once the dolphin came back to the boat I stuck him again and this time he was done. Once we got him aboard, I noticed two lines coming out of its mouth and sure enough I was able to get my rod back. This was one of the funniest times I’ve ever experienced. The dolphin weighed 47 pounds.”

“Let me start out by saying that tournaments should be fun for everyone involved so my prep usually starts out with a rum and Coke. Don’t get me wrong, there’s a level of seriousness that must be taken but my team is a very laid back group as our name, No Worries, might imply. There is a lot of preparation that takes place, though, and one simple detail that you ignore can cost you first place, so let’s just say that I don’t have too many rum drinks while tying knots.” Billfishing Magazine

Donnie Seay Profile Tournament Awards 2007 Texas Grand Champion Offshore Angler, Texas International Fishing Tournament 2005 1st Place Team, Rockport Offshore Challenge, Texas Favorite Billfishing Location: “The Great Barrier Reef, Australia. Without a doubt the most incredible marlin bites I have ever seen.” Favorite “Fun Fishing” Location: “Panama’s Hannibal Bank off Coiba Island. The variety of species makes it a real challenge.” Other Interests: “Fly fishing and hunting.” Occupation: “Oil and natural gas producer.” Thoughts on the Future of Sportfishing: “It really frightens me when I see purse seiners off the west coast of Costa Rica haul in several tons of yellowfin tuna in a matter of hours, and this is just one boat. Sport fishermen have gone to circle hooks to prevent damage to fish but not enough is being done to prevent the netters and longliners from decimating our fish populations.”

started fishing tournaments because I love to fish and I enjoy the competition. I’ve been fishing events like the Los Sueños tournaments, the Mississippi Gulf Coast Classic in Biloxi, the Poco Bueno, Rockport Offshore Challenge, Texas Legends and the TIFT and others for the past few years. I try to fish in at least five tournaments each season.”

Favorite Fish Story: “We were fishing a tournament off the coast of Texas and had been pulling plastic for quite some time to no avail, so we decided to go to live bait. We could only catch one small tuna and by the time we had gotten it back out it had died on us so we just slow-rolled it on the surface. We had only been doing it for a couple of minutes and a 500 or 600-pound blue just inhaled that dead tuna. We didn’t catch the fish but it was one helluva bite.”

“I’ve been fortunate enough to fish in many different places like Ghana, Venezuela and Australia to name a few but catching and releasing six blue marlin in Venezuela and raising 25 blacks and catching 18 on the Great Barrier Reef, including one around 900 pounds, in six days of fishing are two highlights.” “Our crew makes certain that all the tackle is in tip-top condition before tournament time. We always replace the line on each reel and we also re-check the drag settings and insure that all our leaders comply with tournament rules. We also try to keep the boat in peak running condition at all times but before a tournament we are especially vigilant. You can’t catch ‘em if you can’t get there.” Donnie, right, laughs it up with his first mate aboard the Seay Goddess fishing off Costa Rica. Billfishing Magazine 47

Charles Greenberg Profile Tournament Awards 2007 5th Place: Sailfish Kickoff, Florida Favorite Billfishing Location: "My favorite would be Cat Island, Bahamas. I have traveled and fished out of Hawk’s Nest for years, especially in the springtime. From the early tuna and wahoo bite to the billfish grand slams, I find Cat Island to be the one location that, if you can get there, is a ‘must-see’ destination.” Favorite “Fun Fishing” Location: "Personally, my favorite for fun would be right here at home in South Florida. The extraordinary sailfish bite in the fall and winter always keeps the adrenaline flowing, and this year’s spring fishing for white and blue marlin was the best that I can remember. Dolphin, wahoo and mackerel fill in the rest of the year and the swordfish fishery has picked up recently after a few slow months.” Other Interests: "My family all resides within an hour of my home, so when I’m not fishing I enjoy spending quality time with my children and two grand-children. In my ‘first’ youth, I dedicated myself to riding and showing quarter-horses in the New York/New England areas.” Occupation: "I retired from the textile arena in New York over 12 years ago. Since that time I have been offshore fishing as many days a week as possible.”

