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The world’s richest billfish tournament once again lived up to its legendary reputation as the 45th Annual Bisbee’s Black & Blue Marlin Tournament, presented by HDI Marine, unfolded in Cabo San Lucas from October 22–25, 2025. With 177 teams and some of the most competitive crews in the sport, this year’s event delivered the kind of drama, excitement, and spectacle that have defined “the Big Show” for nearly half a century.
When the scales closed and the confetti settled, Magic Touch, Rising Sons/Magnifico, and Another Line stood atop the leaderboard—each taking home more than $1.5 million in prize money from the tournament’s staggering $7,452,775 total purse.
The Texas–Florida team aboard Magic Touch, a 54-foot Bertram captained by Kim Manning, captured top honors with a 459-pound blue marlin landed on the final day. That fish, combined with a 344-pounder from Day Two, sealed their victory and earned the team $2,440,850 across multiple daily jackpots and overall categories. Anglers Ken Eberle, Ronald Weisfeld, Harry Esterley, Kieler Gentry, and Tony Johnson, with mates Justin Drummond and Richard Ramsdell, secured their place in Bisbee’s history books—proof once again that fortune favors those who fish to the very last line-out.
While Magic Touch claimed first place, Rising Sons/Magnifico actually edged them slightly in total winnings thanks to their robust optional entries. Capt. Drake Sawyer and his team—Jaselyn and Toby Berthelot, Justin Delassus, Darwin Elision, Garrett Fraizer, and Joseph Nixt—earned $2,588,675 for their second-place 457-pound blue marlin. With Robert Tyson in the cockpit of their 60-foot Spencer, the Louisiana-based crew proved that attention to detail and the right buy-ins can make all the difference when the stakes are sky-high.
Third place went to Capt. Ivan Gomez and the Another Line team, who weighed a 389-pound blue marlin to claim a $1,742,400 payday. Anglers Ruben Gonzalez, Ryan and Ric Rodenburg, Victor Garcia, Arturo Ramirez, Richard Mena, Charlie Carter, Diego Gomez, and Eduardo Jose Luis Pereyra Villaburo all shared in the celebration—a testament to the deep pool of international talent that flocks to Cabo each fall for this iconic event.
In the release categories, smaller blue and black marlin earned top honors for El Suertudo (Capt. Greg Distefano, 80’ Weaver), Meshuga Fish (Capt. Jeffrey “Tigger” Stolarz, Viking 68C), and Buojie (Capt. Zach Lewis, 82’ Viking). Each pocketed $226,950, further demonstrating the tournament’s broad appeal across anglers of every style and strategy.
Across three days of competition, the fleet tallied 10 black marlin and 113 blue marlin, keeping Cabo’s docks buzzing with excitement.
Tournament Director Wayne Bisbee summed up the spirit of the week best: “This is an awesome way to celebrate our 45th anniversary—with three teams winning well over a million dollars each. I wish our dad, Bob Bisbee, were still here to see it. But his legacy continues to live on.”
