Bisbee's Sport Fishing Tournament at Los Cabos

Los Cabos is a city with endless activities to have fun; there are spaces for all kinds of trips, but what about anglers? Yes, there is also space, and it is through different fishing tournaments in the region.

One of the main competitions is Bisbee’s Black and Blue Tournament, whose name comes from the two main objectives of fishing, the black, and the blue marlin.

The tournament began in 1981 by Bob Bisbee, starting with six teams and a prize of $ 10,000. Nowadays there are more than 150 units, with millions of dollars at stake, registering 2006 as the year with the highest-paid tournament in the history of sport fishing, with a total of $ 4,165,960.

In 2000, Bisbee’s expanded to the eastern side of the Baja California Sur with the East Cape Tournament; as targets, the tournament included marlín, dorado, and tuna. Becoming so popular that in 2002, a third event with the same format began: the Los Cabos Offshore Tournament.

The event lasts for five days in total, two for registration and awards, and three days for fishing. The latter has a daily jackpot divided among the first places. Likewise, recognitions are given to the best captains and the best teams considering the points obtained from fishing other specimens such as dorado, tuna, wahoo, etc.

Although the municipality of Los Cabos is a place where tourism is an important economic activity, sustainability and the protection of marine species are essential. Thus, it is necessary to mention that for the protection of these marlin species, only those over 300 pounds qualify; species with weight less than that must be returned to the sea.

FISHING FOR BEGINNERS

If you like sportfishing but still consider yourself a beginner, a few days before the main tournament, there is a smaller competition, Bisbee’s Los Cabos Offshore, where the total of the prizes can go up to $ 300,000. The registration cost is somewhat lower, but without neglecting the unique experience for all those passionate about deep sea fishing.

FISHING WORLD RECORDS

The contest has witnessed the imposition of several world records, here we list some of them:

✦ The largest marlins caught have been a gigantic 993 pounds blue marlin and a 644 pounds black marlin, caught by Rocky Gentile in 1994 and Martha Mcnab in 2006.

✦ The year 2000 - the tournament with the highest number of registered vessels, with 239.

✦ The year 2006 - an enormous prize bag recognized in history.

✦ The year 2014 - Tournament after Hurricane Odile.

✦ The year 2018 - the competitions held during tropical storms Willa and Vicente.

BISBEE'S TOURNAMENT 2020

The tournament is a tradition in Cabo and is expected every year by different tourists and fishing enthusiasts. This year, despite the contingency, it was no exception. It adapted to the new normal to celebrate its 40th anniversary, registering as the first public event in Los Cabos.

Exceeding initial expectations, signed up at Bisbee’s Black and Blue, a total of 127 teams with a prize pool of $ 4.6 million.

After days of hard teamwork, the tournament came to an end; Tournament Director Wayne Bisbee congratulated each team member for adhering to government protocols while participating in the competition. Likewise, three teams were awarded in the categories of “Carpe Diem,” “Overtime,” and “Shoe.”

Despite any circumstance, the contest breaks some records this year at Bisbee’s East Cape. The “Los Chachalosos” team obtained the largest marlin in history with 704 pounds, for which they got a prize of 240,248 dollars.

Each day is a day less for the next edition of the contest; But it is never too late to venture into Los Cabos.