When the 45th annual Bisbee’s Black & Blue marlin tournament wrapped up in Cabo San Lucas on Oct. 25, the top three teams had each tallied million-plus-dollar payouts in prize money.
A total of 177 teams fished this year’s Black & Blue. The fleet caught 10 black marlin and 113 blue marlin during three days of fishing. The total purse was $7,452,775.
Magic Touch earned top honors with a 459-pound blue landed on the last day of fishing, backed by a 344-pound blue from day two. The combined team from Texas and Florida took home $2,440,850, which includes first and fourth places and multiple daily jackpots. Led by Capt. Kim Manning, the team included anglers Ken Eberle, Ronald Weisfeld, Harry Esterley, Kieler Gentry and Tony Johnson, with mates Justin Drummond and Richard Ramsdell. Magic Touch, a 54 Bertram, is based in Cabo.
Placing second, although with a slight edge in money due to optional entries, was Rising Sons/Magnifico, with Capt. Drake Sawyer running the 60 Spencer. The team won $2,588,675 for with a 457-pound blue marlin. Anglers Jaselyn Berthelot, Toby Berthelot, Justin Delassus, Darwin Elision, Garrett Fraizer and Joseph Nixt were the team members. Robert Tyson manned the cockpit.
Capt. Ivan Gomez guided the Another Line team to a third-place fish with a 389-pound blue, good for a $1,742,400 payout. The team members included Ruben Gonzalez, Ryan Rodenburg, Ric Rodenburg, Victor Garcia, Arturo Ramirez, Richard Mena, Charlie Carter, Diego Gomez and Eduardo Jose Luis Pereyra Villaburo.
There were two daily release divisions — $2,000 and $3,000 — for smaller blue and black marlin. The three top teams were El Suertudo (Capt. Greg Distefano/80 Weaver), Meshuga Fish (Capt. Jeffrey “Tigger” Stolarz/Viking 68C) and Boujie (Capt. Zach Lewis/82 Viking). Each team earned $226,950.
“This is an awesome way to celebrate our 45th anniversary, with three teams winning well over a million dollars each,” said tournament director Wayne Bisbee. “I wish our dad, Bob Bisbee, were still here to see it. But his legacy continues to live on.
“I’d like to congratulate our winners and thank all our teams for fishing with us again this season, our wonderful sponsors and our great staff for pulling it off,” Bisbee added. “I look forward to welcoming many of you next April at our inaugural Bisbee’s Costa Rica Offshore at the Marina Pez Vela. It will be a total-release, kick-butt tournament with all the Bisbee’s flare and fun you’ve come to know and expect.”
