Each year, a few boats rise to the top of the pack on the tournament trail, or through an individual, spectacular catch. These crews get there because of intense preparation, organization and dedication, with a bit of luck thrown in. There has been some amazing fishing in the Atlantic the past couple of years, and here are 17 of the boats who have consistently succeeded..
Alina
Port of Call: Willemstad, Aruba
Manufacturer: 58-foot, Paul Mann
Owner and Captain: Eric Mansur Sr.
Accomplishments:
2015
– 1st Place, International Cap Cana Billfish Shootout
– 2nd Place, Curacao Blue Marlin Release Tournament
2014
– 2nd Place, Venezuela Super Slam
– 3rd Place, Presidential Aruba
2010
– 2nd Place, Presidential Aruba
Manufacturer: 87-foot, Spencer
Owner: Michael Brauser
Captain: Tim Popfinger
Accomplishments:
2015
– 3rd Place, Casa de Campo Blue Marlin Classic
– Mike Brauser caught his 1,000th blue marlin at Casa de Campo.
Manufacturer: 68-foot, Scarborough
Owner: Gray Ingram
Captain: Ronnie Fields
Accomplishments
2015
– Owner Gray Ingram caught his 1,000th blue marlin
– Caught a 1,254-pound blue marlin off Cape Verde
– Caught 17 blue marlin in one day out of 25 bites
2012
– Jupiter Billfish Tournament, 2nd Place
2011
– Cap Cana International Billfish Shootout, 1st Place
– Megadock Billfishing Tournament, 5th Place
– Carolina Boatbuilders Tournament, 1st Place
– Virginia Beach Billfish Tournament, 4th Place
– Finest Kind Quickie Sailfish Tournament, 4th Place
– Pirates Cove Tournament, 3rd Place
– Stuart Sailfish Club Light tackle Tournament, 1st Place
2010
– International Cap Cana Shootout, 1st Place
– Virgin Islands July Open Marlin Tournament, 1st Place
– USVI Open Atlantic Blue Marlin Tournament (Boy Scout), 2nd Place
– Los Suenos Marlin Invitational, 1st Place
– Spanish Main Series, Leg I, 1st Place
– Spanish Main Series, Leg II, 1st Place
– Spanish Main Series, Leg III, BVI Open, 1st Place
– Spanish Main Series: Overall Winner
Port of Call: Oregon Inlet, North Carolina
Manufacturer: 58-foot, Spencer
Owner: Dell Dembosky and Craig Johnson
Captain: Jesse Granitzki
Accomplishments:
2014
– 2nd Place, Carolina Boat Builders Tournament
2013
– 3rd Place, Virginia Beach Invitational Tournament
– 2nd Place, Alice Kelly Ladies Tournament
– 3rd Place, Overall Virginia Beach Billfish Tournament
– 1st Place, Overall Oregon Inlet Billfish Roundup
2012
– 2nd Place, Virginia Beach Invitational Tournament
– 1st Place, Pirates Cove Billfish Tournament
– 3rd Place, Oregon Inlet Billfish Roundup
2011
– 3rd Place, Carolina Boat Builders Tournament
– 1st Place, Pirates Cove Billfish Tournament
– 2nd Place, Virginia Beach Billfish tournament
Port of Call: Boca Raton, Florida
Manufacturer: 65-foot, American Custom Yacht
Owner: Harry Sargeant
Captain: Keith Bokenhagen
Accomplishments:
2015
-2nd Place, Cap Cana White Marlin Classic
2014
– 4th Place Boat, Cap Cana White Marlin Classic
– 2nd Place, Cap Cana Classic Blue Marlin
2013
– 1st Place, Fish For Haiti Tournament St. Thomas
– 2nd Place, Team Shootout Cap Cana
2012
– 1st Place, July Open St Thomas
– 1st Place, BVI Blue Marlin Tournament Bitter End Yacht Club Virgin Gorda
2011
– 1st Place, July Open Tournament St. Thomas
2010
– 2nd Place, Team Shootout Cap Cana
Port of Call: Tampa, Florida
Manufacturer: 84-foot, Jarrett Bay Boatworks
Owner: Dan Doyle Sr.
