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The 30th Anniversary of the Orange Beach Billfish Classic delivered a tournament for the record books, with 62 boats competing for a massive $1,593,050 purse at The Wharf in Orange Beach, Alabama. From giant blue marlin to record-setting tuna, the 2026 edition produced unforgettable action both offshore and at the scales.
The tournament’s biggest moment came Saturday night when Set A Course, a 64-foot Viking out of Panama City, claimed the blue marlin title with a 595.8-pound fish caught by owner and angler David Pearson. Fishing their very first tournament together, Capt. BJ Teems and “Captain Emeritus” Billy Teems helped guide the team to victory in dramatic fashion.
“Such a great moment and weekend,” said Captain BJ Teems. “First tournament for Mr. Pearson, having my dad as part of the crew — none of us will ever forget the 2026 OBBC.”
The first marlin to hit the scales Friday evening came aboard Double J, a 42-foot Freeman from Baton Rouge, Louisiana. Angler Andre Leblanc and Capt. JJ Tabor brought in a 491.8-pound blue after an early morning battle nearly 290 miles from Orange Beach. Block Time, a 64-foot Viking from Orange Beach, rounded out the marlin division with a 475.4-pound fish caught by Thomas Boothe.
While the blue marlin division drew major attention, the tuna category also made headlines. Diane Kay, a 55-foot Viking from Destin, Florida, captured the top tuna spot with a massive 591.2-pound bluefin tuna after a grueling ten-hour fight. Never Settle followed with a 556.6-pound bluefin, while Panhandler etched its name into tournament history with a 222.4-pound yellowfin tuna — the heaviest Yellowfin ever weighed in Orange Beach Billfish Classic history.
In the catch-and-release division, defending champions A Work of Art, a 96-foot Jim Smith from Orange Beach, once again proved dominant by releasing five blue marlin and one white marlin to earn Top Catch & Release honors with 2,700 points. Capt. Jason Buck praised the level of competition throughout the fleet.
“So many great teams fishing this tournament,” Buck said. “Even when we jumped in front, we never felt comfortable because I knew the teams right behind us were capable of catching multiple fish quickly.”
Metal Masher and Never Surrender each released four blue marlin to finish second and third respectively.
The dolphin category saw Never Settle add another title with a 31.8-pound mahi, followed by Runnin’ Late at 27.6 pounds and Crawgator at 27 pounds. The only wahoo brought to the scales came from Easy Trigger, whose 32.2-pound fish secured first place by default.
Additional honors included Top Lady Angler going to Pam Lay aboard Lay Days, while Baker Tinney of Metal Masher earned Top Junior Angler recognition.
As one of the Gulf Coast’s premier billfish tournaments, the Orange Beach Billfish Classic once again showcased elite competition, massive fish and a strong commitment to conservation. The event remains the world’s largest tournament donor to The Billfish Foundation and will return to The Wharf in May 2027 for its 31st year.
