Capt. Norm Isaacs, a lifelong fisherman, sportfishing icon and pioneer of fishing television, died July 27 in Jupiter, Florida. He was 82.
Remembered fondly by those who knew and fished with him, Isaacs was quick with a joke and generous with his time and perspective. He also gave much back to the sportfishing industry, serving for many as the public face of marlin fishing. It was a responsibility he carried with professionalism and grace.
Isaacs grew up in an aviation family near Wichita, Kansas, and earned his pilot’s license as a teenager. He later pursued professional baseball, spending time in the farm systems of the New York Yankees and St. Louis Cardinals before an injury cut short his career.
After leaving baseball, Isaacs enlisted in the U.S. Air Force during the Vietnam era and was stationed in Panama.
Fishing had always been a passion for the Isaacs family, although his earliest experiences were in freshwater. That changed after his grandfather began managing an airport in Brownsville, Texas. Following his military service, Isaacs relocated to South Texas, and by the mid-1970s, he was running a charter boat out of South Padre Island.
Still involved in aviation, Isaacs’ career took another turn in the mid-1980s after he sold an airplane to buyers in Kona, Hawaii. He traveled to the Big Island for the aircraft’s delivery and ultimately purchased a Kona-based charter operation.
Isaacs fished the 35-foot Bertram Sundowner throughout Kona’s tournament circuit, achieving considerable success and winning many of the area’s prominent marlin events. His most enduring contribution, however, would be his pioneering role in bringing offshore fishing to television.
While living in Kona, Isaacs met Julia, who worked in Canadian television. With a professional video camera and an understanding of television production, the pair began filming their fishing adventures.
During one Kona tournament, with Julia filming aboard the boat, Isaacs caught an 800-pound blue marlin that won the event. They distributed the footage to contacts at news organizations, and the video was broadcast by television networks around the world. The widespread exposure came in the early 1990s, years before internet virality became commonplace.
The pair had already been developing a fishing television concept. When the show’s original host and writer withdrew because of scheduling conflicts, Isaacs stepped into the role.
His first show aired around 1995. Before long, Isaacs was hosting two programs, “Inside Big Game Fishing Hawaii” and “Big Game Fishing the World,” both of which aired during ESPN’s Saturday morning outdoor programming.
He later introduced “Big Game Bites,” a series of two-minute segments shown during and between episodes, as well as the Billfish Extreme Release League, known as the BXRL. The tournament series was built around rules designed to make billfish competition exciting and accessible for television audiences.
After a run on ESPN that spanned approximately 15 years, Isaacs moved his programming to Fox.
Many viewers remember him most prominently for the BXRL. With tournaments staged in Isla Mujeres, Mexico; the Dominican Republic; St. Maarten; Venezuela; Antigua; and Tortola, the series offered an extraordinary showcase of billfishing and the people behind the sport.
The events featured teams representing many of the industry’s leading manufacturers, including Viking Yachts, American Custom Yachts, Sculley Boatbuilders, Spencer Yachts, Release Marine and Cabo Yachts.
Even as his television profile grew, Isaacs continued fishing. He remained happiest on the bridge, running a charter boat and pursuing marlin. He fished in Kona until returning to the mainland in 2010.
Isaacs spent the later years of his life with his wife, Simone.
He is survived by his two children. His son, Capt. Darrin Isaacs, shares his father’s passion for marlin fishing and running boats.
