Forty teams in the 21st annual Virginia Beach Billfish Tournament are kicking off the opening day of the event looking for big swimmers out to sea.
In the 70-boat fleet, 30 are taking a lay day – and six of those are competing in a mini “Lay Day Tournament.”
Teams are competing for an $810,500 total purse.
Last year Capt. Robbie Brown guided “Just Right” to the title and a tournament-record $463,850.
The year’s total purse of $845,750 – another tournament record.
The 75 teams caught 218 billfish and all were released.
All white marlin, sailfish and swordfish must be released, with the exception of a blue marlin measuring at least 110 inches and weighing at least 400 pounds.
In the tournament’s history, only six blues have ever been weighed in. The biggest was an 801-pounder caught by Craig Revere of Hatfield, Va., in 2017 on the Qualifier.
The event’s best fishing came in 2013, when 483 billfish were caught.
But just what kind of cooperation teams get from the fish this year is yet to be seen.
You know the old saying: “That’s why they call it fishing.”
The recent passing of tropical cyclone Ernesto has things a little churned up, but that often has good results.
Sailfish have be the most cooperative billfish as of late, but some blue and white marlin, and spearfish have shown.
The gamefish divisions will see some yellowfin tuna, a few bigeye tuna, dolphin and wahoo.
Stay tuned …