The Zane Grey Invitational takes its name from a legendary fisherman and writer — the one-and-only Zane Grey.
Grey traveled the globe in search of new fisheries and it is rumored that he fished 300 days each year. He loved to fish Catalina and knew these waters well. He built a home on the island and even served as president of the prestigious Tuna Club, which still resides in Catalina to this day.
The Zane Grey Invitational attracts many of the best marlin crews on the West Coast, and we’re sure that if Mr. Grey could see these boys in action, he would be proud to share his name with the event.
The Zane Grey Invitational has always gathered the cream of the crop because of its unique format. The event is a modified-release tournament and awards points for any verified striped marlin release as well as points for those boated fish that meet the qualifying weight. Each released fish is awarded 100 points. The big points, however, go to any qualifying marlin that goes above and beyond the minimum weight.
The minimum size for a qualifying marlin is 165 pounds. Qualifying fish receive two points per pound for the first 165, and three points for each pound above and beyond the 165. A 200-pound striper, for example, would score 435 points and quickly move the team that caught it way up on the leaderboard.
“But to win this event takes strategy, and that’s part of what makes it so great.”
A team is allowed points only for its largest weighed fish in the tournament. If a team weighs a second, larger fish, the points from the previous fish will not be counted towards the team’s overall points. The points for the original fish will only be counted for that day’s daily jackpot. So you really need to read the rules and weigh your options. Do you go for the daily jackpot, or do you go for the overall victory?
You must also make the call on which fish you want to bring in. If you catch one that appears to be just over the minimum, do you keep it? The next one you catch may be bigger, and you can only weigh in one fish per day which means that smaller fish won’t score you any points if you bring it in the boat. And you can’t bring in a short fish.
Any marlin brought back to the scales that doesn’t meet the minimum will result in a penalty of 100 points, plus four points for each pound below the minimum weight.
It’s definitely a chess match out there, and competition is high. Usually the team that releases a bunch and brings back a big one comes out on top. The tournament is also known for its first-class parties, award’s banquet and swag bag.
The $3,000 entry fee and optional jackpots that escalate to $5,000 a day insures that the prize purse is going to be big. And if you win the Zane Grey, you deserve every penny!
BD Outdoors is a subsidiary of Bloodydecks.com, the largest saltwater fishing forum on the net, with sport fishing reports from the West Coast to Florida and beyond. In BD Outdoors, this growing, passionate online community can now access in-depth articles, videos and photo galleries focusing on all facets of sport fishing and boating, as well as hunting and other outdoor pursuits.