Biloxi, Mississippi; June 12, 2023: By Dir. Bert Merritt Owner/angler Chris Hatcher, Capt. Dennis Bennett and the crew of Salt Shaker won the highly contested blue marlin division by weighing the largest of seven blues during the 2023 Mississippi Gulf Coast Billfish Classic. The 723.7 pound blue gave the team the hotly contested win after [...]
Biloxi, Mississippi; June 13, 2022: By Capt. Dave Lear Owner/angler Nick Pratt, Capt. Chris Hood and the It Just Takes Time team swept the blue marlin divisions by weighing the only qualifier during the 2022 Mississippi Gulf Coast Billfish Classic, The 763.6-pound blue gave the team an unprecedented win for the third year in a [...]
Biloxi, Mississippi; June 11, 2022: By Capt. Dave Lear In the 26-year history of the Mississippi Gulf Coast Billfish Classic, no team has ever won back to back top boat honors. Until It Just Takes Time did it in 2020 and again in 2021. And when the trophies and checks are passed out at Sunday’s [...]
Biloxi, Mississippi; June 10, 2022 By Capt. Dave Lear The bite offshore is almost as hot as the temperatures on the hill. It is unofficially summer, after all, and the 73 boats competing in the 26th annual Mississippi Gulf Coast Billfish Classic are racking up the release points. As of late Saturday afternoon the collective [...]
June 9, 2022; Biloxi, Mississippi: By Capt. Dave Lear The 73 boats competing in the 2022 MGCBC have already punched through the showers peppering the coastline. The race is on deep into the Gulf of Mexico on a quest for fame and fortune. Each team is vying for the apex predator in the marine food [...]
June 14, 2021; Biloxi, Mississippi: By Capt. Dave Lear In resounding fashion, It Just Takes Time, led by owner/angler Nick Pratt and Captain Chris Hood, took top honors and the biggest payout in the 2021 Mississippi Gulf Coast Billfish Classic. The 72 Viking, based in Orange Beach, Alabama, boated a blue marlin weighing 793 pounds [...]
June 12, 2021; Biloxi, Mississippi: By Capt. Dave Lear Some scenarios defy scripting. As if on cue from a director, the 25th annual Mississippi Gulf Coast Billfish Classic featured a parade of fish to the scales, intriguing back stories, nail-biting lead changes and a couple of climaxes that set new benchmarks. It was, quite literally, [...]
June 11, 2021; Biloxi, Mississippi: By Capt. Dave Lear Sixteen-year-old Scotty Cooper made the most of his opportunities. In the past the junior angler has lost out to other family members, but Friday morning he scampered into the fighting chair first and promptly fought and released a blue marlin. A short while later he repeated [...]
June 10, 2021, Biloxi, Mississippi: By Capt. Dave Lear As 101 gleaming sportfishers and center consoles churn deeper into the central Gulf of Mexico, game plans and last-minute adjustments are taking shape. The boats competing in the 25th annual Mississippi Gulf Coast Billfish Classic are looking for hefty game fish, a potential record swordfish and [...]
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 [...]