’m a competitive person by nature so when you fall in love with a sport like big-game fishing, the tournament trail is a natural one to follow. I was introduced to fishing and then competitive tournament fishing by one of the great fishermen of our time, Jim Lambert. I started tournament fishing in 1990 on my Buddy Davis and have fished in numerous events from the Bahamas to Cape May to Manteo. Now I mostly concentrate on the South Florida area, fishing between four and six tournaments a year in my new custom Revenge 35-foot center console, Crescendo.” “One very special catch of mine was a 135-pound wahoo caught while billfishing off Cat Island in the Bahamas. My only problem is that I took the picture with my captain and mate holding the fish. I followed up that day with two billfish slams. Fishing in South Florida, I’ve had many double digit days on sailfish and have recently started to concentrate on swordfishing.” “Our preparation is very intense. Days in advance, all our tackle is checked and re-checked and, with the new tournament rules down here, our cameras are also thoroughly checked out. New line is put on each rod to make sure there is no abrasion down in the spool. Hundreds of leaders are pre-made to tournament specifications each season, placed in waterproof bags and are brought on board. The boat is always maintained to make sure every component is in top working order. Everyone on the boat knows their assigned position but can also fill in for any other position as needed. Today, to be able to compete against some of the best teams in the world, there is no time to experiment with something new during an event.”

Favorite Fish Story: "While not necessarily a fish story, had I not met one person, there are thousands of fish that might not remember my hooks. In 1987, I was taking a vacation to Florida from my old home up north. My attorney told me he had a friend, who had a friend in Florida, who owned a boat and would take my son and I fishing out of Ft. Lauderdale. We only caught a hammerhead shark that day but it didn’t matter much, because that day began a friendship which influenced my life like no other. That very special friend of mine was Jim Lambert, who recently passed away after a long illness—he will be missed by all those who knew him.”

Charles aboard Crescendo.

Billfishing Magazine

2008 WORLD TOUR SPONSORS The following companies proudly support the World Billfish Series and the sport of billfishing as sponsors of the 2008 WBS World Tour.

www.FishWBS.com

Bacardi USA Marketer of fine spirits, including the world’s number one rum.

2100 Biscayne Blvd. Miami, FL 33137-5028

Phone: 305-573-8511 www.bacardi.com

Bank Of America Helping customers fulfill their dreams every day.

100 North Tryon St. Charlotte, NC 28255

Phone: 866-887-3259 www.bankofamerica.com

Bertram Yacht, Inc. Builder of sportfishing boats from 39 to 67 feet.

3663 NW 21st St. Miami, FL 33142

Phone: 305-633-8011 www.bertram.com

Blue Water Shirt Club For Saltwater Sportman, who enjoy finding interesting and unique Tees.

1826 Sally Hill Farms Blvd. Florence, SC 29501

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Av. Camaron Sabalo S/N PO Box 183 Mazatlán, Sinaloa, Mexico 82110

Contact: Geronimo Cevallos Phone: 011-52-669-916-3468 www.elcid.com

Fountain Powerboats Builder of high-performance sport and fishing boats.

PO Drawer 457 Washington, NC 27889

Contact: Clayton Kirby Phone: 904-838-3230 www.fountainpowerboats.com

Los Sueños Resort and Marina Costa Rica’s premier resort and marina.

PO Box 25635 Miami, FL 33102-5635

Contact: Ashley Bretecher Phone: 866-865-9759 www.lossuenosresort.com

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International Sales 5349 SW Running Oak Circle Stuart, FL 34997

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PO Box 1939 Fond du Lac, WI 54936

Phone: 920-929-5040 www.mercurymarine.com

Release Marine Manufacturers of custom fighting chairs and accessories.

2100 Roger Lacy Ave. Savannah, Georgia 31415

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Royale Palm Yacht Basin, Ste. C 629 NE 3rd Street Dania, FL 33004

Contact: Martyn Bignell Phone 954-524-2844 www.underwaterlights.com

Viking Yachts Sportfishing boats from 45 to 74 feet

Route 9, “On the Bass River” New Gretna, NJ 08224

Contact: Peter Frederiksen Phone: 609-296-6000 www.vikingyachts.com

XMWX The leader in mobile weather display software and receivers.

430 Research Drive Huntsville, AL 35805

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YachtPath Providing global yacht transpot services to the world’s most popular destinations.

2401 PGA Boulevard, Suite 155 Palm Beach Gardens, FL 33410

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Yamaha Motor Corp. Manufacturer of two- and four-stroke outboard engines.

