Boat Division 2010 Viking
55
Ricky Scarborough
10
Contender
Jarrett Bay Maverick
31
10
8
Motor Division 2010 Caterpillar
18
Cummins
5
MAN
Yamaha
President’s Cup Kona Blue Trophy by Geoffrey Smith www.geoffreysmith.com
17
6
This award is presented annually to the top boat and motor manufacturing companies based on performance in over 60 tournaments on the WBS World Tour. The current standings are presented above.
TABLE OF CONTENTS “Supporting Tournament Sportfishing, Now and Forever” On the Cover Beautiful sunsets are the norm at Los Sueños Resort and Marina in Costa Rica.
Departments 7 7 8 12
Editor’s Message Upcoming Event Calendar Industry News Caught On The WBS World Tour
WBS Grand Championships Recap 16 Champagne Showers From the tens of thousands of billfishing enthusiasts worldwide, just over 200 would qualify for the 2009 World Billfish Series Grand Championships. 33 anglers attended for a shot at the title. Just five would make it to the final day’s competition, and only one would hoist the custom Grander Marlin trophy by the end of the tournament.
Tournament Tales 30 Presidential Challenge El Salvador 34 Predidential Challenge Guatemala 38 Los Sueños Marlin Invitational 42 Silver Sailfish Derby 46 Los Seuños Signature Series - Leg I
Angler Profiles 51 Jeremy Warren 53 Rudy Espinosa
Inside the WBS 60 2010 Sponsors 61 2010 Standings 64 2010 World Tour Schedule
Billfishing Magazine
5
EDITOR’S MESSAGE
FROM THE WBS
As we finally close out 2009, and along with it the first decade of the new millennium, I think it’s safe to say we’re all looking forward to bigger and better things in the next twelve months. The WBS is fortunate to have a very strong core group of supporters, both in terms of our sponsors and also in our membership, for which we are very thankful. With the eternal optimism of a lifelong fisherman, I believe we are ready to face the challenges that lie ahead, both as an industry and an organization. So what’s new? First, we’re very excited to announce a new membership drive. Sign up or renew your WBS Anglers Club membership for just $25 on our website at www.fishWBS.com and you’ll be eligible for a drawing for a three-day fishing vacation for two, courtesy of The Zancudo Lodge. There’s not much fine print—you and a friend just have to get yourselves to Golfito, on the southern Pacific coast of Costa Rica, and from there it’s three days of fun and sun. You’ll have your choice of offshore or inshore fishing on one of the lodge’s fully-equipped gameboats plus all the meals, drinks and amenities available at The Zancudo Lodge www.thezancudolodge.com. We’ll do a live drawing on July 4th, so stay tuned to fishWBS.com for more information. As a member of the WBS Anglers Club, you’ll be eligible to receive points on the WBS World Tour for tournament participation. Even if you don’t fish, you can still follow all the action in BILLFISHING Magazine, the bi-monthly, members-only publication of the WBS that covers our sanctioned events throughout the season. Finally, you’ll be a part of the world’s largest offshore tournament organization, helping to promote and protect sportfishing both now and in the future. For 2010 we’re also adding a few selected events to the WBS World Tour. Joining us this year in the Caribbean Division will be the Cap Cana Classic, a new event out of the Dominican Republic that coincides perfectly with the area’s outstanding blue marlin fishing. It should offer a perfect format to showcase Cap Cana as one of the hottest sportfishing destinations in the world. Another new event for this year will be the Aruba Presidential Caribbean Cup, Presented by the Aruba Tourist Authority. While long known as a destination for SCUBA diving enthusiasts, the island nation of Aruba is also gaining a strong reputation for its marlin fishery as well. As the political situation continues to deteriorate in Venezuela, it’s becoming a more attractive alternative with each passing season. Finally, there’s the Carolina Billfish Classic, rising from the ashes of the old Charleston Harbour billfish tournament. This new event will feature a format allowing vessels to base out of multiple ports, ensuring a higher boat count and better participation from the surrounding areas. It’s a forward-thinking concept that’s becoming more popular each season.
BILLFISHING
®
The Official Publication of the WBS January / February 2010
Published bi-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
Administrative Director Jana E. Simons
Destinations Editor Jeff Merrill
Special Contributors
See you on the docks this year,
Sam White World Billfish Series
Upcoming Events
MARCH 4 – 7 Presidential Challenge of Costa Rica MARCH 14 – 16 Broken Bay GFC MARCH 24 – 29 Tahitian International Billfish Tourn. MARCH 25 – 28 Yamaha Contender Miami Billfish Tourn. APRIL 21 – 24 BBC Central Abaco Championship MAY 5 – 8 BBC Cape Eleuthera Championship MAY 19 – 22 BBC Harbour Island Championship MAY 19 – 22 Puerto Los Cabos Billfish Classic
Order the WBS Tournament Calendar at www.FishWBS.com.
Bailey Bobbitt
Heather Maxwell
David A. Brown
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
Marty Locke
Eric West
Capt. Richard Peeples III
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. Copyright © 2010, SportsUSA Group, Inc.
Billfishing Magazine
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INDUSTRY NEWS
SCHUMER URGES COMMERCE SECRETARY TO SCRAP MRFSS NY Senator Calls For "Moratorium On Flawed Survey Data"
U
.S. Senator Charles E. Schumer (D-NY) called on U.S. Secretary of Commerce Gary Locke, NOAA Administrator Jane Lubchenco, and NMFS Administrator Patricia Kurkul to issue an immediate moratorium on the flawed survey data used to implement recreational fishing quotas for the East Coast. In a letter addressed to Kurkul, Sen. Schumer cited the Marine Recreational Fishing Statistical Survey (MRFSS) as being "fatally flawed" and reminded NOAA of their responsibility through the federal Magnuson Stevens Act (MSA) to implement changes to the methodology used to gauge the level of recreational landings over the course of a season.
"We need better science and more data-based flexibility in our fishing management regulations," said Schumer. "Keeping our fishing stocks healthy is absolutely critical, and to accomplish this we can't base decisions on outdated science and poor methods. The current system not only falls short of achieving this goal, but it could take the Long Island fishing community down with it in 2010," Schumer said adding that the fishing community "needs fairness and relief from flawed survey data now." MRFSS uses a combination of dockside interviews and evening telephone surveys to collect recreational harvest information. In 2005, Congress convened a special hearing to look the MRFSS methodology, which in turn led to an in-depth analysis by the National Research Council (NRC) concluding that "both the telephone and access components of the current approach have serious flaws in design or implementation and use inadequate analysis methods that need to be addressed immediately." Pat Sullivan, the NRC committee chair and a Cornell professor, referred to MRFSS specifically as "fatally flawed." The findings led to an MSA mandate that NMFS work on a new survey methodology which was supposed to be online and operational by the start of 2009. Federal delays however have pushed back the start date for MRIP until this year, which means MRFSS data is still regarded as "best available science" for estimating the annual recreational harvest. Last week, Sen. Schumer asked Kurkul to issue an across-the-board moratorium on this flawed survey data in 2010 so that black sea bass and other species like fluke and porgies are not unfairly shutdown by bad science. "Acknowledging the problems with MRFSS, a new system mandated by the Magnuson-Stevens Act will be coming online in the coming years," the senator wrote, adding "it would be patently unfair to punish anglers by reducing their quota due to erroneous landings estimates produced with a broken system. I request that NMFS dismiss future recreational overages predicted by MRFSS until the new system is fully implemented and calibrated by NOAA." Schumer is urging the U.S. Department of Commerce and the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) to manage quotas based on sound data, and has instructed federal fisheries managers to dismiss any future overages estimated by MRFSS in order to restore some stability to coastal fishing communities. For more information contact the Recreational Fishing Alliance or visit www.JoinRFA.org. 8
www.FishWBS.com
VIKING YACHTS PREMIERS 76 ENCLOSED BRIDGE CONVERTIBLE AT MIAMI YACHT AND BROKERAGE SHOW
V
iking had one of the largest displays along Collins Avenue February 11 – 15, 2010 in Miami Beach featuring virtually every model in their product line from 46 to 82 feet. Two world premiers were showcased. The Viking 76 Enclosed Bridge Convertible, sister ship to the Viking Convertible, which premiered in October 2009 at the Ft. Lauderdale International Boat Show, was spotlighted, along with 82012, the 12th hull of the 82 Convertible series. It was at last year’s Miami Show that Viking launched the 82 Convertible and it is an outstanding milestone that in a little more than 12 months, Viking has been able to build so many of this incredible convertible. This new Viking features the first pair of MTU’s new 2600 mhp V16 M94 engine. As the largest user of MTU power, it was a given that Viking would receive the very first set of these new engines, and initial sea trials have produced new benchmarks in performance. Even more remarkable, 82015 is moving down the production line, with delivery slated for June 2010. Also, on the line sits hull #16, scheduled to leave the factory in late September. Clearly no other yacht manufacturer building in the 80 to 85 foot-range can match Vikings performance. For more information please visit www.vikingyachts.com.
NEW NAME, SAME GREAT PRODUCT
Y
ou might’ve noticed a change to the Costa logo and name. Recently Costa decided to follow the lead of many of our customers and go by the more common, more casual “Costa.” It may seem like a simple change, but it’s one they thought a lot about.
The newly redesigned logo also reflects this change to Costa’s customers and fans. Still dedicated to producing the clearest sunglasses on the planet with a lifetime warranty against defects, Costa looks eagerly ahead into the New Year with innovative new styles coming to local retailers and www.costadelmar.com soon.
INDUSTRY NEWS
MARINA PEZ VELA: 100 SLIP LAUNCH NEARLY HERE
D
esigned to be the largest full-service marina in Costa Rica, Marina Pez Vela will open its first 100 slips by early summer. Located in Quepos, one of the most spectacular billfish locations in the world, Marina Pez Vela is situated on approximately 40 acres of land overlooking the Pacific Ocean near the famed Manuel Antonio National Park.
The 308-slip, state-of-the-art marina, accommodating boats up to 200 feet, will feature one of the most sophisticated breakwaters ever built for a recreational marina, providing a safe harbor and hurricane protection. The extra wide modern concrete floating docks, built by Bellingham Marine, allow safe loading of passengers and equipment, and secure moorage. In addition, Marina Pez Vela will boast the only full-service repair facility in Central America, complete with a 75- and 200-ton Travel-lift, as well as a fully staffed maintenance facility capable of all boat repairs or service needed. Additional services include high-speed fueling operations, 24-hour security, electrical power and ample fresh water. Pricing for wet slips begins at $175,000 and dry storage is available from $125,000. For more information, please call 866-PEZ-VELA or visit www.marinapezvela.com.
MEMBERSHIP PROMO ANNOUNCED: JOIN OR RENEW AND WIN
T
he WBS is very excited to announce a new membership drive. Sign up or renew your WBS Anglers Club membership for just $25 on our website at www.fishWBS.com and you’ll be eligible for a drawing for a three-day fishing vacation for two, courtesy of The Zancudo Lodge. There’s not much fine print—you and a friend just have to get yourselves to Golfito, on the southern Pacific coast of Costa Rica, and from there it’s three days of fun and sun. You’ll have your choice of offshore or inshore fishing on one of the lodge’s fully-equipped gameboats plus all the meals, drinks and amenities available at The Zancudo Lodge www.thezancudolodge.com. We’ll do a live drawing on July 4th, so stay tuned to fishWBS.com for more information.
As a member of the WBS Anglers Club, you’ll be eligible to receive points on the WBS World Tour for tournament participation. Even if you don’t fish, you can still follow all the action in BILLFISHING Magazine, the bi-monthly, members-only publication of the WBS that covers our sanctioned events throughout the season. Finally, you’ll be a part of the world’s largest offshore tournament organization, helping to promote and protect sportfishing both now and in the future. Head over to www.fishWBS.com for more information on the promotion, or to www.thezancudolodge.com to see where you might be headed in July!
IGFA’S SELECTS TWO NEWEST TRUSTEES
T
he International Game Fish Association’s Board of Trustees executive committee has selected Roy W. Cronacher Jr. and Ralph “Agie” Vicente as the newest IGFA trustees.
