There were a lot of questions surrounding the start of the 2020 fishing tournament season in Los Cabos.
But thanks to the COVID-19 protocols instituted by Bisbee’s, the granddaddy of fishing tournament organizers in Los Cabos, not only did the 2020 East Cape Offshore go off safely last weekend, it smashed several records in the process. Most notably, the $1,100,000 overall payout made the ECO the last of three Bisbee’s series tournaments to crack the million-dollar mark, and one of only nine tournaments worldwide to do so.
Held August 4th through 8th in Buenavista, off the coast of Los Cabos’ gorgeous East Cape, over 70 teams competed to bring in the biggest billfish, as well as the biggest tuna and dorado. The former feat was accomplished by Team Chachalocos, which boated a massive 704 lb. blue marlin, the largest ever caught during the 21-year history of the event.
Chalk up another record.
Team Chachalocos earned a cool $240,284 for their record breaking blue, but that wasn’t the biggest check presented during the four-day event. That honor belonged to Team True Grit, which took advantage of the lack of 300 lb. billfish qualifiers on day one to crush the doubled up jackpots on day two with a 306 lb. black marlin.
The timely catch netted them over a half a million dollars ($559,870 to be exact).
Team Fin and Tonic, meanwhile, finished first in the yellowfin tuna category, earning $82,695 for their 41.4 lb. qualifier; and Team Big Oh took home $60,170 for their first place dorado, a 39.9 pounder boated in just 15 minutes.
Face masks and social distancing were part of Bisbee’s 2020 ECO tournament safety measures in response to COVID-19 concerns (as was a limit of one team member per weigh-in), but nobody seemed to mind given the great fishing and spectacular record breaking payouts.
Less spectacular in terms of payouts, but equally noteworthy in terms of kicking off the 2020 season in style was the East Cape Dorado Shootout, which preceded Bisbee’s ECO on the calendar with some fishing tournament fireworks of its own.
Hosted July 24th in Los Barriles by Van Wormer Resorts, the 16th annual one-day dorado tournament was won by Team Offshore Lifestyles, thanks to their impressive 54.9 lb. dorado.
Offshore Lifestyles was one of 108 teams to enter the tournament this year, a slight drop from the 130 or so which usually enter (the ECDS is typically the largest local tournament in terms of team entries), but over double the amount expected given the global pandemic. Held under its own strict coronavirus safety protocols (no weigh-in crowds, no awards dinner, etc.), the tournament went off without a hitch…
Well, except for the trailer hitch on the brand new four-door Volkswagen Amarok truck awarded to the winners. In all, over $130,000 in cash and prizes were distributed.
Next up on the calendar is the East Cape Gold Cup Wahoo Jackpot, to take place in the offshore waters of Los Barriles on August 22nd (like the East Cape Dorado Shootout, it’s hosted by Van Wormer Resorts’ Hotel Palmas de Cortez). The tournament promises over 100,000 in cash and prizes, as well as a brand new VW Golf to the winner.
Big money anglers, meanwhile, will want to start gearing up for Bisbee’s Black and Blue and Bisbee’s Los Cabos Offshore, both of which offer million-dollar plus purses this October in Cabo San Lucas.
It’s unlikely anyone tops a 704 lb. blue marlin, but we wouldn’t be at all surprised to see more payout records fall before the 2020 Bisbee’s fishing series wraps up.
For more information about events, activities and villa rentals in Los Cabos, call us TOLL FREE at 1-888-655-4548, visit www.LosCabosVillas.com, or email us at Info@LosCabosVillas.com.
Photo credit: Bisbee’s Offshore Fishing Tournaments
Upcoming Events Calendar
August
Bisbee’s East Cape Offshore Fishing Tournament – Aug. 4 – 8
East Cape Gold Cup Wahoo Jackpot Fishing Tournament – Aug. 22
September
Mexican Independence Day – Sep. 16
October
Los Cabos Billfish Tournament – Oct. 11 – 15
Bisbee’s Los Cabos Offshore Fishing Tournament – Oct. 15 – 18
Bisbee’s Black & Blue Fishing Tournament – Oct. 20 – 24
November
Day of the Dead – Nov. 2
WON Los Cabos Tuna Jackpot – Nov. 4 – 7
Los Cabos Film Festival – Nov. 11 – 15
Gastrovino Baja Food and Wine Festival – Nov. 13 – 15
53rd Annual SCORE Baja 1000 – Nov. 16 – 21
Revolution Day – Nov. 20
December
Feast Day of the Virgin of Guadalupe – Dec. 12
Las Posadas – Dec. 16 – 24
Nochebuena – Dec. 24
Navidad – Dec. 25
Nochevieja – Dec. 31
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