1270 Chastain Rd. Kennesaw, GA 30144

Contact: Mike Dixon Phone: 770-420-5800 www.yamaha-motor.com

2008 WORLD TOUR STANDINGS

Sil ve r

Boat Name Catch One Sandman Rude Awakening Sandman Miss Britt 1 Big Oh Priceless Catch One Miss Annie Money Shot Blank Check Chips Ahoy Get Lit Mimi Certifiable Sandra T Miss Britt 1 Big Oh Covert Mission Anejo Certifiable Masque Ohana Money Shot

350 350 350 350 650 0 50 275 275 0 0 0 575 0 200 125 575 275 125 0 0 0 0 0

350 50 450 75 275 00 50 0 0 0 0 50 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 125 0 0 0 0

650 875 150 650 0 0 0 200 425 725 675 500 0 0 275 125 0 200 350 350 575 125 0 500

650 0 0 0 0 0 275 350 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

275 0 350 0 0 0 275 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 125 200 0 0 0 0 0 350 0 0

0 0 0 0 0 275 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 200 0

0 0 0 0 0 500 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 575 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 275 0

ADDITIONAL PARTICIPATION POINTS

Angler Mark Wodlinger Sandra Kirkpatrick Rudy Polselli Jr. Todd Kirkpatrick Dave Dickerson Mike Fuldrun Lev Mullins Erik Waldin Mark Donahue Eddie Lopez Dan Doyle Jr. Chip Sheehan Kitt Toomey Paul Spencer Matt Lynch Serena Wilson Danny Farkas Gray Ingram Tom Craig Dave Przysinda Colin Murphy Mark Schwartz Austin Burr Manny Menendez

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TREASURE COAST DIVISION

0 150 0 150 100 100 200 0 100 50 50 100 50 50 0 150 0 100 100 100 0 100 100 50

2275 1425 1300 1225 1025 875 850 825 800 775 725 650 625 625 600 600 575 575 575 575 575 575 575 550

0 0 2700 575 900 650 0 1675 0 1450 1700 175 900 0 1700 700 0 125 0 0 0 525 900 450 0 525 2150 0 1700 0 900 200 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 450 0 300 0 300 1250 0 0 0

Ha rb ou Ha r rb Bo ou a r Isl Bil t H an lfis arb d h B ou las r BB t C Tre as ur eC Ab ay ac oB i l lfis BB hC C Ch Bo ha lle am at ng pio Har e ns bo VI hip ur GF C Jul yO A.H pe To . R n ur iis na e B Int men VI t Bill of â&#x20AC;&#x2122;l Bi fis Sa llfi h n J sh ua To Pr n u rn Caesid am rib ent en be ial t an Cu p C

ars h

BB C

Boat Name Big Oh Mama Who Domarlo Cerveza Loose Crew Liquid Gold Therapy Smooth Finish Deguello Big Oh Wave Paver Juel Marie Rum Bum Desperado Miller Time Southern Comfort Gulf Rascal Gregarious Off the Hook Miss Annie Uno Mas Our Dream Adios Rude Awakening

0 0 925 450 1328 450 0 0 575 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 175 0 0 0 0

0 0 0 0 0 450 450 0 50 0 0 0 0 0 450 450 0 1650 0 0 0 0 0 0

0 850 975 0 0 0 450 0 450 0 1250 850 0 0 0 0 0 0 1375 0 0 1250 175 0

0 0 125 0 0 0 0 0 50 0 0 0 1650 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 450 0 0 0

0 450 450 900 0 0 175 0 50 0 450 0 0 0 0 175 0 0 175 850 0 0 0 0

2050 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 50 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 450 0 0 0 450 0 0 0

1250 0 0 0 0 0 450 0 450 450 0 0 0 0 0 0 1250 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

1700 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1725 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 375 0 0 1500

ADDITIONAL PARTICIPATION POINTS

Angler Gray Ingram Lainey Jones Heather Rintoul Steve Schmeusser Laura Beth Hannah Susan Clements Morgan Miller Brad Aery Chris Domel Kevin Paul Jr. Davis Dugan McLauglin Luis Bacardi John Lancaster Dan Roebuck III Peter Angel Rod Windley Greg Barber Robert Southard Sr. Frank Naparano Brooks Smith Bill Gardner Steve Lewis Austin Texas