The announcement was made by IGFA President Rob Kramer. Roy W. Cronacher Jr. resides in Naples, Fla., USA, where he is the President and CEO of Cronacher Development Corporation a real estate development corporation. He’s been an IGFA Representative for southwest Florida since February 2003. Cronacher began fishing in 1959 at 10 years of age. When he was 12 years old his family moved to the Bahamas where he fished every day after school. He also lived in Key Largo for 17 years. He fishes extensively throughout the Caribbean, the Central and South Americas and Mexico. Cronacher holds three records in the Miami Beach Rod and Reel Club and has held three IGFA World Records. Cronacher has been a strong supporter of the IGFA and in December 2009, along with his wife Jackie, he hosted the Inaugural IGFA Naples Florida Gala. Plans are already under way for the 2010 event. Ralph “Agie” Vicente resides in San Juan, Puerto Rico and has been an IGFA representative there since 1995. Vicente grew up on his family’s dairy farm in Dorado, Puerto Rico and as a youngster he developed a love for fishing which carried over into later life when he became involved in organizing and helping to run many of the big game fishing tournaments in Puerto Rico and islands of the Caribbean. He has also been active in promoting tag and release initiatives around the world. He has fished and participated in tournaments all over the world including Mexico, throughout the Caribbean, the Central and South Americas and Hawaii. Vicente is the Commodore of Club Náutico de San Juan. In this role, he has been instrumental in the success of the IGFA Auction night during their International Billfish Tournament providing significant support for IGFA’s conservation and education programs. Vicente has also served as an officer for the Club Nautico de San Juan, The Billfish Foundation, The Puerto Rico Gamefish Association, Puerto Rico Light Tackle Association, the Caribbean Forum and the Virgin Islands Big Game Club.
Billfishing Magazine
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BASEBALL CAPS This custom made, one of a kind ball cap is available in your choice of navy/Carolina blue, or khaki/tan. One size fits most with fully adjustable velcro band.
WBS 2010 TOURNAMENT CALENDERS
$14.95
Featuring some of the most scenic travel destinations found anywhere in the world of billfishing as well as dates, locations and contact information for World Tour tournaments. Plus information on holidays and phases of the moon for planning your next offshore adventure.
WBS POLO SHIRT 100% cotton knit short-sleeve polo shirts, embroidered with the WBS logo. Available in mens styles in the colors shown.
8 1/2” x 11” $3.95
Sizes: M, L, XL, XXL. $14.95
WBS WHITE LONG SLEEVE TEE These long sleeve tees feature the WBS logo on the back and smaller version on the front. Sizes: S, M, L, XL, XXL, XXXL. $14.95
WBS DRINK COASTERS Made of porous paper fiber these drink coasters actually soak up moisture from your glass. Features the full-color WBS logo on one side and a sailfish design on the other. Set of 8.
WBS HOOK & TACKLE FISHING SHIRT Technical fishing gear at its finest. Whether you’re marlin fishing off the 1,000 Fathom Curve or stalking a bonefish in six inches of water, Hook&Tackle will keep you cool and stylish. Made of cool cotton-rich poplin and featuring CoolMax® mesh lining, vented back, multiple front cargo pockets with hook and loop closures, embroidered eyelets, hidden button-down collar, fly rod/utility loop and specially designed sunglass pocket and a f ull color WBS logo embroidered over the right pocket. Colors: Yellow, sand, red snapper, white, steel blue, sage, and aqua. Sizes: S, M, L, XL, XXL $35.00
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www.FishWBS.com
$5.95 per set
To place an order go to www.FishWBS.com or call (727) 864-4400 Located on the northern Pacific coast of Costa Rica is Marina Papagayo, set to become one of the newest sportfishing destinations in Central America.
www.peninsulapapagayo.com
WBS TRAVEL BAG
January 2010
Important Numbers
Sunday
Monday
December 2009 S
M
T W T F S 1
2
6
7
8
9 10 11 12
3
4
Tuesday
February 2010 S
M 1
2
7
8
9 10 11 12 13
5
13 14 15 16 17 18 19
29
Wednesday
30
Important Notes
Thursday
Friday
1
31
New Year’s Day
Saturday
2
T W T F S 3
4
5
6
14 15 16 17 18 19 20
20 21 22 23 24 25 26
21 22 23 24 25 26 27
27 28 29 30 31
28
3
4
5
6
11
12
13
Palm Beach Sailfish Classic
7
Last Qtr.
PBSC
8
9
New for 2006, this roomy travel bag features a concealed collapsible handle and wheels to make carrying those heavy loads much less tiring on the traveling angler. The WBS logo is embroidered on top flap.
Silver Sailfish Derby
10
14
15
New Moon
WBS COOLER BACKPACK
16
The Sailfish Tourn.
Blue/black trim.
Jupiter Billfish Tourn. Los Sueños Signature Series I
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Martin Luther 19 18 King’s Birthday
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21
22
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Perfect as a day bag for any offshore adventure, this roomy backpack even has an insulated zippered pouch beneath to keep beverages cold no matter what the weather. WBS logo embroidered on the back. Blue/black trim. $9.35
First Qtr.
WB S Wo r l d To u r D i v i si o n s
Cheeca Lodge Presidential Sailfish Tourn.
Mid-Atlantic
Buccaneer Cup Sailfish Release For Life Tourn.
TST
Southeast Treasure Coast
24
25
26
27
28
29
30
Gulf Coast Mexico
Full Moon
New Orleans Boat Show Jan. 6 - 10 Toronto Int’l Boat Show Jan. 9 - 17
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$ 3 9.95
Atlanta Boat Show Jan. 13 - 17
Caribbean Pacific South Pacific
2010 Boat Shows
MMC
Miami Mayor’s Cup
New York Nat’l Boat Show Jan. 20 - 24
WBS Gear
TM
TO SEE MORE WBS PRODUCTS VISIT OUR ONLINE STORE AT WWW.FISHWBS.COM. PRICES AND AVAILABILITY MAY VARY.
BLUEWATER ADVENTURE
2010 OFFICIAL GUIDE TO BILLFISHING ® A limited-edition collector’s item dedicated to the lifestyle that is billfishing and a must for any bluewater enthusiast. $9.95
WBS LEATHER BRIEFCASE This soft-sided briefcase is perfect for use in the office or aboard the boat. Embroidered with the fullcolor WBS World Tour Logo.
TERVIS TUMBLERS Drinkware with the brilliance and clarity of glass combined with the durability of space-age polycarbonate, with the WBS logo. Available only in: • 16 oz. - set of 4
$39.95
$55.95
Billfishing Magazine
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Enter the "Caught on the WBS World Tour" contest and win a new pair of Costa Del Mar sunglasses! 1
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D0 you recognize anybody in the “Caught On WBS Tour” photo gallery?
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www.FishWBS.com
caught on tour the place to see your face 5
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Win a new pair of Costa Del Mar sunglasses! See page 15 for more on the “Caught On WBS Tour� Contest.
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Billfishing Magazine
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www.FishWBS.com
caught on tour the place to see your face 14
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Congratulations to our most recent contest winners: We need your submissions no matter how many faces you can put names to. Trinie Scott — Boca Raton, FL
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“Caught On WBS Tour” Contest 19
The WBS Anglers Club member who correctly identifies the most people on pages 12, 13 and 15 by March 30, 2010 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 Linda@fishwbs.com, fax to 727-867-1149 or mail to WBS, 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
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From the tens of thousands of billfishing enthusiasts worldwide, just over 200 would qualify for the 2009 World Billfish Series Grand Championships. This year, 33 anglers attended for a shot at the title. Just five would make it to the final day’s competition, and only one would hoist the custom Grander Marlin trophy by the end of the tournament.
T
he quest for a Championship invitation begins early in the season for most anglers. Even if their tournaments don’t begin for several months, fortune favors the prepared. Schedules are planned, reservations made, boats readied, tackle and gear checked, then rechecked. There’s also a certain amount of strategy involved—in order to receive an invitation to the WBS Grand Championships, an individual angler must finish among the top ten anglers in one of eight geographic WBS divisions around the world, or they must win Top Angler status in a WBS-sanctioned tournament. The former means competing in multiple tournaments during the season and tallying enough points based on billfish caught and released to score among the front-runners. Consistency is the key. The latter is based more on a combination of skill and a hearty pinch of Lady Luck. Divisional qualifiers receive a two-year standing invitation, while Top Anglers have three years of qualifying exemption; divisional winners are invited for five years. Once at the Championship tournament, they will face previous Grand Champions, who receive a lifetime invitation to defend their titles. Nowhere else in the world of tournament sportfishing does such an event exist, where anglers must qualify through their individual
accomplishments in order to receive a Championship bid. Invitations cannot be purchased—they must be earned through success in sanctioned tournaments on the high seas, against adversaries both nimble and powerful. Competition doesn’t even begin to describe the scene that’s about to unfold. Los Sueños Resort and Marina, this year’s Presenting Sponsor of the WBS Grand Championships, once again proved to be the perfect venue for the tournament. The resort was founded by avid angler and developer William Royster, who had the vision to turn thousands of acres of cattle pasture into sportfishing’s pre-eminent destination. From the 200-slip international marina to the wide variety of residences available, it’s not hard to see why Los Sueños has become a favorite of anglers on the international sportfishing circuit. Also helping to raise the resort’s notoriety are the Signature Series tournaments, held in the spring and fall each season, attracting teams from the four corners of the world to sample some of the sport’s best light-tackle angling. Let’s take a closer look at what has become arguably the hottest destination in sportfishing. There are several requirements that must be met before a host location for the Grand Championships can be chosen, perhaps the most important of which would be an abundance of billfish species
in early December. In Costa Rica, this is usually a time of transition from the rainy season to the dry season, and it’s also a period where the billfish species begin to make their presence known with a frequency that’s not usually seen in previous months. This stretch of the coastline along the central western shore of Central America is famous for its abundant Pacific sailfish as well as for good numbers of blue, black and striped marlin that can be found and targeted here with regularity. The seas are usually very calm throughout the year and the fishing is good just about any time, with the billfish season generally running from late November through late April or so. In addition to the bills, Costa Rican waters are also frequented by yellowfin tuna, large shoals of which are often found following schools of spinner dolphins along the current edges and rips that form and trap baitfish. Dolphin, called dorado locally, are present in sizes and numbers to be labeled a nuisance by anglers seeking billfish bites, although they are more than welcome on the dinner table at the end of the day. Combine all this with outstanding inshore fishing for trophy roosterfish and a blossoming bottom fishery for several exotic species of grouper and snapper and its clear why Los Sueños is truly an angler’s paradise. However, there are some outstanding destinations that have great fishing, but are lacking in other vital areas. For example, it’s no fun to have a great fishery but have to remain anchored out at sea, or even in a protected cove, for days or weeks at a time. With a 200-slip marina boasting the best in amenities, Los Sueños has it covered. The only bad news is that the word is officially out—the marina is usually full and reservations should be made well in advance to secure an open slip. But once you’re in, many of the problems facing boat owners in other areas seem to fade away here. Ever get bad fuel in the Bahamas? Gotcha covered—fuel here is filtered several times to ensure purity and is transferred via high-speed pumps. Every care is taken to ensure the pristine nature of the marina and its waters is maintained—even minor fuel leaks or spills are taken very seriously. Worried about the safety and security of your vessel and crew? Not only does the resort maintain a large but mostly unseen security team, the marina itself has 24-hour security in addition to surveillance cameras utilizing night-vision technology. There are dry stacks for boats up to 35 feet in length to be stored ashore and even a fire boat that stands ready for service. The marina at Los Sueños truly defines state of the art. After a long day on the water, nothing is better than a hot shower before hitting a great restaurant for dinner. The resort has numerous options here as well, from the American pub-style Hook Up that overlooks the marina to El Galeon for fine dining. Somewhere in between are Lanterna for continental Italian and Bambu for a taste of the Orient including sushi and Thai dishes. The Terrace Lounge and La Dolce Vita round out the options for a late-night cocktail, pastry or coffee. The options are wide, the service and selections excellent. As with the restaurants, the lodging options here are just as varied. With a Marriott Golf and Beach Resort located on the property, guests can be assured of quality hotel rooms, or for longer stays and larger parties, condominium rentals are a popular choice. Many of the homeowners in the resort elect to put their properties back into rental service, making them an excellent choice for those seeking a bit more space,
in the spread. The WBS tournament format calls for two anglers to fish as individuals (not as a team) per boat for the first two days of the event, with the top five anglers moving on to fish one angler per boat for the final day. Think of it as eliminationstyle fishing: first an angler must qualify just to attend the tournament, then they must make the top five that will move on to fish on Saturday for the Championship title.
solitude and comfort. For the budget-minded, the small seaside town of Jaco is only 10 minutes away by taxi and has a multitude of lodging options as well.
