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Few events in big-game fishing carry the prestige, anticipation and financial firepower of the Bisbee’s Black & Blue. Widely regarded as one of the sport’s most important tournaments, the annual Cabo San Lucas showdown draws an international fleet of top crews, owners and anglers chasing giant marlin and potentially life-changing paydays. With millions of dollars in prize money up for grabs, the stakes are always enormous. And as the 46th annual edition proved, sometimes all it takes is one fish.
The 2026 Bisbee’s Black & Blue, held Oct. 21-23, delivered another remarkable chapter in its storied history when Contango’s Spartan’s Revenge landed a 491-pound blue marlin worth an astonishing $5,629,300, setting a new tournament record for the largest payout awarded for a single fish. The winning catch highlighted a three-day competition that attracted 175 teams and offered a total purse of $7,464,250.
The record-setting performance was especially impressive considering the challenges facing Cabo and the Baja Peninsula throughout the fall tournament season. A series of tropical storms and hurricanes, coupled with unusually warm water and shifting ocean conditions associated with a strengthening El Niño, had disrupted fishing across the region. Water temperatures exceeded 90 degrees in some areas, and the marlin bite proved unusually difficult, even by the standards of the world’s best crews.
But challenging conditions did little to dampen enthusiasm for one of the most anticipated events on the international big-game calendar. And in true Bisbee’s fashion, the tournament delivered the kind of drama and extraordinary payout that have helped establish its legendary reputation.
For first-time Black & Blue competitor Contango’s Spartan’s Revenge, the magic happened on the opening day. Fishing aboard the 60-foot Viking Contango, based in Costa Rica, Capt. Jeff Villarroel and his crew were working the waters outside Gordo Bank when a blue marlin attacked an Andy Moyes lure. Angler Kevin Miranda battled the fish for more than two hours before the crew secured the tournament’s first qualifying marlin.
At 491 pounds, the fish was enough to claim the overall top team and captain honors, along with a sweep of the eligible daily jackpots through the $10,000 level. When no other marlin met the tournament’s 300-pound minimum weight requirement, the opening-day catch became the undisputed winner and secured its place in Bisbee’s history.
“It’s been incredible and insane,” said team leader George Kypreos. “I’ve followed this tournament and Cabo for years and I’m humbled, honored and proud to be part of this tournament’s long history. I’m still pinching myself.”
Although the fishing was challenging, several teams capitalized on the tournament’s lucrative release divisions to collect impressive checks of their own.
A Blueish Hue, led by Capt. Keith Hilton aboard an 80-foot Trojan, earned $211,650 for a Day One blue marlin release, sweeping the $2,000 and $3,000 daily release jackpots. On Day Two, Capt. Scott Flores and the crew of the 74-foot Viking Never Say Never matched that $211,650 payout with two blue marlin releases, claiming both daily divisions.
The final day produced another pair of significant winners. Capt. Jeff McLeod’s Cottonpicker, a 57-foot Spencer based in Costa Rica, collected $94,350 in the $3,000 release division after angler Wynn Cowan released a blue marlin. Meanwhile, Right Rigger, a 40-foot Egg Harbor led by Capt. Alex Rogers, earned $117,300 in the $2,000 release division with a blue marlin released by William Jones.
In all, the 175-team fleet recorded only 38 marlin catches during the three days of competition, with 34 fish released. Of the four marlin brought to the scales, three failed to meet the 300-pound qualifying minimum, leaving Contango’s Spartan’s Revenge as the only team with a qualifying weighed fish. All weighed marlin were donated to Hope for Los Cabos, a local nonprofit that provides meals and assistance to underserved communities.
“El Niño certainly did a number on us, fishing-wise,” said Tournament Director Wayne Bisbee. “But in true Bisbee’s fashion, the teams had fun and I’d like to thank all of them for fishing with us again.”
The 2026 event reinforced why the Black & Blue remains one of the crown jewels of competitive big-game fishing. Even in a season marked by unpredictable weather, unusually warm water and difficult fishing, the tournament attracted a formidable international field and delivered a multimillion-dollar payday that few other events can rival.
For Contango’s Spartan’s Revenge, it was the fish of a lifetime. For Bisbee’s Black & Blue, it was another reminder of why the biggest names in sport fishing return to Cabo each October. When one marlin can be worth more than $5.6 million, anything is possible.
