The action during the 38th annual Pirate’s Cove Billfish Tournament wasn’t quite up to the usual pace associated with this event. But that didn’t stop Wave Paver from claiming victory over the other 98 competitors and capturing the biggest share of the more than $1.2 million in prize money. The 77 Bayliss released 11 billfish, […]
Anglers are a superstitious lot. Bananas on board a boat are taboo. Mates will never wash lucky hats. Special food, music and rituals are observed to maintain good karma. So when a boat does well on a bad omen day like Friday the 13th, it goes against common logic. The secret? Not realizing the actual […]
It was a mellow Thursday, compared to normal OBX August standards. Wave Paver, Mama C and Tarheel padded their leads. But there is still one more day of competition in the 38th annual PCBT and the 39 remaining boats will be trolling naked ballyhoo and pulling dredges and daisy-chain teasers Friday in hopes of a […]
It may have been the shifting moon phase, a more concentrated effort or simply the cosmic tumblers aligning. Whatever the case, the action was definitely more upbeat on the second day of the 38th annual Pirate’s Cove Billfish Tournament. But like fishing of any sort, boats had to be in the right spot at the […]
It is a common practice in billfish tournaments for boats to display flsh flags reflecting the day’s catch from the outrigger halyards when returning to the marina. Local customs vary, but generally the rectangular pennants with the fish right-side up depict a boated fish, while inverted graphics designate releases. Along the Mid-Atlantic seaboard, a white […]
If there was any doubt about a return to today’s version of normalcy, it was shattered Monday night. The 38th edition of the Pirate’s Cove Billfish Tournament is back to glory days levels. A total of 99 boats have registered to fish this week for an unofficial total prize purse of more than $1.2 million. […]
Manteo, North Carolina: The 37th annual Pirate’s Cove Billfish Tournament won’t be forgotten any time soon. Against the backdrop of the coronavirus pandemic, 83 boats competed for $852,950 in cash prizes. A total of 473 billfish were released during four days of fishing. But when the diesel smoke finally cleared, it was Desperado, the 2019 […]
By Capt. Dave Lear Manteo, North Carolina: Only two dozen contenders steamed out the Oregon Inlet before dawn for the final day of the 37th annual Pirate’s Cove Billfish Tournament. The remaining 59 were already done for the week, awaiting the final outcome. A few competitors made late pushes with respectable tallies, but the points […]
By Capt. Dave Lear Manteo, North Carolina: So it comes down to the wire in a tournament that historically has witnessed fortune-altering lead changes on the final day of competition. For the 24 teams eligible to compete on Friday—the rest have already used their mandatory lay days—it’s fish or cut bait. Two made strong statements […]
By Capt. Dave Lear Manteo, North Carolina; Winners win for a reason. Granted, luck sometimes comes into play in this sport. But consistent teams are successful because of skill, coordination and drive. So it’s not surprising that two former overall winners—Uno Mas and last year’s top boat, Desperado NC—are currently in the top tier on […]