A word on circle hooks—they are mandatory when chasing billfish off Costa Rica, thanks to some forward-thinking fisheries managers in INCOPESCA, the national fisheries management agency. This idyllic nation has done much to protect their natural resources, with nearly one-fifth of the country’s entire land mass set aside in the form of national parks or preserves, never to see a bulldozer’s blade. In the same vein, and thanks to the hard work of groups like The Billfish Foundation and the Presidential Challenge of Central America, INCOPESCA realized that sportfishing tourism was an important part of the nation’s
While most of the anglers in town for the WBS Grand Championships were focused on their fishing, a few elected to hit the links at La Iguana, the resort’s signature 18-hole golf course. The par-72 course, designed by Ted Robinson, Jr, winds its way along the Pacific coast and up through the mountainous rainforest preserve on the property before finishing up on a plateau overlooking Herradura Bay. It’s not uncommon for golfers to encounter white-faced capuchin monkeys, exotic toucans and other interesting inhabitants as they make their way along the links. Tournament week for the Grand Championships usually gets underway several days in advance of the actual fishing days, as anglers begin to arrive at the resort. It is always a good idea to get in a day or two of pre-fishing, which helps knock the rust off angling skills that may not have been used in a while as well as letting an angler get in tune with the captain and crew. It’s also a chance to see what’s been happening out on the water firsthand. The fishing style here centers on relatively light tackle, with 30-pound class gear being the norm, and dead bait/teaser style fishing. Most boats will utilize four lines in the water using rigged dead ballyhoo carefully bridled to circle hooks along with two to four hookless teasers that serve to attract hungry billfish to the surface. A heavier rod, usually in the 50-pound class, stands rigged with a larger bait in case a marlin should appear
economy. Because of their nearly circular shape, circle hooks tend to catch the fish in the corner of the bony jaw hinge instead of deeper in the gills or gullet where mortal injuries can occur even if the fish is released at the boat. Consequently, it has been estimated that the survival rate of released billfish significantly increased over the older style J-hooks once the switch to circle hooks had been ratified into law. In fact, Costa
Billfishing Magazine
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A four stroke that’s up to 17% more fuel efficient.
“TALK ABOUT WORKING SMARTER.” CAPTAIN GEORGE MITCHELL WEIGHS-IN ON THE NEXT GENERATION OF YAMAHA V6 OFFSHORE FOUR STROKES. “In the 20-plus years I’ve been taking folks out fishing, I’ve never experienced anything like it. On my gulf iron-man expeditions, we can run 300 miles round trip, and not have to refuel. Not once. In this market, it’s nice to be able to offer people the same big, blue-water experience and feel good about the bottomline—all because I’m burning less fuel. I’ll tell you what, these new offshore V6’s are just smart business.”
CAPTAIN GEORGE MITCHELL YAMAHA PRO ANGLER
CLASS-LEADING YAMAHA V6 OFFSHORE FOUR STROKES. Here’s what they’ve got on the competition: > Smarter—Up to 17% more fuel efficient than comparable 300hp four strokes > Stronger—4.2-liters of big-bore displacement, the largest in its class > Lighter—Up to 77 pounds lighter than others in its class > Faster—Up to 19% faster at cruise RPM than other four strokes of similar horsepower > Dependable—Legendary Yamaha four stroke reliability Lighter. Faster. Smarter. Go get ‘er. Visit DiscoverV6Offshore.com to learn more about the new Yamaha V6 Offshore Four Strokes. Follow me on Twitter™ and Facebook . ®
To learn more about Yamaha Outboards, or locate the nearest Yamaha Marine Dealer, visit YamahaOutboards.com or call 1-800-88-YAMAHA. REMEMBER to always observe all applicable boating laws. Never drink and drive. Dress properly with a USCG-approved personal floatation device and protective gear. © 2010 Yamaha Motor Corporation, U.S.A. All rights reserved.
thanks to their more pugnacious attitude and difficulty in fight. Any ties would be broken on time, with the angler reaching their point total first being declared the winner of the tie.
Rica is an excellent destination for those interested in learning to make the transition to fishing with circle hooks, with a great combination of experienced crews and plenty of opportunities at a variety of billfish species. While the nation still wrestles with other fisheries problems like longlining and illegal purse seining, they continue to be heads-up in their management in most other areas.
An angler’s experience certainly has an effect on how well they are likely to fare in a particular style of fishing, and this was the case after the call for lines out was made at 3 p.m. on Day One. Taking the early lead in the tournament was another WBS veteran, Tim Hake. Tim had made it to the final five in 2007, eventually finishing third. He knew exactly what was in store as well as what it would take to emerge victorious—the Mechanicsburg, Pennsylvania resident went straight to work without delay. By the end of the first day, Hake had released seven Pacific sailfish aboard the Tuna Bite, a fast and nimble 37-foot Carolina custom boat captained by Howard Lynch III, to move into the tournament’s top spot with 700 points.
After the usual registration, welcome party and brief angler’s meeting, everyone was ready for the next few days of competition. It would be an easy routine to fall into: anglers would meet for a continental breakfast and pick up their scorecards in the morning, returning in the afternoon to drop off their cards at the after-fishing cocktail parties each day. Boats were allowed to leave the bay at 6:30 a.m. each morning with fishing commencing promptly at 8 a.m. Lines out would be called seven hours later at 3 p.m. and anglers would be required to rotate sides of the boat every hour on the hour to ensure as fair a tournament as possible. And in the end it would come down to the ability of the individual angler to make or break their chances for victory. The first day kicked off under seasonably warm and sunny conditions—typical for Costa Rica in early December. At sunrise the air temperature was already in the seventies and would continue a steady climb for the better part of the day. Offshore, a few showers left over from the wet season lingered but for the most part it was another perfect day of billfishing in the Pacific. The fleet spread out far and wide in search of productive waters, and it wouldn’t be long before the VHF radio came alive with calls to Tournament Control with billfish releases. Bob Osborn, a veteran WBS angler who splits his time between homes in South Florida and Los Sueños, was the first to call in a release about 30 minutes into the tournament, and then the game was fully and faithfully joined by several other anglers as the morning bite got underway. The fishing was steady throughout the day, picking up and slacking off in intensity as the hours ticked by. With all billfish species being released alive, the tournament is based on a point structure for scoring purposes. Numbers, not size, rules the day at the Grand Championships. Pacific sailfish are worth 100 points per fish released, while any species of marlin are worth 400 points,
In second place would be yet another angler who can say that he’s been there and caught that: Houston, Texas’ Richard Richardson. Richard’s involvement with the World Billfish Series stretches back prior to 1995 when he won the Grand Championships, earning him a permanent invitation to return to future Championship events. Perhaps best known for his prowess at chasing outsized blue marlin around the world’s oceans, Richard has proven himself to be more than up to the task of light-tackle sailfishing in Costa Rica, having also made it to the final five in previous years. This time around, he would be competing aboard the Family and Friends, owned by Kevin and Jackie Kopp and with Capt. Mike Canino at the helm. With six sailfish releases and 600 points, Richardson was nipping on Hake’s heels. The next three anglers each scored a total of 400 points for the day but again, ties are broken by the time of release. Rodney Williams, hailing from Piedmont, South Carolina, reached the 400 point total first with four sailfish on the
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Send us your historical Bertram photos, videos and stories to history@bertram.com. Selected entries will receive a commemorative gift.
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Tom Russell, a resident of Reston, Virginia, said later, “It was one of the most incredible things I’ve ever seen. It happened perfectly—boom, boom, boom, boom—and just like that, we had four fish on and jumping. It’s one reason I love fishing here in Costa Rica and especially out of Los Sueños, you never know what’s going to happen next.” By nine-thirty in the morning, just ninety minutes after lines in, the Cerveza had already released three sails and a marlin and had lost another. And their roll was just getting started. At a quarter till ten, Rodney Williams once again hooked a marlin, gaining a successful release 19 minutes later. Just a few minutes after 10 a.m. and he had two marlin and two sailfish to his credit.
Cerveza, a beautiful 62-foot Spencer Yacht captained by Butch Davis. This year marked Rodney’s second Grand Championships appearance so he was intimately familiar with both the format and the level of competition required to be successful. In fourth place was Bob Del Vecchio, another angler who splits his time between Florida and Los Sueños. Del Vecchio, fishing aboard Ted Smith’s 60-foot Hatteras, Hattaboy, was able to release the only blue marlin of the day, vaulting him into the upper end of the leaderboard with just one fish and 400 points. Rounding out the top five on Day One would be Andy Shapiro, another Los Sueños homeowner, with four sails on his Clean Sweep, a 36-foot express built by Jersey Cape. While this was Andy’s first appearance at the Grand Championships, he and his team have had much success in tournament fishing in 2009, including a win in the first leg of the Los Sueños Signature Series as well as the overall Series Top Boat award this year. Shapiro has spent plenty of time fishing these waters and could easily put himself in contention for a Championship title.
But the Cerveza didn’t have a corner on the marlin market just yet. Around the same time, Bob Del Vecchio struck blue gold once again on the Hattaboy with another marlin release, his second in as many days. Thirty minutes later, Richard Richardson let go a blue marlin on the Family and Friends to boost himself into contention. Just after the noon rotation, Tom Russell got another shot at a marlin for the Cerveza and scored, lifting both his spirits and his point total. His boat was definitely dialed in on the fish but the tournament was far from over, with the rest of the fleet in hot pursuit. Meanwhile, Tim Hake continued to pick away at the sailfish over on the Tuna Bite. While not as glamorous as the bigger and flashier marlin species, he was earning 100 points with every release and so he chose to continue the slow and steady approach. Before lines out was called at 3 p.m, two other marlin releases had been scored, one each for Brooks Smith (Uno Mas/Bayliss) and Jimmy Taylor (Super Fly). For the two-day qualifying event, there were 116 billfish released, including nine marlin and 107 sailfish.
While the scoring was about par for the course, it’s interesting to note that 26 of the 33 anglers in attendance this year released at least one billfish on the first day of competition, and just about everyone else had at least seen and/or missed a fish as well. With a marlin worth 400 points, the game was far from being a runaway at this point. Day Two started off in a remarkably similar fashion as the first, with Bob Osborn once again releasing the day’s first billfish aboard the Uno Mas at about the same time as yesterday. The fleet was steadily progressing through the morning when one radio call to Tournament Control electrified the airwaves: the Cerveza called in a double marlin hook-up for anglers Tom Russell and Rodney Williams. Four hundred points each were now on the line. Williams could vault into the lead, while Russell, the owner of the Cerveza, could make a serious run at the top five. What happened next could only be imagined in some strange form of wild, fishy hallucination. Individual anglers in the Championships are allowed to hook and fight multiple fish, up to two per angler. Shortly after calling in a double marlin hookup for their two anglers, Cerveza captain Butch Davis called in a sailfish release for Rodney Williams, then a marlin release for Williams, then a sailfish release for Russell. Incredibly, with two anglers and four lines in the water, the pair had hooked two marlin and two sailfish in rapid succession, eventually pulling the hook on Tom Russell’s marlin but successfully releasing three of the four billfish.
That evening, the tournament staff tallied the results and announced the top five anglers following the completion of the qualifying event. With an amazing Day Two performance of two marlin and six sailfish to add to his four sails from Day One, Rodney Williams emerged as the overwhelming victor at 1800 points. Think about it for a minute—one angler, two days of fishing, two marlin and ten sailfish. That’s incredible fishing anywhere in the world. In second place would be Cerveza owner Thomas Russell. Despite this being his first appearance in the Grand Championships, Tom made up for it with a strong determination to battle it out to the very end. It would be this determination that would lead to a berth in the Championship round. On Billfishing Magazine
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Joan Vernon was presented the WBS Ambassador’s Award based in part on her conservation efforts in the sport of billfishing.
