Tournament veterans win at Los Cabos Billfish Tournament with 543-pound blue

CABO SAN LUCAS, BCS — Angler Horace Barge of San Marcos, California, caught a 543-pound blue marlin on day one of three days of tournament fishing to earn his Team Chupacabra First-Place Team and a $47,500 cash prize at the 13^th annual Los Cabos Billfish Tournament held October 11 through 15 in Cabo San Lucas, Baja California Sur.

Chupacabra’s blue marlin also won the team, including Capt. Jesse Scarbrough, mate Bobby Cline, and anglers Mike Mullen, Robert Cline, Timothy Donnelley, Horace Barge and Michael Thompson, tourney honors of Largest Blue Marlin, Days One through Three Daily Marlin Jackpots, and the Winner-Take-All Marlin Jackpot to bring Chupacabra’s total tournament prize money to $364,764.25. The team also holds a unique distinction of being one of few teams to fish every year of the Los Cabos Billfish Tournament.

Team Angelina I, which was captained by Job Villavicencio and comprised of mate Hernando Gonzales, Florida anglers Anthony and Kathy Sposato, and Eduardo Liero Ceseña and David Martinez of CSL took Second Place Team with its 408-pound black marlin winning $28,500. That black won the team Largest Black Marlin category and an additional $14,250, bringing their winnings to $42,750.

Third Place Team and $19,000 went to anglers from Madrid, Spain, fishing aboard Picante 45 with Capt. Daniel Carrera and mate Pedro Orates. The team — including, anglers Jose Antonio Sud Roman, Francisco Muñez Pavon, Carlos Muñez Pavon, Jorge Garcia, Pedro Nolasco Romero de la Cuesia, Pedro Orantes Lieras, NS Luis Alberto Orantes Lieras — released one blue marlin for Pedro Orantes Lieras, a Pacific sailfish release by Fracisco Muñez Pavon, and a blue marlin release by Jorge Garcia to earn 1,100 points total and First Place Billfish Release Points team earning them $9,500; total winnings $28,500.

The Second Place Billfish Release Points Team was Go Deeper with 1,000 release points, first from five sailfish and one blue marlin. Team Miss Behavin’ earned the Third Place Billfish Release Points Team with 1,000 points from four sailfish, one striped marlin and one blue marlin release.

In the gamefish jackpots, Team Karma 3 angler Bob Manroe weighed a 216-pound yellowfin tuna Wednesday, earning them the Day One Jackpot. Day Two Daily Tuna Jackpot went to Team Fisherman for its 240-pound yellowfin. And Team Zhao’s 135-pound yellowfin tuna took the Day Three Tuna Jackpot money.

Team Karma 3 weighed a 27-pound wahoo on Thursday to take home a double Daily Wahoo Jackpot, and Team Wildcatter brought a 39.3-pound wahoo to the scales on Friday to take the Day Three Wahoo Jackpot. Team Red Rum weighed the tournament’s only qualifying dorado at 28.5-pounds, taking triple Daily Dorado Jackpots.

The tournament awards banquet took place at the Playa Grande Resort & Grand Spa’s exquisite beachside terrace adjacent to the Brigantine Restaurant. Participants enjoyed a fine dinner of filet mignon and lobster, incredible door prizes and raffle items, and a slide show and multimedia production. The tournament honored the late Don Luis Bulnes Molleda and raised funds for the Solmar Foundation, thanks to the generosity of its participants.

In all, the Cabo San Lucas 2011 tournament season started off with a an impressive showing, as the tourney fleet of 42 boats weighed a 543-pound blue marlin and 408-pound black marlin, and successfully presented video of 51 billfish caught and released — two black marlin, seven blue marlin, 16 striped marlin and 26 sailfish.

