Marlins pay out big bucks

Second of two parts.

One of the most highly respected billfish tournaments off Southern

California is the prestigious Zane Grey/Cabo Yachts Invitational

Marlin tournament. Tournament fishing days are Sept. 15-17 and is

limited to no more than 40 boats. A mandatory captains’ briefing will

take place at the Landing Restaurant in Avalon at 5 p.m. on Sept. 14

and the awards banquet will take place at the Catalina Island Country

Club following the last day of competition.

The Zane Grey/Cabo Yachts tournament, featuring three days of

fishing, will utilize a modified release format with a point-scoring

system. The minimum weight for a striped marlin is 165 pounds, unless

the marlin meets or exceeds the 84-inch length based on a measurement

from the fork of the tail to the tip of lower bill. Regulations call

for all boated fish to be weighed in at the Avalon pier.

Grid maps will be provided to all captains and radio control

monitoring will insure a successful tournament run by professionals.

Daily awards points will be given to boats for releasing marlin and

cash prizes totaling up to $320,400 could be awarded to boats

finishing high in tournament standings and angling teams who play

optional daily jackpots. There are still a few openings for private

yachts desiring to enter this year’s Zane Grey/Cabo Yachts

tournament. For additional information or a registration package call

(714) 258-0445.

Avalon will also be headquarters for the 14th annual Los

Pescadores Marlin tournament that began as fun billfish competition.

The dates for this year’s tournament are set for Sept. 19-20 with

boats departing out of Avalon harbor on both mornings. The average

number of boats competing in the event is 40 boats but there is no

limit to number of boats that can register to fish.

Entry fee for the Los Pescadores tournament is $95 per angler and

most all of this money comes back to the participating anglers in the

way of top quality fishing tackle and angling accessories. A

tournament ending Saturday night awards banquet is held at the

Descanso Beach Club and it’s traditionally a good time for all in

attendance.

Points during the Los Pescadores tournament are awarded in

different categories starting lowest with just a released marlin,

higher points awarded for a “tagged and released” marlin and the top

points can be won by placing a “Begal” around the bill prior to

releasing the marlin. A weighed in fish will be awarded one point per

pound. Billed as a light tackle tournament, anglers will fish nothing

heavier than 30-pound line. For more information on fishing this

tournament call Matt Earl at (818) 710-8759.

The Catalina Classic Marlin tournament is celebrating its 11th

year and is Southern California’s largest billfish tournament.

Headquartered in Avalon, the 2003 Tournament will see 120 teams with

approximately 600 anglers competing for over $350,000 in cash and

prizes. A minimum weight of 165 pounds has been established for the

Catalina Classic to encourage “tag and release” fishing for

contestants.

The dates for the Catalina Classic are Sept. 21-23. This giant of

all tournaments is under the direction of Harvey Hunnicutt, president

of International Gamefish tournaments. Festivities for the Classic

begins with the Fishing Rodeo held at the Descanso Beach Club on

Sunday afternoon with lots of fishing tackle booths, games,

demonstrations and entertainment for the anglers and their families.

A shot gun start in front of Avalon harbor starts two days of marlin

fishing with great tackle prizes being awarded to boats “tagging and

releasing” marlin, daily jackpot winnings of up to $191,250 and a

first place tournament finish paying out $55,000. For more details on

entering the Classic phone the tournament office at (714) 258-0445.

Mexico is becoming a very popular destination for hosting billfish

tournaments with both Baja Sur and mainland Mexico offering up prime

waters for striped, blue and black marlin and the acrobatic Pacific

sailfish. Bisbee’s Baja Offshore Circuit schedule will host three

tournaments this fall. The third annual La Paz Offshore tournament

dates are Sept. 11--14, the second annual Los Cabos Offshore

tournament will be held Oct. 17--19 and the Black and Blue Marlin

Jackpot tournament is set for Oct. 21--25. Awards will be made for

top teams and there will be a release division in all tournaments.

There will be cash disbursements made for the top three release teams

in the Black and Blue event.

These tournaments attract big game anglers and yachts from all

around the world and are perhaps the most famous and richest marlin

tournaments held with cash payouts often exceeding a million dollars.

The Black and Blue is a big fish, big money tournament with marlin

weighing in excess of 500 pounds being hoisted on the dockside scale.

There is a 300 pound minimum for any fish weighed during these

tournaments. For more information or registration call Bisbee’s

office in Newport Beach at (949) 650-8006 or log on to their Web site

at www.bisbees.com.

Mazatlan resorts front the warm waters of the Pacific Ocean, which

are home to big marlin and schools of migrating sailfish. The ninth

annual Mazatlan Billfish Classic, hosted by Marina El Cid, will take

place on Nov. 12-15, awarding up to $350,000 in cash and prizes to

winning teams.

The Billfish Classic is under the co-direction of Geronimo

Cevallos and Harvey Hunnicutt and proudly boasts a 98% billfish

release rate in its first eight years of competition. The number of

boats is limited to a maximum of 40 boats. Gala pre-tournament

events, beach parties, nightly activities and an authentic Mexican

fiesta highlight the list of fun things for competitors and their

families to do during one of Mexico’s finest big game fishing

tournaments.

For more details on running your boat down to fish the Mazatlan

Billfish Classic or booking a charter on a Marina El Cid Aries Fleet

sportfisher, contact International Gamefish Tournaments by calling

(714) 258-0445 or write for a registration package to IGT, 15012 Red

Hill Ave., Tustin, CA, 92780.