Lots of Billfish, Fishing in Wallets for Bills

A 700-pound blue marlin was hoisted onto the Cabo San Lucas scales earlier this week, much to the amazement of dozens of tourists who gathered around to get a closer look at such an impressive specimen.

Wayne Bisbee, however, could only scratch his head.

“Why in the world would anyone want to take that thing out of the water now?” he wondered aloud?

Surely, whoever caught this magnificent fish is not part of Wayne’s world, that annual circus known as Bisbee’s Black & Blue Marlin Jackpot Tournament.

Because if he were, then why not release the fish and try to catch it again when it might be worth something--like a million bucks?

This year’s extravaganza, headquartered at the Marina Fiesta Hotel, is set for Oct. 20-24. It is the richest billfish tournament in the world and its participants--judging from the 50-foot yachts that have been motoring into the Cabo San Lucas marina all week, are some of the richest fishermen in the world.

Given this, it is understandable why this resort city at Baja California’s tip, having awakened from its summerlong siesta in time for peak season, is already abuzz with Bisbee fever.

“You could probably stand in the middle of town right now, yell ‘Hookup!’ and people would start having heart attacks--the anticipation is that high,” said Bisbee, 34, the tournament director from Newport Beach, whose family has been putting on this show for 18 years.

Anticipation might not be that high. But the Bisbee tournament is a very big deal at Land’s End. The tournament field has grown from six teams in the first year to 180 or so.

“From a dollar standpoint, the impact is pretty unbelievable,” Bisbee said, citing a 1993 survey of participants from 120 teams who claimed to have spent a total of $8 million during their stay in Cabo San Lucas.

“It’s scary to think how much of that $8 million was spent on alcohol,” Bisbee added, half-jokingly.

A great deal, probably. The blenders are already smoking. The crowds have been growing steadily for the last week or so. And come the post-tournament bash, the winners will really have something to celebrate.

Last year, Gene Price of Rancho Palos Verdes took top honors with a 372-pound blue that netted his team $757,055. The second-place team, because it had entered more side jackpots, won a tournament-record $917,263.

The Bisbees were quick to point out that, by comparison, Pete Sampras was awarded significantly less, $664,000, for winning the 1997 Wimbledon tennis title, as was golfer Tiger Woods, $486,000, for his 1997 Masters victory.

The largest marlin in the history of the Black & Blue was a 993-pound blue marlin caught in 1994 aboard Phil Gentile’s yacht, Picante.

When the marlin, nearly 20 feet long, was finally alongside the boat, one of the deckhands stuck it with a flying gaff. But the gaff-head failed to release and the deckhand failed to let go. He was pulled overboard and on top of the monster, which apparently was too tuckered out to exact revenge.

The deckhand finally let go and swam to safety and the Picante team--Phil’s cousin Joe was the angler--cashed in at the awards ceremony.

Phil Gentile, 47, who lives in Upland, has since retired from his environmental cleanup business and used his share of the $600,000-plus purse to go into business in Cabo San Lucas. He started Picante Sportfishing and now has a fleet of seven upscale Cabo sportfishers catering to high-end clientele.

“I was going to start a business down there anyway,” Gentile said. “But my marketing strategy changed a little bit after winning the Bisbee’s.”

Last year, fishing was terrible during the Black & Blue. A record 728 anglers aboard 181 boats managed to catch only two marlin that met the 300-pound minimum for weigh-in consideration--smaller billfish are tagged and released--thanks to 90-degree water generated by El Nino, which kept the bigger billfish away.

This year, prospects are excellent. Smaller blues moved in during the summer and the bigger blues--and possibly some blacks--are putting on a show almost daily.

Several have been right around the 300-pound mark. A week ago, a 480-pounder was weighed in. That was followed by a 600-pounder caught aboard one of the Picante boats. More recently, the 700-pounder was caught aboard a private yacht.

“I think 500- and 600-pounders are going to be caught every day of this year’s tournament,” Gentile said. “And I’m pretty sure something at about 800 pounds is going to win the thing.”

Feeling lucky? Applications are still being accepted. All you need is a boat to fish on, the $5,000 entry fee and perhaps some extra cash for the rollover jackpots. Details: (714) 650-8006. The tournament will be cybercast daily on the Internet at https://www.worldbillfishseries.com.

QUICK CASTS

* Members of the United Anglers of Southern California are smiling broadly, now that Gov. Pete Wilson has signed into law AB 1241, which defines a new framework for fisheries management that gives priority to sustainability rather than short-term economic gain.

The bill basically takes politics out of the picture and emphasizes scientific management. A number of species are expected to benefit from the signing of the bill, which was spearheaded by the United Anglers. UASC president Tom Raftican calls AB 1241 “the most significant advance in fisheries management in nearly half a century.”

* California’s recreational lobster season opened last Saturday, and prospective divers should be aware that either a sportfishing license with an ocean enhancement stamp--the stamp is needed only in waters south of Point Arguello near Santa Barbara--is required to pluck one of these delectable crustaceans from the ocean floor. The bag limit is seven and all lobsters must measure at least 3 1/4 inches from the rear edge of the eye socket to the rear edge of the body shell.

* The Polaris Supreme returned to San Diego’s Fisherman’s Landing on Wednesday morning with the fall long-range season’s first big haul of wahoo--132 fish for 23 anglers, who also boated 81 yellowfin tuna, topped by a 90-pounder, during an eight-day trip to the Alijos Rocks off Baja. Top catch: a 129-pound yellowfin by Roger Nichols of Carlsbad while fishing aboard the Qualifier 105 out of Point Loma Sportfishing.

* Albacore fishermen continue to catch good numbers of the popular tuna off Central California--when weather permits. Top catch, a 52-pounder by Monte Vitzthum of Arcadia aboard the Admiral out of Virg’s Landing in Morro Bay. Virg’s can be reached at (800) 762-5263.

* Irvine Lake is conducting a night bass tournament Oct. 24-25 and limiting it to the first 100 two-man teams. Cost is $150 a team plus optional jackpot costs. Fishing is from 4 p.m.-2 a.m. Details: (818) 883-8125. Laguna Niguel is the site of a float-tube bass derby put on by Fish Talk Radio on Nov. 7, 6 a.m.-noon. Cost is $20 a person. Details: (949) 362-3885.

* The Corona Lake trout opener, originally scheduled for Oct. 15 after extensive stocking of large rainbow trout trucked down from a Mt. Lassen hatchery, has been rescheduled for Oct. 29 because of concerns that it is much too warm to put trout in the lake now. A wise decision. The fish were stocked early a couple of years ago (under a different concessionaire) and opening-day anglers watched in disgust as most of them floated belly-up.

FOR THE RECORD

It was reported in this space last week that Tim Alpers, who raises rainbow trout on the family ranch in Mono County, uses genetically altered eggs to achieve his sizable fish.

Alpers maintains that the eggs he buys are “normal eggs,” that the fish he raises “are all sexually viable” and that the fish get that big--he raises them to more than 10 pounds--because he grows and cares for them for three to four years before planting them in area waters.