Day Two alone, he was able to add a marlin and seven sails to his Day One total of 100 points to finish the qualifying round in second place with 1200 points.
Past WBS Champion Richard Richardson proved he still has what it takes. He placed second this year.
Richard Richardson didn’t have much luck on the sailfish on Day Two but was fortunate enough to release a marlin to add 400 points to his total, giving him an even 1000 points and third place in the qualifier aboard the Family and Friends. Tim Hake also had a slow day on the water, with just two additional sails, but his total of 900 points would be enough to move him into the finals. And rounding out the top five would be Bob Del Vecchio, with one blue marlin release on each of the two days, 800 points in the tournament and a fifth place finish on the Hattaboy. Moving into the third and final day of the WBS Grand Championships, the anglers would now fish solo aboard their boats and would be allowed to have up to three lines in the water at any given time. Richard Richardson drew first blood for the Family and Friends at 9:21 a.m. but then Tom Russell hosted an offshore fishing clinic aboard the Cerveza, banging out sailfish releases at 9:22, 9:32 and 9:37 a.m. At 9:51, he let go another to move firmly into the lead. By noon, Russell had amassed 500 points while Tim Hake had 300 points and Richardson 200. As always, a marlin would be a game-changer for anyone.
Tim Hake, won third place in this year’s Grand Championships.
Then it happened. Again. At exactly 36 minutes after the noon hour, both Family and Friends and Cerveza called in marlin hook-ups for their respective anglers; a blue marlin for Richard Richardson and a striped marlin for Tom Russell. The outcome of the tournament would most likely be decided right here, right now. Decades of angling experience came into play as both anglers went to work on their respective adversaries. Eight minutes later, the Cerveza called in a release for Russell, followed in three minutes by Family and Friends for Richardson. Both anglers gained 400 points. As the afternoon wore on, Tim Hake was able to let go one more sailfish to successfully hold onto third place with 400 points while Richard Richardson crept to within striking distance with two more sailfish releases, pushing his point total to 800 points. But it wouldn’t be enough to overtake Thomas
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Ashley Bretecher, right, was presented a check on behalf of the anglers to help the Los Sueños School Foundation.
Russell, who would emerge victorious with 900 points in the final day. One striped marlin and five sailfish releases by a single angler in seven hours of competition would be enough for victory. Once the Cerveza had backed into her slip at the Los Sueños Marina and her docklines made fast, a half-dozen bottles of extraordinarily inexpensive Champagne were passed around to the crew, who delighted in soaking their victorious angler and boss, Tom Russell, from head to toe. It would be the start of a victory celebration that would last well into the evening, culminating at the
dinner and awards presentation at the El Galeon restaurant. In addition to the bronze Grander Marlin trophy by marine artist Geoffrey Smith, Tom Russell was awarded the gold Champion’s ring and $10,000 in cash from the tournament’s presenting sponsor, Los Sueños Resort and Marina. His name will be added to the list of WBS World Champions, those few anglers who have reached the uppermost pinnacle of the sport. And with the final presentation, another chapter in the history of billfishing came to a close. w
2009 Roll Call Davis Clapp Dell Dembosky Dean DeSantis Chris Domel Larry Drivon Bob Del Vecchio Justin Haeuser Tim Hake Jordan Hammell Gray Ingram Chad Jackson Artie Kontos James Kontos Richard Lebo Andy Levy Ken Moore Boyd Mothe, Jr.
Ft. Lauderdale, FL Biscoe, NC Boca Raton, FL Buda, TX Napa, CA Little Torch Key, FL Metairie, LA Mechanicsburg, PA Honeybrook, PA Jupiter, FL Estero, FL Monmouth Beach, NJ Crested Butte, CO Herradura, Costa Rica Doylestown, PA Parkland, FL Belle Chasse, LA
Mary Temple Mullis Bob Osborn Richard Richardson Scott Rickert Tom Russell Brian Schmidt Andy Shapiro Brooks Smith Ted Smith Jimmy Taylor Matt Traber Sari Turner Jim Vaughan Justin Walker Rodney Williams Dwight Wolf
Nags Head, NC Ft. Lauderdale, FL Houston, TX Bradenton, FL Reston, VA Stuart, FL Mt. Laurel, NJ Ft. Lauderdale, FL McIntyre, GA Biloxi, MS Cape May, NJ Baton Rouge, LA Lake Wales, FL Deridder, LA Piedmont, SC Newport News, VA
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Los Sueños: Living The Dream In Costa Rica F
ew would argue that Los Sueños Resort and Marina has emerged as the hottest destination in the world of sportfishing today, but that success didn’t happen overnight. It took many years of hard work on the part of William Royster and his team starting back in the early 1990s. So let’s take a look at how the project started, where they are today and their plans for the future. The story of Los Sueños, Spanish for The Dream, is an intriguing one. Experienced California developer and avid bluewater angler Bill Royster was fishing his way along the coast of Costa Rica’s Pacific coast. After successfully releasing a nice black marlin, they started looking for a comfortable anchorage in which to spend the night before continuing on the next day, finally settling on a small indention in the coastline simply named Herradura Bay. Inspired by the area’s natural beauty, Royster set his professional eye to the project, envisioning a world-class marina, golf course, restaurants, condominiums and townhomes and more. That initial trip set in motion a series of events that would lead to the development of the Los Sueños Master Plan, a single unifying document that later development would follow. Negotiations with the Costa Rican government also ensured that they were fully on board with the development, naming it a Project of National Interest. But success doesn’t happen overnight—it took over six years of feasibility and environmental impact studies before any work could be started. The Costa Rican government is very protective of its natural resources, and rightfully so as this area is one of the most ecologically diverse anywhere in the world. One of the plans in place was to restore areas of the
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development to their natural state, in this case pristine rainforest, that had been removed for the original cattle and horse operation that was originally in place. Over 600 of the 1,100-acre parcel have been set aside for this purpose. It’s just another example of the environmental stewardship exhibited by the developing team. Moving forward over 15 years, Los Sueños is now the hottest property in Costa Rica, due in no small part to the marina facilities. On par with any found in any other destination in the world, the Los Sueños marina is truly a work of art. Two hundred slips can accommodate a wide variety of vessels, while the refueling area offers high-speed, triple-filtered diesel and premium gas for both transient and resident boaters. These teaktopped docks have become a home for some of the world’s very best anglers, captains and crews thanks not only to the amenities but also the outstanding fishing found just a short distance offshore. During the peak months, hungry wolfpacks of Pacific sailfish roam the seas and are usually joined by all three Pacific marlin species—blues, blacks and striped marlin all call these waters home at one point or another during the season. Grand slams happen often enough that, while still cause for celebration, they really don’t raise any eyebrows at the dock. That’s great billfishing. Gamefish like dolphin, tuna and wahoo are also encountered with great frequency too. In fact, the fishing is so good here that the resort hosts two excellent tournaments: the Los Sueños Signature Series. With events timed to coincide with the peak of marlin and sailfish season, these events have become two of the most popular on the WBS World Tour, with the winners consistently among the top
Ted Robinson, Jr. It’s quite common to see many species of local wildlife while hitting the links, including monkeys, sloths and toucans, so bring a camera just in case.
anglers in the WBS Pacific Division. The resort has also hosted the WBS Grand Championships for the last three years in a row, where the best anglers in the sport gather in December to crown the World Champion of Billfishing. It’s yet another testament to just how good the offshore action is here.
One of the newest parts of Los Sueños is the Marina Village, a quaint business and shopping area that offers among others a cigar shop, Internet café, financial and legal services, a full-service spa and salon, car rentals, clothing boutique, marina store and design center. Los Sueños is simply one of those destinations that’s easy to fall in love with and hard to leave. For more information on living the dream, please visit www.lsrm.com. w
The heart of Los Sueños, though, is in the residences. Colonialstyle condominiums, townhomes and single residences dot the hillsides, expertly crafted and landscaped to work within the framework of the natural environment, working within the guidelines of the surrounding rainforest, not gaudily stick out against it. While purchasing property in a foreign country can be a daunting experience in most places, it’s amazingly easy here as the experienced staff goes the extra effort to ensure a smooth ownership transition process. Even furnishings can be purchased and installed, making it a turn-key process. For those guests who are in for a short stay or who wish to explore further the ownership opportunities, the resort also features the Marriott Ocean and Golf Resort, consistently rated as one of the world’s top Marriott locations. With its Spanish Colonial architecture, spacious rooms and award-winning service, the Marriott is an excellent choice for visitors. And the growth of the resort continues even today. Two new restaurants recently joined the already excellent existing options for dining, the casual Hook-Up pub located above the marina entrance and El Galeon, the resort’s signature fine-dining option. Residents and guests now can dine at Lanterna Ristorante for continental Italian fare or Bambu for outstanding sushi. The Terrace Lounge also beckons for an after-dinner cocktail and live entertainment. And for an alternative to fishing, there’s an outstanding golf course, La Iguana, located right on the property. Its 18 holes wind their way through the resort and the surrounding rainforest, with spectacular views and a challenging layout designed by
The Los Sueños Signature Series Tournaments With a world-class resort comes a pair of worldclass tournaments. The first event took place January 13–16, 2010, while the second occurred February 17–20, 2010. Both were all-release billfish tournaments and are a significant part of the WBS Pacific Division. In addition to the cash prizes available for the top teams in each tournament, Los Sueños offered up to a $50,000 bonus prize to the team with the highest combined point total for the Series. For more information, please visit their website at www.lstournaments.com or visit www.fishWBS.com.
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T
hat was certainly the case during the second edition of the Presidential Challenge of El Salvador, held in beautiful Bahia del Sol October 22 through 24, 2009. Davis Clapp, owner of the A-Fin-Ity, elected to bring the boat down from her current home port in Guatemala for this year’s event—he would not return home disappointed in his team’s results, as Clapp and teammates Dan Pimental and Luis Fernando literally led the tournament from wire to wire to emerge victorious. The weather throughout the Presidential Challenge was spectacularly Central American, with cool mornings and clear, sunny skies throughout the event. After a short wait following the call for lines in, Clapp released his first sailfish of the tournament at 7:58 a.m. and never looked back, ending Day One with ten releases to his credit. Adding to the boat’s total in the Costa Del Mar Team Division standings and also putting him-
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self in second place in the Baptist Health International Angler division was teammate Dan Pimental with nine sails, while Fernando added another six for a team total of 25.
However, the local teams were not to be outdone. Paco Saca led his team aboard the Sandy-Ita into second place with an accumulation of 1,000 points. Saca ended Day One as the third place angler with six releases. Marciano, with anglers Jose Gonzalez D. Rodrigo Gonzalez and Ricardo Gonzalez, released nine sails to move into third place in the team division. All anglers must use Berkley Big Game 20-pound test line provided by Berkley and Eagle Claw circle hooks on trolled baits. Going into Day Two, the A-Fin-Ity still held a sizeable lead but by 1:20 p.m, the radio started humming again. Release after release was called in for thirty-five minutes as the action heated up offshore. By the 2 p.m. report, Paco Saca’s Sandy-Ita moved up to second place. Team USA made their move up the ladder with
Jimmy Taylor and Bill Easum trading off releases, while Team OBX also began a steady climb up the leaderboard. As the call for lines out was announced, A-Fin-Ity still held down first, followed by the Marciano and Sandy-Ita in second and third. The final day of the PCCA El Salvador brought a slight change in the weather, with cloudy skies and a considerable breeze ruffling the surface of the Pacific. With A-Fin-Ity holding down a substantial lead, the battle today was going to be for second and third place on the leaderboard. The morning action was steady, with ten fish called in an hour. Marciano made their move early with their anglers releasing eight sails first thing in the morning. Not to be left in the dust, Team OBX anglers put nine on the leader board to creep into third place. As the day progressed, Team USA overtook
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Photo by Tim Dean
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Third Place Boat was Marciano.
FINAL RESULTS: EL SALVADOR COSTA DEL MAR TEAM DIVISION 1ST PLACE TEAM: A-FIN-ITY 3500 pts 2ND PLACE TEAM: USA 2400 pts Second Place Boat honors went to Mojo.
