The Billfish Report is counting down its Top 10 Billfisheries of the Year, and our #8 Billfishery is Bermuda.  Criteria for our Top 10 include fish numbers, variety of billfish species, average size of fish, length of season and numbers of boats fishing.

Welcome back Bermuda, we missed you! After a couple of average seasons, at least by Bermuda standards, 2013 proved to be one of the best on record. The famed Challenger and Argus Banks matched their reputation with 38 Blue Marlin over 500 lbs. with eight (8) of those over 700 lbs and a Grander for the boat Challenger. As a Big Marlin fishery alone, they would have been No. 5 in the World. Add in a good run on White Marlin and you have a great season, not to mention another World Cup win.

While there are plenty of boats fishing Bermuda, they have a very short season of only 2-3 Months, making these numbers ever more impressive. Unlike the prior seasons, the numbers were up too. Boats were consistently getting 2-3 shots a day on Blue Marlin (including double and triple headers) with plenty of boats releasing 3 Blue Marlin in a day including Challenger, Mattanza, Tyson’s Pride, Sea Toy and Off Piste . While those numbers may not seem impressive to some, their average fish there is over 400 lbs. Big Game fishing at its best!

Congratulations to all the crews fishing in Bermuda our #8 Billfishery of the Year!

SEASON HIGHLIGHTS

Wound Up went 2-4 on Blue Marlin (650) and 1-1 on White Marlin

Challenger went 3-5 on Blue Marlin

Sea Toy caught 3 Blue Marlin (550)

Tyson’s Pride 3-4 on Blue Marlin (500)