The Bermuda Billfish Blast attracts some of the best big-game anglers and crews in the world, thanks in part to its positioning as the first event in the Bermuda Triple Crown and the coinciding Blue Marlin World Cup on July 4. This year’s big winner was the Reel Addiction team, with Capt. Cragin Curtis and angler Stephanie Choate, who caught a 625-pound blue marlin on July 4, the first day of the tournament. But the fishing just kept getting better for this team as the three-day event progressed. On Day One, Choate caught the big blue and released a white marlin; on Day Two, the team added two blues and a white, and Choate finished strong on Day Three with two more blues and a white to win another daily release jackpot. Stephanie Choate was the top angler and also the top lady angler for the Billfish Blast, and her big blue held on to win the optional jackpot in the World Cup. The Reel Addiction team will have the opportunity to represent the Bermuda Billfish Blast in the 2017 Offshore World Championship in Quepos, Costa Rica, as well.
Finishing in second place was the Reel Lax team, with owner Lester Petracca and Capt. James Barnes. They released three blue marlin and a spearfish in three days of fishing. Brooks Smith’s Uno Mas edged out Chasin’ Tail on time with three blue marlin released to round out the top three. A total of 30 teams and 158 anglers scored 39 blue marlin, eight white marlin and one spearfish over three days of fishing.