3RD PLACE TEAM: MARCIANO 2400 pts
BAPTIST HEALTH INTERNATIONAL/ KING SAILFISH ANGLER DIVISION 1ST PLACE ANGLER: DAVIS CLAPP 1400 PTS 2nd PLACE ANGLER: DAN PIMENTAL 1300 PTS 3RD PLACE ANGLER: PACO SACA 1200 PTS
Top Boat was awarded to A-Fin-ity.
MASPOR MARINE BOAT DIVISION TOP BOAT: A-FIN-ITY 3500 PTS 2ND BOAT: MOJO 2400 PTS 3RD BOAT: MARCIANO 2400 PTS
The WBS Top Angler was awarded to Davis Clapp. Davis will be receiving an invitaion to the WBS Grand Championships.
OBX and tied Marciano for second place. By the time scorekeeper Dan Kipnis called lines out of the water, A-Fin-Ity was declared the winner. Presidential Challenge tournament veteran angler Davis Clapp had released the first fish of the tournament and never slowed down. Teammates Dan Pimental and Louis Fernando were right behind him. Team USA with anglers Bill Easum, Jimmy Taylor and JW Bones fought hard and it paid off with a second place finish. The Marciano, with anglers Jose Gonzalez D., Ricardo Gonzalez, Jose Gonzalez G. and Rodrigo Gonzalez did some fine fishing to finish in third place based on time.
The Baptist Health International Angler Division was another hard fought battle. Finishing in second place behind Davis Clapp was teammate Dan Pimental. Paco Saca, fishing on his Sandy-Ita, fished a great tournament to finish in third place. In the Maspor Marine Boat Division, A-Fin-Ity was first with 3500 points, followed by the Mojo in second with 2400 points and the Marciano in third with 2400 points. For the tournament, there were 147 sailfish released. The tournament also serves as an important fundraiser for The Billfish Foundation, specifically for TBF’s efforts in Central America. The El Salvador leg of the Presidential Challenge raised $5,000 for TBF, which will directly support conservation measures vital to billfish stocks throughout the region. w Billfishing Magazine
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A PRESIDENTIAL Bart K. Davis
The final leg of the 2009 Presidential Challenge Conservation Series officially wrapped up in Guatemala Nov. 19-22, 2009; the last tournament of the season proved to be one of the most exciting in PCCA history.
A
fter an exceptional kickoff party sponsored by La Reunion and INGUAT, the country’s national tourism agency, the Presidential Challenge of Guatemala Presented by INGUAT kicked off to typically warm and seasonal Guatemalan conditions. The fleet spread out in search of productive fishing grounds well beyond VHF radio range, so it wasn’t until the boats returned to the dock were the Day One results determined. The tournament staff was pleasantly surprised with the results, which included 44 sailfish and two blue marlin. Team Decisive took off at 8:52 a.m. when Craig Johnson released a sailfish aboard Capt. Brad Phillips’ Decisive; a short while later, Dell Dembosky pulled a blue marlin out of the hat and the team never looked back. Team captain Mike Viveiros is fresh off a sec-
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ond place finish in the IGFA Offshore Championship representing the 2008 PCCA of Guatemala. Team Ol Salt, fishing on the Finest Kind with Capt. Ron Hamlin, added a blue marlin for angler Sammy Castellano to the team score to put them into second. The Casa Vieja team had a steady day, releasing 10 sails to move them into third place. Day Two of the Presidential Challenge of Guatemala Presented by INGUAT began at 8:30am. It was another day of radio silence as the fleet returned to the area where the fish were yesterday, some 50 miles offshore. By the end of the day, Team Decisive had maintained the lead by adding 14 more sailfish to their score. Davis Clapp and Team
FINISH
A-Fin-Ity made their move also accumulating 14 releases but it was not enough to get them into the top three. Jim Turner led his Casa Vieja team fishing aboard the Rum Line up into second place by releasing a nice blue marlin. Ol Salt kept in the top three with anglers adding four sails to their total. Jim Turner’s blue marlin put him at the top of the angler leader board on time over Dell Dembosky. Dell’s teammate, Craig Johnson, held a firm grip on third place angler. But the final day of the PCCA Guatemala always has surprises—no doubt it will be a challenging day for all anglers, especially with the appearance of marlin in the area. The PCCA Guatemala is famous for exciting finishes. This year was no exception. The bite started off early and teams called in several doubles and triples. At 1:30 p.m, Team Casa Vieja pulled ahead of Decisive for the lead. When the dust settled and scorecards collected, Team Casa Vieja had pulled off the victory. Ol Salt, fishing on Finest Kind, had a great day and held on to third place in the Costa Del Mar Team Division. The winner of the Baptist Health International Angler Division was Jim Turner, fishing for Team Casa Vieja. His blue marlin on Day One put him on his way to the win. In a hardfought battle, Dell Dembosky finished in second place fishing for Team Decisive. The Third Place angler position went down to the wire. In the end, Dell’s teammate Craig Johnson slid into the third place angler slot.
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tion, even in a difficult economy. The Billfish Foundation is forging ahead in their efforts to unify billfish management in Central America—the tournament strongly urges all participants to become members and support these conservation measures around the world. On behalf of the PCCA Guatemala participants, the series will donate $5,000 to support TBF’s vital conservation measures in Guatemala and throughout Central America. Third place team this year went to Finest Kind. For the third year in a row Team A-Fin-Ity won the coveted COSTA DEL MAR GRAND CHAMPION TEAM by the narrowest of margins over Team USA, as only one fish separated these two very competitive teams. Ol Salt fished all of the PCCA events to take third place overall. Again, it was a narrow one fish victory over team Decisive/OBX.
For more info on the PCCA series, please visit www.preschallenge.com. For more information on The Billfish Foundation, please head over to www.billfish.org. w
FINAL RESULTS
First Place Angler: Jim Turner Second Place Angler: Dell Dembosky Third Place Angler: Craig Johnson First Place Team: Casa Vieja Lodge Second Place Team: Decisive Third Place Team: Ol Salt
The WBS Top Angler was awarded to Jim Turner.
2009 PCCA FINAL RESULTS Top Series Team Overall for the Presidential Challenge was presented to Team A-Fin-Ity
The second place team spot went to team Decisive. The EAGLE CLAW GRAND CHAMPION ANGLER for 2009 is Davis Clapp. Mike Viveiros was the second place champion, while Dan Pimental squeeked into third place with a scant 50 point victory over Mike Topp. On behalf of the staff from all four PCCA 2009 events the tournament organizers would like to thank everyone for their support this year. The PCCA series events have raised thousands of dollars for conservation through angler and sponsor participa-
EAGLE CLAW GRAND CHAMPION ANGLER First Place: Davis Clapp 4050 PTS Second Place: Mike Viveiros 3250 PTS Third Place: Dan Pimental 2650 PTS COSTA DEL MAR GRAND CHAMPION TEAM First Place: A-Fin-Ity 8250 PTS Davis Clapp, Dan Pimental, Juanga Lopez, Luis Fernanado Second Place: USA 8150 PTS Jimmy Taylor, Bill Easum, JW Bones, Mike Viveiros, Gary Tarply, Chris Domel
Casa Veija held on to their lead to take top team in the Guatemala.
Third Place: Ol Salt 6600 PTS Mike Topp & Shawn Kooyman
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When the calendar pages flip around to the late November/early December time of the year, things start happening pretty quickly around the docks in Los Sueños. This is the swing season, where the daily rains of the past few months begin to subside, giving way to drier days and more importantly, an improvement in the billfishing. hile it’s true that there’s no bad time to go fishing off this Costa Rican paradise, the marlin and sailfish populations really start responding in their famously high numbers right around Thanksgiving. There are still a few showers around but things start to ramp up almost daily until the end of the year. Timed in order to coincide with the early-season run of striped, blue and black marlin, the Los Sueños Marlin Invitational was created as a way for the Los Sueños faithful to get together
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By Bart K. Davis
for some fun and camaraderie, with a little marlin fishing on the side. And while never intended to be as large in terms of participation numbers as the Signature Series events, this year’s Second Annual Marlin Invitational hosted a respectable 13 teams, fishing for over $80,000 in prize money.
sailfish). While this might be considered slow fishing by Costa Rican standards, compare this to any other tournament in the world where 13 boats can successfully release 11 marlin and 16 sailfish in one day—this is outstanding fishing, especially for a “slow” Day One.
Since the marlin were the targeted species, the all-release point format followed suit: any species would be worth 1,000 points per release, with the more numerous sailfish worth just 100 points. It would be clear that to have any shot at victory, a team needed to concentrate on finding the blues or stripes, or maybe even a rarer but not unheard-of black marlin.
On Day Two, it was the Clean Sweep that started out hot right out of the gate. Andy Shapiro’s team operates like a finely tuned NASCAR pit crew, taking full advantage of any possibility to add a release to their point totals. They won the first leg of the 2009 Signature Series, and also amassed enough points to take the Top Overall Team title for the 09 Series, so they definitely have what it takes to be successful in this game. By just after 9 a.m, the Clean Sweep had added another marlin and three more sailfish to their side of the score sheet. They piled on another pair of sails during the afternoon bite to close out Day Two with 3,700 points.
With 45 anglers hitting the water on Day One, it became clear that it would take some digging for a team to emerge victorious. Just 27 billfish were released by the fleet, including 16 sailfish and 11 marlin. A familiar name, Richard Lebo’s Spanish Fly, topped the Day One standings with a pair of thousand-point marlin and a trio of sails as a kicker, good for 2,300 points. However, two excellent teams stood in second and third place—Andy Shapiro’s Clean Sweep and Dean DeSantis’ Drum Roll, both just 100 points behind at the 2,200-point mark. In fourth was the Hook, owned by Harry and Cindy Shufflebarger, with 2,100 points (two marlin and one
The second day of competition would belong to a relative newcomer to the fleet though. The Dragin Fly, a recently-splashed 42foot Maverick owned by Scott Wiggins, fought their way through the field with six sailfish and a pair of marlin releases to add 2,600 points to their one marlin release from Day One—they would settle firmly into second place at 3,600 points, just 100 points behind Billfishing Magazine
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WHAT’S FOR DINNER? If an army marches on its stomach, then a fishing tournament cannot be far behind. If you haven’t been to Los Sueños Resort in a few years, you will be pleasantly surprised to discover that they have added several new restaurants. In addition to the ever-present Hook Up sports pub over the marina building and El Galeon, the host for both the Marlin Invitational and the WBS Grand Championships and the resort’s fine dining option, there’s also Lanterna Ristorante for continental Italian cuisine and Bambu for sushi, Thai and Asian specialties. Both are excellent options for on-site dining. La Dolce Vita is also now open for pastries, while the Terrace Lounge offers up coffees as well as late-night cocktails and live entertainment. For more info please visit www.lsrestaurants.com.
Clean Sweep. The Hook added another marlin and three more sailfish to their Day One total to hold down third place. They would need one more day of consistent fishing in order to score a top-three “in the money” finish, though. In the end though, it was not to be. The Drum Roll, a 61-foot Viking, managed to squeeze past them with one marlin and four sails on the third and final day of competition to take over the third place spot in the tournament. The Clean Sweep team of Andy Shapiro, Jordan Hammell and Kent and Matthew Wade, with Capt. Christian Campos at the wheel, emerged victorious. They added yet another marlin release with four more sails to wind up the three day tournament with 5,100 points (four marlin and eleven sailfish releases). For the victory, they took home a check totaling $42,500 in addition to a gold, diamond and sapphire ring from Vanmark, a Rick Bogert print, Costa sunglasses, Casa del Habana humidors and Cuban cigars and IK Yacht Design gift certificates. The Dragin Fly had another good day at sea on Day Three to finish in second, 4,300 points, three marlin and 13 sailfish. Scott and
Brent Wiggins, Mark Jones and David Bartel, along with Capt. James Smith, worked together to earn the team $25,500 in prize money. Along the way, Mark Jones was named the event’s Top Angler, releasing three marlin and six sailfish during the tournament. He will receive an automatic invitation to compete in the WBS Grand Championships for the next three years for his win. In the angler scoring, he was followed closely by J Godwin on Spanish Fly with 3,500 points and Andy Shapiro of Clean Sweep fame at 3,400 points. Rounding out the top three was Dean DeSantis’ team on the Drum Roll. Captained by Richard Fifer and with Ken Moore and Steve Donovan sharing angling duties with DeSantis, the team tallied three marlin and 11 sailfish for a very respectable 4,100 points and $17,000 in prize money. For the tournament, there were 123 sailfish and 25 marlin released by 13 boats in three days of fishing. Not bad at all for the swing season in Costa Rica. For more information on the Los Suenoes Marlin Invitational, head over to www.lstournaments.com. The dates for this year’s event are Dec. 1-4, 2010.w
Top Team for the 2009 Los Sueños Marlin Invitational was awarded to the Clean Sweep team.
