June 9, 2021; Biloxi, Mississippi: By Capt. Dave Lear Twenty-five years is a significant milestone. A lot can happen during those years. And if you look specifically at the Mississippi Gulf Coast Billfish Classic, that’s certainly the case. The event, staged at the Point Cadet Marina in Biloxi, has endured storms, an oil spill and [...]
April 7, 2021, Biloxi, Mississippi: By Capt. Dave Lear To celebrate its silver 25th anniversary, the Classic is bringing back a popular change to the game fish division. Swordfish will be an eligible species, along with tuna, wahoo and dolphin. As an added bonus, the Classic will pay $250,000 to the last team to break [...]
June 14, 2020; Biloxi, Mississippi: By Capt. Dave Lear And it’s a wrap. Despite adverse conditions brought on by the corona pandemic and a tropical storm, the Mississippi Gulf Coast Billfish Classic pulled off its 24th edition with panache and fireworks. The 57-boat fleet set a new Gulf of Mexico record with an incredible 101 [...]
June 13, 2020; Biloxi, Mississippi: By Capt. Dave Lear It’s hard to find enough phrases to describe the intensity of the bite. Scorching. Sizzling. Red hot. On fire. Hotter than a firecracker. Whatever the label, the 2020 Mississippi Gulf Coast Billfish Classic will go down as some of the best offshore action in recent memory. [...]
June 12, 2020; Biloxi, Mississippi: By Capt. Dave Lear The first day of summer is still more than a week away. That doesn’t mean the temperatures aren’t hot. Big game fishing, at least in the central Gulf of Mexico, is downright sizzling, too. Tournament staff were constantly answering cell phones or responding to texts as [...]
June 11; Biloxi, Mississippi: By Capt. Dave Lear Fifty-seven teams are hoping to cash in on the dusk feeding frenzy right about now. Marlin often feed in low light conditions as they ambush their prey. The boats competing in the 24th annual Classic were allowed to put lines in at 2 p.m., so all eyes [...]
June 10, 2020; Biloxi, Mississippi: By Capt. Dave Lear The 24th edition of the Mississippi Gulf Coast Billfish Classic is turning out to be anything but normal. As if a national health crisis and social unrest weren’t enough, the aftermath of last weekend’s Tropical Storm Cristobal, which came ashore in neighboring Louisiana, splashed water on [...]
June 9, 2020; Biloxi, Mississippi: By Capt. Dave Lear Tournament officials have announced some major changes for the 24th annual Mississippi Gulf Coast Billfish Classic. Boats will now be able to leave from any Gulf port. All entries, whether weighed fish or video proof of releases, will still have to be turned in at the [...]
June 11, 2019; Biloxi, Mississippi: Relentless Pursuit, a 95 Jim Smith owned by Dennis Pastentine, won the top honors in the 2019 Mississippi Gulf Coast Billfish Classic, which concluded Sunday evening at the Point Cadet Marina. Led by Capt. Robert Doggett, anglers Josh Jones and Mike Akue and the team scored 1,800 points in the [...]
By Capt. Dave Lear June 9, 2019; Biloxi, Mississippi: It could have been the set for an Arby’s commercial. The die-hard 25 teams who braved tough conditions in the Gulf hauled serious stacks of seafood to the scales Sunday afternoon. Meat fish including yellowfin tuna, wahoo and dolphin score a point per pound in the [...]