Captain: Danny Hearn
Accomplishments:
2013
– 1st Place, Billfish Release Cup
– Won the Blue Marlin World Cup with a 668-pound blue marlin
Fa-La-Me
Port of Call: Jupiter, Florida
Manufacturer: 70-foot, Viking Yacht
Owner: Frank Rodriguez
Captain: Rob Moore
Accomplishments:
2015
– 1st Place, Offshore World Championships
– 1st Place, Bermuda Seahorse Anglers
– 3rd Place, Bermuda Triple Crown Series
* Only team ever to win both the Bahamas Billfish Championship Series and the Bermuda Triple Crown Series in the same year
** Only Team ever to win the Bermuda Triple Crown two times
*** Only Team ever to win the Bermuda Seahorse Anglers 3 times
2014
– Dead Bait 1st Place, Buccaneer Cup
– 1st Place, Buccaneer Cup Overall
– 1st Place, Casa de Campo Blue Marlin Classic
– 2nd Place, Treasure Cay Championship
– 3rd Place, Marsh Harbour Championship
– 3rd Place, Bahamas Billfish Championship Series
– 1st Place ***, Bermuda Seahorse Anglers
– 1st Place **, Bermuda Triple Crown Series
– 1st Place, Fish for Haiti St. Thomas
2013
– 1st Place Dead Bait, Buccaneer Cup
– 2nd Place, Treasure Cay Championship
– 2nd largest Blue Marlin 507 pounds, Abaco Blue Marlin Invitation
2012
– 2nd Place, Hawk’s Nest Billfish Blast
– 1st Place, Harbour Island Championship
– 3rd Place, Marsh Harbour Championship
– 3rd Place, Treasure Cay Championship
– 1st Place *, Bahamas Billfish Championship Series
– 1st Place, Bermuda Release Cup
– 1st Place, Bermuda Big Game Classic
– 2nd Place, Bermuda Seahorse Anglers
– 1st Place, Bermuda Manufactures Cuo
– 1st Place *, Bermuda Triple Crown Series
2010
– 2nd Place, Buccaneer Cup Overall
– 3rd Place, USVI July Open
Mama Who
Port of Call: Kiln, Mississippi
Manufacturer: 77-foot, Jarrett Bay Boatworks
Owner: Elaine Jones
Captain: Ronnie Burbage
Accomplishments:
2015
– 1st Place, Bermuda Triple Crown
Port of Call: Willemstad, Aruba
Manufacturer: 57-foot, Paul Mann
Owner: Bincho Mansur
Captain: Jimmy Marin
Accomplishments:
2015
– 1st Place, Bonaire International Fishing Tournament
– 1st Place, Curacao Blue Marlin Release Tournament
– 3rd Place, Cap Cana White Marlin Tournament
2014
– 1st Place, Bucuti Billfish Tournament of Aruba
– 3rd Place, Cap Cana Blue Marlin Classic
2013
– 1st Place, Presidential Challenge of Aruba
– 1st Place, Curacao Blue Marlin Release Tournament
– 2nd Place, Bonaire International Fishing Tournament
Port of Call: Islamorada, Florida
Manufacturer: 70-foot, American Custom Yacht
Owner: Wally Whitley
Captain: Travis Butters
Accomplishments:
2015
– 2nd Place, 3rd Annual Abaco Beach Blue Marlin Invitational
2014
– 1st Place, Bermuda Big Game Classic
2010
– 1st Place, Bermuda Big Game Classic
Port of Call: Charleston, South Carolina
Manufacturer: 61-foot, Holton Custom
Owner: Bill Ingram
Captain: Gary Richardson
Accomplishments:
2015
– 1st Place, Casa De Campo Cup
– 1st Place, Bohicket Marina Invitational Billfish Tournament
– 1st Place, Carolina Billfish Classic
– 1st Place, South Carolina Governor’s Cup Billfishing Series
– 1st Place, Beach Haven White Marlin Invitational
2014
– 2nd Place, Casa De Campo International Blue Marlin Classic
– 1st Place, Abordo Fishing Derby in Cap Cana
– 2nd Place, Big Five Fishing Open in Cap Cana
– 2nd Place, BVI Open
2012
– 3rd Place, International Billfish Shootouts Cap Cana
– 1st Place, Carolina Billfish Classic
– 2nd Place, MegaDock Billfishing Tournament