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By Tom Twyford, President, West Palm Beach Fishing Club
Photo by Leonard Bryant
Photo by Eddie Twyford
T
he forty-two boat fleet fishing the West Palm Beach Fishing Club’s 73rd annual Silver Sailfish Derby out of the Sailfish Marina on Singer Island would have been ideal subjects for a new reality TV show on the Weather Channel called Arctic Blast Billfishing. Approximately 165 intrepid anglers fished in the teeth of a record setting south Florida cold snap in early January that plummeted temperatures and turned on the sailfish. The Derby’s final day was especially eventful with early morning temperatures only several degrees above freezing leaving a thick blanket of steam across the wind swept waters. “I’ve fished here all my life, under a lot of different conditions, but this ranks as one of the most extreme fishing days ever,” said one veteran Derby captain. “We always seem to have a memorable Derby. This year the weather stole the show, but the fishing was pretty darn good too,” commented tournament radioman Pete Schulz from Fishing Headquarters tackle shop in Jupiter who logged an impressive total of 430 sailfish during the three-day Derby. All sailfish were caught and released on tournament approved Eagle Claw L2004 series circle hooks. The frigid conditions produced an above average 3.65 sails per boat day catch rate for the tournament. Nearly triple the Derby’s historical tournament average of 1.35 sails per boat day.
As final scores were posted at the conclusion of the first day word quickly spread about the strong sailfish bite near the tournament’s northern boundary line off Ft. Pierce Inlet. Many Derby boats immediately began making preparations to make the run north the next day. While temperatures remained cold, the northwest wind produced ideal sea conditions on the second day, which set the stage for more great action. Angler Rudy Polselli of Palm Beach Gardens aboard the 55’ Viking, Rude Awakening started things off quickly by radioing in the first release only several minutes after fishing began. It would be one of seven sails Rudy would catch this day. But it wouldn’t be good enough to edge out Hunter Beall of Palm Beach who scored an impressive eight releases aboard the red hot, Elixir to earn the Top Daily Angler award on day two. Captain Steve Smitties guided Beall and fishing buddy Erik Waldin also of Palm Beach to a total of 12 sail releases and claimed Top Daily Boat honors on day two. Elixir was among quite a few boats that ran the distance north to the area offshore the St. Lucie Power Plant where the bite remained strong. Team Grand Slam stayed in the hunt with another 10 releases. Teams X Generation, Double Take and Viking 76 all posted an impressive 9 releases, and another dozen boats had at least 6 releases or more. It was another excellent day of fishing with The fast fishing and cold weather also a total of 166 sails tallied and a twoproduced no shortage of drama on the day total of 358. Plenty of boats water. Teams Double Take, Osprey were in position to change the and Grand Slam all posted double leader board on the final day. Angler digit releases on day one. In fact, all John Rearden of Murrell Inlet, South Photo by Eddie Twyford but two boats in the fleet tallied fish Carolina landed the Daily Weight on the scoreboard keeping the tournaFish winner, a 30.5 lb. wahoo aboard Team Cool Breeze bundle up for their ment radio crew very busy. Ironically, the the Offshore Account with Capt. Greg day on the water. second fish released in this year’s Derby Bogdan at the helm. Rearden’s was caught aboard boat number two, the recently restored wahoo would be good enough to win the Derby’s Overall Grand Rybovich hull #2, Legend. Watching the classic 1949 Rybovich clear Champion Weight Fish award. Palm Beach Inlet each morning was like being transported to the golden era of big game fishing in some sort of sportfishing time The second wave of what meteorologists called an Arctic Blast was machine. Legend’s participation added a special touch to this upon South Florida on the Derby’s final day. Running back to the year’s event. At the conclusion of the first day it was the 58’ Jarrett hot spot off the Power Plant was not option for most. In fact, Bay, Double Take captained by Mike Laufle that landed Top Daily running much of anywhere was a task that challenged even the Boat honors with 14 releases. Angler Lamont Harris of Palm most experienced captains. “Between the sea smoke, sideways Beach, fishing aboard the Osprey edged out Mark Wodlinger of rain and the layers of clothes people had on it was hard to recogSinger Island on the Grand Slam to earn the Top Daily Angler nize who was who,” said tournament committee member David award with six releases on time. Anglers Adrian Lavina of North Webb who was responsible for visually checking the fleet out each Palm Beach on the MD 20/20 and Todd Burley of Miami on the morning. The conditions continued to deteriorate throughout the Goin’ Raptor both had five releases each. The Derby fleet released day. Despite the curve ball Mother Nature was throwing at the a total of 192 sails on the first day. Angler Nancy Paul of North Derby fleet, boats were calling in fish. Team Cool Breeze, a 27’ Palm Beach fishing aboard Inlet Magic landed a 24 lb. kingfish to Rambo, was among those who braved the miserable conditions win the Daily Weight Fish award. and posted a few fish on the final day. The all girl team of Gwen Billfishing Magazine
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Photo by Eddie Twyford
Photo by Leonard Bryant
Team Double Take took home Top Overall Boat honors with 27 releases. Grand Slam was second overall with 25 releases. Team Barefoot was third overall with 21 releases and Elixir finished fourth overall with 20 releases. Capt. Mike Laufle from Team Double Take won the Top Captain Award. Captain Matt Alligood and his anglers Mark Wodlinger and David Kairalla aboard Grand Slam tagged 10 sailfish this year with Billfish Foundation nylon dart tags to win the Derby’s Top Tag Team trophy. Twenty-five sailfish were tagged during this year’s tournament.
Hahn, Debra Craig, Susan McCarthy and Pat O’Hara were awarded the Derby’s Louis S. Boski Trophy this year for being the smallest boat in the fleet and posting five sails under extreme conditions, including Craig’s first ever. “We were very close to calling the tournament. Conditions really went downhill fast during the last two hours of fishing. We were doing what we could on the radio to caution all teams. Fortunately we have a bunch of very experienced captains, crews and anglers who knew their limits. It was an incredible finish,” commented Pete Schulz. Angler Carl Patrignani of Ft. Lauderdale on the Barefoot landed a 27 lb. kingfish on the final day to win the Top Daily Weight Fish award. A total of 72 sails were posted on the last day for a three-day total of 430 sailfish released. Team Reel Circus, a 33’ L&H captained by Jon-Paul Wolf earned Top Daily Boat honors with 7 sailfish on the final day. Team Grand Slam angler Mark Wodlinger was Top Daily Angler with 4 releases.
Rude Awakening was Second Place Angler Overall, Hunter Beall on the Elixir finished third and angler Mike Causley of Homestead, Florida on the Double Take finished fourth individually. All three anglers posted 11 releases and their places were determined by the time of release of their last fish.
Despite fishing during an Arctic Blast, a total of 130 different anglers registered at least one sailfish release during this year’s Derby. As many of those anglers claimed their prizes and socialized during the Derby Awards dinner in the warm confines of the Sailfish Club of Palm Beach the thick blanket of steam remained over the water, a spectacular image that will not soon be forgotten.w
Wodlinger’s three-day individual total of 17 releases earned him the Derby’s Top Angler award, The Mrs. Henry R. Rea Trophy. The small silver sailfish has been awarded to top Derby anglers since 1935 and is considered to be one of the crown jewels in tournament billfishing. Rudy Polselli on the
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www.FishWBS.com
L
os Sueños Resort and Marina continues to improve with each passing season, whether it’s a new restaurant or boutique opening in the Marina Village or just a better angle on the services and amenities it’s able to provide her guests. It’s clearly become the hottest destination in Central America and one of the best anywhere in the world when it comes to sportfishing, and the continued success of the Signature Series events is a time proven testament to that fact. While other events are struggling to attract competitors, 43 teams turned out this year to fish in the first leg of the 2010 Signature Series, exactly matching the number of participating teams from last season’s first event. It’s also become well-known in the sport that if you want to be considered among the best, this is where you come. Sure, St. Thomas may have more blue marlin and Kona might have bigger ones, but for a real test of a team’s light tackle, dead bait ability from a pure angling skill point of view, it sure is tough to beat the Signature Series, with its characteristically high number of sailfish releases every season along with a surprisingly large number of marlin swimming around. Add in nearly flat calm sea conditions for most of the year, one of the finest marina facilities in the world of sportfishing, great restaurants and luxurious accommodations and Los Sueños is a winner in anyone’s book. The first leg of the Signature Series also kicks off the competition in the WBS Pacific Division for the season. Anglers will vie throughout the year for a top 15 spot in the Division in order to receive an invitation to the WBS Grand Championships, to be held out of Los Sueños this year Dec. 8-11, 2010. In 2009 it was Tom Russell, owner of the Cerveza, who took home all the marbles in the WBS Championships.
While much of the United States was digging out from an early season snowstorm, the first day of the tournament dawned warm and sunny in typical Costa Rican style. Those who had the opportunity to spend a few days on the water prior to the start of the tournament reported that the fish seemed to be widespread but scattered, so the fleet spread north and south in an effort to locate productive grounds. As a rule, it usually doesn’t take long for someone to get on a hot bite and once that happens, the secret usually doesn’t last long. This year, a few familiar names quickly rose to the top during Day One. At the top of the leaderboard was the Dragin Fly, a new 42-foot Maverick owned by Scott Wiggins and captained by James Smith. The team combined to release an incredible 13 sailfish and one marlin for 1800 points. It was a good start but not enough for a runaway yet, for nipping at their heels was a familiar name: Tom Russell and the Cerveza. With Butch Davis at the helm of the big Spencer Yacht, Russell and company also let go 13 sailfish and a marlin to square up Day One with 1800 points as well. Rounding out the top three would be the impressive 80-foot Merritt, Lady Columbo, with 12 sails and a marlin and 1700 points. Other notables from Day One included the Hook with 17 sailfish, the Spanish Fly with 14, Super Fly with 14, and the Big Oh with 13 sailfish releases. As always, this one would come down to the wire. When it comes to a highly competitive tournament like the Los Sueños Signature Series, there is little room for a case of the shanks. Turn right when you should have turned left, have a bad day and miss more than a few fish, and your chances of winning can go from bright to dim in a real hurry. However, one saving grace lies in the fact that any species of marlin—blue, black or striped—is worth 500 points. A lot of mistakes can be erased with one bite, and it’s
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sailfish for Day Three would be enough to give them 3,800 points and their second major tournament victory in as many months. One marlin and 33 sailfish in three days is pretty strong fishing anywhere in the world. The Big Oh team found their stride on Day Three, topping the fleet with 13 sails released. When added to their scores, it would be enough to boost them into second place with 3,500 points. It’s unusual for a team to do so well The bite was crazy during Los Sueños Signature Series-Leg I. not uncommon for teams to hook two or more marlin at one time. Its one thing to pile up the sailfish releases but it’s hard to emerge victorious without at least one marlin a day. With consistency being the key, those most able to hold it together for three straight days would have the best shot at a big win. Continuing to operate like a finely-tuned racing team, the crew on Tom Russell’s Cerveza put on another fishing clinic for the fleet on Day Two, releasing another 12 sailfish to move into first place with a combined total of 3,000 points. They were one of just four boats to make it into the double-digit releases as the fishing seemed to slow a bit from the first day’s action. Harry and Cindy Shufflebarger’s Maverick, Hook, climbed into second with eight releases while the Lady Columbo slipped to third with six sails let go. Gray Ingram’s Big Oh moved into fourth overall with nine releases and Spanish Fly rounded out the top five. The Day One leaders on the Dragin Fly only managed three releases on Day Two, sliding to sixth place overall. The second day of a three-day event is usually considered “moving day,” when a team is most likely to mount a charge for the front-runners. The third day is an all out sprint for the finish line. Leading the attack would be, you guessed it, the Cerveza. Another eight
Top: Cerveza took first place with one marlin and 33 sailfish. Left: Big Oh held onto second place, all done without even one marlin release. Thats doing it the hard way. Below: Hook released a total 32 sailfish to hold onto the third place slot.
