Billed as a transition tournament from sailfish to marlin, the inaugural White Marlin Roundup hosted a fleet of 24 participating teams, fishing out of Abaco Beach Resort and Boat Harbour Marina in the Bahamas, April 19 to 22, 2017. With white marlin being the targeted species of the event, they would be valued at 325 points each, while blues would score 150 points and sailfish just 25 points. White marlin meeting a minimum requirement for length and weight could also be weighed in.
Jr. Davis continued his winning ways with his Wave Paver team, emerging victorious with 15 white marlin releases over the three days of fishing. Capt. Russell Sinclair skippered the 61-foot Garlington to the lead amid tough competition, while Davis and teammates Scott Glasscock, Doug Southworth, Garrett Van Orman and Brian Boyle manned the rods.
The Fishbone team, fishing aboard their 65-foot Island Boatworks captained by William Chapman, won the heaviest white marlin division with an 85-pounder and also released 12 more white marlin to finish in second place overall. Croft Upchurch was the event's top angler for the catch, which was the only qualifying white marlin weighed during the tournament.
Capt. Luke Blume and the C-Boys team of Paul Crampton Jr., Paul Crampton III, Lance Crampton, Travis Rhoton and Jon Henry won third place with eight white marlin releases and 2,600 points overall.
Plane Simple placed fourth with eight white marlin releases and 2,600 points, while Ohana had a great tournament, releasing five blue marlin and five white marlin to finish in fifth place with 2,375 points.
Laura Russell from Hit 'n Run was the event's top lady angler with 650 points, and Bree landed the tournament's top mahimahi at 55 pounds. The fleet released a total of 134 billfish for the tournament: 109 white marlin, 16 blue marlin, six sailfish and three spearfish.
Keep scrolling for a photo gallery from this year's tournament.
