Belize may be known for its crystal-clear waters and world-class diving, but the 2024 Grand Caribe Deep Sea Classic awarded Belize the clout to be considered a destination for big game fishing as well. This year’s tournament kicked off following Beryl’s impact on the Yucatan Peninsula, leading some to believe that fishing would be affected in either a positive or negative way—and they were right. The tournament kicked off on Thursday, July 11th with the Captain’s party and briefing inside the Grand Caribe’s West Room where anglers, guests, and sponsors gathered in anticipation. The captain’s party, along with the various post-fishing events hosted nightly by the resort, is part of the notable camaraderie that the Grand Caribe tournament is known for. In addition to record fishing and a great time, this year’s tournament also hosted a record number of participants and made history as the first Billfish release-only tournament of its history.
The Secret Spot
Day one of fishing got off to a quick start at 6 AM, when teams eagerly ran offshore during the coveted shotgun start. While we headed south towards Caye Caulker in hopes of repeating the early lead we gained in the 2023 tournament, many teams chose to go to the secret spot – right out front. This year’s tournament participants experienced unseasonably rough conditions, which kept many boats close to tournament headquarters and ultimately contributed to their success. Belize’s reef system runs in a north-south direction in proximity to the mainland, and just to the east of the reef system, you will find a series of deep drop-offs where fish tend to congregate. Not long after lines were in, multiple blue marlin releases were called in, including female angler Marsha Mathew’s first ever blue marlin to put her on top of the Female Angler leader board early on. To many’ s surprise most of the releases were right in front of the Grand Caribe on the other side of said reefs. By the end of day one, the fishing report had already surpassed the precedent set in 2023.
Rumba Takes the Win
Day two of fishing started off with a brief thunderstorm, which kept some teams inshore. However, those that ventured out despite the challenging conditions were rewarded with more early releases. The tournament hours of the Grand Caribe Deep Sea Classic run from 6 AM to 6 PM and are designed to allow anglers to capitalize on the early morning bite and the rise and fall of the moon throughout the day. Day two of the tournament showcased this advantage in textbook style. Throughout the day, fishing continued to provide following the early morning bite, and gave the first-time participants from their home port of El Salvador the chance to climb the leaderboard aboard their Viking 48C. Team Rumba started the day in second place behind team Miss Made with only two blue marlin releases worth 2,500 points each and 30 points for meat-fish before securing two additional blue marlin releases to climb the board to victory. Meanwhile, Marsha Mathews was able to hold on to Top Lady Angler with her one blue marlin release before wrapping up a memorable tournament for all at the awards in the West Room.
