The Blue Marlin World Cup is a one-day fishing tournament held around the world on the 4th of July of every year. Blue marlin weighing more than 500 pounds are the only eligible species and competing teams fish in their respective time zones from 8:30 am to 4:30 pm.
The tournament entry fee for the Blue Marlin World Cup is $5,000 per team. The optional Big Blue Challenge (“BBC”) is an $8,000 entry. There is a winner for the tournament and for the BBC. If the tournament winner is also entered in the BBC, they can take home all the money in this winner-take-all format.
http://www.bluemarlinworldcup.com
In 2019 the winner was a 541-pound Blue caught in Madeira aboard the Sorted.
It just shows that you don’t necessarily need a HUGE fish on the day.
However, that was one of the smallest fish ever to win the tournament since the introduction of the 500-pound minimum rule and over the last three years CV as produced some outstanding fish to win the tournament, the smallest this year´s 950 pound fish, the biggest a fish over the mark caught last year.
Although Cape Verde´s last win before these three consecutive years was in 2010 when Happy Hooker weighted one that went 1 097 pounds, they are always top contenders and this amazing fishery has been on fire lately.
In 2020 La Onda Milla won with a 964 pounds and a year later it was Blue Hunter´s time to win it with a smashing 1053 lbs fish…
This year there where 157 boats fishing the World Cup.
Most boats were coming from Kona with 46 and they had been having a good bite with the Marlin magic getting a 747 lbs the previous day, the 3rd of July. Bermuda also had a bunch of boats (41) and the Cape Verde had 18, the Gulf of Mexico 17 and Madeira 15 boats.
The rest of the fleet fishing this one-day tournament was spread the World over.
We had been booked by Carl Jankowitz and Michael Wright for the BMWC but unfortunately the boys had to cancel it due to personal reasons. It was a pity as it was flat calm on the day and although this is by no means peak time here the Blue Marlin out wide as been really good with some good one´s in the mix. Katharina was the only boat out there recently (last Friday) and they raised 5 for the day going 1 from 3 on Blues.
But back to this year’s event and at (8:00 EST) it was reported that Bebiche fishing in the Cape Verde Islands has boated a Blue Marlin (108” Short).
Next up, there were some reports of a number of fish boated….
In Cape Verde it was Amelia´s turn and they boated a Blue Marlin (109” Short).
Then Done Deal reported a 117” in the Boat in the Gulf of Mexico. Which was eventually to win the BBC
Then at (2:30EST) My Victoria boated a nice looking one that went (128 X 72) and at (3:40 EST) My Victoria fish weighed at 950 lbs in Cape Verde.
That sealed the deal as no big fish were caught in Kona.
So, team My VICTORIA fishing in Cape Verde won the 2022 event with their 950 lbs Blue Marlin which was worth $628,000 seeing they had not entered the BBC that prize worth $550,400 went to DONE DEAL with their 586.5 lbs Blue caught in the Gulf Of Mexico.
Congrats to Cape Verde for their impressive 3rd straight win and all with brilliant fish (this #950 was the smallest in the last 3 years) and to angler Sergei Sitnikov and the team aboard MY Victoria for their BMWC 2022 win…
Hope to be out there next year and hopefully out of Bazaruto…
Duarte A. M. Rato
Fishbazaruto.com
Sportfishing Charters @ Vilankulos & Bazaruto Archipelago
MOZAMBIQUE
Email: dudas7mares@gmail.com
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