During the monthlong height of the Land’s End city’s tournament season, three of the four fishing tournaments boast prize pools in excess of one million dollars. The fourth tournament, by the way, may cross that threshold as soon as this year. This combination of world-class fishing and enormous cash payouts across multiple tournaments simply doesn’t exist anywhere else on the planet. 

The granddaddy of them all, of course, is Bisbee’s Black & Blue. Alternately dubbed “The World’s Richest Fishing Tournament” and “The Super Bowl of Fishing,” the best known of Bisbee’s trio of annual tournaments in Los Cabos  continues to push the limits of what’s possible in the world of competitive fishing. Last year’s tournament didn’t just top one million dollars, but came close to topping $10 million. The final tally of $9,725,00 is easily the largest prize pool in sportfishing history, breaking the record Bisbee’s itself already held.

Video credit: Bisbee’s Offshore Fishing Tournaments

For all the allure of massive payouts and oversized checks held gleefully overhead by a team of fishermen (and fisherwomen) – Kim Bullman was the top angler in the 2021 Pelagic Triple Crown of Fishing, Cabo San Lucas’ top summer tournament – the focus remains on the fishing. Cabo San Lucas’ development as a tourist destination was driven by its world-class fishing conditions. Not only the black and blue marlin which inspired Bisbee’s signature tournament, but other billfish such as sailfish, spearfish  and striped marlin. Game fish like tuna and dorado, too, are sought after in many tournament settings. 

Yes, Bisbee’s Black and Blue is the world’s biggest marlin tournament, but Cabo San Lucas is also home to the world’s biggest tuna fishing tournament: the WON Los Cabos Tuna Jackpot. Each tournament has a long history in the area, with plenty of highlights. The biggest fish ever caught in Bisbee’s Black and Blue was the 993 pound blue marlin reeled in by Team Picante during the 1994 tournament. The WON Tuna Jackpot record, meanwhile, is a 383 pound yellowfin tuna caught by Team Fisher Man in 2009. The latter fell just 44 pounds short of the yellowfin record, which no surprise, was set in Cabo San Lucas.

Could those records fall this year? How hot and heavy will the fishing be? Bisbee’s Black and Blue, in particular, has seen a dearth of qualifying 300 pound marlin in recent years. Will Bisbee’s Black and Blue crack the $10,000,000 mark? Will the Los Cabos Billfish Tournament finally surpass the $1,000,000 mark?

Here’s everything you need to know about the next month of the Cabo San Lucas fishing tournament season, with an overview of the four major upcoming tournaments.

Los Cabos Billfish Tournament – October 16th to 20th

Just as September is El Mes de la Patria, the “the country’s month,” in México, October is the month of the fishing tournament in Cabo San Lucas. Bisbee’s two cash-rich tournaments – the Los Cabos Offshore and Black & Blue – get most of the publicity, but the Los Cabos Billfish Tournament also sends out a siren call to big-game fishermen eager for big-money prizes and jackpots. Team Sneak Attack led by owner Shawn Guttersen and captain Vicente Bojorquez captured first place and the largest marlin jackpot in the 2021 LCBT, as well as an invitation to Quepos for the Costa Offshore World Championship to go along with the cool $498,140, in prize money, after bagging a 554 lb. black marlin. The latter wasn’t quite as big as the 593 lb. black marlin that won Team El Suertudo top honors in 2020, but considering it only took a single day (due to weather conditions) for Sneak Attack to top last year’s winning check of 344,700, no one was complaining! Base entry in 2022 is $5,000 per team, or 25,000 all-in, across-the-board for all jackpots and prizes. Will this be the year the LCBT finally crosses the million dollar threshold? Could be. Total payouts last year were $826,450.

Bisbee’s Los Cabos Offshore – October 20th to 23rd

Commonly known as “Little Bisbee’s,” to differentiate it from the “Big Bisbee’s” Black & Blue marlin fishing tournament that also takes place each October in Los Cabos, the Los Cabos Offshore dates back to 2002, and is considered a more laid-back, charity focused endeavor than the Black & Blue … despite the increasingly lucrative prize money on the line. In 2021, for example, 187 teams competed for $1,965,200, smashing the previous marks of 128 teams and $1,457,000 in payouts. Cash prizes are awarded to the teams with the three biggest qualifying fish in the game and billfish categories at the LCO, and large amounts of fish/meals are always donated to local families in need. Base entry for teams is $1,500 U.S., with $22,500 necessary for “across the board” entry in all jackpots and challenges. 