BB C

Ce nt ral

Ab ac o

CARIBBEAN DIVISION

150 0 0 150 0 0 0 0 500 100 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 100 150 0 0 100 0

5150 4575 4025 3175 2778 2775 2425 2400 2300 2275 2225 2200 2175 2150 2150 1725 1700 1650 1650 1625 1575 1550 1525 1500

Billfishing Magazine

2008 WORLD TOUR STANDINGS

FY I

Boat Name Jichi Get Lit G Team Uptight Wound Up Weez in the Keys Team Costa Night Prowler No Mercy Wound Up Sandman Ventolera L&H Get Lit Bouncer’s Dusky Wound Up Miss Costa 4 Aces Off the Hook Boat Center Game Time Sandman Priceless Priceless

275 200 425 275 425 200 275 200 275 200 275 200 0 200 0 200 125 0 125 275 200 200 125 125

275 425 125 0 0 200 0 0 0 0 0 0 500 275 200 0 0 125 0 0 125 0 0 0

500 425 0 0 500 125 350 0 575 350 0 0 0 200 0 425 200 0 350 0 0 0 0 0

0 200 275 425 200 0 0 200 0 200 200 275 275 125 125 200 200 125 0 200 0 200 125 125

200 400 650 700 0 425 350 350 275 200 125 500 200 125 0 0 200 725 0 275 200 275 250 250

650 350 275 500 425 425 350 575 125 275 575 200 200 200 800 250 275 0 475 125 350 200 375 350

800 300 50 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

550 300 300 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

ADDITIONAL PARTICIPATION POINTS

Angler Luis Isaias Peter Miller Johnny White Jeffrey Fiorentino Warren Sands Scott Robins Rick Murphy Raul Gonzales Rick Arnold Janice Sands Sandra Kirkpatrick Osvaldo Vento Debbi David Kitt Toomey Amanda Nichols Brett Dudas Bill Danko Peter Adrian Robert Southard Jr. Gary Lawson Angel Veliz Todd Kirkpatrick Bill Crabill Jorge Sanchez

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SOUTHEAST DIVISION

0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

3250 2600 2100 1900 1550 1375 1325 1325 1250 1225 1175 1175 1175 1125 1125 1075 1000 975 950 875 875 875 875 850

www.FishWBS.com

1775 2275 1400 275 2350 1950 1000 425 350 2350 1475 425 1875 1800 1225 1325 1550 925 275 2150 1325 1400 200 0

950 1750 650 525 950 1025 975 650 500 275 1125 650 600 650 1200 1000 650 525 1425 0 825 650 975 0

425 275 575 0 0 0 0 275 0 0 0 275 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 350 350

950 0 650 0 0 0 0 800 0 0 0 575 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 425

0 0 0 2525 0 0 825 0 1825 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 750 500 0 0 0 525 0

1025 0 875 0 0 0 0 575 0 0 0 650 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1275

ADDITIONAL PARTICIPATION POINTS

Angler Boat Name William Easum Super Fly Mainor Oporto Downs Spanish Fly Jimmy Taylor Super Fly Cindy Shufflebarger Hook Ron Lea Sweet Dreams Arturo Nunez Hattaboy Chris Lepping Penguin Larry Drivon Spanish Fly Matthew Traber Penguin Keylor Vindas Prime Time Roberto Gonzales Miss Behavin Ricardo Lebo Spanish Fly Ron Hutchings Lady Columbo Warner Porra Dream Maker Russ Nixdorf Prime Time Paul Snow Muy Caliente Hector Rodriguez Munoz Gringo Honeymoon Bill Royster After You Andrew Shapiro Clean Sweep Mariano Da The Bite Brian Bemis Iron Trader Chris Fischer After You James Kontos Let it Ride Henry Riggs-Miller A-Fin-Ity

Lo s Sig Sue na ño tu s re Se rie sI Lo sS Sig ue na ño tu s re Se rie sI Th I eP Ch re all sid en en ge tal of Co sta Th Ric eP a Ch re all sid en en ge ta of l El Sa lva Lo do sS r Inv ue ita ño tio s M na a l rlin Th e Ch Pre all sid en en ge tia of l Gu ate ma la

PACIFIC DIVISION

0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

5125 4300 4150 3325 3300 2975 2800 2725 2675 2625 2600 2575 2475 2450 2425 2325 2200 2200 2200 2150 2150 2050 2050 2050

