The Latest Catch

Bisbee Fish & Wildlife Conservation Fund’s program, a unique mix of the raffle, live auction, entertainment, and a top-tier firework show, was included in the distribution of $4,584,450 to various category winners of the three-day fishing tournament.

Aboard Tranquillo, owner Ken Cofer started the team’s day off with a sailfish release. Although it was not the right kind of fish, it was an encouraging sign of things to come.

On they trolled for the next hour or so in search of the “big one.” And then they had a “be careful what you wish for” moment – a double hookup for anglers Amanda Cofer and Bill Pino, and this time it was the right kind!

Day 1 of the 39th Annual Bisbee Black and Blue began as not one, but two spectator boats headed out to watch the flare gun start of the event. Cabo Wave, loaded with dignitaries, staff, press, and spectators, was followed by a second spectator boat, also filled with overflow spectators eager to watch the start of the competition for $4.5 million – the largest sportfishing tournament purse in the world.

The 39th Bisbee Black and Blue Tournament – a record $4.5 million payout extravaganza, according to director Wayne Bisbee – is shaping up to be as substantial as the recently-concluded Los Cabos Offshore event. 

The 126 teams entered in this three-day tourney are poised for an early morning start.

From start to finish – with virtually no downtimes – the just concluded 2019 Bisbee’s Los Cabos Offshore Tournament was a bang-up event, made more so by the $1,274,150 distributed when it was all over. 

“Blue marlin, black marlin, striped marlin, and two tuna brought home the paydays for 120 entries of 480 anglers plus boat captains and crews working both the Sea of Cortez and the Pacific Ocean out of Cabo San Lucas,” said event director Wayne Bisbee.

There were 192 fish caught or released during the two-day event, including ten dorado but no qualifiers, 95 striped marlin, 61 blue marlin, ten black marlin, and one lonely spearfish.   

He added that was not bad for the two-day event. Over 2,400 pounds of fish were donated by the teams to “Feeding Los Cabos Kids,” whose staff and volunteers cleaned and delivered the fish that provided an estimated 7,557 meals for the kids and their families through their efforts since 2015, they have served Children’s Rehab and feeding centers through neighborhoods in the barrios surrounding Los Cabos.

Not only is that where the most boats were working but it also produced the first boated tuna of the day just before 11 a.m. for the angler, Cesar Alberto Carrillo Sanchez on Team “Tuna Killers” -- go figure.

“Predator” Jarrod Smith boated a blue marlin, weighing in at 328 pounds, Approximate daily jackpot $445,825

“C-Rod,” Tyla Armstrong boated a yellowfin tuna. It weighed in at 157 pounds. Approximate daily jackpot $41,225

From left to right: Captain Fernando Hoyos, Ricardo Zeger, Admiral Jorge Medina Antonio, Roberto Hernández, Salvador Uribe, Capitan De la Vega,