Bisbee's News

“A record number of 11 out of 64 competing teams will share a remarkable payout of $590,375, the broadest spread of teams winning in the 18 year history of the East Cape Offshore tournament,” began Wayne Bisbee, tournament director.

Assisting in distributing the winning checks and specially-designed bronze trophies by Torogoz Marine Art were Tricia Bisbee, Rogelio Bosque, Guillermo Sandez, Professor Victor Lizarraga, representing Los Cabos’ mayor and Lic. Hector Montaño from API, Los Cabos (Los Cabos Port Authority) accompanied by his young grandson and granddaughter. 

The catch statistics for the event that wrapped up Saturday night (8/5/17) with an appropriately festive party on the beach in front of the Hotel Buenavista Beach Resort were impressive:

There were 136 billfish – 3 black marlin, 71 blue marlin, 55 striped marlin plus 5 sailfish and 2 spearfish – for the three day event. 

That’s a gnarly hookup conversion rate of 80%, according to Bisbee. In the gamefish category, there were only three dorado plus 16 yellowfin tuna.  

Talk about sweating it out. Andrew Hughes aboard his Mi Corazon brought a 437-pound black marlin to the scales the first day, placing his team at the top of the leader board. Then, they continued to fish while holding their breath for the next two days before they were able to relax, adding their fourth win with ECO according to Hughes.

Then there were Retriever owners Martha Macnab and Larry Warlaumont who celebrated their 40^th anniversary tying with Sneak Attack for top release honors and who snatched the first place prize with the least time, earning them a formidable $39,940. They commented that there was “a remarkable number of blue marlin this year, perhaps the most they had ever seen at East Cape in August.

The Gamefish Division was filled with plenty of drama. The first day, four qualifying yellowfin tuna made it to the scale. Team Pangalisa’s Mike Hennessy hooked the winning fish while fishing for skipjack with a spinning outfit and two hours later, he boated his 75.1-pounder, securing the day’s top spot in the division.

On the last day, they landed a smaller tuna and decided to head for their slip in Puerto Los Cabos in defeat.

John Dominic checked David Garcia’s CatchStat for the latest update and the current leader was Team Camacho Loco’s 61.7-pound tuna. On a hunch based on CatchStat dope, Team Pangalisa ran all the way back up to the scale, barely making it by the 7 p.m. close. Their hunch paid off … 62.2-pounds, a mere razor-thin difference of 11 ounces.

This year, ECO had a great turnout, best fishing and the first time in the history of the event that qualifying marlin over 300 pounds were weighed all three days.

Don’t miss the remaining Los Cabos Offshore, October 19 - 22, 2017 and Black & Blue, October 24 - 28, 2017. Hope we see all of you there.

In closing, Bisbee thanked the Valdez Family of Hotel Buenavista Beach Resort for their help and hospitality adding that the dates for next year are July 31-August 4, 2018.

2017 Bisbee's East Cape Offshore Tournament

Category: Tournament Base Entry 64 Teams $67,200

Top Tournament Team - Billfish $40,320

1st 65% Mi Corazon 437 $26,208

2nd 22.5% Red Hot 430 $9,072

3rd 12.5% Dolce Vita 343 $5,040

Heaviest Dorado - TAG Team 39 $13,440

Heaviest Tuna - Pangalisa 75.1 $13,440

Category: $500 Daily Jackpot 54 Teams $70,125

Day 1 Mi Corazon 437 $23,375

Day 2 Outcast 310 $23,375

Day 3 Team Red Hot 306 $23,375

Category: $1K Daily Jackpot 53 Teams $135,150

Day 1 Mi Corazon 437 $90,100

Day 2 Outcast 310 $45,050

Day 3 $0

Category: $2K Daily Jackpot 35 Teams $178,500

Day 1 Mi Corazon 437 $119,000

Day 2 Outcast 310 $59,500

Day 3 $0

Category: Release Category 28 Teams $47,600

1st Retriever 1500 $30,940

2nd Sneak Attack 1500 $10,710

3rd Predator 1100 $5,950

Category: Gamefish Jackpots 34 Teams $91,800

Heaviest Dorado $45,900

Day 1 $0

Day 2 Jones Fish 33.2 $45,900

Day 3 $0

Heaviest Tuna $45,900

Day 1 Pangalisa 75.1 $15,300

Day 2 Team Awesome 67.2 $15,300

Day 3 Pangalisa 62.2 $15,300

Total Cash Prizes: $590,375

Total Prize Money Allocation

Mi Corazon $258,683 

Outcast $127,925 

Jones Fish $45,900 

Pangalisa $44,040 

RedHot $32,447 

Team Awesome $15,300 

Sneak Attack $10,710 

Predator $5,950 

Dolce Vita $5,040