Special delivery: Sign up for the free Marlin email newsletter. Subscribe to Marlin magazine and get a year of highly collectible, keepsake editions – plus access to the digital edition and archives.
The 2025 South Florida sailfish season has been nothing short of spectacular, with tournament numbers surging across the board. The West Palm Beach Fishing Club’s Silver Sailfish Derby kicked things off in January with 239 releases, followed by Operation Sailfish recording 405 releases and the Buccaneer Cup delivering an impressive 808 releases.
This momentum set the stage for the 22nd Annual Sailfish Challenge, the second leg of the prestigious Quest for the Crest Sailfish Series. Over the two days of fishing, the fleet of 61 boats shattered records with an astounding 1,467 sailfish releases as they competed for a share of the $550,400 purse.
From the moment lines hit the water, the action was non-stop. By noon on the first day, 447 sailfish had already been released, a precursor to the record-breaking daily total of 912 release. Native Son, a 39’ SeaVee captained by Art Sapp, set the tone early releasing 48 sailfish and securing the Day One Early Bite Award, as well as winning both Tier One and Tier Two Daily calcuttas for a total of $58,420 in winnings.
Sandman, captained by John Dudas, finished the day with 37 releases, earning second place and a $27,460 payday. Meanwhile, Res Ipsa Liquidur rounded out the top three with 30 releases, followed closely by Remix (29 releases) and Liquidated (28 releases).
Day Two continued the high-energy competition, with 555 additional sailfish releases recorded by the fleet. Living Water / Makin’ Time, captained by Alex Burgess, surged from ninth place to take second overall, thanks to a 27-release day that secured them first place in both Tier One and Tier Two Daily Calcuttas. Their performance resulted in an impressive $164,000 payout.
Catch 23 / Sequentis, captained by Stetson Turney, made a steady push with 20 releases, securing fourth place overall and taking home nearly $29,000 in winnings. Remix and Beast each logged 17 releases, with Remix finishing in fifth place overall.
But in the end, Native Son’s dominant performance proved unbeatable. They finished with a staggering 65 sailfish releases, earning them the 2025 Sailfish Challenge Championship title and an impressive $213,175 in winnings. Their efforts secured victories across multiple Calcuttas, including The Leaders Board, High Rollers Club, The Big Easy, and the Self Centered Calcutta.
Living Water / Makin’ Time took home second place and $164,000 in earnings from their 53 releases. Sandman released 52 sailfish to secure third place and a $58,420 payout. Catch 23 / Sequentis with 48 releases and Remix with 46 rounded out the top five.
