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 the re-boot of the original dates. As a result, the fleet will now be able to depart from any northern Gulf port, starting at midnight Wednesday. Yet despite the twists and turns, by early afternoon Thursday, live big-game drama will be playing out once again.
Registration is still on-going at the host Golden Nugget Casino & Hotel. So the final count and overall purse won’t be known until later. But based on historic trends with the standard team awards and optional cash entries, this year’s contestants are angling for $1 million in prize money.
Big blue marlin are the ultimate prize. Fish must measure at least 110 inches from the lower jaw to the fork of the tail to be eligible in the weight category. That length typically equates to 500 pounds or heavier. Teams troll lures or skirted dead baits for enticement. Live baiting, or catching live smaller tuna and suspending them in prime spots, is another popular tactic. Because of the long distances the boats go to find fish, most will remain offshore until Saturday night. Large insulated bags stuffed with ice help keep the catch cold and preserved, while collapsible fuel bladders extend the capable range of the boats.
The Release Division has grown exponentially more competitive—and lucrative. Smaller blues, along with white marlin, sailfish and spearfish, earn points for successful release. The catches must be verified by judges who confirm the species and compliance after watching video. Possible point ties are broken by the times fish were let go. Payouts in this division can easily top six-figures depending the optional entry levels.
Three species comprise the game fish categories and each are hotly contested as well. Yellowfin tuna, dolphin and wahoo 20 pounds or heavier are scored by weight. The scoring leaderboard will change multiple times as each team unloads its catch.
So what are the prospects in Cristobal’s wake? Pretty darn good, according to Capt. Tom Hilton. He’s the president of Hilton’s Realtime Navigation, an offshore forecasting service that looks at satellite data and offers clues to subscribers as to where they might find winning fish.
“There’s been a big down-welling around Lloyd’s Ridge,” Hilton explains. “Just west, there’s a big counter-clockwise upwelling with real strong current. It’s almost a mini Gulf Stream in the Gulf. That current has been running north/northwest with a lot of tuna, marlin and dorado in the mix. Further east, there were some great weed lines and water around the Spur and Dumping Grounds. The storm shuffled the deck somewhat. The river rip is not as well defined now, but the Green Canyon is opening up more. I think some fish will be caught out there.”
Hilton adds another positive note. “The clouds have partially obscured some of the satellite pictures, but there’s lots of pretty blue water piled up inshore. Conditions are very favorable for some really good fish this week.”
As a favorite angling expression explains, “You won’t know until you go.” For the 2020 Classic contestants, that go time is now!