without a marlin release but Ingram and company did it the hard way, 100 points at a time. Rounding out the top three would be the husband and wife team of Harry and Cindy Shufflebarger on the Hook. They too managed to score well without a high-point marlin to boost their scoring, letting go 32 sailfish over the course of the threeday tournament to place third. For the tournament there were a total of 687 billfish released, including 657 sailfish and 12 marlin of various species. That’s an incredible average of almost 16 billfish per boat for the tournament, or over five per day. Few other destinations in sportfishing can boast of averages like that. It’s just one reason why the Signature Series continues to improve with each passing season. w Billfishing Magazine
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Jeremy Warren Prof ile Tournament Awards 2009 1st Place: Los Sueños Signature Series-Leg II 2008 3rd Place: Los Sueños Signature Series-Leg I Favorite Billfishing Location: “Los Sueños, Costa Rica has got to be the hottest destination in sportfishing. There are so many places that you can run if the bite isn’t right out front. Great marlin up north, the Furuno Reef for black marlin and last year the sailfishing was simply ‘epic’ off of Drake’s Bay. Favorite “Fun Fishing” Location: “Anywhere out of Los Sueños Marina, Costa Rica. The calm waters and volume of billfish is truly beyond compare. This is the only place that I know of in the world where you can leave in the morning, get shots at Blues, Blacks, Stripeys, Sailfish, Dorado, Yellowfin tuna and Wahoo, all in one day. Other Interests: “Golfing, Surfing and all other traditional sports including baseball, basketball and football.” Occupation: “Lawyer. The first years of my career were spent in the courtroom in California first with the District Attorney’s Office, then as a private trial lawyer. In 2004, I was given the opportunity to work with BLP Abogados, in the Los Sueños branch office, so I moved over to the transactional side. I specialize in Real Estate and Maritime Law.
A
lthough I have fished my entire life, I started fishing tournaments in Los Sueños, where I live and work. My first tournament was the Los Sueños Signature Billfish Series. Mainly, I participate in the Los Sueños tournaments, including the Signature Billfish Series and Marlin Invitational, but I have been fortunate enough to also fish the White Marlin Open in Ocean City, Maryland and the Presidential Challenge in Carrillo, Costa Rica aboard the Let It Ride with my friend, client and owner, Arthur Kontos. I certainly have to mention Day One of the second leg of the 2009 Los Sueños Signature Billfish Series, which was unforgettable because we released a record 18 Marlin (both Blue and large Striped) on Let It Ride, 4 of which I hooked and released. The rest were hooked and released by Artie and his son James, both phenomenal anglers. We went on to win that leg of the Tournament.
Thoughts on the Future of Sportfishing: “Although 2009-2010 has been a bit slow at times because of the El Nino weather conditions, I am confident that the fishing will bounce back quickly and be off-the-charts as usual. The waters around Los Sueños always have an abundant supply of resident and migratory billfish as well as numerous other types of inshore fishing. I am a strong proponent of catch and release, which I believe is a significant component of maintaining and conserving our fishery.” Favorite Fish Story: “Again, I have to go back to day one of the second leg of the 2009 Los Sueños Signature Billfish Series. I believe that 18 marlin released is a Costa Rican record, tournament or otherwise. I can never forget a five day trip on the Royal Polaris out of San Diego in 1993 that was cut to three days because the boat, a 113’ foot charter boat, could not hold any more Bluefin Tuna, all of which were 80 plus pounds. Engrained in my memory is also a Tarpon trip in 2008 on the Caribbean coast of Costa Rica when I released 9 Tarpon all between 75 and 120+ pounds in one afternoon with world famous guide, Big Eddy Brown.”
The 2009 Presidential Challenge in Carrillo, Costa Rica was also a great experience. I released my first Black Marlin as well as a stud Blue Marlin and finished in a tie for third place as an angler. I also hold a couple of club records in the Los Angeles Rod and Reel Club for Rainbow Trout, Steelhead and Tarpon. I have to admit that all I do is fish. I leave the preparation, tackle and decisions on what to put in the spread to Artie, James, Captain Mac and First Mate Alex. The boat is a 68’ Viking, which is the ultimate fishing machine. The quality and performance of a Viking Yacht never ceases to amaze me. All of the equipment and tackle is state of the art, including Shimano reels which are so technologically advanced that I can only describe them as futuristic. All I do is try to get as many practice days in and do some bicep curls during the weeks before the tournament in case I strap into a big Blue or Black. Billfishing Magazine
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Rudy Espinosa Prof ile Tournament Awards 2010 1st Place Team: The Sailfish Tournament, Miami, FL 2009 1st Place: Sailfish ProSeries 2008 1st Place: World Sailfish Shampionship, Key West, FL 2007 1st Place Team: LBA Billfish Tournament, 1st Place Team: Big Five Billfish Classic, 1st Place Team: Founders Cup Favorite Billfishing Location: “Picking one favorite spot is tough. I have been fortunate to fish in many places, but I would say my tow very favorite spots are the waters off of Miami Florida and Key West Florida. The crystal clear wates off the coast are hard to beat. Besides it is right here in my backyard.” Favorite “Fun Fishing” Location: “Again I would have to say in the waters off of Miami. I am fortunate to be able to just get on the water to find so many hot spots to find a variety of game and meat fish.” Other Interests: “Competive fishing has really taken up most of my free time so far this year. In 2009 we fished 17 tournaments and in 2008 we competed in 18. When I am not fishing I like to hunt. I stay busy and love to be outside!” Occupation: “I am a Tile contractor.” Thoughts on the Future of Sportfishing: “I am a very firm believer that catch and release is key for our future kids to enjoy this incredible sport.” Favorite Fish Story: “There are alot to try to choose from but I guess I would have to say that it was a three way tie that we battled on for 3 hours during key west sailfish tournament. My crew was referring to that event as the superbowl of sailfishing tournaments!” started fishing 20 years about ago. At that time I would do two to three tournaments a year until about five years ago. That when our team decided to really get together to seriously fish the sailfish tournament circuit.
I
My personal best was a First place finish during the Key West, World Sailfish Championship in 2008, and a First place finish during the 2009 Sailfish ProSeries. Both were great days and very rewarding as a sail-fisherman. I confess that the preperation of tournaments is done by soley by the crew of our boat Rockstar. The crew prepare by using the weeks before the tournaments we are participation in to catch the live bait we need. They also change all tackles and leaders before each tournament. The Captain Scott Leon and our mates all work very hard to make sure we have every advantage in each tournament we attend. My preperation is mostly mental.
Rudy, pictured on the far right, and the Rockstar crew.
Billfishing Magazine
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WBS09
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2010 WBS World Tour Sponsors The following companies proudly support the World Billfish Series and the sport of billfishing as sponsors of the 2010 World Billfish Series World Tour.
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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
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 those who enjoy finding interesting and unique Tees.
1826 Sally Hill Farms Blvd. Florence, SC 29501
Contact: Chris Lynch Phone: 843-679-0045 www.bluewatershirtclub.com
Costa Del Mar Manufacturer of premium performance sunglasses.
2361 Mason Ave. Suite 100 Daytona Beach, FL 32117
Phone: 386-677-3700 www.costadelmar.com
El Cid One of Mexico’s finest resort destinations.
Av. Camaron Sabalo S/N PO Box 183 Mazatlán, Sinaloa, Mexico 82110
Contact: Geronimo Cevallos Phone: 011-52-669-916-3468 www.elcid.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
Marina Pez Vela Costa Rica’s newest full-service marina project.
International Sales 5349 SW Running Oak Circle Stuart, FL 34997
Contact: Glen Mumford Phone: 772-342-1240 www.marinapezvela.com
Mercury Marine Manufacturer of boat engines, propellers and racing products.
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
Contact: Jimmy Dewberry Phone: 800-603-4448 www.releasemarine.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
Phone: 800-985-9200 www.wxworx.com
YachtPath Providing global yacht transpot services to the world’s most popular destinations.
2401 PGA Boulevard, Suite 155 Palm Beach Gardens, FL 33410
Krista Kersey Phone: 561-784-6700 www.yachtpath.com
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
2010 WBS World Tour Standings
Boat Name Chips Ahoy Certifiable Catch One Rude Awakening Osprey Chips Ahoy Celia P No Mercy Dealer’s Choice Goin Raptor Dealer’s Choice Masque Predator Debaitable Lady Lane Covert Mission Sea Check Reel Tight MD 20/20 Challenge Osprey Double Take Viking 76 Hard Way
575 875 575 425 650 650 0 0 0 0 0 725 500 350 0 0 650 650 0 575 575 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
1325 425 725 875 575 350 875 875 800 800 725 0 125 275 650 650 0 0 650 0 0 575 575 575
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 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 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
ADDITIONAL PARTICIPATION POINTS
Angler Mark Wodlinger Matt Lynch Erik Waldin Rudy Polselli Jr. Lamont Harris Tony Cummings Hunter Beall Mike Causley Frank Bongiorno Todd Burley Eric McDowell Skyler Wicher Tom Mayes Molly Flemming Mark Lane Tom Craig Bob Greene Don Campagna Adrain Lavina Tom Wichers Wes Sharp Craig Lindner Jr. Dale Willis Daryl Deka
We s Sa t Pa ilfi lm sh B Cla eac ss h ic Sil ve rS ail fis hD erb Jup y i To ter B ur ill na fis me h nt Bu cc Sa ane ilfi er sh C Re up lea se Fo rt L Bil au lfis de h T rda ou le rn am El en Pe t s To ca ur do na B me ill nt fish Ne w Bil Sm lfis yr h I na nv Be ita ac tio h na l
Treasure Coast Division
0 0 0 0 0 100 50 50 50 50 50 0 100 100 50 50 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
1900 1300 1300 1300 1225 1100 925 925 850 850 775 725 725 725 700 700 650 650 650 575 575 575 575 575
Boat Name Get Lit Get Lit Contagious Wet Dreams Miss Costa Anjeo Tiki Killer White Yabba Dabba Doo Off the Hook Contagious XXX Close Call Get Lit Reel McCoy Gotcha My Sea Cin Que Mos Shock & Awe Close Call Esparanza My Christine Esparanza Kalex
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 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
725 575 425 425 350 350 350 350 350 350 275 275 275 275 275 275 275 275 200 200 200 200 200 200
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 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 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
ADDITIONAL PARTICIPATION POINTS
Angler Kitt Toomey Peter Miller Bill Keller Jill Clark Bill Danko Gerrison Hudkins John Barton Linda Butler Robert Richardson Sr Robert Southard Sr. Don Seiffle Doug Mientkavtz George Clark Jr. Jon Cooper Larry Amyotte Les Dunson Randy Towe Robert Helms Chrisse Collins Randy Hamilton Don Rich Frank Criscola George Kreiner Jimmy Verner
FY
IS ail fis h
Kic ko Th ff eS ail fis hT ou Ch rn ee . c Pr a es Lo ide dg nt e ial Sa M ilfi iam sh iM ay or ’s Ca Cu pt. p Bil Bo lfis b L h C ew ha is M lle iam ng e To i B ur ill na fis me h nt Isl am Sw ora or d a dfi sh M To iam ur n. Sw i or dfi sh To ur n.