Bisbee’s Black & Blue – October 25th to 29th

Often billed as “The World’s Richest Fishing Tournament,” thanks to its multi-million dollar payouts, this marlin fishing tournament originally premiered in 1982, and remains to this day the highest profile annual event in Los Cabos. If you wonder why, consider the last two editions. The 2020 tournament boasted 127 teams vying for $4.6 million dollars, while a year later, in 2021, 198 teams competed for $9,725,000. If you’re bad at math, all you need to know is the prize pool more than doubled in a single year, and that more than $10 million could be on the line this year. Base entry for this millionaire maker is $5,000 U.S. per team, and requires a $71,500 U.S. outlay across all categories, jackpots and challenges. Prizes are awarded for the top five catches of black and blue marlin, assuming they meet the minimum standards (300 lbs.). 

WON Los Cabos Tuna Jackpot – November 2nd to 5th

The Western Outdoor News has a long history with Los Cabos, dating back to the 1950s, when Baja columnist Ray Cannon’s rave fishing reviews helped put the area on the destination travel map. The WON Tuna Jackpot is thus one of the most iconic fishing tournaments in Cabo San Lucas, and a fixture of the autumn sporting calendar that follows hard on the heels of the Los Cabos Billfish and Bisbee’s Los Cabos Offshore and Black & Blue Tournaments. 164 teams made it to Cabo San Lucas for the 23rd annual event in 2021, competing for record cash payouts of $1.47 million dollars, making this officially now the biggest tuna fishing tournament in the world. 

Want your business featured in our directory and promoted by CaboViVO, please be sure to contact us here, thanks…

Saludos from Co-Founders…

Chris Sands – Writer  and Michael Mattos

The post Fish Rich! – Previewing the 2022 Bisbee’s Black and Blue and Other High-Profile Los Cabos Fishing Tournaments appeared first on CaboViVO.

That’s the thing about fishing tournaments in Los Cabos. It’s not just a fun way to go after marlin, sailfish, tuna, dorado, wahoo, and more in one of the best fishing destinations on the planet, it’s a potentially lucrative pastime to boot. Millions are won on an annual basis.

If you love fishing, in other words, Los Cabos is the place to be for the next three months or so. But since not everyone can get away from work for that long, we’ve run down the details and payout info on all seven of the upcoming tournaments. So you can pick and choose which ones you may wish to enter.

After all, you never know what might happen.

East Cape Gold Cup Wahoo Jackpot Tournament – August 20

Similar to the East Cape Dorado Shootout with its drive-away first prize, the biggest wahoo caught on August 20th will earn one lucky fisherman a showroom fresh 2022 Volkswagen Polo. In total, over $100,000 in cash and prizes are expected to be up for grabs, including great raffle prizes, return trips, fishing outings, and much more. The entry fee is only $500 per team and includes dinner at the awards ceremony. 

East Cape Tuna Shootout Tournament – September 24

Palmas de Cortez in Los Barriles hosts several single-day, single-fish tournaments each summer. Unlike the dorado and wahoo tournaments, however, in which the largest fish of that type caught during the day earns the winner a new car, the winner of the Tuna Shootout on September 24 – meaning the team which has caught the largest yellowfin tuna that day – simply walks away with estimated $35,000 dollars in cash. Over $100,000 in total prizes will be awarded, including jackpots, raffles, return trips, and more. The entry fee is only $600 per team.

Marlini Fishing Tournament – October 2 – 3

This small tournament sponsored by local fishing apparel and gear company Marlini whets the appetite for all the big-money tournaments to follow later in the month. Not to say that the cash prizes are good in this one:  an estimated $85,000 dollars in cash is on the line, with dorado and wahoo being the targets of choice. Emphasis on dorado, as the majority of cash ($75,000) is awarded in this category. Team entry fees ($175 dollars) include shirts, hats and commemorative stickers for each team member (4 max).