2008 WORLD TOUR STANDINGS

0 0 0 850 0 650 0 0 0 450 250 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 450 450 450 450 450

450 450 0 0 0 0 575 0 0 50 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 550 0 450 0 0 0 0 0

300 450 0 0 0 50 50 0 0 50 400 0 575 575 575 450 0 525 0 0 0 0 0 0

175 175 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 50 175 0 800 0 0 0 50 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 125 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

575 450 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 50 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

0 0 450 0 850 0 0 0 0 0 0 600 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

0 0 450 0 0 0 0 0 700 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

ADDITIONAL PARTICIPATION POINTS

Boat Name Reel Addiction Quick Time Use of Proceeds High C’s Use of Proceeds You Never Know! Sophie Louise Born 2 Run Cabo Loco Jena Suzanne Ultimate Lure FINS Sea Spray Honey Jolly B First Choice Desperado Bella Maria First Choice Unknown Unknown Unknown Unknown Unknown

EVENT CANCELLED

Angler Rocky Jones Michael Burroughs Johnny Koontz Chace Nelson Scott Elliot Sari Turner Troy Turner Kyle Avenarius Steve Pappen Terry Stewart Frank Fabre Andy Ford Blan Marriott Harry Coleman Hugh Scott Dennis Pasentine David Wilkins R. Wayne Lewis John Pasentine Bradley Shivers Brett Loper Charles Nelson Chuck Jordan Joey Brewer

M o M bile em BG ori FC M iss al D ay Co iss as ipp Tou tB iG rn Ne i . w llfish ulf Bil Or C lfis lea las h n Em To s In sic u v e r Blu ald rnam t’l e M Co en t a as Pe ns rlin t C a Bil co lfis la lassi Ba h To Int’l c y u Bil Poin rnam lfis t e I Ou h To nt’l nt u t M cast rnam arl B in lue ent C Te xa lass ic To s In ur t’l na F Or me ishi n n a Bil nge t g lfis Be Sa h Cl ach ra a Fis sota ssic hin S g T lam ou -H Ol rn BA dS am alt en Lo t op To ur n.

GULF COAST DIVISION

0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 50 0 0 0 0 0

1675 1350 900 850 850 800 800 800 700 650 650 600 575 575 575 575 550 525 500 450 450 450 450 450

0 50 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 150 0 0 0 0 0 50 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

4050 1279 1150 1125 1125 1109 900 750 750 725 675 675 650 625 625 625 608 600 600 600 575 575 575 575

Boat Name Shark Byte Mimi Roulette Sea Splendour Reel Jim Last Run Shark Byte Sea Wolf Turn Me Loose Cerveza Daymaker Judge DA Sea Rascal Syked Out Cookie II Over the Top Impulse Viking 68 Triple A Maximus A-Lure Sea Hunt Cookie II

0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 125 275 0 0 425 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

0 0 125 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 200 0 0 200 350 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 600 0 0 0 0 0 0

3125 0 0 300 0 1109 350 750 300 175 0 675 650 0 0 575 608 0 425 0 575 575 575 575

0 1229 450 0 850 0 0 0 450 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 175 600 0 0 0 0

925 0 0 825 0 0 550 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

0 0 575 0 275 0 0 0 0 275 200 0 0 0 275 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

ADDITIONAL PARTICIPATION POINTS

Angler Peter Cherasia Trey Irvine Richard Pingree Andy Levy Jim Hobbs Robert Lockwood Chris Wood Dwight Wolf David Thomas Greg Boger Mark Daniels Martin Judge Valerie Dunn Douglas Miller Holly McAlhany John Caputo Ben Marino Tyler Dean Don Gemmell Jeff Stonehill Bill Demchack Keith Kurek Rick Hoenes Sonny Falcone

Ch a Re rles s to Bil ort & n H lfis M ar h T a bor ou rine HM rn am Bil Y-V en lfis ik t h T ing ou M rna ega me do N. nt ck C Ba . Du nd ck the s U Bil nlim lfis it h T ed W ou hit rn. eM arl in Op Pir en a To te’s ur C na ov me e nt Bill fis h M idAt lan tic $5 00 ,00 Th eS 0 ail fis hS lam

MID-ATLANTIC DIVISION

Billfishing Magazine

2008

WBS

WORLD

*The World Billfish Series reserves the right to make changes in the Schedule, including additions and deletions of events, at any time during the course

