The skunk has officially been lifted off the California marlin season! On August 12 the crew on Trinidad caught a slack-tide sleeper just above the 267. And, we’re hearing reports that there’s more marlin out there. This is welcomed news for all those anglers who want to participate in the California Billfish Series.
With three tournaments, the California Billfish Series presented by Typhoon Polarized Optics offers something for everyone. Whether you’re a seasoned crew looking for tough competition, or a weekend warrior who wants to experience the largest offshore tournament in California, the California Billfish Series has got you covered.
The beauty of these tournaments is that anyone can win. However, you definitely want to fish the event that caters most to your style of fishing and ability. With that in mind, here’s a quick breakdown of the three tournaments that make up the California Billfish Series.
The Zane Grey is the first tournament of the series, running Sept. 11-13. It’s a modified-release tournament that caters to seasoned marlin crews. Teams accumulate points for boated fish that meet the minimum length and/or weight requirement, as well as points for releasing undersized striped marlin. The trick to taking home a fat payday in the Zane Grey is to catch a big stripey. Striped marlin over the minimum weight receive two points per pound for the minimum weight (165 pounds) plus an additional three points per pound for each whole pound over the minimum. The tournament offers several optional jackpots that really inflate the prize money. These optional categories range from $250 a day up to $5,000, so if you want to go big, this is the event to do it!
The Avalon Billfish Classic and the Catalina Classic run simultaneously from Sept. 18-20. The Avalon Billfish Classic is an all-release event, and the Catalina Classic is a big-fish tournament, so many teams fish these two events together at the same time. The cash entry for the Avalon Billfish Classic is only $800 for a team (or $400 if you’re also entered in the Classic), so if you are looking to take part in a tournament but don’t want to get into the high-dollar arena, the ABC is a good starting point. For that entry fee, your team gets full access to all of the parties and festivities, as well as a ticket in the mega raffle for a pair of $5,000 Fraser-Volpe gyro binoculars.
The Catalina Classic is the premiere event of the series, and for good reason. It’s the largest event with the biggest payout — and anyone can win. Catch a big striped marlin and you’ll be taking home the lion’s share of the largest tournament prize purse in California — this event has been to known to award more than $500,000 in prizes. If you fish in both the ABC and Classic at the same time, you can accumulate points for any undersized fish you release. But nothing quite compares to the feeling you get when you land a big one and see it hoisted up on the scales back at the island with a crowd of onlookers waiting in anticipation. Anyone can get lucky and land a big striped marlin, and it only takes one nice fish to win. You don’t need a million-dollar boat or a top-notch crew. You just need to be there.
As always, the island will be ablaze with activity during the tournaments with casting competitions, a vendor village, cocktail parties, giveaways and a world-class award’s banquet held at the historic Casino building. You don’t want to miss out. Now owned and operated by the founders of www.bdoutdoors.com, the California Billfish Series keeps the California marlin tradition alive, and the party is just about to start.
For more information, contact tournament director Ali Hussainy at ali@catalinaclassic.com or 858.560.5525.
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