October 21, 2011
Cabo San Lucas, BCS | by Capt. Dave Lear
The first time was a charm for Vicente Rangel of central Mexico. That’s because on his first time fishing the Bisbee’s Black & Blue Marlin Jackpot Tournament, he landed the biggest and only qualifying marlin of the day, a 329-pound blue. Competing with family members aboard Pegasus, a beautiful yacht-fish, Rangel only needed 25 minutes to land his catch after it ate a live bonito for bait. The fish jumped several times during the battle and it was the second marlin ever caught by the angler.
“It was very exciting, and I’m very happy to be here fishing with my family,” Rangel said after the weight was announced, followed by cheers from the sizable crowd of on-lookers. “We’re having a lot of fun. I’m ready for my next one now,” he added with a happy grin.
After that late-morning excitement, the buzz from the crowd grew louder as the afternoon wore on. Rehab, last year’s big winner, was hooked up to a fish and the fight continued for several hours. But Tournament Control finally received word that the fish was not an eligible blue or black marlin.
A total of 16 qualifying marlin were released by the 100-boat fleet on the second day of fishing. Dozens of striped marlin and other game fish were also reported but did not count in the standings. As the name suggests, the Black & Blue is limited strictly to those two powerful billfish. Those exceeding the 300-pound minimum weight can put teams in play for more than $2.1 million, depending on the jackpot levels entered. 2011 marks the 31st year of the Black & Blue, the richest sportfishing tournament in the world. Cabo Riviera Marina and Golf Resort is the title sponsor.
In the release division standings so far, Hammertime holds the current lead with 900 points, followed by Big Time, Reel Energy, Mucho Loco II and Predator, all with 600. A successful release of a blue or black marlin scores 300 points per fish. Teams have to verify the catch with a digital recording of each catch. All teams in the money must also pass a polygraph test to receive a check.
“It was good out there today. We caught a couple striped marlin and lots of dorado,” said Capt. Luis Zumaeta aboard Reel Slippery Lizard, a 43 Bertram based in Cabo San Lucas. His team holds the tournament record for the largest blue marlin caught during the Bisbee’s Los Cabos Offshore, an 870-pound fish landed in 2008. Zumaeta said they trolled 76 nautical miles today in the Pacific. Seas were calm, with waves less than three feet. The fish bit best on Hi-5 Petrolero (black/orange) and Tigrillo (red/yellow) lures, according to the skipper.
“I’ve been fishing all the Bisbee’s tournaments for the last five years,” he added. “When you fish in them, you have the biggest marlin, the biggest jackpots, plus friendship and friendly competition. What more could you want?”
The final round of competition is Friday. Boats will again take off from the famous Los Arcos rocks in yet another quest for glory. So far, the biggest marlin on the leader board is 409 pounds. And in waters where 1,000-pound billfish routinely swim, anything can happen. It all starts at 8 a.m. with a bang from the flare gun. Don’t miss any of the action. Follow it all at Bisbee’s LIVE Scoring
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