Los Cabos Billfish Tournament – October 16 – 20

Just as September is El Mes de la Patria, the “the country’s month,” in Mexico, October is the month of the fishing tournament in Cabo San Lucas. Bisbee’s two cash-rich tournaments–the Los Cabos Offshore and Black & Blue–get most of the publicity, but the Los Cabos Billfish Tournament also sends out a siren call to big-game fishermen eager for big-money prizes and jackpots. Team Sneak Attack led by owner Shawn Guttersen and captain Vicente Bojorquez captured first place and the largest marlin jackpot in the 2021 LCBT, as well as an invitation to Quepos for the Costa Offshore World Championship to go along with the cool $498,140, in prize money, after bagging a 554 lb. black marlin. The latter wasn’t quite as big as the 593 lb. black marlin that won Team El Suertudo top honors in 2020, but considering it only took a single day (due to weather conditions) for Sneak Attack to top last year’s winning check of 344,700, no one was complaining! Base entry in 2022 is $5,000 per team, or 25,000 all-in, across-the-board for all jackpots and prizes. 

Bisbee’s Los Cabos Offshore – October 20 – 23

Commonly known as “Little Bisbee’s,” to differentiate it from the “Big Bisbee’s” Black & Blue marlin fishing tournament that also takes place each October in Los Cabos, the Los Cabos Offshore dates back to 2002, and is considered a more laid-back, charity focused endeavor than the Black & Blue…despite the massive payouts on the line. In 2021, for example, 187 teams competed for $1,965,200, smashing the previous marks of 128 teams and $1,457,000 in payouts. Cash prizes are awarded to the teams with the three biggest qualifying fish in the game and billfish categories at the LCO, and large amounts of fish/meals are always donated to local families in need. Base entry for teams is $1,500 U.S., with $22,500 necessary for “across the board” entry in all jackpots and challenges. The Early Bird Deadline for the LCO this year is August 31st.

Bisbee’s Black & Blue – October 25 – 29

Oft billed as “The World’s Richest Fishing Tournament,” thanks to its million dollar payouts, this marlin fishing tournament originally premiered in 1981, and remains to this day the highest profile annual event in Los Cabos. If you wonder why, consider the 2021 tournament, when the 2020 records of 127 teams for $4.6 million were completely obliterated as 198 teams competed for the $9,725,000 in cash on the line. Base entry for this millionaire maker is $5,000 U.S. per team, and requires a $71,500 U.S. outlay across all categories, jackpots and challenges. Prizes are awarded for the top five catches of black and blue marlin, assuming they meet the minimum standards (300 lbs.). Early Bird Deadline this year, as for the LCO, is August 31st.

WON Los Cabos Tuna Jackpot – November 2 – 5 

The Western Outdoor News has a long history with Los Cabos, dating back to the 1950s, when Baja columnist Ray Cannon’s rave fishing reviews helped put the area on the destination travel map. The WON Tuna Jackpot is thus one of the most iconic fishing tournaments in Cabo San Lucas, and a fixture of the autumn sporting calendar that follows hard on the heels of the Los Cabos Billfish and Bisbee’s Los Cabos Offshore and Black & Blue Tournaments. 164 teams made it to Cabo San Lucas for the 23rd annual event in 2021, competing for record cash payouts of $1.47 million dollars, making this officially now the biggest tuna fishing tournament in the world. 

Want your business featured in our directory and promoted by CaboViVO, please be sure to contact us here, thanks…

Saludos from Co-Founders…

Chris Sands – Writer  and Michael Mattos

The post Get Rich or Have Fun Trying: 7 Los Cabos Fishing Tournaments You Can Still Enter in 2022 appeared first on CaboViVO.

The good news is that the Bisbee’s tide is raising all boats. So if you like fishing and you like money, start registering for Los Cabos incredible collection of tournaments right now!

The action starts in June, when Pelagic kicks it off with over $500,000 on the line in its 8th annual Triple Crown of Fishing. This should be another great summer season, setting the stage for the even bigger money tournaments to come this fall.