– 1st Place, Beach Haven White Marlin Invitational
2011
– 1st Place, Bohicket Marina Invitational Billfish Tournament
– 1st Place, Edisto Marina
– 1st Place, South Carolina Governor’s Cup. Set record
Port of Call: Islamorada, Florida
Manufacturer: 48-foot, Marine Management
Owner and Captain: Paul Ross
Accomplishments:
2015
– 1st Place, Cheeca Presidential Sailfish Tournament
2014
– 1st Place, Florida Keys Gold Cup Sailfish Championship
– 2nd Place, Presidential Sailfish Tournament
– 3rd Place, Islamorada Fishing Club
2012
– 2nd Place, Islamorada Sailfish Tournament
2011
– 1st Place, Poorgirls Sailfish
– 2nd Place, Sailfly
2010
– 1st Place, IFC Sailfish
– 2nd Place, Sailfly
– 1st Place, Poorgirls Sailfish
Port of Call: Ft. Lauderdale, Florida
Manufacturer: 60-foot, Spencer
Owner: Sandra MacMillan
Captain: Darren Isaacs
Accomplishments:
2014
– 1st Place, Cap Cana International Billfish Shootout
2012
– 1st Place, Buccaneer Cup Sailfish Tournament
– 1st Place, Fish For Life
– 1st Place, World Sailfish Tournament
2011
– 1st Place, Buccaneer Cup Sailfish Tournament
– 1st Place, World Sailfish Tournament
– 1st Place, Pro Series
2010
– 1st Place, Custom Boat Shootout
– 1st Place, Atlantic Blue Marlin Tournament/Boy Scout
Port of Call: Pirates Cove, North Carolina
Manufacturer: 59-foot, Spencer
Owner: Dave Wood
Captain: Bull Tolson
Accomplishments:
2015
– 1st Place, 42nd Annual Sea Horse Anglers Billfish Tournament
2014
– 1st Place (Top Boat), White Marlin Open
– 1st Place (Top Boat), Bermuda Billfish Blast
2013
– 1st Place, Bermuda Billfish Blast
Port of Call Wilmington, North Carolina
Manufacturer: 60-foot, Spencer
Owner: Rusty Carver
Captain: Michael King
Accomplishments:
2015
– 2nd Place, Hatteras Grandslam
– 1st Place, Dare County Boat Builders Tournament
– Triple Grand Slam Caught in Atlantic (three blue marlin, three white marlin and three sailfish)
2014
– MidAtlantic 500, Most Points and Most White Marlin
– 2nd Place, Virginia Beach Billfish Tournament
2013
– 2nd Place, Virginia Beach Billfish Tournament
– 1st Place, MegaDock
– 1st Place, North Carolina’s Governors Cup
– 1st Place, Hatteras Village Offshore Open
Port of Call: Boca Raton, Florida
Manufacturer: 68-foot, Bayliss Boatworks
Owner: Brooks Smith
Captain: Tommy Lynskey
Accomplishments:
2015
– 3rd Place, Cap Cana Shootout
2014
– 2nd Place, Bermuda Big Game Classic
2013
– 1st Place, Cap Cana Shootout
– 2nd Place, Bermuda Big Game Classic
– 1st Place, Cayman Island
2012
– 3rd Place, Boy Scout
2011
– 2nd Place, Bermuda Big Game Classic
2008
– 2nd Place, Boy Scout
Wave Paver
Port of Call: Port Canaveral, Florida
Manufacturer: 61-foot, Garlington
Owner: Junior Davis
Captain: Rusell Sinclair
Accomplishments:
2015
– 1st Place, Bahamas Billfish Championship
2014
– 1st Place, Bahamas Billfish Championship
2013
– 1st Place, Boy Scout
Port of Call: Islamorada, Florida
Manufacturer: 58-foot, Merritt
Owner: Scott Robins
Captain: Chris Zielinski
Accomplishments:
2015
– Top Boat Honors, Jimmy Johnson National Billfish Championship2010
– 1st Place, Bermuda Big Game Classic
2014
– 1st Place, Bermuda Release Cup
– 2nd Place, Sea Horse Anglers Club Billfish Tournament
2012
– 2nd Place, Buccaneer Sailfish Tournamnet
– Caught 44 sailfish in one day
2011
– 2nd Place, Silver Sailfish Derby
– 2nd Place, Buccaneer Cup
– 2nd Place, Fish for Life Tournament
