Beautiful Day

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, […]

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Two More

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 […]

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Triumph and Tragedy

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 […]

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Artistic Eye

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, […]

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The Great Equalizer

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 […]

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Smokin’ Hot

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 […]

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Quick Score

With an approaching full moon, plenty of bait around and roving packs of sailfish, the game plans are already in place. Many of the 72 boats fishing the 33rd annual Pirate’s Cove Billfish Tournament are hoping to strike fast to rack up release points once fishing gets underway. With all billfish releases scoring equal points, […]

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Sailin’

The sails were unfurling Sunday as the 500 lady anglers competing in the Alice Kelly Memorial Ladies Only Billfish Tournament churned through Oregon Inlet on their way offshore. By the stroke of 3 p.m. a total of 61sailfish had been brought to the transoms and let go. Nine white and seven blue marlin were also […]

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