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Last week, all eyes in the sport fishing world were on Cabo San Lucas for the 44th Bisbee’s Black & Blue Tournament. The renowned tournament delivered an unforgettable experience as participants from around the world competed for the jackpot just shy of $7 million.
This prestigious event, and the allure of taking home a huge paycheck, attracted 174 teams and over 1,200 passionate anglers in 2024. Over the three days of fishing, the fleet caught a tournament record of 123 marlin, including 108 blues and 15 blacks. 80% of the 123 marlin caught were released, while the harvested fish provided an estimated 47,000 meals through Feeding Los Cabos, a local nonprofit supporting underprivileged communities.
The fishing began with the ceremonial shotgun start, as the 174-boat fleet ventured offshore in search of big fish and a life-changing payout. The fleet caught a total of 45 marlin on the first day fishing, with several blues and blacks weighed. Hooray landed the biggest fish of the day, a 450-pound black marlin, which earned them a staggering payout of nearly $1.6 million – the single largest payout of the tournament.
Motivated by the strong fishing and Hooray’s massive payout on the first day, teams departed Cabo San Lucas on Day Two with high hopes. Although fishing slowed slightly, with the fleet catching 35 marlin on the day, there was no shortage of excitement at the scales. Although multiple black marlin over 500 pounds were weighed, it was Super Neighbors’ 561-pound fish that took the daily, earning them an impressive $511,150 payout. Prime Time also weighed a 482-pound black marlin, and thanks to their strategic entry into the $10K and $20K jackpots, earned them the second biggest payout of the tournament at $1.14 million. Never Say Never took the daily release division with 900 points, earning them $204,000.
Anticipation reached its zenith on the morning of the final day, as teams departed the marina in search of their tournament-winning fish. Fishing was hot as the fleet caught an impressive total of 43 marlin, including 37 blue marlin and six blacks. As the morning turned to the afternoon, crowds began to gather at the marina as onlookers packed the walkway, securing their spot to potentially witness history. They were not disappointed, as the final day produced several quality blue and black marlin that qualified for the scales. However, at the end of the day, it was team Crudo that found the spot light, winning the tournament on the final day with an incredible 634-pound black marlin. Day Three also saw significant wins in addition to Crudo, with Stella June earning $901,500 for their 439-pound black marlin, due to their strategic play in the $10K and $20K jackpots. Sneak Attack joined the pocketed $800,000 for their 351-pound black marlin, securing both the “Chupacabra” jackpot and a rollover on the second day.
Read Next: A Comprehensive History of the Bisbee’s Black and Blue Tournament.
When the dust settled, Crudo claimed the title of the 2024 Bisbee’s Black & Blue champions, taking home $854,150 for their impressive 634-pound black marlin. The second-place honor went to Super Neighbors, who secured $511,150 for their 561-pound marlin. Following closely, the PLC Hookers took third place, earning $460,500 for their 493-pound black marlin and a $5,000 jackpot on the final day of fishing.
The tournament also awarded daily awards and payouts to the top release teams—Never Say Never, Salty K, and El Suertudo—each taking home $204,000.
In total, the 2024 Bisbee’s Black & Blue tournament paid out an impressive $6,847,200 to the winning teams. With anticipation already building for next year, anglers and fans alike look forward to another unforgettable tournament filled with excitement, camaraderie, and the pursuit of giant marlin.