 

2011 Los Cabos Billfish Tournament Final Results

 

 

 

Los Cabos Team Division

Furuno First Place Team

Chupacabra with 543 points wins $47,500 and invitation to the 2012 IGFA Offshore World Championship

Captain Jesse Scarbrough, mate Bobby Cline, anglers Mike Mullen, Robert Cline, Michael Thompson, Horace Barge

Total Team Chupacabra winnings: $364,764.25

 

AMD Second Place Team

Angelina I with 408 points wins $28,500

Captain Job Villavicencio, mate Hernando Gonzales, anglers Anthony Sposato, Kathy Sposato, Eduardo Liero Ceseña, David Martinez

Total Team Angelina I winnings: $42,750

 

Rick Bogert Third Place Team

Picante 45 with 1,100 release points wins $19,000

Captain Daniel Carrera, mate Pedro Orates, anglers Jose Antonio Sud Roman, Francisco Muñez Pavon, Carlos Muñez Pavon, Jorge Garcia, Pedro Nolasco Romero de la Cuesia, Pedro Orantes Lieras, Luis Alberto Orantes Lieras

Total Team Picante 45 winnings: $28,500

 

Biggest Blue Marlin

Chupacabra angler Horace Barge 543 pounds wins $14,250

Captain Jesse Scarbrough, mate Bobby Cline

 

Biggest Black Marlin

Angelina I angler Job Villavicencio 408 pounds wins $14,250

 

Most Billfish Release Points — First Place Team

Picante 45 with 1,100 release points wins $9,500

 

Most Billfish Release Points — Second Place Team

Go Deeper with 1,000 release points wins $5,700

Captain Javier Allejandro Abarua Gallado, mate Francisco Artro, anglers Chris Vincent, Luis Abaroa Gallardo, Francisco Arturo Montelongo V., Tony Berkowitz, Bobbi Whitcomb

Total Team Go Deeper winnings: $12,382.50

 

Most Billfish Release Points — Third Place Team

Miss Behavin’ with 1,000 release points wins $3,800

Captain Jose Reyes, mate Jose Loria, anglers David Finkelstein, Ben White, Paulo Soto, Luis Reyes

 

Optional Jackpot Divisions

 

Baja Brewing Co. Daily Marlin Jackpot, Days 1-3, Levels 1-4

Chupacabra with 543 pounds wins $213,914.25

 

Fin-Nor Winner-Take-All Marlin Jackpot

Chupacabra with 543 pounds wins $89,100

 

King Sailfish Mounts Daily Billfish-Release Jackpot — Day 1

Auriga with 600 release points wins $6,682.50

Captain Lobo Martinez, mate Norberto Landas, anglers Kenneth Eberle, Jane Eberle, Alyson Eberle, Marco Ehrenberg

 

King Sailfish Mounts Daily Billfish-Release Jackpot — Day 2

Go Deeper with 700 release points wins $6,682.50

 

King Sailfish Mounts Daily Billfish-Release Jackpot — Day 3

Reel Quest with 600 release points wins $6,682.50

Captain Ty Valli, mate Antonio Botoguez, anglers Dick Landfield, Walker Evans, Chuck Oltman, Bill Savage, Michael Loffer, Vincente Botoguez

 

Transcabo Day 1 Tuna Jackpot

Karma 3 angler Bob Manroe 216 pounds wins $5,049

Captain Juan Jose Abaroa, mate Kyle Manroe

Total Team Karma 3 winnings: $15,147

 

Transcabo Day 2 Tuna Jackpot

Fisherman angler Hugo Pino Olachea 240 pounds wins $5,049

Captain Alfredo Periko Sanchez, mate Hector Hugo Pino Miranda

 

Transcabo Day 3 Tuna Jackpot

Zhao angler Donald Whitter 135 pounds wins $5,049

Captain Carlos Bertran, mate Eduardo Aripez Beltran

 

Transcabo Day 1 & 2 Wahoo Double-Daily Jackpot

Karma 3 angler Bob Manroe 27 pounds wins $10,098

Captain Juan Jose Abaroa, mate Kyle Manroe

 

Transcabo Day 3 Wahoo Jackpot

Wildcatter angler John Martin 39.3 pounds wins $5,049

Captain Angel Gilberto Kakogui, mate Juan Osuna Garcia

 

Transcabo Day 1-3 Dorado Triple-Daily Jackpot

Red Rum angler Randy Pruden 28.5 pounds wins $15,147

Captain Javier Ceseña, mate Jesus Ramero