Major Fishing Tournaments on the Horizon in Los Cabos
It’s August. For big-game fishermen around the globe, that means one thing: the largest, richest and most prestigious fishing tournaments in the world are just around the corner. If October flights haven’t already been booked to Los Cabos, a deep-sea fishing hotspot, they need to be made pronto. October, when marlin fishing is at its peak, yields the biggest trophy fish--and the biggest jackpots. If you’ve ever dreamed of putting together a team and chasing that million dollar fish, this is the time and place to do it!
Because Cabo’s nutrient-rich waters attract numerous prized species, the high-catch success rate applies even to novices. However, make no mistake: the trio of tournaments described below tends to attract highly competitive sportsmen in quest of giant fish—and gigantic cash prizes.
Here’s a brief review of what’s to come in October.
Los Cabos Billfish Tournament. Scheduled for Oct. 8 – 12, this well-established event, now in its 26th year, is the first major offshore competition of the season and usually produces significant billfish catches. For example, in 2022, the fleet of 53 registered teams caught 138 billfish, including 91 striped marlin, 26 blue marlin, 19 sailfish and two black marlin. All this plus festive parties and dockside camaraderie throughout the week. Cash prizes run into the hundreds of thousands of dollars. Known for attracting seasoned anglers, a win here means extra kudos entering the competitive Cabo San Lucas tournament season. Organized by the same team responsible for top-class events such as the Offshore World Championship and the Bermuda Triple Crown.
https://www.loscabostournaments.com/
Bisbee’s Los Cabos Offshore Tournament. Any fishing tournament with “Bisbee’s” in the name is a big deal in gamefish circles, for the simple reason that Bisbee’s hosts the world’s richest fishing tournaments. Slated for Oct. 14 – 19, the “Little Bisbee’s,” as it’s known, would be considered a top-tier tournament if it did not precede the planet’s premier big-game pow-wow. Fishing will take place on Wednesday, Thursday and Friday, Oct. 16 - 18, with a 7:00 a.m. shotgun start all three days.
Costs range from a base entry fee of $1,500 (required for participation) to a varied menu of optional categories topped by the $20,000 Daily “Chupacabra” Challenge, which has a $60,000 entry fee, a 100% payout and a Winner Take All / Day purse. The Bisbee’s Offshore is a fun-filled event where anglers can meet, swap fish stories and get acclimated in the run-up to the “Big Show.”
https://www.bisbees.com/Tournament/BisbeesLosCabosOffshore
Bisbee’s Black & Blue Tournament. This is the one every old salt wants to win. A legendary competition held in Cabo for over 40 years, Bisbee’s Black & Blue is a premier event that raises the pulse of every ardent angler. Promoted as “five days of organized chaos full of hard-core excitement,” this high-energy jamboree brims with boatloads of cash, not to mention huge bragging rights.
With the lively Land’s End town of Cabo San Lucas as a backdrop, thousands of people crowd the marina’s walkways during the event to shop, party and watch trophy fish being weighed in at the scales in front of the Puerto Paraiso Mall.
Whether you take home memories or millions, Bisbee’s Black & Blue, the Super Bowl of deep-sea fishing, is a once-in-a-lifetime experience. This year’s opening ceremonies on Oct. 22 will be begin with Flag Honors raised by a Mexican Naval Escort, a Pre-Colombian New Fire Dance, Lighting of the Tournament Torch, Japanese Taiko Drums, and Music by Cabomax. Three days of fishing are planned for Oct. 23 – 25, with a schedule similar to the Bisbee’s Offshore event.
Bisbee’s Black & Blue has grown from six teams with a modest purse of $10,000 to more than 150 teams with millions of dollars on the line. In 2006, the tournament delivered an overall cash payout of $4,165,960. It remains the largest jackpot in sport fishing history.
Will this year’s payout break the record? Drop by the marina in late October and join in the merriment to find out!