Friday afternoon won’t get here soon enough for a handful of boats entered in the 2017 PCBT. That’s when lines will officially come out of the water and several with chewed fingernails are hoping their scores won’t be toppled in the interim. Chief among them is Capt. Chris Kubik and the crew aboard Point Runner, […]
Professional sports teams always appreciate being on their home fields. The players are familiar with the nuances of the stadium or park, plus there’s extra motivation having the fans cheering every move, too. Better home records are the typical result. Teams competing on the big-game tournament circuit are no different. Captains with local knowledge can […]
Along the stretch of barrier islands that comprise the Outer Banks, rarely will you hear praise for a hurricane. Yet that was the case today as the 45 boats fishing (34 opted to lay) rode the big swells offshore, finding plenty of cooperative white and blue marlin, plus sailfish along the way. A total of […]
There’s not a casino within 20 miles of Manteo, but that’s not stopping 79 boats from rolling the dice tonight. On the eve of the inaugural day fishing in the 2017 Pirate’s Cove Billfish Tournament, crews are pouring over satellite charts and chatting quietly among inner circles, trying to come up with game plans on […]
The fishing wasn’t exactly on fire for the 28th annual Alice Kelly Memorial Ladies Only Billfish Tournament. The record 97 boats competing had to search hard in their efforts to find fish. Some ventured as far as 70 miles south while others ran due east from Oregon Inlet about 30 miles. In the end though, […]
The numbers just kept adding up. When the final lines out was called on Friday afternoon, Uno Mas had scored more fish. Two more, in fact, than its closest rivals, giving this veteran team the overall win in the 33rd annual Pirate’s Cove Billfish Tournament. Owner/angler Brooks Smith was named the top tournament angler and […]
A brief snippet of radio chatter on the booming Tournament Control VHF channel after lines out summed up the last day in the 2016 PCBT perfectly: Tournament Control (Capt. Marty Brill): “I wonder what the record is for overall fish for Pirate’s Cove?” First boat answer: “I can’t remember yesterday.” Second boat answer: “I want […]
With the majority of the fleet electing to stay in port, compounded by thunderstorms, the bite was a little off on Thursday, the next to last day of the 2016 Pirate’s Cove Billfish Tournament. Still, a total of 77 billfish were wired and released, including 54 sailfish, 20 whites and three blue marlin. Sea Toy, […]
The pace is fast in the Gulf Stream. Bait follows current, billfish follow bait and when the skilled crews fishing the 33rd annual Pirate’s Cove Billfish Tournament find those billfish, double and triple fireworks often follow. Which is exactly what happened on Wednesday, the second leg in this week-long event, as the 53 boats fishing […]
There’s nothing like first impressions. With a bite as hot as the blazing summer temperatures, the 33rd annual Pirate’s Cove Billfish Tournament kicked off with a thunderclap as the first day’s action drew to a close Tuesday night. Legacy, a 58 Sullivan owned by Blake Franklin with Capt. Jordan Croswait at the helm, put on […]
