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Late August in the British Virgin Islands can require tournament teams to keep an eye on two things: the fishing and the tropics. Fortunately, both cooperated just enough for the 2026 Scrub Island Billfish Series to deliver another memorable week of blue marlin fishing, spirited competition and the laid-back island atmosphere that has quickly become the event’s calling card.
Held Aug. 24 through Sept. 1, the series once again brought two back-to-back, three-day tournaments to Scrub Island Resort, Spa & Marina, with the fleet targeting the legendary North Drop. The location is a natural fit. Scrub Island combines a private-island resort experience with a 55-slip marina that the resort bills as the closest marina to the North Drop, putting teams within easy reach of one of the Caribbean’s best-known blue marlin grounds. And the formula appears to be catching on.
After drawing 14 boats for Leg One and 13 for Leg Two in 2025, this year’s fields grew to 16 and 14 teams, respectively, adding to the sense that Scrub Island is becoming an increasingly important stop on the late-summer tournament calendar. The 2026 field included a strong collection of traveling programs and familiar Caribbean competitors, with more than $500,000 in payouts available across the two legs.
Leg One
Leg One produced 58 billfish releases, including 56 blue marlin, one white marlin and one sailfish.
Swish, the 78-foot Rybovich led by Capt. Michael Mattson, came out on top with 3,600 points. Big Ben, a 78-foot F&S, finished second with 3,000 points, while Capt. Shay Danzig and the 66-foot Spencer Marlin Darlin matched that total to finish third on time.
For Swish, the victory was worth $90,125, continuing an impressive summer for a program that has been making plenty of noise throughout the international tournament circuit. Miss Ma’am also made a late charge, topping the final-day shootout and finishing the leg with $47,316.66 in earnings.
Between legs, attention briefly shifted from the leaderboard to the weather map. Tropical Storm Dolly formed well east of the Leeward Islands on Aug. 27 before quickly weakening into an open tropical wave. Its remnants continued toward the northeastern Caribbean, bringing periods of rain, gusty winds and rougher seas around the Virgin Islands. The system ultimately forced the cancellation of the second fishing day of Leg Two, but otherwise left the series largely intact and set the stage for a condensed, high-stakes finale.
Leg Two
The second leg produced another 35 billfish releases, 33 of them blue marlin, bringing the series total to 93 billfish: 89 blues, two whites and two sailfish.
Leg Two also brought a new name to the top of the leaderboard. Capt. Bryan Ramos and Fresh Air, a 54-foot Hatteras, accumulated 3,000 points to secure the tournament victory and the leg’s largest payout at $127,433.34. Swish stayed hot with 2,500 points for second place and another $110,516.66, while Big Ben finished third with 2,000 points.
Swish’s runner-up finish came in dramatic fashion. After going fishless on the opening day and losing Day Two to weather, Mattson and crew went from zero to hero on the final day, releasing five blue marlin for 2,500 points. The performance allowed Swish to sweep the Day Three dailies, collect rollover jackpots from the canceled fishing day and win the Last Day Shootout, turning one exceptional day of fishing into another major payday.
In the end, Swish proved the most consistent boat in the fleet across the series. Its Leg One victory and runner-up performance in Leg Two produced 6,100 points and the 2026 Scrub Island Billfish Series Championship. Big Ben finished second overall with 5,000 points, while Sodium completed another strong Scrub Island showing with 4,500 points for third.
The results only tell part of the Scrub Island story. Between fishing days, the resort setting, dockside gatherings, North Beach events and easy access to the surrounding BVI give the series a decidedly different feel from many major tournaments. The competition is serious, but the atmosphere remains distinctly Caribbean.
“The Scrub Island Billfish Series continues to grow while keeping the intimate atmosphere that makes it so special,” said tournament director Michelle Gaylord. “We had a great fleet, great fishing, incredible sportsmanship, and plenty of fun on the docks. Even with a little weather thrown our way, it was a memorable series, and I’m excited to see it continue to grow.”
With growing fields, more than half a million dollars in payouts and another week dominated by blue marlin, the Scrub Island Billfish Series continues to strengthen its position on the calendar. The appeal is becoming increasingly difficult to miss: a private-island base, a first-class marina, the North Drop just offshore and some of the Caribbean’s best blue marlin fishing waiting beyond the harbor.
The Scrub Island Billfish Series is sponsored by many industry-leading companies including:
Marlin, The British Virgin Islands Tourist Board, Scrub Island Resort, Spa & Marina, Star brite, Bluefin USA, Alutecnos, Garmin, Costa, Tito’s Handmade Vodka, Don Q Rum, Caribbean Cellars, Yeti, Release Marine, Conch Republic Apparel, Ladies Love Pink, Big T Lures, and Marine Trophies
