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Bisbee’s Black and Blue Marlin Tournament Pays Out $3 Million

Day Two catches boost Chupacabra team into first place; Ten Brothers team wins almost $1 million
Chupacabra fishing team
The Chupacabra team caught two billfish, a 356-pound black marlin and 326-pound blue marlin, on Day Two. The combined weight gave the team the most points in the 2017 Bisbee’s Black and Blue Marlin Tournament. Courtesy Bisbee’s Black and Blue Marlin Tournament

The Chupacabra team claimed the 2017 Bisbee’s Black and Blue Tournament championship, but the Ten Brothers team, fishing aboard Dream Weaver, left Cabo San Lucas, Mexico, with the biggest check.

Such is the world of offshore-fishing tournaments — and the power of the jackpot.

Chupacabra finished with 682 points, earned from a 356-pound black marlin and 326-pound blue marlin, to top all other teams. Those two catches came on Day Two aboard the 64-foot Hatteras and earned the team $69,907, the fifth-largest payout of the event.

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C-Bandit fishing team
The C-Bandit team shows off the tournament’s largest billfish, a 569-pound black marlin. Courtesy Bisbee’s Black and Blue Marlin Tournament

The Chicago-based Ten Brothers team, fishing aboard its 32-foot Blackfin Dream Weaver, made the most of its two catches despite finishing fourth in points. Eliazar Cortez’s 485-pound black marlin, the second-largest of the tournament, and Salar Gilly’s 298-pound blue marlin won six different Day One jackpots for a $961,518 payout. The total tournament cash purse this year, including all jackpots, topped $3 million.

The team aboard C-Bandit, a 75-foot Titan, made the most of the third and final day of the tournament to weigh the largest marlin of the tournament. Angler Frank D’Anna fought a 569-pound black marlin for 45 minutes and boated it just before 6 p.m., just minutes before the tournament’s end. That catch helped the team win $764,966. The Go Deeper 60 team won $876,350, the second-largest payout. Texas angler Danny Hogan caught a 462-pound black marlin, the third-largest fish of the tournament, to help the WIld Hooker team finish fourth in winnings at $439,987.

fishing tournament registration
Puerto Parisio Mall was packed for registration day in Cabo San Lucas, Mexico. Courtesy Bisbee’s Black and Blue Marlin Tournament
billfish tournament registration
Much of the money was paid out to the teams enjoying the most success. The tournament cash purse topped $3 million after all daily jackpots. Courtesy Bisbee’s Black and Blue Marlin Tournament
black marlin weighed at the scales
This 326-pound blue marlin was the first of two billfish the Chupacabra team caught on Day Twi. Courtesy Bisbee’s Black and Blue Marlin Tournament
C-Bandit fishing team
The C-Bandit team won $876,350 for the tournament’s largest fish. Courtesy Bisbee’s Black and Blue Marlin Tournament
Chinito Bonito team
The Chinito Bonito team, which fished the tournament aboard Perfect Match, celebrates catching a 442-pound blue marlin, the largest catch of Day One. Courtesy Bisbee’s Black and Blue Marlin Tournament
black marlin at the scales
This 485-pound black marlin helped the Ten Brothers team leave the tournament with nearly $1 million, most coming from the six Day One jackpots the team won. Courtesy Bisbee’s Black and Blue Marlin Tournament
Bisbee's Black and Blue Marlin Tournament
Ben Vincent, from Go Deeper 60, celebrates catching a 367-pound black marlin on Day One. The team won $876,350, the second-largest payout. Courtesy Bisbee’s Black and Blue Marlin Tournament
black marlin at scales
Danny Hogan’s 462-pound black marlin for the Wild Hooker team was worth $439,987. Courtesy Bisbee’s Black and Blue Marlin Tournament

The 120-boat fleet caught 79 billfish, including 54 blue marlin, 14 black marlin, 10 striped marlin and one sailfish. All fish brought to the scales were donated to the Hope for Los Cabos non-profit organization, which used the catches to create 33,747 meals.

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