Pelagic Triple Crown of Fishing Tournament – June 2 – 5

Bisbee’s isn’t the only organizer of big money fishing tournaments in Los Cabos. Water sports apparel maker non pareil Pelagic returns to host its 8th annual Summer Slam this June, a two day, team fishing competition in which fishermen and women target black, blue and striped marlin, as well as tuna, wahoo and dorado. Base entry is $3,500 per team, with $72,000 across-the-board for all jackpots and challenges. The all-in figure is a massive leap over previous years, and an indication Pelagic is stepping up in class. Cash prizes are expected to top $500,000 in 2022, positioning the tournament as a slam-bang kick-off to what is sure to be another record breaking season.

Stars and Stripes Golf and Fishing Tournament – June 22 – 26

During the 20+ years of its existence, the annual Stars and Stripes’ golf and fishing tournament has raised over 40 million dollars for youth focused charities. But it’s not simply a tournament or a charity benefit…more like a complete lifestyle experience. Participants stay at the luxurious Hilton Los Cabos; go big-game sport fishing for dorado, wahoo, tuna, sailfish, swordfish, and black, blue and striped marlin; play golf at some of the world’s best golf courses; and enjoy spectacular live entertainment nightly. There’s no word as yet on this year’s headliner. Expect a big name, though. Sammy Hagar and other rock star royalty have performed in recent years.

East Cape Dorado Shootout – July 16

This is one of the largest fishing tournaments in Southern Baja, with an average turnout of 130 teams each year. What makes it so popular? The opportunity to win a brand new, fully-loaded 2022 Volkswagen 4×4 Amarok pickup truck, of course. The rules are simple, catch the biggest dorado on July 16th and you win the truck. There will also be great prizes for 2nd and 3rd place, as well as for the largest tuna and largest wahoo caught that day. The beauty of this one-day tournament format is that anyone can win. After the tournament, Palmas De Cortez in Los Barriles will host the award ceremony, which is unlike any in Baja, with dinner, music, a raffle, and more. The combined cash and prizes here are expected to top $200,000 in 2022.

Ladies Only Fishing Tournament at Palmas de Cortez – July 20 – 24

The name doesn’t lie. Only lady anglers are eligible to participate (in teams of up to four) in this two-day fishing tournament hosted by Palmas de Cortez…although captains and deckhands can be men. The first version of this tournament was held in 2019 – and was a rousing success, as was the second iteration in 2021. The entry fee is $200 per team, with points awarded according to the species of fish reeled in. Billfish (200 pts.) and roosterfish (100 pts.) are catch and release, with photo verification. Tuna, wahoo, dorado, amberjack and jack crevalle are all worth 100 points, assuming they meet minimum weight standards. The winning team nets a return trip for the entire team, including a four nights accommodation package at Palmas de Cortez, with two days of standard cruiser fishing. Prizes for the runner-up teams (2nd and 3rd place) will be announced at the awards ceremony.

Bisbee’s East Cape Offshore – August 2 – 6

The East Cape Offshore kicks off Bisbee’s 2022 series starting August 2nd. Cash prizes will be awarded to the top three qualifiers in marlin, tuna and dorado categories, with the awards celebration taking place afterwards at the Hotel Buena Vista Beach Resort. Base entry for the event is $1,500 per team, with additional fees for daily jackpots ($32,000 “across the board”). Prize money is based on entry fees received, with 60% going to the billfish winners, and 20% each to top tuna and dorado anglers. For first-timers, each tournament in the Bisbee’s series has an Early Bird Drawing. The winner of the drawing gets a free entry to the following year’s tournament. To be eligible the paid entry (base entry only) must be received by the Early Bird Deadline (June 30th, 2022 for the ECO). 

East Cape Gold Cup Wahoo Jackpot Tournament – August 20

Similar to the East Cape Dorado Shootout with its drive-away first prize, the biggest wahoo caught on August 20th will earn one lucky fisherman a showroom fresh 2022 Volkswagen Polo. In total, over $100,000 in cash and prizes are expected to be up for grabs, including great raffle prizes, return trips, fishing outings, and much more. The entry fee is only $500 per team and includes dinner at the awards ceremony. 

Want your business, activity or event featured and promoted by CaboViVO, please be sure to contact us here, thanks…

Saludos from Co-Founders…

Chris Sands – Writer  and Michael Mattos

The post The Reel Deal 2022: Previewing Summer Fishing Tournaments in Los Cabos appeared first on CaboViVO.