The Catalina Classic is the grandaddy and signature event of the California Billfish Series. The first Classic was held in 1993 and for nearly two decades it has stood out as the most prestigious, big-money billfish tournament in California.
The Classic attracts the largest field of boats and offers up the biggest payouts of any event in the series. For that reason, it is really a must-attend tournament for all of the marlin chasers on the West Coast.
The tournament was started to celebrate offshore fishing in California with one main target in mind — striped marlin. Like any pelagic fishery, the California marlin season is cyclical, but when fished under ideal conditions, the bite goes richter!
In 2008, the tournament saw one of its best bites in recent history. The fleet of 48 boats caught a record 198 marlin over the course of the three tournaments and there was some big fish in the mix. The scales at the Catalina Classic were super busy with a 206-pounder eventually taking the top spot. Competition was fierce, as it always is, with last-minute heroics and heartaches aplenty.
The Catalina Classic is a big-fish tournament, and we all know that it just takes one nice striper to get into the money. For that reason, the Catalina Classic draws a wide range of boats hoping to land a fat fish and take home the lion’s share of the tournament prize purse — this event has been to known to award more than $500,000 in prizes.
Catalina is a fun place no matter when you go, but to really see the island come alive, head over during the Catalina Classic. The festivities kick off with an opening-day kickoff party at Descanso Beach. Here teams can try test their skills with a casting contest and a knot-tying event as well. There will be a vendor village on hand to see all of the great products from the event’s sponsors and partners, and you can kick back with other teams as you enjoy a few drinks. The following day is all about the fishing and teams will span out, looking for sleepers and feeders to cast at. When the fishing ends, the fun continues with a world-class award’s banquet at the historical Casino Building. This is the same place where guys like Humphrey Bogart used to hang out back in the day. It’s a very unique venue and the prefect way to cap off the tournament.
The Catalina Classic is run simultaneously with the Avalon Billfish Classic. Most teams fish in both tournaments since the Classic is a big-fish event and the ABC is an all-release tourney. If you want every fish to count, you really need to enter both events. Those teams registered in the Catalina Classic can enter the ABC for just $400 more.
“Conservation is an important component of the Classic and all of the events in the California Billfish Series. The tournaments are run under strict formats to ensure that the local population of striped marlin is not negatively impacted.”
Over the years, the CBS has also worked with many conservation groups such as The Billfish Foundation to send a firm message to tournament participants to promote billfish conservation.
The event is now run and operated by the founders of www.BDoutdoors.com, and the new owners have vowed to maintain the tournament’s long-held traditions, but improve upon the parties, dinners, giveaways and overall fun factor. And, the new owners have committed to hosting the event in Avalon on Catalina — no matter what the fishing conditions dictate.
The tournament owners have also created a committee of longtime participants, past winners and owners to share ideas on how they can enhance the tournament experience and make sure teams catch fish and have a good time during their stay on Catalina.
The beauty of the Catalina Classic is that anyone can win. But you can’t win if you don’t play, so make sure to save the dates and head over to Catalina this September to take part in the largest, most prestigious tournament in California — the Catalina Classic.
For more information, contact tournament director Ali Hussainy at ali@catalinaclassic.com or 858.560.5525.
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