Tournaments By Division MID-ATLANTIC DIVISION Charleston Harbor Resort & Marina Billfish Tourn., 6/25 - 6/28 HMY-Viking Megadock Billfish Tournament, 7/9 - 7/12 N.C. Ducks Unlimited Band the Billfish, 7/31 - 8/2 White Marlin Open, 8/4 - 8/8 Pirate's Cove Billfish Tournament, 8/11 - 8/15 Mid-Atlantic $500,000, 8/17 - 8/22 The Sailfish Slam, 10/1 - 10/4 SOUTHEAST DIVISION FYI Sailfish Kickoff, 12/6 - 12/9 (2007) The Sailfish Tournament, 1/10 - 1/12 Cheeca Lodge Presidential Sailfish Tournament, 1/17 - 1/19 Miami Mayor's Cup, 1/24 - 1/27 Captain Bob Lewis Billfish Challenge, 2/28 - 3/2 Yamaha Contender Miami Billfish Tournament, 4/3 - 4/6 Islamorada Swordfish Tournament, 8/15 - 8/17 Miami Swordfish Tournament, 9/12 - 9/14 TREASURE COAST DIVISION Silver Sailfish Derby, 1/7 - 1/10 Jupiter Billfish Tournament, 1/9 - 1/11 Buccaneer Cup Sailfish Release Tournament, 1/15 - 1/19 Palm Beach Sailfish Classic, 1/22 - 1/26 Ft. Lauderdale Billfish Tournament, 2/27 - 3/2 El Pescado Billfish Tournament, 10/2 - 10/4 New Smyrna Beach Billfish Invt'l, 10/9 - 10/12 GULF COAST DIVISION Mobile BGFC Memorial Day Tournament, 5/23 - 5/26 Mississippi Gulf Coast Billfish Classic, 6/4 - 6/8 New Orleans Invitational Billfish Tournament, 6/11 - 6/15 Emerald Coast Blue Marlin Classic, 6/24 - 6/29 Pensacola International Billfish Tournament, 7/3 - 7/6 Bay Point Invitational Billfish Tournament, 7/9 - 7/13 Outcast Blue Marlin Classic, 7/23 - 7/26 Texas International Fishing Tournament, 7/30 - 8/3 Orange Beach Billfish Classic, 7/30 - 8/3 Sarasota Slam-HBA Fishing Tournament, 8/6 - 8/9 Old Salt Loop Tournament, 8/15 - 8-18 CARIBBEAN DIVISION BBC Central Abaco Championship, 4/13 - 4/18 BBC Marsh Harbour Championship, 4/27 - 5/2 BBC Harbour Island, 5/11 - 5/16 Boat Harbour Billfish Blast, 5/26 - 5/30 BBC Treasure Cay Championship, 6/1 - 6/6 Abaco Billfish Challenge, 6/10 - 6/13 BBC Boat Harbour Championship, 6/15 - 6/20 VIGFC July Open, 7/14 - 7/17 A.H. Riise BVI Billfish Tournament, 7/19 - 7/23 Club Nautico Int’l Billfish Tourn. of San Juan, 8/11 – 8/16 Presidential Caribbean Cup, 9/12 - 9/14 PACIFIC DIVISION Los Sueños Signature Series #1, 1/21 - 1/24 Los Sueños Signature Series #2, 3/12 - 3/15 The Presidential Challenge of Costa Rica, 4/12 - 4/14 The Presidential Challenge of El Salvador, 11/10 - 11/12 Los Sueños Marlin Invitational, 11/19 - 11/22 The Presidential Challenge of Guatemala, 11/21 - 11/23 SOUTH PACIFIC DIVISION South Indian Ocean Billfish Tournament, 2/10 - 2/16 Broken Bay Fishing Club Invitational Tournament, 3/14 - 3/16 Raiatea International Billfish Tournament, 3/24 - 3/29 Lizard Island Black Marlin Classic, 10/13 - 10/20 MEXICO DIVISION Cancun Billfish Classic, 4/23 - 4/26 Puerto Los Cabos Billfish Classic, 5/12 - 5/16 Puerto Los Cabos World Cup, 10/14 - 10/18 Mazatlán Billfish Classic, 11/5 - 11/8 Puerto Vallarta Billfish Classic, 11/12 - 11/14

2008 WBS GRAND CHAMPIONSHIPS December 3 – 6, 2008

DECEMBER 6 - 9, 2007 Miami, Florida FYI Sailfish Kickoff Anthony Albelo (305) 461-2700

MARCH 12 - 15 Playa Herradura, Costa Rica Los Sueños Signature Series - #2 Ashley Bretecher abretecher@lossuenosresort.com

JANUARY 2 - 5, 2008 Palm Beach, Florida Silver Sailfish Derby Tom Twyford (561) 832-6780

MARCH 14 - 16 Broken Bay, Australia Broken Bay Game Fishing Club Craig Findlay cfindlay@sge.com

JANUARY 9 - 11 Jupiter, Florida Jupiter Billfish Tournament Scott Nichols (561) 262-6424

MARCH 24 - 29 Raiatea, Tahiti, French Polynesia Raiatea Int’l Billfish Tournament Dominique Goche 011-689-60-05-45

JANUARY 9 - 12 Playa Herradura, Costa Rica Los Sueños Signature Series - #I Ashley Bretecher abretecher@lossuenosresort.com

APRIL 3 - 6 Miami, Florida Yamaha Contender Miami Judy Layne (305) 598-2525

JANUARY 10 - 13 Miami, Florida The Sailfish Tournament Richard Peeples III (305) 672-38075

APRIL 12 - 14 Samara, Costa Rica Presidential Challenge of Costa Rica Joan Vernon (305) 361-9258

JANUARY 15 - 19 Singer Island, Florida Buccaneer Cup Sailfish Release Gary Caputi (732) 899-9988

APRIL 13 - 18 Treasure Cay, Bahamas BBC Central Abaco Championship Brenda Fletcher (954) 920-5577

JANUARY 17 - 19 Islamorada, Florida Cheeca Lodge Presidential Sailfish Liz Hill (305) 451-5094

APRIL 23 - 26 Cancun, Mexico Cancun Billfish Classic Harvey L. Hunnicutt (714) 259-4899

JANUARY 22 - 26 West Palm Beach, Florida Palm Beach Sailfish Classic Pat Ross (561) 818-6095

APRIL 27 - MAY 2 Boat Harbour, Bahamas BBC Marsh Harbour Championship Brenda Fletcher (954) 920-5577

JANUARY 24 - 27 Miami, Florida Miami Mayor’s Cup Anthony Albelo (305) 461-2700

MAY 11 - 16 Eleuthera, Bahamas BBC Harbour Island Brenda Fletcher (954) 920-5577

FEBRUARY 10 - 16 Black River, Mauritius South Indian Ocean Billfish Tourn. Kapil Ramnarain bvmarketing@intnet.mu

MAY 12 - 16 Cabo San Lucas, Mexico Puerto Los Cabos Billfish Classic Harvey L. Hunnicutt (714) 259-4899

FEB 27 - MARCH 2 Fort Lauderdale, Florida Fort Lauderdale Billfish Tourn. Mark Constantino (877)-561-7245

MAY 23 - 26 Orange Beach, Alabama Mobile BGFC Memorial Day Bill Waechter (251) 402-8392

FEB 28 - MARCH 2 Miami, Florida Capt. Bob Lewis Billfish Challenge Janice Sands (305) 525-8941

MAY 26 - 30 Marsh Harbour, Bahamas Boat Harbour Billfish Blast Mike Dickman (954) 926-0400

OUR

SCHEDULE

of the year. Please visit our website at www.fishwbs.com for the most up to date tournament information.

JUNE 1 - 6 Treasure Cay, Bahamas BBC Treasure Cay Brenda Fletcher (954) 920-5577

JULY 23 - 26 Orange Beach, Alabama Outcast Blue Marlin Classic Tommy Holmes (850) 457-1450

SEPTEMBER 12 - 14 La Guaira, Venezuela Presidential Caribbean Cup Joan Vernon (305) 361-9258

JUNE 4 - 8 Biloxi, Mississippi Mississippi Gulf Coast Classic Bobby Carter (228) 436-7928

JULY 30 - AUGUST 3 South Padre Island, TX Texas Int’l Fishing Tournament (TIFT) Betty Wells (956) 943-8438

OCTOBER 1 - 4 Charleston, South Carolina The Sailfish Slam K.C. Rennie (843) 278-4914

