Halloween is next week but ghost and goblin marlin mostly disappeared on the final day of the 2026 Bisbee’s Black & Blue Tournament. With 174 teams competing only 14 blue marlin were recorded. A weighed fish was disqualified for failing to meet the 300-pound minimum.
Right Rigger scored first place in the $2,000 daily release division with one blue. Retriever was second, also with a solo fish. In the $3,000 daily, Cottonpicker was the top team, followed by A Blueish Hue. Both of those boats also released single blue marlin.
“It was just unbelievably slow and the water temperatures were crazy hot,” says Retriever owner and angler Martha McNab. She is a long-time Bisbee’s competitor and former Black & Blue champion.
“We were outside Gordo the first day and the water was 90 to 91 degrees,” she adds. “The next day up by Frailes, it was 92.1. That’s nuts. We were in front today and the water was slightly cooler, but I still say 86 to 87. It was just dead out there. We ran over one little puddle of bait, but we fished lures the whole tournament. I’ve never seen it so slow and the water was kind of off-color at times too, not clear blue.”
Capt. Joel McLeod runs Cottonpicker, a 57 Spencer operating out of Quepos, Costa Rica the last three years. He echoed the slow pace this week.
“It was flat, calm water but very slow fishing for the whole fleet,” McLeod said. “We had some sailfish and striper bites, but no marlin until today. It had been quiet and I saw two marks on the sonar (Omni 10). I told everyone to get ready, we went over to it and got the marlin bite. It ate a ballyhoo pitch bait on a 50.”
This year marks the first time McLeod has fished the Black & Blue since 20 years ago as a mate.
“We fish a lot of tournaments around the world. This one is well-run and the money is spread out. Great job. Peer to peer it’s competitive, but when 95 percent of the fleet doesn’t catch fish it evens out. When it’s your turn, it’s your turn.”
It was Cantango Spartan’s Revenge’s turn this year. As the only qualifier, the team’s 491-pound blue is poised for a record payout, based on the optional jackpots entered. The final figure along with the release winners will be announced at the awards banquet Saturday night in downtown Cabo San Lucas.
Photos courtesy of Sebastian Harris
