OUTDOOR NOTES : Mexican Government’s Hook Almost Snags Tournament

A surprise Mexican tax attack almost scuttled Bisbee’s Black and Blue Marlin Jackpot Tournament as it started at Cabo San Lucas last week. Organizer Bob Bisbee of Balboa had to post a $400,000 bond drawn on his personal property at Cabo to save the event.

According to Bisbee’s son, Wayne, Bisbee was approached an hour after the tournament opened by three men and a female interpreter from the Mexican Internal Revenue Service. While 548 anglers fished from 137 boats--each of which had paid a $5,000 entry fee--Bisbee, 59, was detained in the manager’s office of the Plaza Las Glorias Hotel for three days as the agents demanded new taxes far greater than the usual 15% of the prize money Bisbee had paid in the previous 11 years.

“They wanted 30% off the top of anything involved in the tournament--entries, jackpot entries, banquet tickets,” Bisbee’s son said. “They also wanted a list of everything we imported into the country--bags, hats, shirts, everything in the tournament kits. They wanted import tax on that, which is 45% of $140,000 worth of goods that we give to the anglers. Out of the $750,000 we generated, the taxes came to $400,000 and change.”

Wayne Bisbee said the agent in charge told his father, “ ‘If you leave, you’re going to be in La Paz Penitentiary, and we’ll put a navy ship in the harbor, and any (fishing) boat that leaves the harbor will get escorted to La Paz.’ They would not let him leave until he would either write them a check for $400,000 or cancel the tournament and give everybody their money back so he wouldn’t be liable for any taxes. We tried to tell them they wouldn’t get anything then, but they didn’t care. This guy was not listening to any logic, any reasoning whatsoever.”

Wayne Bisbee said that government officials in Mexico City indicated the problem might have been caused by confusion at the local level.

“According to Mexico City, the tax is totally ridiculous and not applicable,” he said. “It’s a show tax, like if you brought a theater (production) in, they get 30%. The charity deal is supposed to alleviate us of everything but the 15% tax.”

Over the years, Bisbee’s tournament has contributed about $300,000 and the first ambulance to the town. The donation was $38,000 this year. The competitors also provide unknown revenue for hotels and restaurants.

“It’d be into the millions,” Wayne Bisbee said. “The town loves it. Every citizen there was ready to shoot these people.”

But Bob Bisbee may face a long court battle to get back his $400,000.

“Dad’s ready to (move the tournament),” Wayne Bisbee said. “Costa Rica’s Flamingo Bay has been begging us to do the tournament there for years.”

Briefly

BAJA FISHING--Cabo San Lucas: Rowan Henry, hometown unknown, won the 12th annual Bisbee’s Black and Blue Jackpot Marlin Tournament with a 525-pound blue marlin. Billfishing slowed some, but non-tournament anglers caught 10 other blues topping 500 pounds. Dorado, wahoo and tuna still strong. San Jose Del Cabo: Most of fleet hitting dorado toward the Pacific. East Cape: 28 anglers in Rod & Reel Adventures group at Hotel Palmas de Cortez took 29 billfish, most of them sailfish, along with striped marlin, four blues to 320 pounds and about four dorado each. Ron Nelson had a 580-pound blue. Mazatlan: Sailfish dominating the catch, followed by dorado and tuna. San Diego long-range: The Holiday, three days to San Martin with 25 anglers, took 375 yellowfin, plus dorado, skipjack and yellowtail. The Vagabond, three days to 70 miles west of San Martin with 25 anglers, took 208 yellowtail and 123 dorado.

HUNTING--Free junior pheasant hunts for licensed hunters 16 and younger are scheduled by the California Department of Fish and Game--Nov. 14 at the San Jacinto Wildlife Area in Riverside County, Nov. 21 at Raahauge’s club in Norco and at Wertz Farms near Palo Verde, Dec. 12 at Bishop Farm near Calexico and Dec. 31 at the Lone Pine Pheasant Club in Inyo County. Quail Unlimited will provide trained dogs. Candidates must mail a 3 x 5 U.S. Postal Service card to: Game Heritage Hunt, Department of Fish and Game, 330 Golden Shore Blvd., Building 50, Long Beach, Calif. 90802. Information must include name, mailing address, phone, date of birth, hunting license number and the location desired. Limit one card per hunter per season. More details: (310) 590-5158. . . . The DFG also is sponsoring adult one-day pheasant hunts Nov. 16-17 at San Jacinto and the Imperial Wildlife Area. Candidates, who must provide their own dogs, also must apply by card to the DFG, following the guidelines above. . . . Former Ram Jack Youngblood will conduct the fifth annual CHOC Padrinos Celebrity Pheasant Hunt at Raahauge’s next Tuesday to benefit the Children’s Hospital of Orange County. Details: (714) 532-8683.

FRESHWATER FISHING--The Fishermen’s Spot, 14423 Burbank Blvd., in Van Nuys, will host a free parking-lot tackle swap meet Sunday, 8 a.m.-3 p.m. Details: (818) 785-7306.

CRIME AND PUNISHMENT--The Wyoming Game and Fish Dept. reports that an outfitter who poached a trophy mule deer was caught when a photograph proved that the animal had been killed after the previous season closed. Justin Wright claimed he had shot the deer on Oct. 12, 1990, but a picture taken independently by a wildlife photographer after the previous season had closed nine months earlier in January showed the animal with the same set of antlers. Mule deer shed their antlers annually, and the new ones they grow don’t match the old ones. Wright did 10 days in jail, paid a $1,500 fine and lost his hunting privileges for a year.