JUNE 10 - 13 Marsh Harbour, Bahamas Abaco Billfish Challenge Amy Withers (305) 934-0505

JULY 30 - AUGUST 3 Orange Beach, Alabama Orange Beach Billfish Classic Sarah Armstrong (251) 476-2699

OCTOBER 2 - 4 St. Augustine, Florida El Pescado Billfish Tournament Dennis Rosa (904) 642-0210

JUNE 11 - 15 Venice, Louisiana New Orleans Invt’l Billfish Tourn. Charlie Catlinger (504) 237-4030

JULY 31 - AUGUST 2 Morehead City, North Carolina N.C. Ducks Unlimited Bob Lichauer (336) 454-5493

OCTOBER 4 - 11 Lizard Island, Australia Lizard Island Black Marlin Classic Bob Lowe 011-61-2-9546-8540

JUNE 15 - 20 Boat Harbour, Bahamas BBC Boat Harbour Championship Brenda Fletcher (954) 920-5577

AUGUST 4 - 8 Ocean City, Maryland White Marlin Open Jim Motsko (410) 289-9229

OCTOBER 9 - 12 New Smyrna Beach, Florida New Smyrna Beach Billfish Invt’l. Jon Zeller (386) 290-4181

JUNE 24 - 29 Sandestin, Florida Emerald Coast Blue Marlin Classic Shawna Meisner (866) 505-4458

AUGUST 6 - 9 Sarasota, Florida Sarasota Slam-HBA Fishing Tournament T.J. Nutter (941) 650-2321

OCTOBER 14 - 18 Cabo San Lucas, Mexico Puerto Los Cabos World Cup Harvey L. Hunnicutt (714) 259-4899

JUNE 25 - 28 Charleston, South Carolina Charleston Harbor Billfish Tourn. Deidre Menefee (843) 345-0369

AUGUST 11 - 15 Manteo, North Carolina Pirate’s Cove Billfish Tourn. Harry Hindmarsh (252) 473-1015

NOVEMBER 5 - 8 Mazatlán, Mexico Mazatlán Billfish Classic Harvey L. Hunnicutt (714) 259-4899

JULY 3 - 6 Pensacola, Florida Pensacola Int’l Billfish Tourn. Doug Quigley (850) 438-7561

AUGUST 11 - 16 San Juan, Puerto Rico Int’l Billfish Tournament of San Juan Gonzalo M. Ferrer (787) 727-7700

NOVEMBER 12 - 14 Mazatlán, Sinaloa, Mexico Puerto Vallarta Billfish Classic Harvey L. Hunnicutt (714) 259-4899

JULY 9 - 12 Charleston, South Carolina HMY-Viking Megadock Billfishing Tourn. McKenzie Hutaff Estes (843) 278-4920

AUGUST 15 - 17 Islamorada, Florida Islamorada Swordfish Tourn. Richard Peeples III (305) 282-1006

NOVEMBER 10 - 12 Bahia Del Sol, El Salvador Presidential Challenge of El Salvador Joan Vernon (305) 361-9258

JULY 9 - 13 Panama City, Florida Bay Point Billfish Invt’l Chris Miller (850) 348-1489

AUGUST 15 - 18 St. Petersburg, Florida Old Salt Loop Tom Verdensky (727) 867-9388

NOVEMBER 19 - 22 Playa Herradura, Costa Rica Los Sueños Marlin Invitational Ashley Bretecher abretecher@lossuenosresort.com

JULY 14 - 17 St. Thomas, Virgin Islands VIGFC July Open Jeff Kreiner (404) 580-4126

AUGUST 17 - 22 Cape May, New Jersey Mid-Atlantic $500,000 Bob Glover (609) 884-2400

NOVEMBER 21 - 23 Iztapa, Guatemala Presidential Challenge of Guatemala Joan Vernon (305) 361-9258

JULY 19 - 23 Virgin Gorda, British Virgin Islands A.H. Riise BVI Billfish Tournament Lawrence Wheatley (284) 495-8002

SEPTEMBER 12 - 14 Miami, Florida Miami Swordfish Tournament Richard Peeples III (305) 282-1006

DECEMBER 3 - 6 WBS GRAND CHAMPIONSHIPS Los Sueños, Costa Rica Sam White (727) 864-4400 or www.FishWBS.com Billfishing Magazine