The Bahamas Billfish Championship (BBC) launched it’s 37th season with the Central Abaco Championship. With three days of perfect spring weather and ideal sea conditions, the fleet of twentynine of the world’s top sport fishing boats caught fortyone billfish during the threeday event at Treasure Cay Resort & Marina.

The first leg of the five tournament series was won by Blue Heron, a Hatteras 50 based out of Key West, Florida. The Blue Heron team, led by Mark Knowles, gathered 1,400 points by catching and releasing two blue marlin and one white marlin on days one and two of the tournament. Team Blue Heron edged out defending BBC champion team Double Dog which also achieved 1,400 points catching and releasing five white marlin and four sailfish. In BBC competition, when two teams get the same point total, the winner is determined by the team reaching the point total first.
The win garnered Knowles and Blue Heron a Randy Rich designed trophy presented by tournament sponsors Gulfstream International Airlines and Hatteras Yachts. As the Top Release Team for the Central Abaco Championship, team Blue Heron was presented with a Randy Buck original bronze trophy sponsored by Murray Products, High Seas Technology and PipeWelders. Captain Shannon Fountain and the Blue Heron crew each received a Randy Rich designed trophy presented by Steve Lewis of the Lewis Marine Group.
Second Place honors at the Central Abaco tournament went to Don McKinney’s Fort Lauderdale based Double Dog, a 66 Hines Farley. McKinney was also awarded a Randy Rich trophy from Gulfstream International Airlines and Hatteras Yachts. In addition, team Double Dog was the recipient of the Smith Merritt Insurance and International Special Risks ‘Customer Appreciation Award’ presented to their insured scoring the highest points in the tournament. Smith Merritt and ISR award a Carey Chen print for each of the five tournaments and one for the overall winner that the companies insure.

Luis Isaias’ Jichi, a C&L 58 from Coral Gables, Florida finished in Third Place with 1,256 points. Team Jichi caught and released a blue marlin and boated another blue on day one that weighed 656 pounds. In addition to the Randy Rich trophies, the three winning teams also received gift certificates from Roffer’s Ocean Fishing Forecast and BoatMat Corp.

For the BBC’s first tournament of the 2010 season, 41 billfish were caught – 8 blue marlin, 25 white marlin and 8 sailfish. As with all BBC tournaments, all catches are validated using time and date stamped digital images. Affidavits signed by all participants fishing on each team further confirms that the fish was released in accordance with IGFA and Bahamas Billfish Championship rules.
Gulfstream International Airlines and Hatteras Yachts were the sponsors of the Central Abaco Championship. Social functions during the tournament were hosted by Epice' Skin Care Products and CAT Marine Power.

Now celebrating its 37th season, the BBC is the oldest billfish tournament series in the world. Anglers can fish any or all of the tournaments with cumulative points determining the overall Bahamas Billfish Champions. In an effort to giveback to the Bahamian people, the Bahamas Billfish Championship endowed two scholarships that enable Bahamian students the opportunity to pursue a degree in marine biology or advanced education in marine technologies.

For the very latest information, overall standings visit our factfilled Internet website at www.bahamasbillfish.com or contact the Bahamas Billfish Championship at 8669205577 or email: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .