Dramatic finishes are a Bisbee’s tradition and the 33rd edition of the Black & Blue continued that trend quite nicely.
Today’s last fish on the last day was also the biggest. Linda Williams, fishing aboard her 60 Hatteras II Success,
whipped a monster blue marlin after a battle lasting just under two hours. When her prize was hoisted aloft at the scales, the crowd of several thousand roared as the weight–774 pounds–was announced. It was the largest fish of the tournament and the largest ever weighed by a lady angler in the Black & Blue.
“This was a fish of a lifetime and one definitely on my bucket list, especially in the Black & Blue,” a tired Williams said afterwards. “I love this tournament and I love the people.”
Williams, who is from Alta Loma, California, was fishing with her long-time skipper, Capt. Kevin Pahl and mates Antonio Zuniga Ruiz, David Reed, Craig Pani and her friend, Jan Howard. The fish was fooled by a Hi-5 Petrolero lure made in Cabo. The acrylic plunger with a black, orange and silver skirt had a red eye, a combination that has fooled several previous big Bisbee’s fish.
“I love lady anglers,” Pahl says. “They do what they’re told by the crew and Linda did a great job on that fish. She really whipped it. We’ve waited a long time for this moment.” The big blue measured 125 inches from the lower jaw to the fork of the tail and had a girth of 72 inches.
“I think this week we showed what lady anglers can do,” Williams added. “We can compete on this level without question.”
II Success’s trophy wasn’t the only fish of the last day. Angler Austin Angel and his family team aboard Sea Angel, a 58 F&S homeported in Baytown, Texas, got on the board with a 313-pound blue that was also fooled by an orange-based lure. His brother, Capt. BC Angel, was at the helm.
“It doesn’t get any better than this,” he explained. “I’m fishing with my dad and little brother in the Black & Blue and we weighed a qualifying fish. Great day!”
Four other boats brought in marlin that failed to meet the 300-pound minimum weight. Fantasmas, Sporty Game, Reel Pain II and Titan all weighed fish, although the latter two teams are also contending for the top release boat title.
“This is just an awesome way to end the week and I can’t remember how many times we’ve come down to the last day with the biggest fish. We really do like to save the best for last,” says Tournament Director Wayne Bisbee.
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