Southeast Division
0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 50 50 0 0 0 0
725 575 425 425 350 350 350 350 350 350 275 275 275 275 275 275 275 275 250 250 200 200 200 200
Billfishing Magazine
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2010 WBS World Tour Southeast Division
FYI Sailfish Kickoff – 12/10 - 12/13/09 The Sailfish Tournament – 1/14 - 1/17 Cheeca Lodge Presidential Sailfish – 1/23 - 1/23 Miami Mayor’s Cup – 1/28 - 1/31 Capt. Bob Lewis – 2/25 - 2/28 Yamaha Contender Miami Billfish Tournament – 3/25 - 3/28 Islamorada Swordfish Tournament – 8/27 - 8/29 Miami Swordfish Tournament – 9/23 - 9/26
Treasure Coast Division
Palm Beach Sailfish Classic – 1/1 - 1/3/10 Silver Sailfish Derby – 1/6 - 1/10 Jupiter Billfish Tournament – 1/13 - 1/15 Buccaneer Cup Tournament – 1/20 - 1/23 El Pescado Billfish Tournament – 9/30 - 10/2 New Smyrna Beach Billfish Invitational – 10/7 - 10/10 Ft. Lauderdale Billfish Tournament – 11/18 - 11/21
South Division
Los Sueños Signature Series I – 1/13 -1/16 Los Sueños Signature Series II – 2/17 - 2/20 Presidential Challenge of Costa Rica – 3/4 - 3/7 Presidetial Challenge of Guatemala – 11/18 - 11/21 Los Sueños Marlin Invitational – 12/1 - 12/4
South Pacific Division
Marlin Masters Mauritius – 2/8 - 2/13 Broken Bay GFC – 3/14 - 3/16 Tahitian International Billfish Tournament – 3/24 - 3/29 Lizard Island Black Marlin Classic – 10/16 - 10/24
Caribbean Division
BBC Central Abaco Championship – 4/21 - 4/24 BBC Cape Eleuthera Championship – 5/5 - 5/8 BBC Harbour Island Championship – 5/19 - 5/22 HMY-Boat Harbour Billfish Blast – 5/31 - 6/4 BBC Boat Harbour Championship – 6/9 - 6/12 Treasure Cay Billfish Tournament – 6/13 - 6/18 BBC Treasure Cay Championship – 6/23 - 6/26 VIGFC July Open – 7/23 - 7/25 Cap Cana Classic – 7/29 - 8/1 San Juan Int’l Billfish Tournament – 8/16 - 8/20 Presidential Caribbean Cup – 10/19 - 10/22
Mid-Atlantic Division
Carolina Billfish Classic – 6/23 - 6/26 HMY – Viking Megadock – 7/7 - 7/10 N.C. Ducks Unlimited – 7/29 - 7/31 White Marlin Open – 8/2 - 8/6 Orange Beach Billfish Classic – 8/5 - 8/8 Pirate’s Cove Billfish Tournament – 8/9 - 8/13 Mid-Atlantic $500,000 – 8/15 - 8/20
Gulf Coast Division
Mobile BGFC Memorial Day Tournament – 5/29 - 5/31 New Orleans Invt’l Billfish Tournament – 6/17 - 6/19 Emerald Coast Blue Marlin Classic – 6/22 - 6/27 Pensacola Int’l Billfish Tournament – 6/30 - 7/4 Bay Point Billfish Invitational – 7/15 - 7/18
Mexico Division
Puerto Los Cabos Billfish Classic – 5/19 - 5/22 Puerto Los Cabos World Cup – 10/10 - 10/13 Mazatlán Billfish Classic – 11/10 - 11/13 Puerto Vallarta Billfish Classic – 11/20 - 11/22 IGT Grand Championship – 12/9 - 12/12
West Central Division
Old Salt Annual Release LOOP Tournament – 5/27 - 5/30 Boca Grande, Red White’s & Blues – 7/1 - 7/4 Sarasota Slam – 8/3 - 8/7
World Billfish Series Grand Championships – 12/8 - 12/11 62
www.FishWBS.com
DECEMBER 10 – 13, 2009 Miami, Florida FYI Sailfish Kickoff Anthony Albelo (305) 461- 2700
JANUARY 1 – 3, 2010 Palm Beach, Florida Palm Beach Sailfish Classic Pat Ross (561) 818-6095
JANUARY 6 – 10 Palm Beach, Florida Silver Sailfish Derby Tom Twyford (561) 832-6780
JANUARY 13 – 15 Jupiter, Florida Jupiter Billfish Tourn. Scott Nichols (561) 262-6424
JANUARY 13 – 16 Los Sueños, Costa Rica Los Sueños Signature Series I Ashley Bretecher A.Bretecher@lsrm.com
JANUARY 14 – 17 Miami, Florida The Sailfish Tourn. Richard Peeples III (305) 282-1006
JANUARY 20 – 23 Singer Island, Florida Buccaneer Cup Tourn. Gary Caputi (732) 899-9988
JANUARY 21 – 23 Islamorada, Florida Cheeca Lodge Presidential Sailfish Liz Hill (305) 451-5094
JANUARY 28 – 31 Miami, Florida Miami Mayor’s Cup Anthony Albelo (305) 461-2700
FEBRUARY 8 – 13 Mauritius Island, Mauritius Marlin Masters Mauritius Albert Dunieville albert.dunieville@naiade.com
FEBRUARY 17 – 20 Los Sueños, Costa Rica Los Sueños Signature Series II Ashley Bretecher A.Bretecher@lsrm.com
FEBRUARY 25 – 28 Miami, Florida Capt. Bob Lewis Janice Sands (305) 525-8941
MARCH 4 – 7 Samara, Costa Rica Presidential Challenge of Costa Rica Joan M. Vernon (305) 361-9258
MARCH 14 – 16 Sydney, Australia Broken Bay GFC Phil Epthorp 011 0407 237 414
MARCH 24 – 29 Raiatea, Tahiti Tahitian International Billfish Tourn. Dominique Goche 011 689 60 05 45
MARCH 25 – 28 Miami, Florida Yamaha Contender Miami Billfish Tourn. Judy Layne (305) 598-2525
APRIL 21 – 24 Bimini, Bahamas BBC Central Abaco Championship Brenda Fletcher (954) 920-5577
MAY 5 – 8 Eleuthera, Bahamas BBC Cape Eleuthera Championship Brenda Fletcher (954) 920-5577
MAY 19 – 22 Harbour Island, Bahama BBC Harbour Island Championship Brenda Fletcher (954) 920-5577
MAY 19 – 22 Cabo San Lucas, Mexico Puerto Los Cabos Billfish Classic Harvey Hunnicutt (714) 259-4899
MAY 27 – 30 Anna Maria Island, Florida Old Salt Annual Release LOOP Tourn. Tom Verdensky (727) 439-7945
MAY 29 – 31 Orange Beach, Alabama Mobile BGFC Memorial Day Tourn. Robert Weaver (251) 978-5454
MAY 31 – JUNE 4 Marsh Harbour, Bahamas HMY-Boat Harbour Billfish Blast Lori Bass (954) 926-0400
JUNE 9 – 12 Boat Harbour, Bahamas BBC Boat Harbour Championship Brenda Fletcher (954) 920-5577
The World Billfish Series reserves the right to make changes in this schedule, including addition
Schedule At A Glance JUNE 13 – 18 Abaco, Bahamas Treasure Cay Billfish Tourn. Sabine Kirchner (561) 603-3101
JUNE 17 – 19 Venice, Louisiana New Orleans Invt’l Billfish Tourn. Charlie Caplinger (800) 322-3005
JUNE 22 – 27 Sandestin, Florida Emerald Coast Blue Marlin Classic Shawna Meisner (866) 505-4458
JUNE 23 – 26 Treasure Cay, Bahamas BBC Treasure Cay Championship Brenda Fletcher (954) 920-5577
JUNE 23 – 26 Charleston, South Carolina Carolina Billfish Classic Deidre Menefee (843) 345-0369
JUNE 30 – JULY 4 Pensacola, Florida Pensacola Int’l Billfish Tourn. Greg Whibbs (850) 324-3265
JULY 1 – 4 Boca Grande, Florida Boca Grande, Red White’s & Blues Tom Verdensky (727) 439-7945
JULY 7 – 10 Charleston, South Carolina HMY – Viking Megadock McKenzie Hutaff Estes (842) 278-4920
JULY 15 – 18 Panama City, Florida Bay Point Billfish Invitational Scott Burt (850) 235-6911 JULY 23 – 25 St. Thomas, Virgin Islands VIGFC July Open Jeffrey Kreiner (404) 580-4126
JULY 29 – 31 Morehead City, North Carolina N.C. Ducks Unlimited Bob Lichauer (336) 454-5493
JULY 29 – AUG. 1 Cap Cana, Dominican Republic Cap Cana Classic Andrew New (809) 695-5539 Ext. 4264
AUGUST 2 – 6 Ocean City, Maryland White Marlin Open Jim Motsko (410) 289-9229
AUGUST 3 – 7 Sarasota, Florida Sarasota Slam Leslie Weed (941) 412-9696
AUGUST 5 – 8 Orange Beach, Alabama Orange Beach Billfish Classic Sarah Armstrong (251) 981-4207
AUGUST 9 – 13 Manteo, North Carolina Pirate’s Cove Billfish Tourn. Jim Tobin (252) 473-3906
AUGUST 15 – 20 Cape May, New Jersey Mid-Atlantic $500,000 Bob Glover (609) 884-2400
AUGUST 16 – 20 San Juan, Puerto Rico San Juan Int’l Billfish Tourn. Gonzalo M. Ferrer (787) 727-7700
AUGUST 27 – 29 Islamorada, Florida Islamorada Swordfish Tourn. Richard Peeples III (305) 282-1006
SEPTEMBER 23 – 26 Miami, Florida Miami Swordfish Tourn. Richard Peeples III (305) 282-1006
SEPT 30 – 0CT 2 St. Augustine, Florida El Pescado Billfish Tourn. Dennis Rosa (904) 642-0210
OCTOBER 7 – 10 New Smyrna Beach, Florida New Smyrna Beach Billfish Invt’l Jon Zeller (386) 290-4181
OCTOBER 10 – 13 Cabo San Lucas, Mexico Puerto Los Cabos World Cup Harvey Hunnicutt (714) 259-4899
OCTOBER 16 – 24 Queensland, Australia Lizard Island Black Marlin Classic Bob Lowe boblowe@lizardislandgfc.asn.au
OCTOBER 19 – 22 Varadero Marina, Aruba Presidential Caribbean Cup Joan M. Vernon (305) 361-9258
NOVEMBER 10 – 13 Mazatlán, Mexico Mazatlán Billfish Classic Harvey Hunnicutt (714) 259-4899
NOVEMBER 18 – 21 Ft. Lauderdale, Florida Ft. Lauderdale Billfish Tourn. Julie Sack (954) 523-1004
NOVEMBER 18 – 21 Guatemala City, Guatemala Presidetial Challenge of Guatemala Joan M. Vernon (305) 361-9258
NOVEMBER 20 – 22 Mazatlán, Mexico Puerto Vallarta Billfish Classic Harvey Hunnicutt (714) 259-4899
DECEMBER 1 – 4 Los Sueños, Costa Rica Los Sueños Marlin Invitational Ashley Bretecher A.Bretecher@lsrm.com
DECEMBER 8 – 11 WBS GRAND CHAMPIONSHIPS Los Sueños, Costa Rica Sam White (727) 864-4400
DECEMBER 9 – 12 Cabo & Pueto Los Cabos, Mexico IGT Grand Championship Harvey Hunnicutt (714) 259-4899
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 of the year. Please call the WBS International Headquarters at 727-864-4400 or visit us our website at www.FishWBS.com for the most up to date tournament contact information and tournament dates.
and deletion of events at any time. Please call us at 727-864-4400 ot visit www.FishWBS.com for the most up to date tournament information. Billfishing Magazine
63
WELCOME TO UNCHARTED TERRITORY.
QUIET CONFIDENCE At Wide Open Throttle, a Suzuki® 300 twice as loud as a Verado® 300 hp.
hp engine is nearly
300 hp 275 hp 250 hp 225 hp 200 hp 175 hp
MERCURY ® VERADO
SUZUKI
150 hp 135 hp
SEE MORE TESTS AT MercuryMarine.com
The fact that Suzuki is twice as loud as Mercury Verado speaks for itself. But there’s even more to this supercharged FourStroke than its quiet demeanor, such as leading edge, electro-hydraulic steering that offers the smooth, consistent control you’d expect to find in a luxury car. To see and hear how Mercury Verado has silenced the competition,
look deeper at MercuryMarine.com.
Source: Tests conducted by Mercury Marine – June 2007. Test conducted on a 23’ fiberglass fishing boat using a Mercury Verado 300 hp FourStroke and a Suzuki DF300 four-stroke. © 2008 MERCURY MARINE. All rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or in part without permission is prohibited. Suzuki is a registered trademark of Suzuki Motor Corporation. All other trademarks belong to the Brunswick Corporation.
The catch to brag about.
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